Dynamics GP Field Service as PSA Software Set to Save IT Service Company 624 Hours a Year

We are implementing Dynamics GP Field Service as a PSA (Professional Services Automation) solution for our own IT service company. We reviewed ConnectWise, Autotask, TigerPaw & Dynamics GP with Field Service. We realized the only way to get a completely integrated system (sales, inventory, financials and service management) was with GP Field Service.

The previous system consisted of a web based time tracking system and ERP. There was no link between them so all invoices were retyped into ERP. Customer information needed to be cut and pasted into the time tracking/service request system from the ERP. A Outlook appointment needed to be manually entered. So the service manager spent quite a bit of time flipping between ERP, Time tracking system and Outlook for a new service request. The whole service request entry time was approx. 5 minutes.

With Dynamics GP Field Service and a GP Field Service tech module the process has been greatly streamlined. Adding service requests requires having only Dynamics GP open. We added a button to automatically generate an Outlook appointment for the service call. GP Field Service has the ability (built-in) to SMS the tech when a new call comes in. The service manager now spends approx 1 minute or less adding new service calls.

For the technician entering time into GP Field Service there have been been improvements too. We were not quite satisfied with the effeciency of Field Services Anywhere module included with GP so we wrote a small application that techs use to enter time into GP Field Service via GP Web Services. The tech literally has only 3 clicks to start the timer on a service call. One click selects which service call, one to press the START button and one to click into the "description of work" field. As soon as the service call is clicked the tech can see the problem, customer name, contact, address, big note and phone number. Since we are IP phone experts we have a button to dial the client's phone number using the tech desk phone. There is a button to run a SQL reporting services report that shows the tech their own utilization for the day. I would expect this interface will save several minutes per call but won't figure this in my equation.

Immediate Time Savings in One Week:

Service Manager
89 Service Calls were setup. The prior system required approx. 5 minutes to setup a service call. In Dynamics GP Field Service we are seeing times of 30sec. to a minute.
Old: 89 * 5min. = 7.41 hours
New: 89 * 1min. = 1.48 hours for a savings of 5.93 hours per week for the Service Manager.

Invoice Entry Person
The normal time to create invoice weekly was approximately a day. Due to a Navigation List bug (and yes it's a bug...I'm being really honest here ;-) we tested doing the weekly invoices a little early. (ahem) It takes minutes to do what used to be a day job. But I'm going to say 2 hours to allow for printing and putting in the mail.
Old: 8 Hours
New: 2 Hours for a savings of 6.00 hours per week for Invoice Entry.

If my figuring is correct that is about 624 hours a year.

I'd like to show some of the management reports (using SRS) we have but I guess that should be another post.