Making your life easier with macros in Dynamics GP

Dynamics GP has a really useful and much underused macro tool which allows you to record the clicks and keystrokes of any GP activities or processes you might use on a regular or repetitive basis.  Once recorded, the macros can then be replayed, using a single function keystroke, as a when needed.  Removing pretty much any effort and speeding up the process time massively!

Typical examples of the use of a macros could be:

Daily Activities, such as checking a balance on a GL Account Code, Chequebook, Customer or Supplier account.

Running GP Reports eg the Aged Debtor/Creditor Trial Balances

Systems Setup activities to be recorded in one company then played in others, such as adding a new Financial Year and changing the Period names

Importing or Updating Records.  This can be done by recording a macro to update a record, such as the Salesperson assigned to certain Customer and using the Mailing Tool in Word. You do this by opening the macro in a text file, copying it into Word and merging the customer account field with a spreadsheet listing all the Customers to be updated.  The merged content of the Word file can be copied back into the macro text file and when you play it, it will update all those records from the Customer list.  Admittedly, this can be a trial and error task, as you work out where to start and end the macro to make the process effective and you may want initial guidance from Advantage on using this method, but once mastered, is a very useful as an import tool, if you do not have other integration tool skills. 

Recording Macros

To start recording a macro, you can start it from the screen you want it played from (assuming that screen will be open at the point of running it) in which case, you click on the Tools button at the top, select Macro and then Record Macro.  Confirm the filename and location into which the recorded macro file will be saved and you simply carry on with the task or process in question.  When you are finished, back to Tools/Macro and then click on Stop Record.

Using the Recorded Macros

You can replay the macro from the same screen you recorded it by clicking on the Tools button, then Macro and Play Macro, at which point you are required to select the macro file and the macro will run.   

Another, slicker method is to Add the Macro to your Home Navigation Pane.  Simply, right click on the Navigation Pane, select Add and then choose Macro.  Select the recorded macro using file explorer and then choose a function key eg ‘F2’ and Save.  When you press the chosen function key, the macro will automatically run the macro. So, by simply, clicking on ‘F2’, GP could automatically bring up the Chequebook Balance on your Main Operating Bank Account, or run your Aged Debtors Report.

Next Steps?

If you are a business that is looking to find out how the macro tool works and how you might want to start using it, you can so by watching our on demand webinar that illustrates the points made above.

If you would like Advantage to give you some guidance, more tailored to your business needs, please contact us today so one of our Dynamics GP experts can discuss your specific business needs.

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