If you have just joined a company that runs Microsoft Dynamics GP, your first few days can feel a little overwhelming. The screens look busy, there are menus inside menus, and your colleagues seem to move between windows faster than you can follow.
The good news is that Dynamics GP follows a very consistent pattern. Once you understand four thingshow to move around, how to enter transactions, how to look up information, and how to pull lists with SmartList almost everything else in the system starts to make sense.
In this guide, we will walk you through each of these, step by step, in the way we would explain it if we were sitting next to you at your desk.
A Quick Background Before You Start
Microsoft Dynamics GP was originally known as Great Plains, and many people still use that name. It is an ERP system used by small and mid-sized businesses to manage finance, purchasing, sales, inventory and payroll. If you would like to understand where the product came from, our overview of Microsoft Dynamics GP covers the background.
One practical point for new users: Dynamics GP is normally licensed on a concurrent user basis. This means your organization pays for a set number of people who can be logged in at the same time, not for every named person. So if you see a message that no more users can log in, it usually means all licenses are in use. Please log out when you finish for the day, as it frees up a license for a colleague.
Part 1: Finding Your Way Around (Navigation)
The Home Page
When you log in, you land on the Home page. Think of it as your personal dashboard. Depending on the role your administrator has set for you, it may show reminders, tasks, quick links to windows you use often, and small charts or metrics.
The Home page supports a fair amount of customization. You can choose which sections appear and in what order, and you can add your most-used windows to Quick Links. We strongly recommend spending ten minutes setting this up in your first week, as it will save you a lot of clicks later.
The Navigation Pane and Area Pages
On the left side of the screen is the Navigation Pane. It lists the main areas of the business, such as Financial, Sales, Purchasing, Inventory and HR & Payroll.
When you click an area, Dynamics GP opens its area page. This is where new users should learn to recognize a simple and very useful pattern. Every area page is organized into the same groups:
| Group | What You Find There |
|---|---|
| Cards | Master records, such as customers, vendors, items and accounts. |
| Transactions | Windows for entering day-to-day documents, such as invoices, payments and journal entries. |
| Inquiry | Read-only windows for looking up information. |
| Reports | Printed and on-screen reports. |
| Routines | Period-end and maintenance tasks, such as closing periods or aging. |
| Setup | Configuration, normally handled by your administrator. |
Once you understand this structure, you can find almost any window in any module. Need to enter a vendor invoice? Go to Purchasing, then Transactions. Need to check a customer balance? Go to Sales, then Inquiry. It really is that consistent.
Navigation Lists
At the top of each area in the Navigation Pane, you will also see navigation lists, such as All Customers, Vendors or Transactions. These are searchable lists with an Action Pane across the top, so you can open, edit or print records directly from the list. Many experienced users work mostly from these lists.
Two Settings to Check on Day One
- Company: If your organization runs several companies in Dynamics GP, check the company name at the bottom of the screen. You can change it from the Microsoft Dynamics GP menu using Switch Company.
- User date: Dynamics GP uses a “user date” as the default date on new transactions. It normally matches today, but if someone has changed it, your entries could post to the wrong period. Always check it before you start entering.
Part 2: Entering Transactions
Single Transactions and Batches
Most transaction windows in Dynamics GP let you work in one of two ways:
- Transaction-level posting: You enter a document and post it straight away.
- Batch posting: You save several documents into a named batch, review them, and then post the whole batch together.
Many finance teams prefer batches because they allow a second person to review entries before posting. Your manager will tell you which method your company uses for each type of transaction.
A Simple Example: Entering a Payables Invoice
Here is the typical flow, using a vendor invoice as an example:
- Go to Purchasing > Transactions > Transaction Entry.
- Enter or select a batch ID, if your company uses batches.
- Choose the document type, for example Invoice.
- Select the vendor using the lookup button (the small magnifying glass beside the field).
- Enter the document number, date and amount.
- Check the distributions, which show the general ledger accounts the invoice will post to.
- Save the document to the batch, or post it directly.
We want to emphasize step 6. Distributions are where most posting errors begin. GP fills them in from the vendor’s default accounts, but it is always worth checking them before you save.
Saving Versus Posting
This is an important difference for new users. A saved transaction can still be edited or deleted. A posted transaction updates the ledger and cannot simply be deleted. If a posted document is wrong, it must be corrected with a reversing or voiding entry. So, if you are unsure, save rather than post, and ask a colleague to review it.
Posting Journals
After posting, Dynamics GP usually prints or displays posting journals and edit lists. Do not ignore these. They are your audit trail, and many companies keep them as evidence for month-end reviews.
Part 3: Looking Things Up (Inquiries)
Inquiry windows are your safest place to explore, because they are read-only. You cannot change anything by accident.
Some of the inquiry windows new users find most helpful:
- Financial > Inquiry > Summary and Detail: Shows account balances by period and the individual postings behind them.
- Sales > Inquiry > Customer Summary or Transaction by Customer: Shows a customer’s balance, open invoices and payment history.
- Purchasing > Inquiry > Vendor Summary or Transaction by Vendor: The same view for suppliers.
- Inventory > Inquiry > Item: Shows quantities on hand and allocated stock.
The “Drill-Down” Habit
In many Dynamics GP windows, certain field names or values are shown in blue and underlined, or have a small arrow beside them. These are drill-down links. Clicking them opens the next level of detail, for example, from an account balance to the journal entry, and from the journal entry to the original invoice.
When you are analyzing an unexpected balance, drilling down is usually the fastest way to find the source. It is one of the most useful habits a new GP user can develop.
Part 4: SmartLists, Your Everyday Reporting Tool
If there is one feature long-time GP users say they would miss most, it is SmartList. It lets you pull lists of records and transactions, filter them, and export them to Excel, all without needing a developer or a report writer.
Opening SmartList
You can open SmartList from the Microsoft Dynamics GP menu, or from the SmartList button on the toolbar. On the left you will see folders such as Financial, Sales, Purchasing and Inventory. Each folder holds ready-made lists, for example Accounts, Customers, Receivables Transactions or Payables Transactions.
Using a SmartList in Four Steps
- Choose a list. For example, Payables Transactions.
- Search. Use the Search button to add filters, such as a vendor ID, a date range or document type. You can combine up to four conditions.
- Adjust columns. Show only the information you need, and arrange the columns in a sensible order.
- Export the results. Export to Excel or Word if you need to share or work further with the data.
Save Your Favourites
Once you have a list set up the way you like, save it as a Favourite. You can make it visible only to yourself, to everyone using a particular company, or to the whole system. This is where SmartList becomes truly powerful. A good set of shared favourites means the whole team works from the same views, which reduces errors and saves time each month.
When You Need More
If the standard SmartLists do not have the fields you need, your administrator or partner can create new ones using SmartList Designer or SmartList Builder. This type of customization should be planned carefully, so ask your system owner before requesting new lists.
A Few Good Habits for New GP Users
- Check your company and user date before entering anything.
- Save before you post if you are unsure.
- Always review distributions on invoices and payments.
- Use inquiry windows freely, as they are read-only.
- Build and share SmartList favourites for tasks you repeat.
- Log out at the end of the day to free up your license.
Looking Ahead
It is worth knowing that Microsoft has stopped selling Dynamics GP to new customers, and product support ends on 31 December 2029. Many organizations are therefore planning a Dynamics GP to Business Central migration.
The skills you learn in Dynamics GP are not wasted. Dynamics 365 Business Central follows many of the same ideas: master records, journals, posting, drill-down and filtered lists. Microsoft has even been bringing SmartList-style queries into Business Central. If you understand GP well, you will adapt to Business Central much faster.
How Nevas Technologies Can Help Your Team
Nevas Technologies has worked with Dynamics GP since version 7.0. We help companies get the most from GP today and prepare for what comes next. Our services include:
- Structured, role-based Dynamics GP training for new and experienced users.
- Reliable Dynamics GP support, including SmartList and report changes.
- Dynamics GP upgrades to keep you on a supported version.
- Licensing advice and Dynamics GP pricing reviews.
- Business Central training when your team is ready to move.
Summarizing the Essentials
To bring it all together:
- Navigation: Every area page is organized into Cards, Transactions, Inquiry, Reports, Routines and Setup.
- Transactions: Enter, review distributions, save or post, and keep your posting journals.
- Inquiries: Read-only, safe to explore, and full of drill-down links.
- SmartLists: Filter, adjust, export and save as favourites.
Master these four areas, and you will be a confident Dynamics GP user within a few weeks.
If your team needs structured training or support, contact Nevas Technologies and we will be happy to help.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the quickest way to learn Dynamics GP?
Learn the area page structure first, then practise in inquiry windows and SmartLists, which are read-only. Formal training speeds this up considerably.
Can I undo a posted transaction in Dynamics GP?
Not by deleting it. Posted transactions must be corrected with a reversing, voiding or correcting entry, depending on the module.
Do I need a developer to create reports in Dynamics GP?
Not for most everyday needs. SmartList lets you filter and export data yourself. New SmartLists can be built with SmartList Designer or SmartList Builder.
Why can’t I log in to Dynamics GP sometimes?
GP usually uses concurrent licensing. If all licenses are in use, new users cannot log in until someone logs out.
