Daily Archives: September 2, 2010

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Microsoft Dynamics Gp Integration Methods: Im, Econnect, Dexterity

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Microsoft Dynamics Gp Integration Methods: Im, Econnect, Dexterity
Formerly this mid-market Corporate ERP application was known as Great Plains Dynamics and eEnterprise. In this small publication we would like to review advanced integration options, available in Dynamics GP Integration Manager, eConnect, as well as custom integration programming in Great Plains Dexterity. Plus, we will try to address options for older versions of Great Plains Dynamics on Pervasive SQL 2000/Btrieve and Ctree. Please, note that Great Plains Accounting for DOS, Windows and Mac is technically predecessor of Great Plains Dynamics for Windows and Macintosh, however GPA business logic and interface are different from Dynamics core functionality: GL, PM, RM, SOP, POP, Inventory Management. GPA is out of scope for this article (where we would like to make several observations)

1.Integration Manager. We understand that most of Great Plains Technical Consultants know how to setup simple integration, where the source are text tab or comma delimited files, including building document header by grouping text lines (by document date for example: General Ledger Transaction, Sales Order Processing Invoice, etc.). However, we saw pretty tough situations, where Dynamics GP integration consultants had hard time in complex data conversions, where transactions and master records are in SQL tables or ODBC compliant databases: Oracle, MS Access, Pervasive SQL/Btrieve, Ctree, MySQL, or when they are exported into very complex text files (where you have to weed out formatting lines, as reports are exported in human readable format, which is not something that text integration accepts without data massage). Good advice in our opinion in such scenarios is to import these text files into MS Excel, weed out formatting lines and then import the data into staging MS SQL Server tables. Then you create SQL View to pull data from staging tables and use it as a base for Advanced ODBC Data Source. We had cases, where we were able to import up to the whole year of mid-size company GL transactions via that method. We would like also to share IM ongoing and close to real time integration methodic via Integration Manager. If you have in-house programmed ecommerce website application, which requires close to real time or batch mode integration to Sales Order Processing (customer orders, invoices and returns) and new customers creation (where transactions are coming from Linux/PHP/MySQL based ecommerce application) – consider either exporting transactions in text file or even establishing ODBC connection from Dynamics GP hosting MS SQL Server to MySQL via Linked Server mechanism, and schedule IM Integration to run every 20 min or few hours via Windows Macro third party add-ons. We know that for some of you these complex technical passages might be too deep, but our mission here is to let you (as struggling ecommerce programmer) know what is possible with Dynamics GP ecommerce integration. And finally, the last observation, before we move on to eConnect technology, please know that IM for GP version 10.0 is available in two connection blends – traditional OLE Server and eConnect connectors. eConnect connectors are faster by their technology architecture and technically you may be achieving the same results as if you are programming eConnect directly from your ecommerce web application, where the advantage of Integration Manager is apparent – it is user friendly in integration design and doesn’t require programming (except simple VBA scripts, or data translation tables, which could be composed in MS Excel)

2.eConnect Integration Programming. eConnect was introduced for Dynamics GP version 7.5 and 8.0 as the Software Development Kit, initially dedicated to eCommerce software developers. eConnect was under certain evolution for Dynamics GP versions 9.0 and 10.0, where it was adopted as integration technical platform strategy (and it was announced by Microsoft MCTS Training Business Solutions that eConnect should replace earlier integration platforms: Integration Manager, Dexterity – as middle tier). And now as we are writing these lines (October 2009), eConnect is triumphing among Dynamics GP integration low level technologies and connectors. eConnect technology is in fact simple – it is the collection of SQL Server encrypted stored procedures, replicating Great Plains Dexterity Dynamics GP business logic (often in Object Oriented Programming style, and this is good improvement to Dex, which is not technically Object Oriented Programming compliant with some exceptions). In our opinion eConnect came to its maturity as reliable Dynamics GP ecommerce and generic integration Software Development Kit with Great Plains Dynamics GP version 10.0 and probably 9.0. If you got certifications and experience as Microsoft .Net VB or C# programmer, you should find very useful code samples and prototype Microsoft Visual Studio eConnect projects: Dynamics GP Sales Order import, Customer import and update (including addresses) to give you start up ideas

3.Dexterity integrations. Dex is capable to do the ultimate and the most complex programming surgery in Dynamics GP system environment. If Integration Manager and even eConnect don’t do the job or incapable to do the job (and this is possible as these tools have natural limitations). However, please recognize the challenges of Dexterity. In Dynamics GP realm there are no limits to Microsoft Dexterity customizations, and if you contact with Great Plains Dexterity programmers (who have access to Dexterity Source Code and have experience in Dex source code programming), please go ahead to evaluate these channels. The only advise we would like to feature here is fact that Dexterity requires too long learning curve for newcomers, and it is not recommended for small or mid-size companies IT department to do Dexterity custom programming inhouse

4.Direct SQL Data Feeding. If you are experienced Microsoft SQL DBA, please review Dynamics GP Tables Structure Tools->Resource Description->Tables (or install Dynamics GP SDK from DC#2, where tables structure is formally documented). We would like to make comments and recommendations, before you try direct SQL data feed via SQL Stored Procedures. Please, consider the fact that eConnect is already doing this job via its methods and Stored Procedures. Also take into consideration the fact that Dynamics GP business logic and data flow is quite complex and it is unlikely that you can do imitate this logic in couple of day, couple of week or even in couple of months. If you have unlimited IT budget, then please disregard and go all the way through until you consider yourself experienced eConnect programmer with comfort to send records directly to Dynamics GP tables: GL10000, GL10001, SOP10100, SOP10200, SOP30200, SOP30300,etc.

5.Great Plains Integration options for Old GP versions: 8.0, 7.5, 7.0, 6.0, 5.5, 5.0, 4.0 and Great Plains Dynamics on Pervasive SQL Server 2000/Btrieve and Ctree. If you are on archaic version, it is unlikely that you can get support directly from Microsoft MCITP Certification Business Solutions Dynamics GP subdivision (as you are likely not current in MBS annual enhancement program)

6.Great Plains Accounting for DOS, Windows or Mac integration options. GPA has its own integration module, and if this is your Corporate ERP, please contact us separately, we have access to GPA knowledge base, inherited from Great Plains Software – if your case is known and documented (plus if you can recognize your problem in GPA after 10+ years of GPA and Dynamics GP Consulting), we are uniquely positioned to support Great Plains Accounting for DOS, Windows and Mac: 9.5, 9.2, 9.1 or earlier versions USA and Canada nationwide and internationally most likely Central, South America, Mexico, Caribbean, Pacific, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Pakistan, Casablanca, Agadir, India, Bangladesh)

7.Unicode characters integration notes. Great Plains Dexterity doesn’t support hieroglyphs: Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Mongolian, Thai. All we can do for you is enable hieroglyphs in Crystal Reports or Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services (often abbreviated as SSRS)

8.Dynamics GP Great Plains in Russian Federation, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Poland, Czech republic, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, Georgia, Armenia. Great Plains Software tried to market and localize Great Plains (version 4.0 and 5.0) in Common Wealth of Independent States (most of the former Soviet Union territory, except East Baltic States) . When Great Plains Software was in its order acquired by Microsoft Business Solutions, MS recommended Navision as the Corporate ERP of choice back in earlier 2000th, and later on MBS localized Axapta Microsoft Dynamics AX for most of Western, Central and Eastern European Corporate ERP markets. To avoid further complexities, we recommend you to chose SAP Business One in former CIS, Baltic States and in Arabic World as good local branch Corporate ERP, which has simple integration tools and options to your Dynamics GP ERP in the headquarters

9.How to get help? Please, feel free to call us: 1-866-528-0577, outside of USA: 1-630-961-5918 or email us help@albaspectrum.com We are very technical and real Dynamics GP Dexterity, SAP Business One SDK and Microsoft CRM programming gurus. We have Great Plains Software Development Factory and could support unlimited Dynamics GP Customization and Programming needs. Plus we speak English, Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, Russian, and not only as native speaking sales folks, but as real technical consultants. If you prefer skype: albaspectrum

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Dynamics Gp And Sap Business One Tandem As Corporate Erp For Multinational Firm

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Dynamics Gp And Sap Business One Tandem As Corporate Erp For Multinational Firm

This small publication is intended to current Microsoft MCTS Training Dynamics GP Great Plains customers, who are expanding internationally and would like to choose ERP system for relatively small foreign subsidiary. As you know Dynamics GP is localized in English speaking countries (including South East Asia, where English is the used in business), plus in Quebec (in French Canadian), to some extent in Spanish speaking Latin America and Caribbean states, Oceania. There is good support for Arabic in GP (with some options for Dari and Persian as alphabet is the same). If your subsidiary is located outside of the area, especially if you need hieroglyph characters support (China, Japan, Korea), or support in Russian, we recommend you to consider SAP Business One. You can host both Dynamics GP and SAP B1 on the same SQL Server with SB1 version 8.0 (2005 and 2007 versions had A and B releases and you normally would install them on two separate SQL Servers):

1.Corporate ERP localization. It has two aspects: local language adoption (screens are translated, plus you can enter documents in local language) and compliance to local legislation (tax reporting, invoice required fields, etc.). Localization is especially complex and important in lager countries, such as Brazil, Russia, China, India, Japan, France, Germany. It would be too complex to localize in house such application as Microsoft Dynamics GP for your Branch in Brazil (where Microsoft Business Solutions doesn’t have localized GP version, instead you can get Brazilian Dynamics AX Axapta, or NAV Navision)

2.Dynamics GP and Unicode language support (Chinese, Japanese, Korean). Dynamics GP Dexterity string resources do not support hieroglyphs (however Arabic alphabet is supported, even if looks complex to you – it is formalized in 2 bits ASCII codes table). This is why you cannot translate GP screens to Chinese (with some exception – if you place graphical pictures on the screens to represent translation)

3.SAP Business One Internationally. This small business Corporate ERP and MRP application supports Unicode and is available in China, Korea, Japan, Russia, most of Latin America, most of Europe (except some of East European countries, such as Latvia, Lithuania, etc). Historically SAP Business One is not available in Arabic speaking countries

4.How Dynamics GP and SAP Business One can communicate to each other? Well, both are available for Microsoft Windows Server and MS SQL Server 2005, 2000. In SAP B1 you can export virtually everything to Excel (or extract new documents via SQL Select statement directly in the company database for those who is more SQL savvy). In Dynamics GP you can import virtually everything via Great Plains Integration Manager (or program integration in eConnect SDK). Also, you can organize GL transactions level consolidation from SB1 foreign branch GL to mirroring Dynamics GP company (scheduled IM jobs)

5.IT support for GP and SB1 in Headquarters. Both Dynamics GP and SAP Business One could be enabled for remote users via Terminal Server or Citrix. This method allows you to serve both applications centrally in Headquarters (DB Backup and Recovery, Service packs and patches, Customization management, version upgrades). Let’s say, if you are VP IT, and your company has facilities in China, Germany, France, South Korea, Brazil – you do not want each office to have its own IT infrastructure to support their own SAP Business One Servers (or maybe you instead prefer the challenge to fly out internationally on regular base?). Plus, if all Accounting databases are located in Headquarters – you have tighter control over consolidated financial reporting (Balance Sheet, Profit and Loss, Cash Flow Position, GL Trial Balances)

6.Other options for corporate ERP in foreign countries. In Brazil, consider also such applications as Microsiga, or in Russia 1C Bukhgalteria. These locally developed and supported accounting platforms are often preferred by local CFO and Controllers. The drawbacks might be complication to audit these systems from US and host them in US Headquarters, but we certainly recognize these and similar Corporate ERP applications pluses, and if you need help in implementing them, feel free to check with us

7.If you would like to stay on Microsoft Dynamics platform. Microsoft markets Microsoft Dynamics AX or formerly known as Axapta internationally. AX is very flexible and powerful. It might be geared toward larger companies, but this might be just our opinion. We support AX in Brazil, check with us for options and prices. We definitely recommend Microsoft CRM for all the countries as very elegant CRM solution. Microsoft Dynamics CRM has web based interface and could be accessed from any part of the Globe, assuming that remote user has internet connection. In many European countries you can also consider Dynamics NAV or formerly known as Navision

8.Last fling on multinational firm Corporate ERP. There are countries, where Corporate ERP brand names, such as Microsoft MCITP Certification or SAP are not currently present with localized version (Afghanistan, Republic of Georgia, Uzbekistan, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbajan for example). If you have funded project for Corporate ERP implementation, you should consider some elements of in-house localization (especially considering the fact that these countries are trying to be reasonably compliant to international GAAP)

9.How to get help? Please, feel free to call us: 1-866-528-0577, outside of USA: 1-630-961-5918 or email us help@albaspectrum.com We are very technical and real Dynamics GP Dexterity, SAP Business One SDK programming gurus. We have Great Plains Software Development Factory and could support unlimited Dynamics GP Customization and Programming needs. Plus we speak English, Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, and not only as native speaking sales folks, but as real technical consultants. If you prefer skype: albaspectrum