Don’t miss out on a great tool, start using Microsoft Dynamics SL Web Apps today! Microsoft has put a great deal of resources into updating and releasing new web apps every month. Here are some of my favorites.
What are Dynamics SL Web Apps?
At a very high level, Dynamics SL Web Apps allow you to access your Dynamics SL data from anywhere, with any device. You can access your data through a web browser on Microsoft, Apple, or Android Devices. This means you could sit by the pool and work on your tablet or phone. My dream come true!
For those of you who already use Dynamics SL Web Apps on a daily basis, make sure you are updating your web apps on a regular basis. Microsoft is coming out with new features and updates each month for web apps. You can download the latest version with your Microsoft CustomerSource login.
Cool, new Web Apps features:
Here are a couple of my favorite new features!
Menu Tiles
- You have the option of using Tiles instead of plain text.
- This makes finding your data on a mobile device quicker and easier to see.
- The tiles are color coordinated – so that if you are in Project the tiles are blue, and when you are in Resource Management tiles are green.
It is important to note, you have to turn this Menu feature on in the Web.config file.
- You can also add custom tiles such as a logo or a picture.
- The only stipulation is that the files must be in .png format and be sized to 100px by 100px.
Timecard Entry Feature
- You can now add a weekly description on the Timecard Entry screen.
- This is a description is for the whole week and is completely customizable.
- If you do daily timecards, you can turn it off.
Timecard Entry Projects
There are now two buttons:
- My Projects – lists only the projects which you are assigned to.
- Projects – lists all projects in the system.
Again, you can choose to enable or disable these options.
The ‘My Projects’ button can be a big help if your particular organization has several open projects. An employee is less likely to choose an incorrect project with a smaller more manageable list.
Project Expense Enhancements
- You can now set the system to auto populate the Project and Task.
- There is a new document attachment feature for receipts.
- When you are ready to add your receipt, click on the Notes/Attach button in the lower left hand side of the screen and you will then see a pop-up screen to browse and add your attachment.
- On a desktop, you can choose the file to upload on your phone and it will interact with your camera. You can then take a picture of the receipt. This is a really cool feature!
- Once the file has been uploaded the data is available in the Rich Client or Web Apps.
New layout for Project Maintenance
- This is something you cannot get in the Rich Client. The new layout has been reworked to make it easier for users to assess the data. You can set up your project, tasks and budgets all in one spot.
Customizing Web Apps
Okay, let’s talk about the Control Parameter Maintenance and how it relates to Web Apps.This screen is actually found in the Rich Client but it enables you to easily turn new Web Apps features on and off. The goal is for an easy and highly customizable experience.
In the following screen shot, the top portion shows the timecard button feature as enabled. The idea behind it was to move the invoice comment and the day info up to the grid. This will make it easier to add invoice comments and it will give you a visual clue on whether the comment has been entered. This is a real time saver!
However, if your particular organization does not enter comments on a daily basis, you can easily turn off this feature in the Control Maintenance Screen. To do so, you would just set the flag to Y.
There’s quite a few other great new features and more coming every month. So, stay tuned for future blogs on Web Apps and the upcoming release of Dynamics SL2018! If you’re interested in web apps for your Dynamics SL system, email us at sales@crestwood.com for more information.
