Tune Up Tools

Alan R. Earls has a nice article titled Tune Up Tools on CustomerSource, covering some under utilized features of Dynamics GP.

I have to take issue with one item though. In GP, you CAN setup data entry to use the Enter button to move between fields. DON'T. RESIST THE URGE!

Why?

1. It's a Windows world, using Enter in GP only prolongs your inevitable move to the Tab key.
2. It trashes productivity. You can't use Enter any more to save and move to the next record so you'll end up using the mouse a lot more. Every productivity expert will tell you that the keyboard is faster than the mouse. Let's face, if you want to use the Enter key to move between fields, you're coming off of a mainframe or mini-computer system. This means you're not using mouse in those systems at all. Using the mouse more in GP won't make you more productive.
3. You get inconsistent behavior. Sometimes Enter works like a tab, sometimes it doesn't. Simple example, open Cards-Sales-Customer. The Enter key will move you around the form and won't activate anything until you get to Write Letters. If you use the arrow key to move down to a selection and press enter, suddenly you're ready to write letters. Tab however, has no effect. This means that there will be times when you activate something with the Enter key that you didn't mean to and you'll always be wondering if Enter will do what you want.

I'm not beating up on Alan, he was just making sure people were aware of their options. But for me just because I CAN go home late at night, using the shortcut down the dark alley full of gang members, while openly counting my paycheck in cash, doesn't mean I should.