Microsoft Dynamics GP Implementation Fixed Assets Notes
If you are in the Corporate ERP selection phase and considering Microsoft Dynamics GP (often also referred as Great Plains Dynamics by its historical name) and you have the need of Fixed Assets module implementation (including FA data migration from your legacy Accounting system) - we recommend you this small publication. We will try to give you overview and what to expect, and we assume that you are familiar with Fixed Assets management in theory. In Dynamics GP you may maintain multiple FA books and by doing so you may show various Balance Sheet, P&L statement versions (Fiscal Reporting to IRS, Managerial Reporting, Corporate Reporting to Shareholders to name few candidates), where only one book should be chosen for posting FA depreciation (or intellectual property amortization) to General Ledger FA depreciation account(s):
1. Fixed Asset data conversion via FA Integration Utility. If you have existing items that you would like to bring to Dynamics GP Fixed Asset module, you should export them into text files from your legacy Corporate ERP application and organize them into several files, according to Source file structure, described in FA Manual in the section "Importing Asset Records". The idea is like that: each file line has prefix: General (here FA import utility will assume that you are importing FA master records or assets in other words), Book (Asset-Book values, including such important features as Depreciation Method and Averaging Convention. Just to remind - Depreciation Methods are Straight Line, Declining Balance and others) and less likely you may also decide to import Lease, Ins (staying for insurance) and User (user defined info). We recommend you to create macro from each import, as this should help you to repeat the same process (and you can also alter Macro logic to further advance data conversion scenarios). We recommend you to try FA import in the Test company, as you should expect several iterations
2. Fixed Asset Data Import via Custom Macro. In some cases we had to do direct macro recording, and then reviewing macro anatomy and preparing final macro in Excel. What you do is this - you record macro (entering new Fixed Asset General Record), then you open it in text editor and parse into logic portions and the Data Fields (where you enter data manually - Fixed Asset ID, Description, for example). Then you place these parsed sections in separate Excel Columns and reproduce similar macro Excel rows for all the rest of your records. This macro is more flexible and you have absolute control over its logic in Excel
3. Historical Depreciation or Amortization. We recommend you do not import it from your legacy ERP application and rather try to depreciate it in Great Plains to current date and then compare with your legacy numbers
4. Fixed Assets new acquisitions. Here you have three options. First one is simple - you enter new fixed asset general record directly in FA. Second - you can associate FA acquisition with AP Vendor invoice (if you change Purchase Distribution account to FA specified account) and the third - if you do Purchase Receipt (on FA Purchase account, or by marking item as Capital Item on the Purchase Order)
5. FA Data Repair. There are known issues when you are closing your FA year several months after your Fiscal Year is closed. In this specific case your depreciation inquiry and summary might be off - should be easy fix for Dynamics GP consultant
6. FA Reporting. If you think that existing Report Writer reports are not covering your needs, Fixed Assets could be opened for Crystal Report or Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS)
7. Small article genre requires us to finish it here. However we would like to hear from you about your FA implementation needs. Call us: 1-866-528-0577, help@albaspectrum.com
Andrew Karasev, Alba Spectrum http://www.albaspectrum.com 1-866-528-0577, help@albaspectrum.com Informational portal http://www.pegasplanet.com Andrew is Dynamics GP Certified Master and specializes in challenging customizations, data conversions, integrations, reporting