Released on: December 27, 2007, 5:56 pm

Press Release Author: Alba Spectrum Group

Industry: Computers

Press Release Summary: When you plan to implement new ERP system, or advance
existing one by integrating your legacy applications with your accounting system,
implement EDI or Electronic Document Interchange interface, integrate custom
business logic and put in into standard ERP routines, you need first to understand
your options and the best ways to do whatever you decided to undertake.

Press Release Body: When you plan to implement new ERP system, or advance existing
one by integrating your legacy applications with your accounting system, implement
EDI or Electronic Document Interchange interface, integrate custom business logic
and put in into standard ERP routines, you need first to understand your options and
the best ways to do whatever you decided to undertake. This article is the
introduction and initial know how. We will assume that you are new to Microsoft
Dynamics GP and not familiar with this ERP package in your initial MRP selection
phase
1. Integration Manager tool. Great Plains client application, besides from GP
Business Portal, is written in Microsoft Dexterity programming language and IDE.
With version 10.0, which is current now - December 2007, IM has two connectors:
first one is traditional and it utilizes GP Dexterity workstation to do integration
as OLE Server, meaning that GP workstation must be open and running (with all the GP
screen closed as OLE Server will open screens in macro playing regime) and the
second connector is eConnect one, which works on MS SQL Server Stored Procedures
level and doesn't require GP workstation presence and running status. Integration
Manager covers majority of GP modules, however not all of them, Invoicing module is
not covered in IM, for instance. In IM you can exercise some modification
scenarios, where you apply VBA scripting in handling IM events: before the document,
for example allows you to weed out blank lines, if integration is using human
readable report, where you see empty lines as document formatting.
2. Direct eConnect integrations. If you are comfortable with Microsoft Visual
Studio C# or VB programming, you can try to program eConnect objects directly from
your MS VS software development project. In this case you should contact your
Microsoft Business Solutions VAR and get eConnect SDK or Software Development Kit
3. SQL Stored Procedures. Direct SQL scripting and creation of custom SQL objects:
user tables, views, databases is not deprecated in Great Plains (as it is in
Microsoft CRM, where you must use MS CRM SDK and do not go down to SQL scripting
level), however you should try to stay away from it as long as possible, as it
typically requires you to be familiar and comfortable with GP data flow and business
processes technical layer, good to recommend you to be comfortable with GP
proprietary architecture - Great Plains Dexterity. If you think you should jump
down to SQL programming, please review GP SDK or look at GP tables structure in
Microsoft Dynamics GP - Tools - Resource Descriptions - Tables
4. Microsoft Dexterity integrations. These integrations allow you to go to the most
intrinsic parts of Great Plains and manipulate all the GP objects, however Dex is
proprietary tool and Sanscript programming language
5. Integration Automation. We often hear questions about how to automate GP
integration, especially the one coming from IM. Version 10.0 allows you to create
packages and deploy DOS batch files to run these packages with parameters as
scheduled jobs, this should give you initial highlight, you can do your homework for
further details or call for the details
Andrew Karasev, Alba Spectrum Group, http://www.albaspectrum.com
help@albaspectrum.com 1-866-528-0577, 1-630-961-5918. Serving GP customers in
Illinois, Texas, California, Florida, Wisconsin, New York, Michigan and USA and
Canada nation wide via remote support. Our service is popular in USA country side,
where you do not expect local consultants to be available and we cover the whole
country with travel onside with initial user training - then we typically save your
budget by convenient remote support, as we already are familiar with your key IT and
accounting personnel. Local service is available in Chicago, Houston, Naperville,
Oakbrook, Wheaton, Joliet, Plainfield, Aurora, Elgin, Springfield, Morris, Ottawa,
LaSalle, Channahon, Brookfield, Villa Park, Downers Grove, Lisle, Hinsdale,
Lincolnwood, Zion, Kankakee, Braidwood, Niles.



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. Serving GP customers in
Illinois, Texas, California, Florida, Wisconsin, New York, Michigan