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One of several accounting packages currently marketed by Microsoft, Great Plains is targeted at the “lower mid-market segment,” with a broad range of modules that address a variety of businesses, including manufacturing, distribution and public sector organizations. Version 8.0 offers a solid user inter-face and back-end, based on the Microsoft SQL database, as well as numerous extensions for Microsoft Office integration and remote browser-based access to information through Microsoft Business Portal.
Modules Available/Scalability - 5 Stars
Great Plains’ many modules can be broken down into functional categories: Financial Management, Analytics, Business Portal, Customization, Distribution, E-commerce, Field Service, Foundation, HR Management, Manufacturing, and Project Management. In all, more than 50 modules and other add-ons are available. Core accounting modules available include GL, Advanced Financial Analysis, Bank Reconciliation, Bill of Materials, Inter-company Processing, Inventory Control, Invoicing, Multicurrency Management, Multidimensional Analysis, Payroll, Payables Management, Purchase Order Processing, Receivables Management, and Sales Order Processing.
The product utilizes Microsoft SQL Server exclusively. For up to five people, this can be implemented using MSDE (Microsoft SQL Desktop Engine), which is freely available. For larger groups of users, Microsoft SQL Server is a separate purchase and installation. However, this will allow for a nearly unlimited number of users in multiple locations. SQL Server is a solid database choice that is relatively easy to install and maintain, and has become the de facto standard for most of the Microsoft products.
Ease of Use/Transaction Entry - 5 Stars
Version 8.0 introduced a new look and feel throughout the application, from the navigation window to the data-entry screens. The main navigation window uses an Outlook-style interface, with a shortcut bar on the left side and work area on the right. Buttons and controls now look and work in a manner similar to the controls used in Office 2003. A standard Windows drop-down menu and toolbar also provide access to all modules, screens and processes in a very organized and user-friendly layout.
Data-entry screens are some of the very best of all the products reviewed in this category. Each window is well-planned, with screen layouts that are simple and straightforward. Lookup buttons are available for key fields in addition to strategically placed drop-down list boxes for applicable fields. Many screens also include buttons that let you drill down to additional detail about the customer, vendor and so forth. Data-entry screens have a button that lets you add free-form notes to records. Some screens, like customers, provide a button that launches a letter writing assistant to create letters in Word. Numerous prewritten preformatted letter templates are available for different purposes or you can create your own.
One very nice feature is the “SmartList” tool. You can use SmartList to create customized inquiries from many different tables, including accounts, customers, employees, vendors, transactions and items. SmartList uses sets of predefined search criteria, called favorites. The favorites are listed on the left side of the Explorer-style window. The favorites can be modified to create additional customized views or queries. You can add or remove criteria from the favorites, which are represented as columns in the query list for that item. Results can be viewed, or sent to Excel or Word.
Customization/Security - 5 Stars
Powerful customization is provided through the program. The Modifier is an application that provides a way to modify forms and windows. Using a WYSIWYG designer, you can hide fields, create new fields, modify screen prompts, change the tab sequence, or change the window position. Great Plains also allows modifications using VBA (Visual Basic for Applications). With VBA, you gain access to the underlying programming objects upon which all modules are based. This provides infinite possibilities for customizations or enhancements.
Security is managed through an Explorer-style interface that allows detailed control of user rights throughout the program. Security can be specified at the system, company, user class, users and task level. With Advanced Security options, you can even control access at the window, form and field levels. This feature also provides the capability to “roll down” security changes in one record to all records within a class or “roll up” security changes made to a user’s security settings to a class of users.
Integration/Import/Export - 5 Stars
Microsoft provides a wide variety of integrated add-ons (“extensions”) for the Great Plains suite. In the reporting arena are products for Analytical Accounting, Enterprise Reporting, Microsoft Forecaster, and Microsoft FRx Professional. Four Business Portal modules provide the ability to make business data available to customers, employees and business partners on the Internet. E-commerce modules bring electronic data exchange and integrated Internet storefront capabilities. Other integrated modules address manufacturing, distribution, project management and fixed assets needs.
Great Plains provides a couple of important targeted imports. Payroll Connect lets you import Automated Data Processing (ADP) account transactions from an ADP file into the GL. You can also import Microsoft Excel budget information into an existing or newly created Great Plains budget.
Reporting - 5 Stars
Each module includes numerous reports that are all professionally formatted and ready for preview, print or export. Reports can be exported to text, tab-delimited, comma-delimited or HTML formats. When the report is being previewed, you can even highlight any or all of it and then copy and paste it into Word or Excel.
Support/Training/Help System - 4 Stars
Version 8.0 provides a number of training tutorials that come with the program. This is a huge benefit for new users, which can save thousands of dollars in training costs compared to sending personnel to live classroom seminars. The online Help and manuals are equally high quality.
Support is offered from Microsoft through support agreements. An online knowledgebase and user groups are also available where you can post questions and receive responses from other users. Access to this online information was not provided for the review, so I was not able to review this functionality. As with other Microsoft products reviewed in this series, I do throw out some caution about Microsoft’s “ivory tower” approach to customer support. In my opinion, this is an area of weakness that needs to be addressed if Microsoft is going to be successful in the business accounting software marketplace. However, with that said, I should be quick to point out that the documentation for all Great Plains applications is the highest quality I have seen, which in most cases should cover nearly every possible usage and technical question that could arise.
Relative Value - 5 Stars
Great Plains is a very attractive package that provides a comprehensive module and feature set. Based on the Microsoft SQL Server database, it has a solid design and feel for almost any size multi-user environment.
2005 Overall Rating - 5 Stars