Articles by Andrew Karasev on ArticleSnatch.com

Dynamics GP Consulting Chicago, San Diego, Los Angeles: Great Plains Technology notes

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:46:11 -0500

Microsoft Dynamics GP, formerly this Corporate ERP application was known as Great Plains Dynamics and eEnterprise. GP implementation often requires in depth technology expertise, in such tools as Microsoft Dexterity, GP Integration Manager, Crystal Reports, eConnect, FRX Financial Reporting. For Mid-size company initial data conversion may require several cycles of test migrations, and if this is the case, your Microsoft Dynamics GP Partner should be very versatile with Great Plains Integration Manager. Plus such modules as Manufacturing, Fixed Assets, Project Accounting may require advanced integration techniques, as they have their own integration methods or require SQL post migration data touches and GP Macros to reset parameters for all master records in specific class. In this small publication we would like to share with you our consulting experience, based on our practices in Chicago, Southern California and Houston areas: 1. Dynamics GP Initial Implementation: Data Migration from Legacy Accounting application, Test Period, User Training, Reports Design, Customization requirements, programming ongoing integration with such systems as eCommerce, External Sales Order Processing, EDI, etc. 2. Special considerations to GP Customizations and Modifications. Traditionally Dynamics GP add-ons are programmed in Microsoft Dexterity (formerly known as Great Plains Dexterity).** End Summary**

About the Author:
Andrew Karasev, Alba Spectrum , help@albaspectrum.com 1-866-528-0577 http://www.albaspectrum.com Serving ERP and MRP community since 1994, local service in Chicago, Houston, San Diego, Atlanta, Los Angeles. Information portal: http://www.pegasplanet.com We serve you USA and Canada nationwide from our Dynamics GP and SAP Business One call center: California, Illinois, New York, Florida, Minnesota, New Jersey, North and South Carolina, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, Ontario, Quebec, Washington

Microsoft Dynamics GP eCommerce: Sales Order Processing integration and Autoposting

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:35:32 -0500

If you are ecommerce developer, who is integrating ecommerce web front application with Dynamics GP (often referred historically as Great Plains Dynamics or eEnteprise), you probably target SOP or Sales Order Processing Invoice as target in GP for ecommerce customer shopping cart. Customer Credit Card payment becomes customer deposit to invoice and each item purchased becomes Invoice Line item. If you are using Microsoft Visual Studio C# or VB.Net web project for ecommerce application, then natural way for you to deploy Dynamics GP sConnect libraries and SDK (help info, available in eConnect) to review and imitate code samples. This technology should work in both B2B (where you create real customer, or work only in restricted partner channel) and B2C (where you send all the invoices to so-called Walk In customer, and if required add just new Walk In folk address). In this small publication we would like to review other options and Automatic Batch posting technology directly from ecommerce eConnect application: 1. Microsoft Dynamics GP Integration Manager in ecommerce scenarios.** End Summary**

Custom Programming for Dynamics GP Notes

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:04:19 -0500

Microsoft Dynamics GP, or formerly this corporate ERP application was known as Great Plains Dynamics, eEnterprise, and its predecessor Great Plains Accounting for DOS, Windows and Macintosh, modern GP has vide variety of customization, integration, modification, report design tools: Dexterity, eConnect, GP SDK, Web Services for GP, Modifier with VBA. Plus you can in some cases create SQL Server View and Stored procedure (in EDI text file export or as reporting base scenarios). This small publication is intended to be an introduction. We will try to keep balance of being reasonably technical and at the same time not too technical: 1. eConnect programming for Great Plains Dynamics GP, eConnect is technology, which has encrypted SQL Stored Procedures in its foundation, and they are exposed to Microsoft Visual Studio developer via .Net libraries. Plus eConnect has SDK helper with C# and VB code samples. eConnect was introduced to Great Plains 7.XX versions as programming tool for eCommerce software developer to open Great Plains objects for ecommerce integrations: SOP Invoice (ecommerce shopping cart), Customer Deposit (credit card payment), Inventory Items (invoice lines), customer record and address.** End Summary**

About the Author:
Andrew Karasev, Alba Spectrum , help@albaspectrum.com 1-866-528-0577 http://www.albaspectrum.com Serving ERP and MRP community since 1994, local service in Chicago, Houston, San Diego, Atlanta, Los Angeles. Information portal: http://www.pegasplanet.com We serve you USA and Canada nationwide from our SAP Business One call center: California, Illinois, New York, Florida, Minnesota, New Jersey, North and South Carolina, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, Ontario, Quebec, Washington

Dynamics GP Technical Training: Integration Manager, Dexterity, Crystal Reports

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 15:15:59 -0500

If your organization requires custom Microsoft Dynamics GP training in such fields as Modification, Reporting, Integration, Data Conversion, ecommerce programming, eConnect, we would like to give you initial highlights on Dynamics GP technology architecture and tools. Advanced technical training is probably recommended for large organization, where you have to develop unique in-house ecommerce website, automate supply chain management processes (automatic packaging, barcode scanning in picking and delivery), advanced Electronic Document Interchange (EDI) integrations. Some of the tools, such as Microsoft Dynamics GP Dexterity is recommended for outsourcing to GP Technology Partner and if you absolutely need Dexterity customizations - these are not easy and not ready for quick learning curve for in-house developers. If you have huge internal Dexterity development project, then you may consider training your own programmers in Dex. Let's begin tools review and training methodologies: 1. Integration tools. GP Integration Manager is recommended to all GP customers, as it could be considered as end user friendly plus it has advanced integration even driven scripts and other methods to create very complex and sophisticated integration.** End Summary**

About the Author:
Andrew Karasev, Alba Spectrum , help@albaspectrum.com 1-866-528-0577 http://www.albaspectrum.com Serving ERP and MRP community since 1994, local service in Chicago, Houston, San Diego, Atlanta, Los Angeles. Information portal: http://www.pegasplanet.com We serve you USA and Canada nationwide from our SAP Business One call center: California, Illinois, New York, Florida, Minnesota, New Jersey, North and South Carolina, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, Ontario, Quebec, Washington

Dynamics GP Remote Support via Web Sessions and Phone Conferences

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 16:13:34 -0400

If you have Microsoft Dynamics GP 10.0, 9.0, 8.0 or Great Plains Dynamics 7.5, 7.0, 6.0, 5.5 on Microsoft SQL Server, Pervasive SQL 2000 or Ctree, or older version of Great Plains Accounting for DOS or Windows 9.5, 9.2 or earlier, we would like to offer this small publication to your consideration, where we are featuring remote support for Dynamics GP. This option is especially beneficial to large corporations with offices across the USA and internationally and to customers in USA and Canada countryside, where local service might be not available to not too advanced. We are specializing in Dynamics GP, SAP Business One, Microsoft CRM, Lotus Notes Domino, Microsoft Retail Management System (Microsoft RMS) USA nationwide and internationally: 1. How remote support works? Do you need conference room with expensive phone and video conferencing equipment? No, we just need you to have your computer with Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows 98, Vista or Windows 7. We can always call your office phone, or if you are located internationally, we can call your skype number. Web conferencing software, it is Microsoft Internet (or Chrome, or Firefox) add-on.** End Summary**

About the Author:
Andrew Karasev, Alba Spectrum , help@albaspectrum.com 1-866-528-0577 http://www.albaspectrum.com Serving ERP and MRP community since 1994, local service in Chicago, Houston, San Diego, Atlanta, Los Angeles. Information portal: http://www.pegasplanet.com We serve you USA and Canada nationwide from our SAP Business One call center: California, Illinois, New York, Florida, Minnesota, New Jersey, North and South Carolina, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, Ontario, Quebec, Washington

Dynamics GP and SAP Business One Tandem as Corporate ERP for Multinational Firm

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 19:21:26 -0400

This small publication is intended to current Microsoft 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.).** End Summary**

About the Author:
Andrew Karasev, Alba Spectrum , help@albaspectrum.com 1-866-528-0577 http://www.albaspectrum.com Serving ERP and MRP community since 1994, local service in Chicago, Houston, San Diego, Atlanta, Los Angeles. Information portal: http://www.pegasplanet.com We serve you USA and Canada nationwide from our SAP Business One call center: California, Illinois, New York, Florida, Minnesota, New Jersey, North and South Carolina, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, Ontario, Quebec, Washington, Missouri

Dynamics GP Implementation for Large Corporation: International ERP Notes

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 18:47:22 -0400

If you have Microsoft Dynamics GP (formerly referred as Great Plains Dynamics, eEnteprise, Dynamics C/S+) implemented in large company, which is expanding internationally, you should know your options in catching up with multinational Corporate ERP. Dynamics GP has its pluses (and minuses) and this small publication should help you with initial research. We will try to be maximally laconic, as subject is very broad and requires numerous pages: 1. Foreign Language characters notes. Dynamics GP is coded with ASCII standards consideration. If you are in the country, where Latin characters are used without accent marks, and these countries are English speaking: USA, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Oceania, some countries in South East Asia (where English is the language of business), then your alphabet is ASCII compliant. If you use accents in Latin alphabet (Spanish, Portuguese, French, etc.), then you are also fine with ASCII standard and you use characters over 127 (or in the second bit of the one byte, reserved by ASCII).** End Summary**

Dynamics GP Ecommerce Batch Automatic Posting

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 18:25:08 -0400

If you are eConnect ecommerce programmer and your goal is to do all the way directly from ecommerce web application code: Create New customer, Create Shopping Cart (probably equal to Sales Order Processing Invoice), Get Customer Credit Card Payment (deposit against Sales Order or Invoice) and finally post individual transaction or the whole batch of transactions from the customer. Transaction or Batch posting functionality is not available in Microsoft Dynamics GP eConnect SDK. In this small publication we would like to review Add-On, which should allow you to post batches directly from your ecommerce web front: 1. Dexterity programmed Posting Server. This application was developed in Sanscript programming language of Dexterity with detail reference to Dexterity internal scripts. This Server in fact calls the same Dexterity procedures, which are called by batch posting directly in Dynamics GP user interface (this technology allows Posting Server be bugs free, as we are not replicating the logic of batch posting, as directly using original posting scripts) 2. How to deploy Posting Server. You should dedicate special computer (or run one Dynamics GP workstation directly on the server ) with Posting Server add-on installed and integrated.** End Summary**

Dynamics GP Sales Order Processing Table Structure Notes

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 17:33:36 -0400

If you are Crystal Reports designer, or programmer who needs Microsoft Dynamics GP data export into EDI or XML interchange format, we would like to give you small introduction into Great Plains SOP module tables structure. We would also like to inform you that if you plan to feed in data into SOP tables via SQL insert statements, the idea is not that great, as you may violate business logic and compromise data integrity. For importing data into Dynamics GP in general, please consider Integration Manager (for end user friendly data conversion), or eConnect SDK (for direct programming, in eCommerce web application for example): 1. Work and Historical transactions. When you create Quote, Sales Order, Invoice, Return in SOP and place them into the batch for review and posting - these transactions are in Work phase, and when you post the batch (or individual transaction) then related transactions change the status to Posted and becomes historical. Work tables has prefix SOP1 and posted have prefix SOP3 2. Master records. SOP module works with several modules, from where master records are taken: Inventory control (IV00101 inventory item master), Receivable Management (RM00101 Customer Master table) 3. Table Structure Self Discovery.** End Summary**

Dynamics GP Dari Language Support Options Recommendations

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 14:33:30 -0400

It looks like there is certain interest in Afghan economy recovery, especially for funded state enterprises in Kabul, to implement brand name Corporate ERP System. For mid-size and large operations you can chose one of the lower mid market ERP applications (as for large Corporate ERP system the cost of localization might be very high), such as Microsoft Dynamics GP, formerly known as Great Plains Dynamics, or its competitor SAP Business One (SB1 supports Unicode and Dari/Persian/Arabic characters, however in GP it is probably easier to place pictures with Arabic text on the existing screens with GP Modifier or Dexterity modifications). In this small publication we will be describing Microsoft Dynamics GP adaptation to Afghan accounting system: 1. Arabic characters support. Here you will need the extension to Dynamics GP, which is in use in Arabian peninsula. Characters should be reasonably the same in Dari and in Arabic as well as in Persian in Iran.** End Summary**

About the Author:
Andrew Karasev, Alba Spectrum , help@albaspectrum.com 1-866-528-0577 http://www.albaspectrum.com Serving ERP and MRP community since 1994, local service in Chicago, Houston, San Diego, Atlanta, Los Angeles. Information portal: http://www.pegasplanet.com We are happy to help you with Dynamics GP project in Afghanistan, Iran, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, Armenia

Dynamics GP Great Plains International Implementation: Afghanistan notes

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 17:59:40 -0400

With Arabic letters extension module, Dynamics GP could be deployed in Dari for customers and branches of multinational corporations in Kabul. We assume that you are familiar with Dynamics GP generic implementation and with such technologies as Great Plains Dexterity, Integration Manager, Modifier with VBA, eConnect. This article gives you highlights on international specific for Dari and Persian languages. We recommend the following options and directions: 1. Dynamics GP screens in Dari - attach graphical images of simple Dari text on critical GP forms: SOP Entry, POP Purchase Receipt, GL transaction, AR and AP invoices, Customer Payment, Apply Customer Payment to Invoice. We do not recommend Dexterity string resources translation to Dari or Persian, as you will face Unicode incompatibility issues 2. Crystal Reports or SSRS for printing Sales Invoices, Packing List, Picking Tickets, Purchase Orders. There are Dynamics GP add-ons available for automatically launch CR from GP, or they could be called via VBA scripts (Dynamics GP Modifier with VBA) 3. Dari alphabet characters storing in Dynamics GP Database. In Microsoft SQL Server you can change code page and collation on the table level, and you can create Dari language characters compatible tables.** End Summary**

FRx for Dynamics GP Great Plains Recovery notes

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 19:20:29 -0400

If your organization deploys old version of Great Plains Dynamics or eEnterprise: 7.5, 7.0, 6.0, 5.5, 5.0 or earlier and your user workstation, where you had FRx client installed crushed, we would like to recommend you several steps in FRx reinstallation and repair. In the case of eEnterprise your Database is likely MS SQL Server 2000 or 7, older versions of high end Dynamics we also known under Dynamics C/S+ name. If you are on Dynamics GP 8.0, 9.0 or 10.0 (current version as we are writing these lines in October 2009), FRx recovery issue is simple as all you need to do is to install FRx 6.7 and apply relevant service pack (for GP 10.0 FRx SP10 or 11) - all these service packs are available for download at Microsoft Business Solutions Partner Source (or if you have current service plan with MBS, you can download them from Customer Source pages). We will concentrate on the most challenging in FRx recovery versions 6.0 and earlier: 1. Identify your Great Plains Dynamics version. Open help->About Great Plains Dynamics. If you are on Dynamics 6.** End Summary**

SAP Business One Integration Technical Notes

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 19:14:53 -0400

SAP B1 is good option for small organization, where you would like to have some advanced Corporate ERP and MRP features as discrete manufacturing, service management (including warranty support), CRM functionality, Sales Order and Purchas Order processing, picking and packing. SAP Business One is also good in international implementation scenarios, as it supports most of the World alphabets and localized in wide range of countries, especially consider SB1 if you are multinational corporation and you are selecting ERP application for your foreign subsidiary. In this small publication we will try to give you highlights on out of the box Integration options: Data Transfer Workbench and SAP Business One Software Development Kit (SDK). We are not pretending to say that you have to use these tools versus often more advanced integration instruments, available from SAP Business One ISV partner and software development firms, however it is always good idea to analyze free options, prior to purchasing additional software for your new Corporate ERP 1. SAP Business One Data Transfer Workbench. We are expecting some skepticism, as DTW is usually associated with initial data import from your legacy accounting in CSV (often referred as Excel Templates).** End Summary**

Ecommerce for SAP Business One and Microsoft Dynamics GP custom programming

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 18:16:24 -0400

Corporate ERP is typically open for ecommerce shopping cart, item catalog, price list integration. However if you are SAP Business One or Microsoft Dynamics GP customer, you may not know the right tool or integration method. We often hear from our customers very generic ecommerce integration questions and even requests. We assume that you are midsize or small company, and budget is important for you. And we think it is very practical to publish SB1 and Great Plains ecommerce FAQ and guidelines: 1. Do I have to purchase third party ecommerce add-on? The answer is typically NO. Both SAP B1 and Dynamics GP have Software Development Kits (SB1 SDK and eConnect for GP), plus both have Integration modules: SAP Business One Data Transfer Workbench and Microsoft Dynamics GP Integration Manager. Why we are appending the adjective Typically - because in some cases Dynamics GP ISV and SAP Business One ISV partners have wizards and tools, allowing you to facilitate ecommerce to Corporate ERP integration programming, however those tools are optional and technically not required 2. Which tables or objects should I target in ecommerce integration?** End Summary**

Sales Order Processing (SOP) module in Dynamics GP Technical Notes

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 19:36:45 -0400

One of the most popular modules for Dynamics GP ISV Dexterity add-ons, EDI, eCommerce, Sales Carts and Barcode scanner batch or real time upload, integrations with Microsoft Dynamics CRM, Microsoft Retail Management System (MS RMS) is Sales Order Processing module in Microsoft Dynamics GP (formerly GP was known as Great Plains Software Dynamics, eEnterprise and in late 1980 as its predecessor Great Plains Accounting for Windows, DOS and Mac). Roughly 30% of the Dynamics GP modification, integration and custom reporting requests from GP customers are related to SOP module, its programming in eConnect, Dexterity, Modifier with VBA, Integration Manager batch or real time integrations. In this small publication we would like to review SOP functionality, technology layers and customization, integration and reporting tools: 1. Brief excurse into SOP business logic. Here you have the options to have negotiation workflow, starting with Quotation, then move it to Sales Order and then to Sales Invoice. You can also have Sales Return and Back Order. SOP has several items fulfillment options - on the fly (referred as By Line Item), as separate fulfillment process by batch or via separate Fulfillment Order mechanism (Quotation doesn't participate in fulfillment process).** End Summary**

Dynamics GP Ecommerce Small Extensions and Custom Integration Programming Approach

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 16:04:32 -0400

If you already have in-house developed ecommerce web application, and you already tried hard to deploy GP eConnect SDK to automate such apparent routines as Batch Posting directly from eConnect libraries, or another good example is drop ship purchase order creation in EDI format and posting it to Electronic Document Interchange channel (after Sales Order or Invoice and Drop Ship Purchase order is created in GP by eConnect), here list of problematic situations could be extended, the point is Great Plains eCommerce is not too simple and at the same time, you can get help in integration programming. We offer you small products, or share with you our Dynamics GP ecommerce custom codes, the second approach we name as solutions (including our services in tuning our proven integration codes according to your requirements). Let's review Solution version Packaged ecommerce project nuances: 1.** End Summary**

Microsoft Small Business Financials conversion to Dynamics GP Notes

Sat, 17 Oct 2009 17:36:01 -0400

One of the recommended options for the future (Small Business Financials version 9.0 is the last one available) is migration to Microsoft Dynamics GP Business Ready. To remind you the history of Great Plains Small Business Manager 7.0 - this was specially scaled down code of Great Plains Dynamics, where Dexterity dictionary (Dynamics.dic) was simplified. However most of the tables names, forms technical names in SBF 9.0. 8.0, 7.5 or 7.0 are similar to Great Plains or its successor Dynamics GP respective objects. Let's review migration path and steps: 1. Small Business Financials upgrade to version 9.0. If you are still on older versions: 8.0, 7.5, 7.0, you will need to upgrade, prior to migration to Dynamics GP. SBF upgrade is typically simple and you should not expect major problems or issues, assuming that you do not have complex modifications, customizations (including in-house programmed Dexterity add-ons), ongoing data integration, etc. Small Business Financials was not exposed to advanced customization, reporting and programming tools, this is one of the reasons why version upgrade is relatively smooth 2. Migration tool: SBF 9.0 to Dynamics GP 9.0.** End Summary**

Microsoft Dynamics GP Integration Methods: IM, eConnect, Dexterity

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 18:17:24 -0400

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.).** End Summary**

Great Plains Small Business Financials Migration to Dynamics GP 10.0 notes

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 18:37:50 -0400

As you probably know, Microsoft Business Solutions Small Business Financials is recommended for migration to Microsoft Dynamics GP. The last version of SBF is 9.0. If you are deploying Small Business Financials 9.0 or 8.0 (or Small Business Manager 7.0 or 7.5), we would like to offer your attention this small publication, where we are describing real upgrade and migration and giving you some technical highlights: upgrade path, known issues and fixes. If you have access to Microsoft Business Solutions Partner or Customer Source, there you should find official information and recommendation, which could be more recent comparing to this text, however this article is written in Corporate ERP popularization style and should give you good initial info 1. Migration and Upgrade Path. We strongly recommend you to create test upgrade server, as number of problems seems to be too high for ad-hoc upgrade. In our case we installed SBF 7.5 on Microsoft SQL Server 2000 as test environment. Please, note that SBF 7.** End Summary**

Dynamics GP eCommerce Custom Programming Notes

Sun, 11 Oct 2009 16:36:12 -0400

Microsoft Dynamics GP, this Corporate ERP application was previously known as Great Plains Dynamics, eEnteprise (and its predecessor was Great Plains Accounting for DOS, Windows and Mac), is good Accounting and Logistics platform for ecommerce integration. In this paper we assume that you have self designed in-house made custom ecommerce web application with shopping cart and possible such additional features as credit card payment processing, custom B2B items catalogs or simple B2C ecommerce promotions, and also that your ecommerce website was programmed in .Net with MS SQL Server as DB platform, plus we will make some comments on other ecommerce alternatives, such as Linux/PHP/MySQL or Oracle based solutions with ODBC exposures, as Great Plains Dynamics GP is only available on Microsoft Windows and MS SQL Server platforms. If our assumption seems too restricting, please review first GP ecommerce Add-ons available on the market as out-of-shelf products, directly available from Dynamics GP ISV ecommerce partners. Again, here we assume that you already made significant investment into custom ecommerce website software development and you do not see the option to redeploy ecommerce on the base of Dynamics ISV partner ecommerce product. Let's begin our review: 1. Dynamics GP version and support.** End Summary**

Dynamics GP Crystal Reports Design Notes

Sat, 10 Oct 2009 16:58:51 -0400

If you have Microsoft Dynamics GP implemented in your organization as Corporate ERP platform (formerly it was also known as Great Plains Dynamics, eEnteprise and its predecessor Great Plains Accounting for DOS, Windows and Apple Macintosh), we recommend you some advises on such industry reporting tool as Crystal Reports. Before we do our details, please note that there are reporting tool selection guidelines, where you categorize reports as Financials (Balance Sheet, Profit and Loss Statement, Cash Flow Statement, GL Trial Balance), Business Documents or Forms (Sales Invoice, Purchase Order, Packing Slip, Packing Ticket, Bill of Lading, Stock Count WorkSheet) and Managerial Reports (Sales Commission, Project Profitability, Sales By Product Lines), then you think about which Reporting tool is most suitable for each category (likely FRx is best fit for Financial Statements, Crystal Reports and SSRS are equally good for Managerial Reports and Advanced Business Forms, plus GP Report Writer does wonderful job in modifying Business Forms - placing your company graphical logo, comments, etc, please note that RW has natural advantage to be considered first, as it is naturally integrated and called from Dynamics GP User Workstation screens).** End Summary**

Dynamics GP Inventory Control Module Notes

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 19:40:23 -0400

Microsoft Dynamics GP Distribution is centered around Inventory Control module, where you define your Inventory Sales Inventory, Services, Flat Fee, Miscellaneous Charges items. Inventory items (plus non inventory items, it is when you type in something not registered in Inventory Control as Item ID in Sales documents) you normally sell in Sales Order Processing module (SOP Quotations, Sales Orders, Invoices, Back Orders, Returns) and purchase in Purchase Order Processing (Purchase Orders, PO Receiving documents). Plus INV is extended with Dynamics GP Bill Of Materials (BOM) module, where you can implement simple discrete manufacturing. In Inventory Control transactions you have such functionality as items transfer from one site (or warehouse, or consignment location) to another, inventory items cycle count, plus item cycle count might be followed by Item Barcode Label printing. Sometimes Dynamics GP customers want to integrate such features as Inventory Item Serial or Lot Number to be incorporated into Barcode Label (especially if food, deli, seafood stores, where merchandise barcode label is weight specific). This small publication is not intended as official manual on Dynamics GP Inventory Control, but rather as known issues, FAQ and industry recommendation paper.** End Summary**

Supporting Old Great Plains Dynamics GP Versions Notes

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 22:25:29 -0400

If your organization is deploying one of the legacy Microsoft Dynamics GP or Great Plains Software Dynamics/eEnterprise versions: 8.0, 7.5, 7.0, 6.0, 5.5, 5.0, 4.0 3.2 or Great Plains Accounting for DOS, Windows and Mac: 9.5, 9.2, 9.1, 8.0 or earlier, please enjoy this small article reading. Great Plains Dynamics for Windows was introduced as pioneering Corporate ERP and Accounting application back in earlier 1990th as reasonable way out from old DOS accounting and Corporate ERP applications. Competition those old good days was pretty tough: Maconomy (Great Plains was also balancing Macintosh graphical platform to see who will be the winner in the long run), Scala (where most of the coding was in time performed in Hungary, it was one of the leading DOS Accounting packages in Europe), SUN Accounting, etc. Most of the competitors names are now forgotten, as we could conclude, but what the future will be nobody could predict with assurance.** End Summary**

Dynamics GP Purchase Order Processing Module and Extensions Notes

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 16:40:32 -0400

If you have Microsoft Dynamics GP ERP implemented in your organization, we are offering you to consider POP module setup and implementation, if it is not yet in production. Our publication should be considered as introduction or case study, but please read features matrix directly from Microsoft Business Solutions Dynamics GP POP module marketing documents. If you would like to implement Requisitions and their Approval and have limited number of Dynamics GP users to be approvers, please read about implementing WorkFlow in GP, where approvals could be switched on: 1. Purchase Orders. The functionality begins with Purchase Order (not with Purchase Requisition, if you need negotiation and tenders automation, please read about Purchase Management module in Dynamics GP Business Portal below). There are several types of Purchase Orders: Standard, Drop-Ship, Blanket and Blanket Drop-Ship, plus you can commit PO to Sales Documents. In Purchase Order module settings you can allow such optional features, as Allow Receiving without Purchase Order, Change Site ID in Receiving, Holds placing and removing mechanism, Allow Altering Costs in Receiving. And, in addition you can enable multiple User Defined Fields in POP module settings.** End Summary**

Dynamics GP Bill of Materials Module Notes

Sun, 04 Oct 2009 17:01:04 -0400

If you are evaluating Microsoft Dynamics GP as possible Corporate ERP with light MRP functionality, we would like to give us some highlights on Great Plains BOM module. In this small article we will not be formal and not stick to precise functionality grid, rather we would like to give you industry and special business case example and which processes were automated by our consultants in the past. We recommend you also to review functionality for BOM via official Microsoft Dynamics GP marketing brochures as good supplement to our highlights. Please, note that here we are talking about BOM, which is not part of Manufacturing Suite, the whole Dynamics GP discrete manufacturing Suite would be recommended for large manufacturing mills or production companies, where they need such features as Capacity Planning, Production Orders, etc. We are discussing here Bill of Materials which is simple extension to GP Inventory Control module: 1. Bill of Materials Setup. This is very simple setup, and you should decide if you need more or just OK with what you see in settings.** End Summary**