A Push in the Microsoft Dynamics GP Community to Get More from MS Connect

If you've been to a recent Microsoft Dynamics conference, virtual or physical, chances are you've attended a session in which users tell Microsoft product managers of desperately a needed feature that they've been begging for year after year.  And if that feature wasn't already scoped for the next couple releases, chances are that request still won't go very far on its own.

The way to boost your request's chances, product managers always remind Dynamics users, is to utilize Microsoft Connect, an online tool that takes new feature requests and allows others to vote up features that they also support.  Sounds good in theory, but the reality is that the system has left all parties somewhat unsatisfied.  The Dynamics NAV community has actually launched a competing request platform, ILoveNAV.com, which has had some very nice traction in the community with a better interface, a more open approach, and even some support from within Microsoft

For Dynamics GP community leader Mark Polino, the frustration with Connect's poor adoption and limited effectiveness has led him to launch a new campaign and regular series on his blog aimed at elevating specific feature requests to win them visibility with Microsoft product managers.

And the first attempt appears to be working to some degree.  Today's Connect request is item 495924, titled "GP- unit accounts option for Year End Close", and it appears to have been created in October 2009.  Mark took a screenshot of it with four upvotes on his blog.  At the time of writing ...