Since implementing your Dynamics GP solution, you have probably been doing what you can with the financial report writers that came with it. Management Reporter (MR) replaced the retired FRx financial writing tool back in 2011, and now Microsoft has stopped making any major investments into the tool altogether.
While there are several existing MR clients who have made the necessary technical investments into the solution and continue to use it for financial reporting, there are many more who are fed up with its limited functionality and lack of enhancements. We are going to share some of the reasons why most Dynamics GP customers have already switched, what you should consider before replacing MR, and what you can expect if you take the leap.
What to Consider Before Replacing Management Reporter
So, what are the signs that you need a better financial reporting solution? Well to start, if your current report writing tool is either too hard to use without programming experience, slow to load, has limited formatting options, or doesn’t automatically consolidate all of your data sources, it’s time to replace it.
Funny enough, these are some of the most common complaints we’ve heard from customers using MR. That being said, before switching to a brand-new reporting solution, you do need to take an inventory of your organization and how you currently use MR. This will ensure there are no huge gaps within your replacement system and that your users are on board. Here are a few things you should consider:
- Are your existing features covered?
Before you make any decisions, your users have to be able to do what they do every day. You need to know what reports and capabilities your business users like and need in MR in order for the tool to be fully functional from the start. - What additional features would help improve your reporting practices?
Evaluate any pain points you currently have with MR, from manual data consolidation to lack of version control. This list can shape your reporting tool requirements list and help you get your team on board with the final decision. - How long will the replacement system take to install?
When you’re looking for a quick, easy, and cost-effective replacement reporting solution, be cautious of overly complicated installation and deployment. Solutions with pre-built reports and dashboards, integration with Dynamics GP, and a familiar Excel-based user interface will help you get up and running without any delays. - What are your barriers to successful adoption?
The knowledge and experience your users have developed by using MR, FRx, and Excel shouldn’t go to waste, and you don’t want to have to learn an even more complicated solution before going live. Consider replacement options that require less training and are easier to use for non-technical users.
Why Replace FrX and Management Reporter with insightsoftware?
insightsoftware’s Jet products deliver flexible reporting directly inside Excel with no programming expertise required. In fact, you can leverage you experience working with Management Reporter, FRx, and Excel to start creating real-time reports in the format you want immediately from day one.
To show you exactly what you will gain by replacing MR with Jet, we’ve compared specific features in three of our products (Jet Basics, Jet Reports and Jet Analytics) with the features you are currently using.
Option 1: Jet Basics
Jet Basics is a free extension included with Dynamics NAV and Dynamics GP to create basic financial reports inside of Excel.
Management Reporter
Jet Basics
Option 2: Jet Reports
Jet Reports is an advanced financial and business reporting solution that delivers fast, accurate reports and dashboards inside of Excel and on the web.
Management Reporter
Jet Reports
Find out why Royal Oaks Retirement Community replaced MR with Jet Reports and how they have transformed the way they access Dynamics GP data, communicate results, and perform their daily jobs.
Option 3: Jet Analytics
Jet Analytics is a business intelligence and reporting solution with pre-built data warehouse and OLAP cubes for Dynamics GP.
Management Reporter
Jet Analytics
Compare Management Reporter and Jet Reports
Now that you know what features you will gain by implementing Jet, let’s translate this into real life. In the video below, Belinda Allen, renowned Dynamics GP MVP, shows the steps and time it takes to build a common report in Management Reporter and compares it with the steps and time it takes to build that same report in Jet Reports.
Remember that the ultimate goal should be to select a replacement reporting solution that eliminates your pain points, makes life easier on your users, and grows with your business.
