Why Clearing the Jungle, Dynamics GP-Style, Means Implementing Daily Tasks

Executive coach and blogger Michael Wade recently made the important point that a base camp in the jungle requires regularly chopping back the jungle to keep from overwhelming the camp.

His key points were that:

1.       You can't chop back the entire jungle.

2.       It makes no sense to chop back more than is operationally required because you'd be wasting energy and time.

3.       Daily chopping is easier than chopping every two or three days but it may provide a sense of less accomplishment since the growth would be smaller.

The illustration resonated with me because almost every time I walk into a client that is having ongoing difficulties with Dynamics GP, I see it is doing a poor job of chopping back the jungle. Some companies are unwilling to do the hard work. Others can' t bring themselves to change their routine. Like creeping jungles, maintaining Dynamics GP is simpler and easier with small processes done daily.

An awful lot of accountants are still stuck in a routine that is focused on a monthly time frame, even as the volume of transactions grows exponentially around them. You can't cut back the jungle once a month. In a month, the camp will be overgrown. If you're behind, you may have to take some drastic steps to get caught up-for example, using temporary workers, delegating work and focusing on fixing a specific process.

Now is the time to hack away at the jungle. The closer we get to year-end, the faster the jungle seems to grow. Grab your machete and tame the ...