Microsoft Dynamics SL for project management
See how Microsoft Dynamics SL and Microsoft Office Project work together to deliver a complete project management and accounting solution to organizations that provide professional services
Published: September 27, 2006
Professional services organizations (PSOs) face challenges of maintaining profitability for client services, projects, and use of people. To meet rapidly-changing customer demands, midsize organizations must continually evolve products and services. Profitability requires that projects are estimated correctly, are completed on time, and meet customer requirements.
The combination of Microsoft Dynamics SL (formerly Microsoft Solomon) and Microsoft Office Project 2003 provides PSOs with tools to help manage people, money, and projects more successfully. Projects can be initiated and updated in either the Microsoft Office Enterprise Project Management (EPM) Solution or Microsoft Dynamics SL, with information flowing automatically across applications. See how it all works together to help PSOs optimize their staff’s time, capture costs more accurately, and strengthen their project portfolios.
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Why Microsoft Dynamics SL for professional services organizations?
Microsoft Dynamics SL is a comprehensive business solution that integrates project, resource, time, and financial management information. It's designed specifically to help PSOs improve profitability, efficiency, effectiveness, and customer service while adapting more quickly to changing business conditions.
Here's a high-level look at the components and the business needs Microsoft Dynamics for PSOs addresses:
The benefits of an integrated system
Whether employees are in the office or at a project site, Microsoft Dynamics SL helps control costs and increase revenue. Integrated applications help organizations:
| • | Collect time and project expenses easily |
| • | Generate customer invoices efficiently |
| • | Forecast costs and budgets accurately |
| • | Manage contracts effectively |
| • | Measure results precisely |
| • | Assign, manage, and analyze human resources (in-house and contract) |
| • | Maintain a rich store of historical customer information |
Data entered in one place can be shared across the company—helping speed operations, reduce errors, and put accurate information at the fingertips of those who need it. Equipped with these capabilities, companies can improve their cash flow and efficiency, provide more consistent service, and make more effective decisions when managing their projects.
Other benefits of Microsoft Dynamics SL include helping companies:
| • | Gain visibility, insight, and control over all aspects of a project portfolio |
| • | Use familiar software such as Microsoft Office |
| • | Align project initiatives with company-wide strategic objectives |
| • | Get a clear "big picture" view of the company's overall health |
| • | Allow participation by all project stakeholders |
Features overview
Accounting and project integration | Simplify timely analysis and project accountability using a single system that allows your accountants and project managers to analyze a common set of data. |
Time and material or fixed-price contract support | Take control of your labor, project, and travel-related expenses. Accurate, timely cost information gives you the data you need to help increase your productivity and drive effective business decisions. |
Increased business insight | Retrieve and summarize data across multiple projects to assess performance, compare budgets against expenditures, and obtain the information needed to make informed business decisions. |
Project look-up | Locate a project quickly by entering any of a variety of attributes such as description, customer, project team, or predefined attributes. Expedited search of this kind can boost productivity and lower your operating costs. |
Full view of project performance | Enhance business decision-making with efficient access to comprehensive data about project performance and profitability. Quickly collect and summarize data for key metrics, selectively pinpoint details for analysis, and present results in intuitive and practical formats. |
Web access for team members and customers | Empower your customers and employees with the flexibility and convenience of accessing and acting on key enterprise information anytime through the Web. Give staff and customers the ability to manage orders and check inventory availability and pricing. |
Increased visibility into projects | Maintain visibility into all phases of your projects, from planning to final billing, through real-time data-sharing. |
Portfolio management | Manage and understand the status of all projects at all times for your project-driven company. |
Resource management | Identify and acquire resources that will be needed, and make the most of the resources available. |
Explore a scenario: "A. Datum Corporation" completes a project
See how different employees of A. Datum Corporation—a consulting company—secure and collaborate on a project for City Power & Light. You'll see how each key team member working on the project uses components of Microsoft Dynamics SL for project management to access and manage critical information. This scenario will also help you understand how the components work together, allowing the tight collaboration that helps make projects more profitable.
| Steve, project manager
Steve uses templates and Microsoft Project to get the project rolling quickly, create a budget, set timelines, and add adjustments as he sees the project through to completion. |
| Susan, accounting manager
Susan uses Business Portal in Microsoft Dynamics SL for project accounting, including entering costs and billing and adjusting budgets. |
| David, resource manager
David uses a wizard to set up optimal assignments based on resource skills, availability, and location. He publishes his project plan, and employees become aware of assignments immediately. |
| Jim, field consultant
Jim uses Microsoft Office Project Web Access in the office and on job sites for task management. |
| Karen, chief executive officer
Components of Microsoft Dynamics SL for project management and accounting work together to help Karen monitor ongoing projects, analyze portfolios, and create monthly reports—keeping her constantly updated on the company's performance. |
The bigger picture: How Microsoft Dynamics SL works with other Microsoft technology
As part of the Microsoft family of offerings, Microsoft Dynamics SL solutions are ready to work with widely-used productivity applications, such as Microsoft Office, and top technologies such as Microsoft SQL Server, Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services, and Microsoft Project Server.
Most importantly, our solutions are delivered by a global network of partners who provide local, personalized service—from planning and implementation to customization and ongoing support and education. That means you get world-class business solutions from a local professional who'll be there to provide what you need as business conditions change and your business grows.
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