As we approach the end of the year, it’s crucial to gear up for your 2023 tax filings. With significant changes in submission practices for W-2 and 1099 forms, staying informed and prepared is key. This year, the IRS has mandated that employers with ten or more forms, including W-2s and 1099s, must file electronically. … Read more
What is Log4j? Cyber attackers are making hundreds of attempts every minute to try and exploit a critical security vulnerability in the Java logging library, Apache Log4j. The Log4j flaw (also now known as “Log4Shell”) is a vulnerability that can allow unauthenticated remote code execution and access to servers. Log4j is used in many forms … Read more
Save time by ordering pre-formatted tax forms and checks for Microsoft Dynamics GP and Dynamics SL. Crestwood Associates has partnered with Deluxe Checks offering you a Priority Service Code on all orders of IRS-approved tax forms, checks, invoices, and more. With this Priority code, you’ll receive special offers, discounts, and ease of ordering Dynamics related … Read more
Dynamics 365 Business Central is better than Dynamics GP or Dynamics SL. You must try it out. Just as we love classic cars, vinyl records, and drive-in theatres, we love Great Plains, Dynamics GP and Dynamics SL too! But sometimes nostalgia needs to take a backseat to efficiency. Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is simply … Read more
Often our success stories highlight a customer’s journey through choosing a new ERP system (Acumatica or Dynamics 365 Business Central) and the ins and outs of their implementation with our team here at Crestwood Associates. This one will be a little different; this is a story of a company who had gone through the process … Read more
Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services (“SRS” or “SSRS”) have been around for the better part of two decades, first hitting the streets in early 2004. Over the past 16+ years, many articles and blog posts have been written about passing multi-value parameters between reports using a combination of the JOIN and SPLIT functions. These work … Read more
Good news! If you are an existing Windows 10 user, you can now download Microsoft Power Automate Desktop for free! Microsoft made this download available on March 2nd, 2021. Why Power Automate Desktop? Power Automate Desktop (formerly Microsoft Flow) will allow you to automate repetitive tasks such as mouse clicks and keyboard taps in much … Read more
We have been asked by many clients about moving their existing business intelligence solutions to the modern Microsoft Power BI platform, and most of those inquiries involve some combination of Crystal Reports and SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) reports. One question we are often asked in those discussions is, “how do we migrate our existing … Read more
As an old-school Great Plains accounting veteran (my father was one of the very first partners in the late 70s), I’m a fan of user groups. GPUG, DSLUG, and even the three D365UGs (if I can figure out which one is which). In particular, the discussion threads are especially helpful. I trust feedback provided in … Read more
As we stroll through the tech graveyard, fondly remembering obsolete systems and tools (we hardly knew you, Skype for Business!), we notice that a fresh plot of land has been tilled, and the tombstone reads “Microsoft CustomerSource.” Here’s what happens when you click on your old CustomerSource bookmarks: Yes, that’s right – CustomerSource is now … Read more
Getting your entire team on board when introducing new software is always a challenge. User adoption can make or break a new system, no matter how good it is. Like ERP or CRM, no two systems are alike, so finding the best solution that will fit your business needs plus the needs of your team … Read more
[This is a guest blog post, reposted from our good friends at Artsyl Technologies. Artsyl Technologies specializes in business process automation, and integrates seamlessly with all the ERP systems we provide. Join us for a live webinar demo and see it in action!] Often, employees are asked to set up a few performance metrics or … Read more
You may already have been accustomed to selling virtually. However, there are many people who became instant virtual sellers when the pandemic hit. Today’s blog post is for those searching for some tips on virtual selling. Tip: Do your Research and be Prepared To start, you have to get the correct decision maker on the … Read more
Video is a powerful tool, and an increasingly necessary one for businesses of all sizes. From the marketing department to the sales team, human resources to consultants, video can be used to automate processes, set yourself apart from competitors, and tell stories that would be difficult (or worse – boring) with just text. If you … Read more
Every day we hear about systems being attacked by hackers. Securing your data is top priority. By hosting your Dynamics GP or SL system in the Crestwood Cloud, you get peace of mind that your system is secure. We already offer multifactor authentication and single sign on for Acumatica through Azure AD, but extending it … Read more
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is expanding rapidly. Customers are quickly making the switch to this cloud-based ERP solution, especially due to the work-from-home benefits and security. Microsoft is investing a ton of resources to make sure Business Central is the best-in-breed to meet the demands of growing businesses. Recently, Microsoft released an update, and … Read more
Recently, Crestwood was asked three questions that pertain to Power BI in the cloud (the Microsoft SaaS offering) and how it compares to the on-premise (or cloud-hosted) Power BI Report Server solution. Both solutions enable Power BI reports and visualization construction by leveraging the power of Microsoft’s Power BI services, but there are notable differences … Read more
Get your on-premise Dynamics GP or SL system safe and secure on the Crestwood Cloud. It’s secure, accessible, easier than you think, and can save you money. Before Covid-19, flexible work arrangements were a luxury. Today, they are essential in order to keep employees and families healthy and safe. Many businesses are realizing however, that … Read more
We realize you might be tired of hearing about COVID-19, but if you need assistance getting your employees safe, secure, and reliable remote access so you can keep your business moving forward, we have a special offer for you. Crestwood, along with Microsoft, bring to you: Free Microsoft Office licenses for six months (including web … Read more
You are a savvy business owner; your business processes and ERP are backed up in the cloud. You’ve seen the statistics, heard the horror stories, and you’ve made the necessary steps to feel secure. But what does “in the cloud” really mean? How secure is your data really? Gray Market Cloud Spells Doom for One … Read more
What happened? Remember Y2K? Well this isn’t nearly as bad, but a new Microsoft Dynamics SL bug surfaced recently (on June 6th, 2019) for many users. You could be receiving a “SQL Server Message 517” when running the Credit Manager’s Assistant screen without specifying a date range. The reason for this has to do with … Read more
Microsoft Dynamics SL has long been the go-to for project-based businesses in need of a focused solution that delivers financial management, project management and accounting, distribution, field service, payroll, e-business, and more. However, while it does do many things well, there are certain areas where it could be improved, better customized, or better supported. 1. … Read more
Life would be so boring without change, don’t you think? We know that Microsoft agrees with that! One big change is coming that we wanted to make you aware of: the new, modern portal for submitting support requests for all Dynamics products (like Dynamics GP, Dynamics SL, and Dynamics 365 Business Central). Microsoft is working … Read more
Attention Dynamics SL Users: You’ll notice a lot of “Dynamics GP” language used below – that’s only because we used Dynamics GP for our presentation. Management Reporter works exactly the same in Dynamics SL! Management Reporter (MR) in Dynamics GP is known for the valuable financial data it can offer — and in turn the … Read more