Released on = August 19, 2007, 4:10 pm

Press Release Author = Alba Spectrum Group

Industry = Computers

Press Release Summary = ERP implementation, customization, integration and reporting
are always important and hot topics in internet media. Microsoft Great Plains
version 10 is in fact successor of Great Plains Software Dynamics and eEnterprise
(scaled up version of Dynamics, targeted to large corporate clients). Dynamics GP
10 has Microsoft Dexterity architecture and Dex is one of the most powerful tools to
customize and modify GP - it virtually has no limits in GP programming. However
Great Plains Dexterity is proprietary scripting language and there are not a lot of
ready-to-be-hired Dex developers on the permanent and contractual job market. Let's
look first into MS Visual Studio.Net C# and VB development, as these developers are
common on the job market or might be already in IT staff

Press Release Body = Alba Spectrum Group, http://www.albaspectrum.com
help@albaspectrum.com 1-866-528-0577, 1-630-961-5918

ERP implementation, customization, integration and reporting are always important
and hot topics in internet media. Microsoft Great Plains version 10 is in fact
successor of Great Plains Software Dynamics and eEnterprise (scaled up version of
Dynamics, targeted to large corporate clients). Dynamics GP 10 has Microsoft
Dexterity architecture and Dex is one of the most powerful tools to customize and
modify GP - it virtually has no limits in GP programming. However Great Plains
Dexterity is proprietary scripting language and there are not a lot of
ready-to-be-hired Dex developers on the permanent and contractual job market. Let's
look first into MS Visual Studio.Net C# and VB development, as these developers are
common on the job market or might be already in IT staff:
1. eConnect. This SDK and integration tool replicates GP Dexterity logic on the
level of SQL stored procedures (in the case of eConnect SP are encrypted and you can
not see their source code). eConnect allows you to create, modify and delete GP
master records (such as customer, vendor, employee, GL account to give you examples)
and work transactions (Sales Order Processing Invoice, GL transaction, POP Receiving
Entry to name a few). eConnect is bound to Dexterity architecture and business
logic and as such it can not post transactions or batches. In order to post batches
you need Alba Spectrum posting server
2. Custom SQL Stored Procedures. Well, if you think eConnect is too heavy and you
would like to try SQL scripts instead, you may think twice or three times first, as
GP is complex MRP, where direct SQL feeding might be complex and a lot of debugging
time required. If you still think that you are comfortable - please read GP tables
structure in Tools->Resource Description->Tables
3. ADO.Net. We recommend you to design business logic with eConnect and if it
doesn't do the job - with SQL Stored Procedures. Then in you are MS VS Developer
you can call stored procedures from your ADO.Net custom constructions in C# or
VB.Net projects
4. Custom Reporting. It is natural to find out that Microsoft Dynamics GP
ReportWriter doesn't do expected or unexpected job and you like to extend reporting
with either Crystal Reports or Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services (SRS). Our
recommendation is the following - do not rely too much on Crystal or SRS wizard
features, if you plan to create cross modules reports in GP. Instead design SQL
Stored Procedures or SQL Views and base your reports on these SQL constructions: SRS
and Crystal Reports are reporting tools, not really and DB querying ones
5. Rescuing to Great Plains Dexterity. We think that you should appeal to Dex
programmer or GP consultant if you need Dex development, customization upgrade or
revision. If you plan GP customization to be outsourced to Microsoft Business
Solution partner, then Dex is not necessarily a bad choice, just an opposite, MBS
partner should have Dex programmers in staff and be ready to help you.

Andrew Karasev, Alba Spectrum Group, http://www.albaspectrum.com
help@albaspectrum.com 1-866-528-0577, 1-630-961-5918, serving GP customers USA and
Canada Nationwide: California, Minnesota, New York, Quebec, Ontario, Illinois,
Texas, Georgia, Arizona, Nevada, Virginia, Florida, new Mexico, Iowa, Indiana,
Alaska, Hawaii. Local service is available in Houston/Dallas: Richmond, Rosenberg,
Katy, Galveston, Sugar Land; in Chicago: Naperville, Aurora, Plainfield, Romeoville,
Batavia, Downers Grove, Schaumburg, Rockford, Elgin, Crystal Lake, Joliet, Hinsdale,
Lisle, Montgomery, Oswego



Web Site = http://www.albaspectrum.com

Contact Details = Alba Spectrum Group, http://www.albaspectrum.com
help@albaspectrum.com 1-866-528-0577, 1-630-961-5918