Updated: SmartList Design Feature from Microsoft vs SmartList Builder

I have taken some more time to review the SmartList Designer feature release in Microsoft Dynamics GP 2013 SP2 and wanted to compile all my information together for you.  I have noted any big changes to my list in red for you to easily find.

While it is a nice addition to SmartList from Microsoft and features such as the Results preview and the ability to create new SmartLists based on the default SmartLists, it is still missing a lot of features that SmartList Builder has already.

Here is a list of features I found that SmartList Designer DOES NOT give you that SmartList Builder DOES.

· Summary:  It does not have an option to create a Summary SmartList so I can see a quick overview of the data and drill down into the detail if I need.

· Multicompany:  There is no option to pull data from multiple companies into one SmartList.

· Re-order Columns:  While you can go into the SmartList Options window to change the order of columns, it doesn’t allow you to reorder the columns as you want when you are building the SmartList.

· GoTos: There is no option to add GoTos so that you can drill down to the Microsoft Dynamics GP windows directly from SmartList.

· Import/Export:  I cannot setup the SmartLists on my development environment and get them exactly how I want and then import them into my live system.  They would have to be setup again from scratch.

· Extender:  There is no option to add in my Extender resources.  I would have to use Extender Views to get the data into the SmartList.

· SQL Objects:  It can only add SQL Views from the company database that I am logged into and the system database.  It doesn’t allow you to pull in tables from the company and system databases or anything from other databases you have on your SQL Server.  In saying this, it also gives the users automatic access to the SQL Views in the databases.  There isn’t a way to control the access to the views other than changing permissions in SQL.

· Restrictions:  They exist in the Designer, but they are limited compared to those with SmartList Builder and they cannot applied to specific users.

· Matched Tables:  There is not an option to match tables between work, open, and history, unless that is what the cross join option is designed to do.  I cannot get it to function in that manner though.

· Column Display:  It doesn’t give me the option to specify which columns I want to have available to use if I need and which ones to display by default.  I can only pick the ones to display by default.

· Account Indexes and Note Indexes:  If you modify an existing SmartList, it will display the Account Index as an Account Number for you.  If you create your own though, you cannot display the Account Number instead of the Account Index.  The same goes for the Note Index.

· Formatting:  There really isn’t any sort of formatting you can do to the fields.  You cannot select the number of decimals, the display of currency symbols, define lists that aren’t defined, or create masks for strings.  You also cannot format the dates to remove the 1/1/1900 dates.

· Security:  While I can lock down security to SmartList and the designer window in general, there is not individual security to what a user can do in the Designer.  They either get it or they don’t. This means that everyone who gets it will automatically have access to preview the SmartLists they build and be able to see any data, especially payroll, in the system.  They don’t have to have access to the actual SmartLists to view the data.

· Excel Report Builder/Navigation List Builder/Drill Down Builder:  SmartList Designer doesn’t have any answer for building your own Excel Reports, Navigation Lists, or creating Drill Downs to GP.

· SmartView:  SmartList Builder currently allows you to easily use your newly created SmartLists in SmartView as well as SmartList.

· Display and default fields:  SmartList Builder allows you to create flexible SmartLists with fields that can be selected either by default or by the user.  SmartList Designer only allows you to add a limited number of fields that are always selected by default.

 

With all that being said, SmartList Designer does do a few things that SmartList Builder doesn’t.  I mentioned earlier that it has a Results option and does allow you to create a new SmartList from the default SmartLists. 

Now that SmartList Builder is coming back home to eOne, (click here for message) we can include some features that should make everyone happy.  Here is a couple of things we plan to add:

1.    A preview feature so that you can see the data in SmartList Builder without having to go to SmartList each time to view it.  The plan is to add this to SmartList Builder, Excel Report Builder, and Navigation List Builder, but make sure that there is security around it so that it can be restricted so users cannot view data they shouldn’t be able too.

2.    Ability to modify the Dynamics GP SmartLists without having to import the setups that are available from Microsoft or eOne. You will be able to add new fields and calculations, hide unused fields, add new GoTos and add fixed restrictions (along with all of the other features in SmartList Builder) to the standard Dynamics GP SmartLists, including all SmartLists from Field Service, Project Accounting, Analytical Accounting, Manufacturing, Fixed Assets and Human Resources.

3.    A Table Finder feature to help with finding the tables that you are looking for when building a new SmartList.

4.    And of course, we will have the ability to modify the SmartLists that have been built in SmartList Designer.

Look for more information on these and other features to come in future blogs from eOne.

 

Tech Tuesday: New SmartConnect Build Released

For today's Tech Tuesday, we'd like to announce a new build of SmartConnect released today: SmartConnect SP1 HF1 (service pack 1, hot fix 1). The build number is 20.13.1.80

We had a few issues from our previous build that we wanted to address right away:

Dynamics GP Connector

·          10660 - Issue upgrading connector settings from versions of SmartConnect earlier than 2012 SP2.

·          10667 - Error saving an Extender 2013 window that contains a list field.

·          10668 - In some instances eConnect incorrectly called twice for Dynamics GP 2010 destinations.

Dynamics CRM 2011 Connector

·          10666 - Incorrect error message when SmartConnect checks change tables.

·          10670 - Object not found error in multi column lookups.

Generic Connector

·          10669 - Error when restricting out lines in SQL stored proc destination.

 

If you have any questions on the build, please contact chris.dew@eonesolutions.com.

GPUG and CRMUG Summit, eXtreme CRM - two of the best events this fall

Let the fun begin! As eOne enters one of the busiest seasons of the year, we thought we'd let you know about two of the larger events we'll be sponsoring this fall. If you can make it to either event - please stop by and see us. We love connecting with our partners and customers. We'd love to hear your success stories, learn how we can improve, and catch up on how things are in your world.

1. GPUG/CRMUG Summit in Tampa, FL
These are hands-down some of the most fun events for our team because we get to connect with customers. The summits are designed for customers to learn more about solutions they may already have in house through their Microsoft purchases, as well as discover other solutions that may help them further. We'll be presenting a bunch of sessions that we'd love to have you join us for, including:

1. Extender Training: all day on Monday, October 21st. Email sales@eonesolutions.com for details.  
2. What are the Builders?: Wed, October 23rd at 10 am
3. Excel Report Builder -Your Miracle Tool: Wed, October 23rd at 2 pm & Friday, October 25th at 11 am
4. Making GP Your Super ERP: Thursday, October 24th at 9:30 am
5. Extender & What it Means to You: Thursday, October 24th at 2:30 pm
6. Going Deep with SmartList Builder: Thursday, October 24th at 4 pm
7. Excel Report Builder/SmartList Builder Panel: Friday, October 25th at 2 pm

Take a look at all the sessions here.

 

Chris Dew presents at last year's GPUG Summit class on Excel Report Builder.

 

 

2. eXtreme CRM in Anaheim, CA

This is the go-to event for Microsoft Dynamics CRM partners. The agenda is jam-packed with sessions for everyone from developers to consultants to sales and marketing folks. We had a great time last year connecting with familiar faces and getting to know new partners. We are truly looking forward to this valuable CRM event this year. Take a look at the full eXtreme CRM agenda here to find out which sessions you should attend.

 





Chris Hanson discusses SmartConnect - eOne's integration tool for CRM - with some of our favorite partners.

 

 

Want to know where else the eOne team will be this fall? Already planning to come to one of the events above but want to connect with the eOne team? Let us know - email abbey.cooper@eonesolutions.com.  



Release Info on SmartConnect 2013, Service Pack 1

SmartConnect 2013 Service Pack 1

 

We are very excited to release SmartConnect today!

Service Pack 1 for SmartConnect 2013 has over 40 new features added along with several fixes. Here are a few of the really exciting features and the download below:
http://www.eonesolutions.com/Downloads/SmartConnect.aspx

Multiple Datasources – You can use the feature to pull data from an Excel Sheet, a SQL Table and CRM all at one time without creating calculated fields.

View Event Logs inside of SmartConnect – This feature will give a SmartConnect user access to view the Windows Event Log messages from across machines on the network directly inside of the program.

Folder Real-Time Triggers – Now you can have a map trigger immediately after you place the integration file in a directory. Scheduling this before was pretty good but now it runs right away.

Extender eConnect Nodes – The GP2013 Extender Nodes are REALLY nice now. It will allow you pick your window and it actually bring back the fields you have on that window. This makes mapping Extender information even easier than before. Additionally, you can add as many Extender windows and forms as you want.

Web Service as a data source or destination (we had destination before) – The ability to add any web service that has a defined WDSL as a datasource was added with this release. We had previously added the ability to use a web service as a destination and with this new functionality, we can pull or push information right from inside of SmartConnect. If you are on Dynamics GP 10, 2010 or 2013 , using MS CRM or SalesForce, you will find that this version will give you a great experience as you upgrade.  

Chris Dew
Director of Product Management

Integrations with SalesForce.com

Did you know SmartConnect has a connector with SalesForce.com? Take a look at our 3 minute demo video showing an integration between SalesForce.com and Microsoft Dynamics GP.

If you have any questions or want to learn more about the SalesForce connector for SmartConnect, please email sales@eonesolutions.com.

What is SmartList Builder?

With the exciting news that eOne is taking back full control of SmartList Builder on Jan 1st 2014 - we have had a number queries asking 'what is actually meant by SmartList Builder?'

So, as a clarification, SmartList Builder is made up of some very distinct products. All of the Products/Functionality are part of SmartList Builder and all will be returning to eOne - and will no longer be available from Microsoft. For those of you that are nervous - do not be. eOne had always developed SmartList Builder and always done all the quality assurance and testing of all aspects of SLB. For the past 6/7 years we simply allowed Microsoft to do the selling for us (and they have done a very good job) - and now we are going to do that as well!

SmartList Builder: Provides the ability to build a brand new SmartList based on any data in any GP module or third party module (or external SQL data). SLB provides detailed formatting of fields to ensure they display as you need them to display for end users. SmartList builder also provides the ability to create and assign GOTO's to all your new List's. 

Excel Report Builder: Excel Report Builder provides all the power of SmartList Builder - but rather than building a list in SmartList - it generates this same list live into Excel. It is awesome and it is how i do all our internal reporting at eOne (when I am not using SmartView of course). All I do is open the spreadsheet each Friday and get a full picture of how sales went this week. 

Navigation List Builder: This is the best kept GP secret ever. Navigation lists are actually very cool - but almost no one knows about them. If you are using the GP web client you will be forced to use Navigation Lists - and rightfully so. BUT - they are pretty much unusable without SmartList Builder's, Navigation List Builder functionality.  Navigation List Builder allows you to add any new list to Navigation Lists - (and importantly allows you to restrict the data to ensure the Navigation List runs FAST). You can also define your own actions - that allows you to do just about anything in GP (or outside GP) from a Navigation List. (Watch for the upcoming NLB/SmartConnect integration which is very sweet indeed). 

Drill Down Builder: DDB is to Excel Report Builder what GOTO's are to SmartList Builder. This lets you build your own drilldowns - which means drill from Excel direct to anywhere in GP you want to go. There is no tool that embodies the Microsoft Stack better than DrillDown Builder. 

For anyone out there still sniffing around the GP designer - rest assured it is an entry level product (as designed by Microsoft). It is a good tool for the tiny end of GP rapid sales. It does about 50% of what SLB does, and does NOTHING that ERB, NLB or DDB does. So in reality it is a v1 version of about a 15% of the full functionality of SmartList Builder. The designer is a good tool for the new entry level Rapid Deploy GP customer. SmartList Builder will remain the tool of choice for the rest of us.    

Tech Tuesday: Extender Window Table Links

For this week's Tech Tuesday we will feature an Extender demo video from Nicole Albertson, our Extender Product Specialist. She will take you through using Table Links to make sure that your Extender data and your Microsoft Dynamics GP data stays in synch. Please note that this video utilizes Extender in Microsoft Dynamics GP 2013.



Curious about what else Extender has to offer? We'd be happy to share with you and answer your Extender questions at sales@eonesolutions.com.