Use Dynamics GP Power Tools for easier administration

Winthrop Development Consultants offers a suite of tools that makes it easier to administer, develop, and work within Dynamics GP. GP Power Tools is an add-on product that allows system admins and developers alike to simplify a wide variety of processes and tasks.

GP Power Tools is sold as three separate modules which can be bundled together. While the separate modules cater to different needs, each module comes with the following base features:

• Capture and email 5 system logs in "One-Click"
• Capture and email a full system status report and screenshots of all open windows in "One-Click"
• Send emails from inside Dynamics GP even with no email client installed
• Change Dex.ini and registry settings from inside GP, including making GP work well on high res monitors

GP Power Tools offers a free 30-day trial, and you can get in touch with us to get started →

Tools for Admins

Administrators frequently have long lists of tasks that must be regularly completed to keep your processes (and generally, the entire system) running smoothly. GP Power Tool’s Admin module aims to make all that a bit easier for day-to-day management.

One of the most helpful tools is the ability to schedule system shutdowns to make sure all your users are out of the system when it comes time to apply updates. There are also features for activity tracking, automatic logouts, and login limits to make sure the system works smoothly for each user—meaning nobody gets stuck due to improper logouts. (We think the automatic logout feature is incredibly useful!) You can also use this feature to keep track of who is editing SOP and POP transactions at any given time.

You can set up and use color-coded profiles and company color schemes, changing the entire window colors to better differentiate between companies that you may need to toggle between throughout the day. Users can customize pop-up windows and screens into a layout that works with how they best use the system, as well as change the size and position of the window. It also helps fix screen scaling issues, making it easier to see your screen and windows properly.

You can enable a setting where GP will open windows only on your visible desktop and cannot open on any other screen so you don’t lose track of closed or off-screen windows. You’ll also be able to use Ctrl+F to search for any window you need.

There’s a feature that allows for a simple one-click to grab screenshots or logs to submit with support issues. The Capture Screenshots feature captures all open windows plus a system status report—and if you need to, you can email directly from the screenshot feature as well.

Tools for Developers

Developers have their own GP Power Tools module that allows for the following improved features:

The ability to group triggers, scripts, and parameter lists into development projects for easy maintenance and exporting & importing. You can also create, execute, and publish scripts from inside Dynamics GP using Dexterity, Transact-SQL, Visual C# and Visual Basic .Net. And with scripts, you can request certain parameters from users without needing additional tools or programming to perform actions on the SQL results.

You can create triggers to schedule system events, customize the system, and quickly troubleshoot and debug common issues by generating detailed system logs.

Developers can build custom Report Writer functions, custom Service Based Architecture (SBA) service procedures, or custom URL Drill Backs.

Database Tools

The third GP Power Tools module allows you to work within the database itself, lending the following features:

The ability to use SQL Server Databases to synchronize and maintain users and companies, as well as logins and database users. You have the ability to use backups to restore and preserve data when dropping and recreating tables in the built-in SQL Maintenance window, helping you cut out small mistakes that could cause data loss.

Easily update Logins and passwords after moving to a new SQL Server or when creating test environments—you can easily reset user passwords, change the system password policy settings, and generate warning messages when your SQL password is about to expire.

Exporting and importing selected data from multiple tables using XML for quick transfer of small amounts of data between systems or for backups, and use SQL to quickly generate security reports. Additionally, you have the ability to make quick transfers of data from multiple tables using XML imports/exports—which can be transferred between systems or used for backups.

Winthrop Development Consultants’ GP Power Tools offers these well-tested and exceptionally useful features to GP users, all based on common needs of Dynamics GP users everywhere. As of 2023, an annual subscription of GP Power Tools from Winthrop Development Consultants is:

• 1 module (Administrator, Developer, or Database) and Essential system features: $550
• 2 modules w/system features: $1,000
• 3 modules w/system features: $1,450

The price is per system (not per user or per company), and is negligible considering the benefits the tools provide.

We highly recommend this add-on, and if we’re your partner, connect with us to get the ball rolling.