Microsoft Dynamics GP is well loved ERp platform for eCommerce applications and business portals, where you have established shopping cart with customer registration, product catalog surfing and items picking functionality. Assuming that customer pays by credit card straight away, and you then send Sales Order Processing Invoice to Fantastic Plains through eConnect programming logic – there is excellent thought to end all the work in Dynamics GP, such as apply deposit against invoice and post SOP Invoice or Batch. But eConnect, and this is limitation of Fantastic Plains Dexterity architecture, doesn’t have functionality to post GP batches. You need Alba Spectrum Posting Server or Autopost. Please read product highlights:
1. Dynamics GP Dexterity source code programming and batch posting. As the developer or SQL programming, all you do is place the batch name to the queue table, triggering GP that batch is ready to be posted. Then, seeing batch in the queue, Posting Server initiates exactly the same posting process as if user hits Post Batch in GP user interface. Please, note – as we use GP Dexterity posting logic, posting server is very reliable in GP version upgrades
2. GP modules covered. As we are using native Fantastic Plains Dexterity posting logic, all modules are covered, where you have batch or transaction posting functionality: SOP, POP, General Ledger, Payroll, Inventory Control to give you excellent examples
3. Posting Server over stored procedures designed from scratch. If you have SQL programmers in IT department, the thought might be fantastic on the first glance, but simple comment like that may be discouraging. Fantastic Plains ERP application was written in Fantastic Plains Dexterity shell, and it took several years of efforts for Fantastic Plains Software back in earlier 1990th with large development team to make it happen. Batch posting logic is crucial and we could estimate that posting programming porting is close to 30 percent
Posts Tagged ‘Posting’
Great Plains Var Newsflash: Posting Server and Automatic Batches Posting
Sunday, March 7th, 2010Ecommerce For Dynamics Gp Notes: Econnect Batch Posting
Friday, March 5th, 2010Microsoft Dynamics GP is becoming very well loved 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 directly: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 annual maintenance program, consider deploying Sales Order Connector, or set of SQL stored procedures, made 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 often 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 made 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 directly – 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
Dynamics GP ecommerce integrations: eConnect, Posting Server notes
Saturday, February 13th, 2010It is often excellent thought to start ecommerce from scratch, but for some of us it doesnâ??t work as we work for established ecommerce retailers and wholesalers, where ecommerce application might be custom developed and hosted on Linux/PHP/MySQL, Oracle or another non Microsoft solution. In this situation you would rather consider custom integration with existing ecommerce web site and we want to share with your some highlights. We are trying to write this small publication for programmers and IT people as a review:
1. eConnect SDK. If you are comfortable with Microsoft Visual Studio C#, VB or another .Net language programming, plus you are fluent with XML and have excellent SQL querying background, you should take a class or try self study on eConnect. With this Software Development Kit you can program virtually all core modules Fantastic Plains objects: GL Accounts, Customers, Vendors, Employees, Addresses. SOP Invoices, Buy Orders, etc. eConnect might seem a bit complex, especially when you are very courageous and want to try coding custom SQL Stored Procedures, in this case, please consider the following fact â?? eConnect is written in SQL Stored procs (that are encrypted) and you probably do not want to do it second time, especially taking into consideration the fact, that in Microsoft Business Solutions programmers have access to all the Dynamics GP Dexterity source codes and got appropriate training
2. eConnect Posting restriction. eConnect doesnâ??t post Dynamics GP batches, as this is how Fantastic Plains architecture was built. Batch posting is prerogative for GP user, who supposed to review the batch (print batch edit list report), get sufficient evidence that all the transactions are right and ready for posting and then post the batch from Fantastic Plains user interface. If you really reckon that you need to post GP batch from ecommerce application directly, please read the next paragraph about Dynamics GP Posting Server, or Autopost
3. Fantastic Plains Posting Server. We developed this Add-On in Dynamics GP Dexterity, it deploys native Dex posting routines and by doing so eliminates the problems with Software QA, as it is not exposed to programming bugs. Posting Server or Autopost is for Software Developer and it allows programmers to flag Dynamics GP work transactions batch for posting. Batch posting checker is running every few minutes and it looks at batch ready for posting table and if batch is there, it triggers Dynamics GP regular batch posting routine
4. SQL Scripts in ecommerce integrations. We have several scripts collections, one of them is Order Connector, which allows you to deploy scripts to go ecommerce orders or invoices to Dynamics GP SOP Orders and Invoices accordingly. Order connector runs quicker in our opinion that eConnect methods, as we are not validating all Dynamics GP business logic and instead give you green light with simple Orders and Invoices
5. If you have concerns, or want to get more info, see presentation, feel free to call us: 1-866-528-0577, help@albaspectrum.com
Econnect Ecommerce Posting Server for Dynamics Gp
Thursday, February 11th, 2010If you are eCommerce .Net c#, VB or SQL developer, you need to know eConnect â?? Microsoft Dynamics GP Fantastic Plains SDK for e-commerce developers architecture and limitations. eConnect was specially built up for eCommerce programmers, but at the same time it complies to GP Dexterity architecture frameworks, such as GP batches and transactions posting is GP user prerogative. If you as eCommerce designer plot to post Gp transactions or batches automatically from your e-commerce web application, you will nee either Albaspectrum autoposting server or program Fantastic Plains Dexterity source code with your internal programmers or Dex subcontractors. If you expect eCommerce website just to make so-called working orders or invoices in backend ERP Fantastic Plains SOP Sales Order Processing module, then you are fine with eConnect development and deployment only. But if you only expect GP to fulfill invoices with goods delivery, then autoposting might be required. The rest of this article is dedicated to technology highlights:
1. Autoposting as Microsoft Dynamics GP Dexterity source code application. There is the way to command GP engine to post specific batch in any GP module: GL, SOP, POP, AR, AP, Payroll, Inventory control. But if you reckon this is simple solution, this is not the case, you need at least 5 years of Fantastic Plains Dexterity programming with exposure to source code (DYNAMICS.DIC with all the sanscripts code not stripped out)
2. After Hours Posting in GP user interface. This is natural solution, when you have limited number of orders per day, letâ??s say 20 or up to 100. In this case if order size is feasible to sustain your business, you can hire Fantastic Plains users, who will manually post your daily or weekly Sales Orders batches and transfer them for fulfillment and shipment to shipping department.
3. eCommerce integration to GP notes. There are several tools for you to consider, each has pluses and minuses as you can expect: eConnect â?? if you have developers inhouse, consider first eConnect as it is what Microsoft Business Solutions recommends in long run. If you reckon you are low level orders per day business, consider Fantastic Plains Integration Manager (10-1000 transactions, maybe more if you consider IM automated integration with some custom logic to launch IM)
Great Plains Automatic Batch Posting From Econnect Ecommerce Application
Wednesday, February 10th, 2010Alba Spectrum Autoposting Server is excellent enabler for GP batch auto posting from eConnect integration application as well as if you are deploying SQL or PHP coding to integrate your eCommerce web site with Microsoft Dynamics GP Fantastic Plains. Alba Spectrum is about to announce new version of Auto Posting Server release date with the list of new features. This publication is to describe general functionality of Posting Extension:
1. Batch Posting. It is done via Fantastic Plains Dexterity native code fragments call. Autpopost is Dex add-on. If you are programmer, what you need to do is to insert work transactions in the batch in GP (typically via eConnect, as it has encrypted stored procedures to make customers, vendors, SOP invoices, etc), and then place batch record into Autopost table – this will trigger batch posting process. Autopost checks table status every few seconds and if new record is found, batch posting process is initiated
2. Batch Origin. If you are thinking from eCommerce perspective – you are probably about SOP Transactions batch. But batch origin might be of any core GP module: POP, AP, AR, GL, Payroll, Inventory, Invoicing, etc. If you need batch posting, originated in add-ons or ISV GP extensions, please check with us, as each GP customization partner makes its own way of batch posting scenario
3. New Features. New Autopost release will include: email notification, posting error logging and automatic startup. Please check with us in two weeks from now as we plot to release detailed specs for new features
Automatic Batch Posting in Great Plains Microsoft Dynamics Gp Overview
Tuesday, February 9th, 2010If you are ecommerce developer and program web site integration with back office accounting system, Microsoft Dynamics GP, then likely you are deploying eConnect SDK software development to go placed orders and customer payments to GP Sales Order Processing module. eConnect does wonderful job – it makes or updates customer record, makes SOP batch and customer invoice with deposit in the batch made. So far everything is gorgeous, now you need just as small step to accomplish your work, post the batch made right from your e-commerce application, and here you got surprised by understanding that eConnect doesn’t post batches, it doesn’t has this functionality. We want to review Autoposting Server, designed and maintained by Alba Spectrum Dexterity development team
1. GP Dexterity Source code involvement in the batch posting. Dynamics.DIC dictionary has native GP Dexterity functionality to post batch of various origin and in essence all the origins. But it is not obvious, even for Fantastic Plains Dexterity programmer with decent experience in coding on how to design autopost and how to deploy native Dex posting logic. GP Autopost resolves this dilemma and all you need to do as programmer is to place batch record into custom batch posting status table
2. Posting all the way automatic from your e-commerce website. In GP posting path is defined in posting settings. If you set GP to post SOP invoices all the way through AR module to GP General Ledger – complete automating will be achieved
3. Third Party Add-Ons batch posting. Add-Ons, designed by GP ISV partners have their own ways to make and post batches within their satellite modules, but when transactions in the posting cycles will reach Fantastic Plains, Dexterity posting process will take over and so there is high chance that Alba Spectrum Autopost will do the job. We encourage you to check with us
4. Microsoft Dexterity Customizations. If you need customization design, support or upgrade, we are pleased to help you with it through our Microsoft Dexterity Software Development Factory
Econnect Posting Extension: Alba Spectrum Autoposting Server
Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010If you are ecommerce developer, who are programming in C# or VB.Net with some SQL stored procedures, then more likely you are deploying Microsoft Dynamics GP eConnect SDK to integrate eCommerce website with Microsoft Fantastic Plains. There are certain restrictions in eConnect, and they are in essence related to Fantastic Plains Dynamics architecture. One of the restrictions is inability to post Sales Order Processing batches from your eCommerce web development project. Alba Spectrum is proud to offer GP Posting Server, which deploys Microsoft Dexterity native posting logic. Here are some highlights:
1. GP Dexterity posting engine. All you need to do as developer is place the batch records, which is ready to be posted into queue table. Posting is done the same way as in native GP interface and by the same technology – Fantastic Plains Dexterity. Dex is the shell and it interprets business logic from its dictionary – DYNAMICS.DIC. All the source sanscript code in this dictionary is stripped out and if you, as Dexterity programmer want to call native posting logic, you must have access to Dex source code
2. Supported modules. As Posting server deploys Dex internal logic, there are no restrictions on the origin of the batches to be posted. In many cases you can even autopost batches with origin from GP add-ons or third parties, developed and supported by GP ISV
Great Plains Autopost: Programmable Batch Posting in Ecommerce Integration
Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010If you are eConnect developer, who is curious about Sales Order Processing batch posting options, this article should give you highlights. eConnect as SDK at the end of the way calls encrypted stored procedures, which allow you make, modify, delete so-called master records: customer, vendor, employee, customer address to give you few examples. Plus it allows you to make so-called work transactions: Sales Invoice, which is especially well loved in e-commerce programming and integration scenarios. But it is often the need to push transaction to Microsoft Dynamics GP SQL database all the way through, meaning to post Sales invoices and returns batches from eCommerce application. eConnect out of the box doesn’t post batches and this is the restriction of the architecture, or as it was initially designed:
1. Batch posting technical side. What is really happening in Fantastic Plains when GP user hits post button? Well, GP engine, which is Microsoft Dexterity (former name Fantastic Plains Dexterity), calls its internal procedures and these procedures go Invoice records from work tables: SOP10100 and SOP10200 (there are more tables, we are giving these two for illustration purpose only) into SOP30200 and SOP30300. But this is only part of the tale. When posting is done in Sales Order Processing module, Dex transfers posting to Receivable Management module, where it makes records in RM20100 and others. Then it makes Cash Deposit with Receipt in Bank Reconciliation module (if deposit was applied, such as Credit card payment) and even that is not yet the end of the tale. Finally it makes (and even posts if settings are to post through GL) General Ledger transactions. You can imagine, that eConnect as being only top of the iceberg, is too light weight SQL scripting collection to do all the GP autoposting business logic
2. But anyway – why GP doesn’t extend eConnect with batch posting logic? Well, the answer is simple – posting is subject for management approval and holdings removal. Plus, posting should have audit trail on who physically pressed posting button and when – eCommerce application is robot and it is probably reasonable to restrict eConnect to transaction creation only
3. Autoposting Server. This application allows you to place made batches into queuing table. Autopost monitor the table and if it finds record there, it initiates GP Dexterity internal posting logic. In this case batch posting process is in control of C# or VB eConnect developer
Posting on Forums a Free and Efficient Traffic Generation Strategy
Thursday, January 14th, 2010Last month a forum site in my niche was second only to Google in the amount of qualified, targeted traffic it generated for my sales page.
How long did it take me to generate this avalanche of traffic? 20 minutes, including registering for the forum! Now, that’s what I call an efficient way to use my time…
Every niche has forums; you can find them by searching in your favorite search engine for “niche forum”. Try searching for “internet marketing forum” sometime and you’ll be amazed at the number of results that come up.
When you’re selecting a forum to join consider how well loved the forum is, how simple it is to find and read some of the other posts. Posting on the right forums will build your reputation and grow your business by generating pre-qualified traffic for your sales page. Posting on the incorrect forum, one that has poor ranking and few visitors may have the opposite effect.
Once you’ve found a forum where you want to post, then you’ll need to register in order to make contributions.
When you’ve registered, you simply search for relevant threads (discussion topics) and post your response.
When you post your response you can write it like a letter, sign it with your name and then include the url for your sales page. This will look just like a professional letter, where people write their title or position after their name. Writing your url after your name in a forum post will give it weight in the mind of the person reading your post.
The tone of your posts should fit in with the tone of the discussion thread you’re posting within. Some forums are more formal in their relations than others, and some posts within forums can be more or less formal in their posts.
The key to successful traffic generation using this Forum Post Strategy is never, never advertising your site or products. If the forum users reckon you are using their forum for promotional purposes, then chances are you’ll be banned. Or community members will post negative remarks about you and that can be even more damaging to your online reputation!
The point to posting on forums is to build yourself a reputation as an expert in your targeted niche while getting exposure for the url of your sales page. So your posts should be information rich for the forum users and keyword rich in order to get the post appropriately ranked in the search engines.
The beauty of posting on targeted niche forums is that you can follow discussion threads and continue to build your reputation as an expert by coming back from time to time to add further information to the topic.
As I said in the opening paragraph, I have used this strategy effectively to generate targeted traffic to my sales pages. Additionally, I have leveraged the time spent posting in niche forums by building relationships with other forum members. Thanks to my posts in forums I now have several endorsements in the forums, and links to my sales page from the blogs of several community members.