Microsoft Great Plains Customization Localization – technical overview
By Arthur Ferretti
Alba Spectrum Technologies
USA:
1-866-528-0577, 1-630-961-5918,
Deutschland
(0177) 8349 806,
help@albaspectrum.com
Microsoft Business
Solutions has several products, targeted to all the variety of businesses: from
small to middles size and large. Microsoft is in the process to transfer all of
them to Microsoft SQL Server platform. In this small article we would like to
give you highlights on localizing Microsoft Great Plains, former Great Plains
Dynamics / Great Plains eEnterprise. If you are programmer, business owner,
software developer – read this and you will have the clue on where to move on
- Great Plains
Dexterity – this is programming
language and application creation environment, designed by Great Plains
Software in earlier 1990th. Dexterity is written on C programming language
with believe that it is easily transferable to all major computer platforms
and database environments. Remember the battle of Hardware / OS in earlier
1990th between IBM/Microsoft and Apple Computer? Now we know that
the battle is almost over – and new game is taking place (Linux, Java, etc),
but we should admit that the market prediction was really shrewd.
- Dexterity
resources. Dexterity has String
resources, these are stored in the core dictionary – DYNAMICS.DIC. If you
translate these strings – your are pretty much done with localization.
- Tax Code
compliance – this is really
tough problem – it is not enough to translate strings - you have to adjust all
these government regulated issues, such as taxes, payroll, financial
reporting, etc.
- Customization
Anatomy – Great Plains
Customization is usually done in Great Plains Dexterity and you should
understand the difference between DYNAMICS.DIC and your CUSTOM.DIC. Your
customization dictionary should probably use its own string resources where
you have descriptions of custom logic in your local language.
- Great Plains
Engines. Consider Tax Engine
for example – if you plan to replace it with your custom local tax engine –
you should use so-called Dexterity triggers to fire before original
DYNAMICS.DIC logic. This should allow you to use your engine instead of the
standard one.
Good luck with
localization, customization and integration and if you have issues or concerns –
we are here to help! If you want us to do the job - give us a call
1-630-961-5918 or 1-866-528-0577!
help@albaspectrum.com
Arthur is a Great Plains
specialist in
Alba Spectrum Technologies (
http://www.albaspectrum.com ) – USA nationwide Great Plains, Microsoft CRM
customization company, serving clients in Chicago, Houston,
Atlanta, Phoenix, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Miami, New
Orleans, Toronto, Montreal and having
locations in multiple states and internationally