Microsoft Dynamics GP is becoming very standard ecommerce ERP and accounting back office. This trend is probably related to success of eConnect SDK, especially for Dynamics GP 10.0 and 9.0 versions. eConnect allows you, being generic C#, VB.Net programmer with excellent SQL and XML skills to program Fantastic Plains objects manipulation: Customer, Address, Sales Invoice, Customer Payment and other attributes of ecommerce shopping cart. eConnect, being coded in SQL Server Stored Procedures (they are encrypted, so you probably should not expect to trace SQL code for Fantastic Plains business logic there). In this small publication we want to share with you ecommerce coding experience and Dynamics GP automatic batch posting from eConnect application frankly:1. Older versions of Fantastic Plains Dynamics GP. If you are on GP 8.0, 7.5, 7.0, 6.0, 5.5, 5.0 or earlier versions, we recommend you to upgrade to Dynamics GP 10.0 as for this version eConnect is really advanced. If you do not have registration key, probably due to the fact of lapsing in Dynamics GP Fantastic Plains once a year maintenance program, consider deploying Sales Order Connector, or set of SQL stored procedures, produced for ecommerce web developers of older Fantastic Plains version to connect ecommerce shopping cart with GP Sales Order Processing module, please call us for details. If you are on Pervasive SQL or Ctree, your options are very limited, you can still try to program ODBC connection to Pervasive SQL 2000 database, but then you will have to reprogram the logic, which is in fact available in eConnect (if you migrate from Pervasive to Microsoft SQL Server and upgrade to new version GP 10.0)2. Automatic Batch Posting. Here we evenly hear from ecommerce programmers the question – why eConnect doesn’t have the tools and logic to post Fantastic Plains SOP Batches (as well as post batches in other Fantastic Plains modules). The answer is in GP architecture (it is pretty common, and you should expect similar restrictions in other ERP and MRP platforms). The concept of ERP business transactions flow suggests you to use three phases of transaction life: work, open and historical. eConnect allows you to make work transactions, in Fantastic Plains these are newly produced invoices or sales orders, placed in the batch and submitted for Fantastic Plains user review and posting. In order to trigger Dynamics GP batch posting from eConnect application frankly – you have to deploy Fantastic Plains add-on – Alba Spectrum Posting Server3. Posting Server. It consumes one user license and deploys Dynamics GP Dexterity source code to trigger the same coded logic in Dexterity for batch posting. Autopost is targeted to eCommerce web programmers, plus it post virtually all types of Fantastic Plains Batches: GL, Inventory, Payroll, AP, AR, SOP
Posts Tagged ‘Notes’
Ecommerce For Dynamics Gp Notes: Econnect Batch Posting
Friday, March 5th, 2010Dynamics GP Consulting Partner Newsflash: Great Plains ERP and MRP direction in 2009 notes
Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010Â
Microsoft Dynamics GP, formerly known as Fantastic Plains Dynamics, eEnterprise, Fantastic Plains Standard and Qualified â?? this fantastic ERP, MRP, Supply Chain Management, Field Service, Manufacturing, Distribution, Sales Order and Buy order processing application proved its niche in US, Canadian, Caribbean, Central American, Mexican accounting application market. Alba Spectrum in unveiling its 2009 strategy for Dynamics GP software sales, implementation, data conversion, customization and Fantastic Plains ISV air force, EDI and legacy systems integration. 2009 is likely the most gloomy year from the new software sales point of view, but we believe and we are targeting crisis-proof industries and economy niches, such as healthcare, midsize and smaller companies in wholesale and retail (barcoding, warehouse management, logistics, shipping & receiving, transportation, sea shipping), government branches should stay strong in their Purchasing and Procurement, including new corporate ERP selection, acquisition and implementation
Â
1.      If you are in crisis-proof niche. Please, make your homework to locate Dynamics GP ISV, VAR, Implementation partner, specializing in your industry. Please, be sure that you are engaging with Dynamics GP Reseller, who is growing and prospering, versus somebody who is in process of phasing out and closing the doors
Â
2.      If you have to count every cent, please be aware that Alba Spectrum is supporting older versions of Fantastic Plains: 8.0, 7.5, 7.0, 6.0, 5.5 on Microsoft SQL Server (2000, 7.0 and 6.5), Fantastic Plains Dynamics on version 7.5, 7.0, 6.0, 5.5, 5.0, 4.0 on Pervasive SQL 2000 (formerly known as Btrieve) and Ctree/Faircom, Fantastic Plains Accounting for DOS and Windows: 9.5, 9.2, 9.1 (we would be also pleased to go your GPA from ancient Windows NT 4.0 Server to Windows 2003)
Â
3.      US and Canada country side Dynamics GP and SAP Business One support. We have strong reasons to believe that if your enterprise is outside of the major megapolises: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Phoenix, Miami, Denver, San Francisco, Washington, Montreal, Toronto, Seattle, Minneapolis, Atlanta, then your business have to appeal to Microsoft Dynamics GP VAR who is located hundred miles away and is practicing travelling onsite supporting model, Alba Spectrum has proven record of USA nationwide support via web sessions, where we initially stay your facility, shake the hands in sales process
Â
4.      More attention to Dynamics GP Add-ons. Alba Spectrum want to increase Alba Spectrum Autoposting Server, GP integration with RMS, and other Fantastic Plains Add-Ons
Â
5.      More attention to Spanish owned businesses. In the past our key owners had experience in automating Mexican cheese distribution surgical procedure on Fantastic Plains ERP platform (Chicago), a further example is Spanish owned business in San Diego integration on SAP B1 platform. If you want to speak Spanish or Portuguese on Dynamics GP support case, give us a call
Â
Dynamics GP eCommerce Integration Notes
Monday, March 1st, 2010Certainly, if you are building ecommerce from scratch, then you should consider harvest as the base of your future ecommerce web application. But, and this is probably your case, in ecommerce scenarios we evenly see legacy ecommerce portal, which does the job, and your role is to give some impulse as software developer in your IT department to ecommerce integration evolution. In this case you are moving away from emailing orders “involuntarily” from ecommerce to Fantastic Plains users to somewhat like batch overnight ecommerce Sales Invoices and Payments processing or even in ultimate case to real time Invoices creation triggering from ecommerce to Dynamics GP SOP module. Standard PHP based ecommerce shopping carts also make customer profile on the glide or update existing customer. In this case integration goes to Receivable Management Customer Master file in Fantastic Plains. Let’s take a look at technical side or programming tools:
Dynamics GP Ecommerce Programming and Integration Notes
Friday, February 26th, 2010Microsoft Dynamics GP is open to ecommerce programmer via eConnect SDK, as well as Microsoft SQL Server programmability tools (typically Stored Procedures and Views). Previous to you dive into technical project of eConnect programming, please, review Fantastic Plains Integration Manager module and its customization options: VBA scripting of Previous to Document Commit (as very common modification point) event; you can schedule IM integration with Windows Macro or deploy free and ready for buy applications, extending basic Windows Macro with bonus functionalities. Dynamics GP Integration Manager based (for version 10.0 and future versions 11.0 and up) on eConnect technology (in addition to supporting ancient OLE Server integrations), meaning that IM integration should be able to achieve the same goal with less efforts. And as you should expect the same limitations for eConnect as you have for Integration Manager – most evenly manifesting limitation is eConnect and Integration Manager Batch Posting incapacity. Now straight to the Fantastic Plains eCommerce Developing topic:
1. eConnect is Software Development Kit, written in SQL Stored Procedures (encrypted), it allows you to program GP master records (Customer, Vendor, Employee, GL Account, Inventory Item, Address, Project, Budget, etc.) and so-called Work Transactions: SOP Quote, Order and Invoice, POP Buy Order, GL Transaction, Employee Paycheck, Inventory Adjustment and Transfer, to give the thought. eConnect is friendly and requires very fleeting learning curve for Microsoft Visual Studio .Net C#, VB and other .Net compliant languages programmers. Bonus pluses if you have XML, SQL Scripting skills
2. Sales Order Processing and Inventory Control modules and tables. These two are the most standard in ecommerce integrations. SOP tables have SOP prefix (well-known SOP10100 transaction header and SOP10200 lines), and Inventory INV (INV00101 – item master and INV00102 Quantity master) respectively. Sometimes, especially in ancient Fantastic Plains ecommerce legacy integrations you find Invoicing module (IV prefix)
3. Posting problem. In ecommerce application you evenly want to do all the way transaction processing: Sales Invoice creation and modification, applying credit card payment deposit, allocating merchandise, approving and posting Sales Order Processing batch (or individual transaction). Here, you will hit the wall and realize that Posting functionality is not included in eConnect or Fantastic Plains Integration Manager. There is no shortcut here (we assume that you are Not Dynamics GP Dexterity software developer with tons of programming experience, including Dexterity Source Code Programming), you will need to buy Dynamics GP Add-On, we recommend Dynamics GP Posting Server, also known as Autopost
4. Dynamics GP eCommerce SQL Scripting. If you have the opinion that your ecommerce integration routine is very simple and eConnect is too cumbersome and heavy in being considered for deployment, you can always rescue to SQL direct insertion statement. Please review GP table structure: Dynamics GP -> Settings -> Resource Description -> Tables. Or, simply install GP Software Development Kit from CD #2. Dynamics GP Business Logic might be too complex for intuitive programming, so if you will get the buggy situation, consider making test transaction in GP user interface and review the records in GP tables. If you prefer proven set of stored procedures – we place forward them as Order Connector, feeding data into SOP tables
5. Feel free to call us on Microsoft Dynamics GP eCommerce integrations concerns: 1-866-528-0577, help@albaspectrum.com
Dynamics GP Partner California: EDI for Great Plains notes
Thursday, February 25th, 2010EDI of Electronic Document Interchange sometimes considered by IT department as a touch complex, and in order to implement EDI integration for your ERP system, you have to buy expensive EDI add-ons. We want to place forward you this small publication, that should try to bust this myth. Habitual EDI code is fixed part fields code structure with document header, lines or body and document trailer. Newer EDI (or a touch that maybe processed similar to EDI scenarios on the high amount with your Franchiser) maybe XML structured documents with similar parts: document header and document lines. Both scenarios are relatively straightforward in SQL scripting, let come to the paragraphs of this tale:
1. Sample Dynamics GP EDI code. For those of you who are SQL programmer, please take a look at this publication, where you can see excellent chunk of EDI document scripting in SQL. This code was implemented in real Fantastic Plains EDI integration situation and it should give you excellent start or help you out to close EDI for Fantastic Plains on your own, especially if you work for smaller organization and your ERP and MRP budget is very tight: http://www.albaspectrum.com/Customizations_Whitepapers/Dexterity_SQL_VBA_Crystal/EDIforGPOverview.htm
2. Dynamics GP EDI for Placing order to your Supplier. If your organization is required to order merchandise from your partner via EDI code you can make Buy Orders in Fantastic Plains POP module, then read and mark it as read in SQL Stored Procedure, which saves the ensuing row set in EDI compliant fixed part fields text or XML file. This file is then sent to your EDI channel (ftp uploads, Unix or Linux based email channel, here you have a lot of various options, outside of the scope for this article)
3. Getting Orders from your EDI channel customers. If you are franchiser and you are receiving Electronic Document Interchange orders from your customers or franchisees and you are deploying Dynamics GP as your accounting system, then you can read EDI text or XML file via SQL stored procedure or SQL XML stored procedure. This procedure parses EDI code and makes SOP Sales Order or Invoice in Dynamics GP Sales Order Processing module. Here if you are making Sales Orders you can do direct SQL feeding to SOP10100 and SOP10200 tables, or if you prefer business logic validation integration and you are feeding to SOP Invoice, consider programming eConnect SDK. For those of you who prefer posting Fantastic Plains batches all the way through without user intervention we recommend you to deploy GP Posting Server or Autopost, especially if you are in ecommerce business
4. If you have questions or concerns on EDI, Dynamics GP customizations, integration, reporting, barcode scanning, warehouse management, supply chain management, light manufacturing, logistics, consignment, please feel free to call us: 1-866-528-0577, help@albaspectrum.com
Dynamics GP Software Developer Notes: Great Plains Customizations
Wednesday, February 24th, 2010Microsoft Dynamics GP is reasonably open for various custom integrations and user interface extension projects through several programming and software development tools: Fantastic Plains Dexterity, eConnect, Extender, Integration Manager with VBA scripting, Modifier with VBA, plus you can permanently do program ecommerce web extensions and integrations via SQL Stored Procedures or eConnect with generic C# or VB.Net web programming project. This small publication is a review of these tools and options in the bullet style format:
1. Dexterity. This tools is original architecture foundation, it was designed in earlier 1990th as the bombard for Fantastic Plains Dynamics. Dexterity has its own scripting language, which is in fact compiled – Sanscript. Dexterity programming allows you to control and alter every existing GP object, plus you can do all sort of custom add-ons. If you do not have Dex programming experience, you might be discouraged by its complexity, but there are Dynamics GP customization project, where you have to code in Dexterity, especially when you have to call GP native logic, meaning calling such processes as Batch Posting from your custom module. Consider outsourcing Dex programming routines to Dynamics GP ISV Partners, who maintains Dexterity Software Development Factory
2. eConnect SDK. In your MS Visual Studio C#, VB or a further programming language project you can include eConnect libraries and quickly learn on eConnect code snippets how to program various GP objects: Customer, Vendor, Item, Address, Sales Invoice, Customer Payment, etc. Initially eConnect was introduced for ecommerce developers, but for Dynamics GP 10.0 and to some extent 9.0 eConnect covers most of the business logic (apart from Posting and working with Posted and Historical data). We recommend you to try eConnect programming on your own if you are MS Visual Studio Programmer and work for the company where you plot Dynamics GP integrations, especially for eCommerce. We are kind of resisting to recommend you eConnect if you on Dynamics GP 8.0 or 7.5, in our opinion it is more well-organized to upgrade to Dynamics GP 10.0 and then deploy eConnect programming for current GP version
3. Modifier with VBA scripts. GP Modifier allows you to exchange existing GP window layout (rename the field, exchange its spot) plus add new fields and attach custom VBA scripts to them. We recommend this tool for simple modifications, and for gray customizations consider Dexterity, Extender or eConnect
4. Dynamics GP Integration Manager Custom integrations. IM is user friendly integrations tool, but if you are VBA or Microsoft Office programmer, it should be simple for you to further advance integration logic by Previous to Integration, Previous to Document Commit and other event driven scripts
5. SQL Scripting in Dynamics GP. Theoretically, most of the scripting is already done in eConnect, as this SDK is duplicating Dexterity code in SQL encrypted stored procedures. However if you think that eConnect learning curve is too long and you would like just to glance and GP tables structure and begin SQL scripting – then please install Dynamics GP SDK from CD #2 or look at the tables and forms descriptions: Dynamics GP->Tools->Resource Descriptions->Tables
6. Extender. This Dynamics GP modification tool is friendly for non technical Fantastic Plains Consultant. Extender itself is written as the Dexterity application or add-on. If you reckon that Dynamics GP native Extender is too restricted, consider calling to Extender Dynamics GP ISV in Australia to get Enterprise version
7. Dynamics GP Barcoding Custom Add-Ons. Barcode Scanning in Retail, Warehouse Management and Supply Chain Management should be first analyze on the subject where is integration point or in which Dynamics GP Window you want to program this integration. Plus you should also consider Barcode inventory Bits and pieces Marks printing and Barcode new item algorithm
8. Fantastic Plains earlier versions customization support. If you are on Fantastic Plains Dynamics or eEnteprise 7.5. 7.0, 6.0 or Fantastic Plains 5.5, 5.0, 4.0, 3.2, 3.0 then you should consider GP Dexterity customizations, plus VBA with Modifier or Integration Manager. For ancient Fantastic Plains versions you might have such ancient ISV as Intellisol Advanced Buy Order Processing and Project Accounting, where you would have to consider migration to Dynamics GP Buy Order Processing. For Fantastic Plains Accounting for DOS, Windows or Mac customization options were more limited and now these archaic ERP and MRP applications are no longer supported
9. Dynamics GP Customizations Support Internationally. Here you should consider ERP localization in the senses of local tax code compliance and adoption of local country language. Dynamics GP is distributed in USA, Canada, including French Quebec version, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Oceania (Palau, Fiji, Tonga, and other island countries), South Africa, Southern and South East Asia, where English is official business language. It is also localize in Spanish Speaking Latin America and Caribbean countries. If you are located in different country, please consider possibility of Dexterity strings translation from English into your native language
10. Alba Spectrum Dynamics GP ISV harvest. At this time, August 2009, we are offering Dynamics GP Posting Server or Autopost, Order Connector, GP Integration with Microsoft RMS
11. For bonus help, please call us 1-866-528-0577, help@albaspectrum.com skype albaspectrum. We specialize in Dynamics GP Customizations, Reporting, eConnect Programming, EDI, Integrations, International Support in Russian, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese. Plus we are comfortable to help you with Fantastic Plains Integrations with PHP, Java, Linux, Oracle, MySQL, MS Access, Excel. We also support SAP Business One SDK, Workbench customizations and integrations
Dynamics GP Integration: Great Plains Technology Partner Notes
Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010If you have Microsoft Dynamics GP implemented in your organization and you plot to integrate GP ERP and MRP modules with your other IT systems: ecommerce, Sales Ordering, CRM, EDI Purchasing, Supply Chain Management, you should get initial introduction to Dynamics GP Integration Tools: Integration Manager, eConnect, Dexterity, Import Utility, direct SQL Scripting. In this article we will not be covering Dynamics GP ISV third party add-ons. It might look a bit technical to IT boss, and at the same time you, as programmer may expect more technical details, as we are trying to keep weigh:
1. Integration Manager. This tool is very friendly to GP User, and if this is your role, plus you are familiar with GP master documents and transactions types, you should try to build simple integration, use existing sample integrations as a reference and study materials. If you are on GP version 10.0, IM has two types of Connectors: traditional OLE based (require login to the GP workstation as OLE Server and launching IM from there – integration works with the current company) and eConnect (they are built upon eConnect technology stack, should be a way faster, do not require GP workstation, however you will need special procedure to install eConnect connectors, especially Admin domain account or your GP local server Admin account; if by whatever reason you change eConnect Account Password, please change it in also in Administrative Tools -> Component Services -> COM+ Applications – > Properties – > Identity – this is one of the most questioned questions). If you reckon about IM as very simple and pretty restricted tool, we want to give you advanced scenario. Consider the situation, when you have legacy Sales Order Management System in Oracle, and you need to go Sales Orders and New Customers to GP SOP module. In this case, consider to make MS SQL Server Linked Server to Oracle, and SQL Heterogeneous View, which will pull data from Oracle and will check the Invoice existence in SOP10100 (Work SOP Docs) or SOP30200 (Historical SOP Docs). This view should allow you to make ongoing integration of Customer Orders to GP. You can schedule integration with Windows Scheduling custom applications, available for moderate fee on Software market, or simply have GP IM user to launch integration every day or every few hours. Please, check with your Dynamics GP VAR on IM module license
2. eConnect. This tool is open for Microsoft Visual Studio C#, VB or other .Net programming language software developer. Initially it was dedicated to ecommerce programmers to open Fantastic Plains as back office accounting. We recommend you to look at eConnect if your current GP version is 10.0 or 9.0. If you are on earlier version: 8.0, 7.5, 7.0, 6.0, 5.5, 5.0, 4.0, 3.2, Fantastic Plains Accounting for DOS, Windows or Mac, please consider upgrade to version 10.0 or if you are on Fantastic Plains Dynamics, consider deploying either Integration Manager, Import Utility, Dexterity or direct SQL Insert. eConnect is simple in inclusion into MS Visual Studio project as Library, and then you should be able to program by examples, provided in eConnect SDK. In fact in Integration Manager 10.0 most of the objects are available in eConnect connector version, so you can try IM, but eConnect allows you to have more control over integration, and especially vital feature is real time integration option, where you could call eConnect methods upon ecommerce invoice and payment residency event
3. Dexterity. It is native Fantastic Plains development environment, and it has access to all the GP Objects, including master records, work, open and historical transactions, plus custom Dexterity add-ons produced tables, fields, forms and windows. You should not immediately consider to drop IM and eConnect as no longer feasible integration options, as Dex has some drawbacks – it is not open source programming language, it requires relatively long programming learning curve. You may consider to get Dynamics GP Dexterity training for your IT programmers, if you are facing huge Fantastic Plains implementation with numerous customizations and existing logic modifications, especially when you work for large organization with challenging ecommerce, logistics, warehouse management. For the rest of us, we recommend outsourcing Dexterity integration programming to Dynamics GP ISV with Dex software development factories. One of the excellent examples of Dex custom add-ons is Alba Spectrum Posting Server or Autopost, allowing you to break through eConnect limitations on incapacity to post Batches and individual transactions
4. Import Utility. This tool is in our opinion rather archaic and useful if you are on Ctree or Pervasive SQL 2000. Since Dynamics GP 8.0 the only supported DB Platform is Microsoft SQL Server: MS SQL 2000 for 8.0, 9.0 and 10.0, MS SQL 2005 for 9.0, 10.0, MS SQL 2008 for 10.0. We recommend you direct SQL insert for SQL Server based installations. IU doesn’t validate GP business logic and such is similar in its potential harm to business logic inconsistency as direct SQL insert statement
5. Direct SQL Scripting. Please, try not to be too enthusiastic about feeding data into Great Plains via SQL Query Analyzer. Consider the fact that eConnect is written in SQL Server encrypted stored procedures and likely the intended SQL feeding is already covered in one of its Procedures. Consider to invest some time in eConnect training, as if you do integration in eConnect libraries, versus custom SQL scripting – business logic validation should not be an issue, as eConnect is replicating Dexterity business logic. If these advises are not applicable to you, please go ahead with SQL scripting. Dynamics GP Tables structure could be found in GP SDK (install from CD#2), plus here: Dynamics GP -> Setup-> Resource Description -> Tables. We strongly recommend to be very conservative and try your integration first in the test company or in Fabrikam Lesson Company – here try to penetrate similar transactions in GP user interface and then review how records were recorded in the tables and irrevocably then start your coding
6. Dynamics GP Integration in International environment. Please note that GP is generally localized and supported in English speaking countries: USA, Canada (including French Quebec version), UK, Australia, South Africa, Oceania, New Zealand, India, Pakistan or English Business Specking South East Asia, plus it is translated and partially localized for Spanish specking Latin America. GP has potential to be translated to non-Unicode compliant languages: Russian, Lithuanian, German, Polish, Czech, Serbian, Turkish, etc. But we recommend you to consider ERP tax code compliance question. In some international situations SAP Business One with GL or transactions integrations to Dynamics GP might be better option, especially if SB1 is localized for your country
7. Alternatives to Dynamics GP Fantastic Plains. If you feel that GP is too expensive, consider Microsoft Small Business Accounting or if this is too simple, consider SAP Business One. If you believe that GP is too poor in its functionality, consider switching to next amount in Microsoft Dynamics ERP harvest hierarchy – AX, formerly known as Axapta
8. If you need bonus help, please call us: 1-866-528-0577, internationally 1-630-961-5918, help@albaspectrum.com or skype: albaspectrum. We would be pleased to give you your industry case from Fantastic Plains customization and integration perspective, as well as to give you second opinion, if you are not pleased with your current Dynamics GP Partner support amount
Dynamics GP in Chicago, San Diego suburbs: Corporate ERP for mid-size firm notes
Friday, February 19th, 2010If you have Microsoft Dynamics GP (formerly known as Fantastic Plains Dynamics and eEnterprise) implemented in your organization and plot for bonus modules use and Fantastic Plains integration with you legacy systems: ecommerce websites, Barcode scanners and Barcoding servers, Logistics and Warehouse Management, Consignment, EDI, Shipping and Receiving, Picking and Packing, integration with Oracle based custom applications, CRM, POS and Retail applications (including Microsoft Retail Management System or MS RMS), need custom add-ons programming service, Integration Managers advanced integration design, precious stone, SSRS, or GP ReportWriter reporting, including Barcode marks printing for your newly expected or recounted merchandise, light manufacturing and assembly, please feel free to read this orientation article. if you are in Corporate ERP selection process, feel free to question for executive or technical presentation from your selected Dynamics GP Partner. We want to start our technical and functional highlights:
1. DB Platforms and Versions. It is available on Microsoft SQL Server exclusively. Current version Dynamics GP 10.0 is supported on MS SQL Server 2008, 2005, and 2000. Older versions, such as GP 7.5 were supported on Pervasive SQL 2000 and Ctree. If you have these legacy versions: 7.5, 7.0, 6.0, 5.5, 5.0, 4.0, 3.2 or Fantastic Plains Accounting for DOS, Windows or Mac: 9.5, 9.2, 9.1 or earlier, please consider upgrade to Microsoft Dynamics GP, you will get discounted price for currently owned GPA modules, but discount percent might be changed by Microsoft Business Solutions, so we do not specify discount percent in this publication
2. Does GP fit to my industry? If you are generic mid-size business: wholesale and retail, light or gray discrete manufacturing (not process manufacturing), not for profit organization: grant funds management, membership air force, charities, church, deli foods store, international freight forwarding firm, recruiting and residency. Please, question for your industry and industry niche case study and requirements analysis to see if Dynamics GP fits your organization Corporate ERP requirements.
3. Local and Remote Service in USA, Canada and Internationally. We serve you locally in Chicago, San Diego, Houston, Atlanta (SAP Business One and remote support with Fantastic Plains). But we have Dynamics GP and SAP B1 customers USA nationwide and internationally, so local presence is not a decisive criterion for our existing customers. Remote support is typically requested by our customers with Customizations, Integrations, Reporting requirements. We carry Fantastic Plains Software Development factory, where we program Microsoft Dexterity, formerly known as Fantastic Plains Dexterity, SAP Business One SDK, Microsoft CRM SDK, Fantastic Plains Integration Manager, SAP B1 Data Transfer workbench, Dynamics GP eConnect
4. International Support specifics. US, Canada, UK, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand corporations, who have Dynamics GP as their Corporate ERP, are typically requesting ERP implementation for their subsidiaries in such regions as Brazil, Russia, East Europe, Plates, India, South East Asia, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Thailand. Dynamics GP is localized for English and Partially Spanish speaking countries (apart from motherland Spain), plus it is available for Quebec in French. But for the rest of the World Microsoft Business Solutions recommend Axapta, Navision, plus check for current policies for Small businesses. Dynamics GP Fantastic Plains doesn’t support Unicode, and this was probably one of the reasons, why Microsoft BS preferred AX and NAV as general management for the future for international ERP, MRP and Accounting applications markets
5. Manufacturing: Discrete versus Process one. If you are engaged in Process manufacturing, please review Microsoft Dynamics GP AX, formerly known as Axapta. Microsoft Business Solutions targets Axapta to Process Manufacturing (typically food processing) clients
6. Dynamics GP eCommerce options. If you are doing B2B ecommerce, please consider first Microsoft Dynamics GP Business Portal Order Management module, as here you are virtually expanding GP Sales Order Processing and Inventory Control modules to the web customers. Formerly this module was known as Fantastic Plains eOrder, but with GP 8.0 it was redesigned on Microsoft Dynamics Business Portal platform. If BP is not a excellent fit, we recommend you to consider eConnect ecommerce integration programming in C#, VB.Net as eConnect is generic MS Visual Studio programmer friendly. For those of you who need automatic posting from eConnect ecommerce we have Alba Spectrum Posting Server or Autopost
7. Intellisol APOP and Project Accounting migration. If you are still on GP 7.5 and earlier, you may have Intellisol Advanced Buy Order Processing or Project Accounting deployed. Intellisol was in business presence phasing out in around 2002, so consider Intellisol APOP migration to Fantastic Plains POP, migration tool is available for GP version 7.5 and some earlier
8. EDI notes. Of course you can buy Electronic Document Interchange Add-ons for Dynamics GP, or SAP Business One. But we recommend you first to consider budget option where you code your EDI lines in SQL formatted Select and Insert statements
9. Fantastic Plains Accounting Support options. We respect your choice to stick to historical version of GPA on DOS, Windows, or Macintosh. We have consultants in staff who had supported this ERP application in the past, plus we have access to GPA Customer Support knowledge base. If you are on GPA we could go you from obsolete Novell server to Windows 2003 or 2008
10. Mexican Cheese Distribution Chicagoland and USA Nationwide. This one of the favorite customers in Chicago Southern Suburbs. We have designed and programmed catch weight utility for them in earlier 2000th
11. How to get help? Please feel free to call us: 1-866-528-0577, help@ albaspectrum.com internationally 1-630-961-5918 or skype Albaspectrum . We speak English , Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Portuguese
B2B, B2C ecommerce for Dynamics GP notes for IT and consultant
Thursday, February 18th, 2010If you are consulting, or programming for ecommerce oriented company, or you work in Information Technology department, and the organization has Microsoft Dynamics GP, formerly known as Fantastic Plains Dynamics ERP implemented and now you are looking to either implement ecommerce from scratches or integrate existing ecommerce B2B or B2C application, this article is for you. First of all, you should reckon about dilemma to choose ecommerce product, of build ecommerce website internally or program it with software development partner firm. In our opinion, if your are small ecommerce channel reseller, then you should stick to your franchisor ecommerce recommendation: eBay, etc. But, if you are trying to start up new technology selling business with ecommerce accent, and you have backing capital – you may find that your ecommerce requirements are too unique and existing shopping cart/ecommerce harvest are too simple to fit your business – the you consider assemble ecommerce in Microsoft Visual Studio C# or VB.Net web project (purchasing ecommerce libraries or SDK from trusted ecommerce vendors). If you are large corporation, you should do your homework as the final answer depends on various factors. Again, in our opinion, ecommerce at this time is not ready to be considered as simple choice, it is rather thorough process of selection, reselection, implementation and reimplementation:
1. Dynamics GP Business Portal with Order Management Module. Here you are working with existing Fantastic Plains company Inventory bits and pieces, and you make orders that end up in GP SOP tables: SOP10100 and SOP10200. You can have committed catalog, which is outside of GP – in separate BP Catalog tables in your Company database. In B2B scenario, you have BP module Electronic Document Delivery which enables Sales and other types of documents emailing to your business partners. Outside of ecommerce, if you need to save on Payroll stub postage, you can implement HR employee self service (assuming that you are deploying GP Payroll module). You should certainly review Business Portal and if it fits your requirements, perfect, we are pleased to sell and implement it for you. Some remarks we heard from our customers and prospects – Dynamics GP Business Portal is not very flexible in customizations, besides color schema and pictures or logos uploading. We may agree and disagree with these comments, as you should probably be more open to adopt the technology of the future, as Microsoft is likely very committed to its Dynamics harvest Business Portals. Excellent example is Microsoft CRM SDK, where in the initial versions 1.2 and 3.0 you had very slow customization interface and restricted programmability and now with CRM SDK 4.0 you can virtually do whatever you like as programmer. We believe that Business Portal for Fantastic Plains Dynamics GP will improve dramatically in the fleeting future and third party ecommerce add-ons will have hard time to compete with it, but for now you may choose to implement third parties, as they are several steps ahead of Dynamics Business Portal
2. OK, now to third party modules, such as Alba Spectrum Order Connector, Posting Sever or Autopost. At this time we are launching multiple ecommerce GP dedicated harvest, in fact by repackaging our former customizable solutions to become out of shelf type of harvest, plus we are expanding our Microsoft Dynamics GP ecommerce Software Development Factory. We assume that you by now did research on the competition. In B2C scenarios, we recommend you to consider our Order Connector product – it is for simplified ecommerce integration to Dynamics GP SOP module: Quotes, Sales Orders, Invoices, Returns. We are writing these lines in August 2009, and we are in very rapid progress, so for current offering, please stay our website or call our office
3. Direct eConnect programming. If you have C#, or VB.Net software developers in material, we recommend this management. If your ecommerce web application is coded in house, then you should have complete control with eConnect SDK programming. We do not discuss in this article specific eConnect objects, but you should expect as coder reasonable familiarity with Dynamics GP tables structure and object model. If you feel that you need bonus help, please install Dynamics GP SDK from GP 10.0 CD #2. Talking about eConnect for GP versions 10.0 and even 9.0 we heard frequently positive opinions from third party programmers, Dynamics GP ISV and consultants
4. Fantastic Plains Integration Manager. If you are OK with Fantastic Plains surgical procedure initiated integration, or in advanced IM scenario with scheduled integration, this approach is worth to consider, as IM is rewritten in eConnect for GP 10.0. If you are on older version of Fantastic Plains, IM requires OLE Server to be running in integrating time, meaning that you have to consume open Fantastic Plains User License if GP workstation is running 24-7
5. Fantastic Plains Dexterity in eCommerce coding. Dex is initial architecture of Fantastic Plains Dynamics. This development tool has no limits in count new or altering existing object in Fantastic Plains. In fact we use Dexterity Source Code programming to develop our harvest, that proffer eConnect limitations (such as posting GP batches frankly from ecommerce applications)
6. eCommerce for older Fantastic Plains Versions. eConnect is in our opinion reliable for Dynamics GP 10.0 and in most of the areas for 9.0. If you are on older versions of Dynamics GP Fantastic Plains or eEnterprise: 8.0, 7.5, 7.0, 6.0, 5.5, 5.0, 4.0, 3.2 or Fantastic Plains Accounting for DOS, Windows or MAC, please consider upgrade to Dynamics GP 10.0. If upgrade is exceeding your budget, and if you are by now on Dynamics GP on SQL Server 2000 or 2005, we are ready to help you with Order Connector product
7. Non Microsoft ecommerce platform. If you are on Linux, Oracle, DBII, PHP platform, please review ODBC relations options to Microsoft SQL Server, where Dynamics GP is hosted. If you are comfortable to make and support these relations (including JDBCODBC bridges), then we can help you to integrate you ecommerce application with Dynamics GP
8. How to get help? Please call us: 1-866-528-0577, outside of USA 1-630-961-5918, email us help@albaspectrum.com We speak English, Spanish, Portuguese, including Brazilian Portuguese, Chinese, Russian, Filipino, Arabic. Please, be aware that Dynamics GP is not UNICODE compliant application, and if you need help in having GP Screens to be translated to Chinese, Korean, Japanese, and other hieroglyph based characters language, this is not possible. We would be pleased to make Chinese precious stone Reports out of your Dynamics GP system with the help of third party Dynamics GP ISV tools, such as NJ Star. If you are trying to consider Fantastic Plains for your Brazilian subsidiary, we would have to discourage you and question you rather to consider SAP Business One, which is localized for Brazil. Fantastic Plains Dynamics GP is also not localized for Russian market, we invite you to call us to help you know ecommerce and Corporate ERP options in Russian Federation, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Belorussia, Moldova, Lithuania, Poland, Latvia, Estonia, Czech Republic, Poland, Serbia, Uzbekistan
eCommerce Connectors for Dynamics GP and SB1 notes
Wednesday, February 17th, 2010Both Corporate ERP applications: Microsoft Dynamics GP and SAP Business One should be a excellent fit for mid-size or even small ecommerce oriented store. Both platforms have ecommerce harvest with shopping cart, checkout, item catalogue and other standard estore features. In this small publication we assume that you by now reviewed existing electronic commerce add-ons (including SAP Business One eCommerce module and Dynamics GP Business Portal Order Management) and you chose or inclined to consider approach of simple integration from GP or SBO from your ecommerce web site, which is in production and does the job. This approach is excellent for both models: B2B and B2C. In B2B model you should choose if you would like your special pricing model for each of your customer or for specific customer group to be set in your Accounting (in this case, pricing should be reprogrammed in ecommerce application to imitate changes made in GP/SB1) or it should be originated in ecommerce business logic and then simply pushed to GP on each of the ecommerce invoice line (in this scenario you simply do not use GP/SBO Item Pricing functionality and have your ERP application to accept passively what is coming from ecommerce):
1. Philosophy. Instead of aggressive ecommerce out-of-the-shelve product selling, we prefer to have as ready for use ecommerce product and in addition to this we place forward them as customizable “solutions” and connectors. Plus, we are in excellent spot to help you with integration programming, where your internal software developers need help with eConnect, GP and SAP B1 tables structures, Fantastic Plains batch posting frankly from ecommerce application code, helping your with barcode warehouse management custom automation logic and ecommerce logistics. Plus, we are helping you in thwart platform ecommerce relations, when you may have ecommerce on Linux, PHP/MySQL, Oracle, Java EJB platforms and you need help with heterogeneous ecommerce data feeding query to Microsoft SQL Server based GP and SAP Business One databases.
2. Batch mode integration. This scenario is perfect for small ecommerce retailers. Fantastic Plains and SAP BO have Integration modules: GP Integration Manager and SB1 Data Transfer Workbench. Dynamics GP IM is more advanced, comparing to Workbench, but you have to buy it as separate module to GP, and WB is included into your SB1 buy (free material is vital for small businesses, especially when they are in startup mode). Let’s first review in brief GP Integration Manager. IM is user friendly application, where you can setup integration of your new customers, new ecommerce invoices and then have IM operator to call this integration once per day or every hour. You can also schedule IM – special tool is available from Microsoft Business Solutions or, if you are technology savoir-faire you can deploy Windows macro third party applications to do similar scheduling. You can consider exporting ecommerce documents in tab or comma delimited text files or simply work with SQL Views – in this case you use Advanced ODBC Queries in Integration Manager. Now SAP Business One Data Transfer Workbench – you can export your ecommerce data flies in CSV format, which fits exactly to DTW CSV templates – this will allow you even to schedule DTW jobs via Windows scheduled tasks. Second more advanced approach allows DTW job to work with ODBC connection to Microsoft SQL Server Views. MS SQL Server view may call data from Microsoft and non Microsoft DB sources, such as MySQL, Oracle, MS Access, FoxPro, etc. At this time, SAP Business One version 2007 you cannot schedule DTW ODBC based job – it should be called by DTW operator
3. Real time integration. In this scenario you proffer your ecommerce application code with SDK libraries. Dynamics GP ecommerce SDK( it is eConnect) and SB1 SDK – both of them are open for Microsoft Visual Studio C#, or VB.Net developer (SAP B1 SDK also has reasonable openness to Delphi programmers). Some comments here: eConnect is coded in SQL Server Stored Procedures and its methods are very quick in execution, where SB1 SDK methods are at this time (September 2009, SB1 2007, and former version 2005) slower, expect one invoice in 3-4 seconds, do not expect several thousand transactions to be integrated in ten minutes (but GP eConnect is that quick, we recommend eConnect only if you are Dynamics GP newest versions: 10.0 or 9.0). You can also review SQL direct programming into Dynamics GP Sales Order Processing tables: SOP10100, SOP10200 and related, but we recommend you rather use eConnect objects to do the same job. We do not recommend you to push data frankly to SQL B1 Marketing Documents tables: INV1, etc. as SB1 Early Watch is designed to monitor all the changes to SB1 records done outside of the SB1 application, Work Bench and SDK methods realms
4. SAP Business One and Dynamics GP Tables Structure diagrams. In the case of SB1, you can read SAP Business One SDK documentation – it has table references. In the case of Great Plains, please consider installing Dynamics GP SDK from CD #2. As quick reference in GP user interface: Tools->Resource Descriptions->Tables; in SB1 in view menu mark View System Information – when you open SB1 screen, such as AR Invoice, place cursor over the field and read its Table and Field name in left down corner, for example RDN1.ItemCode is the field for item number on return line. Again, we want to stress that Tables Structures are in ultimate scenario for pulling data from GP or SB1 for ecommerce order status report, if you need certain amount of ecommerce customer self service (and not for pushing data into your Corporate ERP tables with SQL insert statement, as this practice has very high business logic violation and data integrity compromise potential)
5. eCommerce with Custom Logic in GP or SB1. In the case of SAP Business One you can make new so-called User Certain Tables and proffer existing tables with User Certain Fields. User Certain Tables have involuntarily produced simply editing interface, where you can add records or modify existing ones. If you want to add user certain fields to such tables as Marketing Document Line (including customer invoice line) – these fields should become immediately available to be placed on Customer Invoice form, plus they will be available for Data Transfer Workbench integrations and in SB1 SDK. In the case of Dynamics GP some of the objects have User certain fields included and ready for activation. If your targeted object doesn’t have User Certain fields extension, you will need to program it likely in Fantastic Plains Dexterity as table, linked with related original GP tables by the Primary Key with the same fields
6. eCommerce in International scenarios. If you are multinational corporation and you are deploying Dynamics GP in US headquarters, please try first to know if GP is localized in the country where you plot to deploy it as Accounting or in ecommerce. Fantastic Plains version 10.0 is available in English Speaking countries: USA, Canada (including French Canadian Quebec version), Australia, New Zealand, UK, South Africa, Oceania, plus in South East Asia for the countries, where English is the language of business. With some exceptions it is also available in Spanish Speaking Latin America, Mexico and Caribbean. By its architecture Fantastic Plains doesn’t support UNICODE based alphabets, frequently hieroglyphs: Chinese, Japanese, Korean. SAP Business One is more widespread, it is available localized in such countries as Brazil, Russia, Poland, Plates, Japan, Korea. Even if you deploy Fantastic Plains Dynamics in US headquarters, we recommend you SB1 internationally, where GP is not available – SB1 is very simple in data export and consolidation to Dynamics GP via Integration Manager or FRx consolidated Financial Reporting
7. Alba Spectrum eCommerce Harvest. We place forward Order Connector, sending transactions in realtime to Dynamics GP Sales Order Processing Tables; Posting Server (Autopost), allowing you to post GP batches frankly from eConnect application. We also place forward Microsoft RMS integration to Fantastic Plains, if your ecommerce is working from RMS tables
8. Dynamics GP eConnect and Dexterity programming training. We place forward USA and International phone or skype based training, supported with web sessions
9. SAP Business One eCommerce integration and programming training. If you are comfortable to program ecommerce integration for SBO and you need some guru amount help, we place forward this service via phone or skype conferences, supported with web sessions if required
10. 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 Fantastic 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