If you ask a group of Microsoft Dynamics GP users which feature they use most, SmartList will almost always be near the top. It is the quickest way to find information in GP without writing a report or asking IT for help. Whether you need a list of open invoices, vendors with no activity this year, or items below their reorder point, a well-built SmartList can give you the answer in seconds.
Yet many people only use SmartList at a basic level. They open a default list, scroll through hundreds of rows and export everything to Excel to sort it out there. In this guide, we walk you through how to create a focused SmartList, save it as a favorite so you never have to build it again, and share it with the right people in your organization.
What Is a SmartList in Dynamics GP?
A SmartList is a ready-made inquiry tool built into GP. It lets you view records from almost every area of the system, including financials, sales, purchasing, inventory and payroll, in a simple grid that you can search, sort and export.
Dynamics GP comes with a large set of default SmartLists, grouped into folders such as Financial, Sales, Purchasing and Inventory. Each default list shows a standard set of columns, but you can change those columns, add search criteria and save your changes as a favorite.
It helps to recognize the difference between three terms you will see:
- SmartList object: The underlying list, such as Customers or Payables Transactions.
- Favorite: Your saved version of that list, with your own columns, filters and sorting.
- SmartList Designer and SmartList Builder: Tools for creating entirely new SmartList objects, which we cover later in this article.
Before You Start
A few points will make your SmartList work much smoother:
- Check your security access: You will only see the SmartLists, and the data, that your GP security roles allow. If a list you expect is missing, ask your GP administrator.
- Know your question: Decide what you want to find before you start. “Which customers are more than 60 days overdue?” is much easier to build than “show me customer information”.
- Be aware of the record limit: SmartList shows a maximum number of records by default (often 1,000). Your administrator can change the system default in the SmartList Options window, and you can change it for an individual search.
How to Create a SmartList Step by Step
Step 1: Open SmartList
Open SmartList from the Microsoft Dynamics GP menu, or by clicking the SmartList icon on the toolbar. The SmartList window opens with folders on the left and results on the right.
Step 2: Choose the Right SmartList Object
Expand the folder that matches your area, for example Sales, and select the list you need, such as Customers or Receivables Transactions. GP displays the default columns and records.
Choosing the right starting object is important. If you want transaction details, start with a transaction list rather than a master record list.
Step 3: Change the Columns
Click the Columns button. Here you can:
- Add new columns from the full list of available fields.
- Remove columns you do not need.
- Reorder columns so the most important information appears first.
- Rename a column’s display name to something your team will understand.
Keep the list focused. Ten clear columns are far more useful than forty that nobody reads.
Step 4: Add Search Criteria
Click the Search button to filter the results. You can add up to four search definitions, and for each one you choose:
- The column to search.
- The type of filter, such as is equal to, contains, begins with, is greater than or is between.
- The value to compare against.
You can then choose Match All (every condition must be true) or Match Any (at least one must be true). This is also where you can adjust the maximum number of records for this search. Click OK to apply.
For example, to find overdue invoices, you might search a receivables transaction list for Document Type is equal to Invoice, Current Trx Amount is greater than 0 and Due Date is less than a chosen date.
Step 5: Sort and Review
Click any column heading to sort by that column. Take a moment to check that the results make sense. If they do not, go back and adjust your columns or search criteria. Use Refresh to reload the data after changes in GP.
How to Save a SmartList as a Favorite
Once your list shows exactly what you need, save it so you can return to it with one click.
- Click the Favorites button.
- Enter a clear name. A good name explains the purpose, such as “AR – Invoices over 60 days” rather than “My list 3”.
- Choose who the favorite will be visible to (more on this below).
- Click Add.
Your favorite now appears under the original SmartList object in the folder tree. It saves your columns, search criteria and sorting, but the data itself is always current, because GP runs the search again each time you open it.
To change an existing favorite, select it, make your changes, click Favorites and choose Modify. To delete one, select it, click Favorites and choose Remove.
You can also add a favorite as a reminder on the GP home page, so key figures, such as overdue invoices or items to reorder, are visible as soon as you log in.
How to Share a SmartList with Others
Choose the Right Visibility
When you save a favorite, the Visible To option decides who can see it:
| Visible To | Who Can See the Favorite |
|---|---|
| System | All users in all companies |
| Company | All users in the current company |
| User Class | All users in your user class, across companies |
| User ID | Only you |
We want to emphasize this point: by default, GP sets visibility to System, which means every user in every company sees every new favorite. In busy organizations, this quickly leads to hundreds of confusing lists. Since GP 2015 R2, administrators can change the default in System Preferences, and many of our clients set it to User ID or Company to keep things tidy.
User classes are particularly useful. If your accounts payable team shares a user class, you can save AP favorites visible only to that class.
Remember that visibility only controls who can see the favorite. Users still need the right GP security access to the underlying SmartList and data.
Export to Excel or Word
For people who do not use Dynamics GP, or for further analyzing and summarizing, click Excel or Word in the SmartList window to export the results. This creates a snapshot of the data at that moment.
For reports you produce regularly, consider refreshable Excel reports instead. These connect directly to GP data, so you can update the figures without repeating the export each time.
Going Further: SmartList Designer and SmartList Builder
Sometimes the default SmartLists simply do not contain the data you need. That is where two tools come in.
SmartList Designer has been included with GP since GP 2013 SP2 at no extra cost. It lets you create new SmartList objects from GP tables or SQL views, link tables together and build lists that do not exist in the standard product.
SmartList Builder is a separate product from eOne Solutions that requires its own license. It offers deeper customization, including drill-downs back into GP windows, record-level security, calculated fields and tools for building Excel reports and navigation lists. Lists created in Designer can be upgraded to SmartList Builder if you decide you need more power later.
For most day-to-day needs, favorites on the default lists are enough. Designer and Builder are worth considering when your team keeps exporting several lists and combining them in Excel, which usually means the right list does not yet exist.
Tips to Keep SmartLists Organized
- Use a naming convention, such as starting each name with the department: AP, AR, INV, GL.
- Review favorites once or twice a year and remove the ones nobody uses.
- Limit System-level favorites to lists that genuinely everyone needs.
- Train new users to save favorites under their own User ID first.
Our Dynamics GP training sessions cover SmartList, favorites and reporting tools in detail, using your own data.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Can’t I See a SmartList That My Colleague Uses?
Either the favorite was saved as visible to their User ID only, or your security roles do not give you access to that SmartList object. Ask your colleague to check the visibility, or contact your GP administrator.
Why Does My SmartList Only Show 1,000 Records?
SmartList limits the number of records returned by default. You can raise the limit for an individual search in the Search window, and your administrator can change the system default in SmartList Options.
Does a Favorite Save the Data or the Search?
It saves the search, including the columns, filters and sorting. Each time you open the favorite, GP shows the latest data.
Will My SmartLists Move to Business Central?
Not directly. Business Central uses a different approach, with saved views, filters and the ability to open any list in Excel. Your most important favorites should be reviewed and recreated as part of a Dynamics GP to Business Central migration.
How Nevas Technologies Can Help
SmartList is one of the most valuable tools in GP, and a little setup can save your team hours every month. At Nevas Technologies, we have more than twenty years of experience with Microsoft Dynamics. Our Dynamics GP support team can help you build better SmartLists, tidy up favorites, set sensible visibility defaults and create custom lists with SmartList Designer.
And when you are ready to look beyond GP, we can show you how reporting and analysis work in Dynamics 365 Business Central, where features such as saved views, Excel integration and built-in Copilot make finding information even easier.
Need help with SmartList or GP reporting? Contact our team, or schedule a demo to see what reporting looks like in Business Central.
