Many Microsoft Dynamics GP clients have come to rely on SmartList as a way to get data out of GP in order to build Excel-based reports. SmartList allows you to connect different tables, providing a single view with general ledger (GL) account detail alongside descriptions and vendor or customer details.
But companies moving from GP to Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations (D365 F&O) may wonder what happened to this feature in their new system. While D365 gives you the ability to access this type of information with a powerful export-to-Excel functionality, you are limited to what's available within a data entity.
Armanino's Dynamic Insights solution improves on the SmartList concept by integrating sub-ledger details into the GL structure itself, coupling the data with an Excel report writer, Microsoft Power BI or other tools for visualization. This allows for the elimination of typical Excel data massaging with VLOOKUPs and SUMIFs, all while providing a better analytical environment.
How useful has this been? In a recent Dynamics GP to Dynamics 365 migration, one of our clients said, "I don't understand why they sell Dynamics 365 without this tool."
To illustrate the benefits of Dynamic Insights, we've included screenshots below. The first set showcases operating expense information in Excel, while the second set shows sales detail integrated into the GL.
Operational Example in Excel
Sales Example in Microsoft Power BI
Sales and booking information in Microsoft Power BI:
Sub-ledger details with sales order, item, customer and GL account details.
Whether you're looking to move or have already moved from Dynamics GP to Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations, contact us to learn about Dynamic Insights, our alternative to SmartList.
