Microsoft Great Plains Implementation & Customization: computer parts retailer
example
By Andrew Karasev
1-866-528-0577, 1-630-961-5918
Alba Spectrum Technologies
Microsoft Great Plains
fits to majority of horizontals and retail business is good fit as well. We’ll
consider the system, consisting from Microsoft Great Plains as Accounting,
Inventory Pricing and Microsoft Retail Management System (RMS) Headquarters and
Store Operations Manager. In this case you can base web commerce off Great
Plains databases and POS automates walk-in retail store. Inventory count might
be done from both sides: Great Plains or RMS, depending on the main line – if it
is eCommerce – consider Great Plains inventory cycle counting, otherwise in the
case of POS – it should be done in MS RMS
- eCommerce.
If the business is small/mid-size, instead of using eConnect – consider
working with direct sql custom stored procedures. You will avoid license fee
for eConnect and you could use rather simplified logic. You need to know
Great Plains Tables structure and data flow: Tools->Resource
Description->Tables. More likely you will need Sales Order Processing (SOP)
and Inventory Control (IV) tables: SOP10100, SOP10200, IV00101, etc. You
should consider purchasing standard internet basket and integrate it with your
e-commerce web application. It should work with Great Plains Inventory
catalogue
- Catalogue update.
If you resell computer parts – you should have utility, updating your
inventory items and price list as you get new catalogue from the distributor.
This might be done as SQL routine or Great Plains Dexterity customization.
Dexterity will allow you to alter Item Maintenance screen – if you have
additional description line for the item, or similar little things
- Microsoft RMS->GP
transactions integration. You can purchase integration directly from Alba Spectrum
Technologies, and it works on Sales Order Processing or Accounts Receivables
transactions integration level and has also Purchases integrated. This
integration could work as nightly SQL routine and bring all the daily sales
transactions from RMS stores or Headquarters to mapped
Great Plains companies.
- Promotional pricing.
These campaigns are automated in RMS and Great Plains, however promotion
scenarios might be not the same. One of the ways to synch both systems is to
use RMS promotions and update Great Plains price list via custom stored
procedures.
- Inventory Items
Synchronization. Again you can
base your items in either one of the systems: Great Plains or RMS and then
synchronize via stored procedures.
- Additional RMS
custom issues. Some customers
mentioned the need in editing global customer data on the store level and the
second interesting suggestion was immediate propagation across all the stores
gift card balance – if customer walk in into several stores within the day –
the chances are that balance is still not updated via Headquarters worksheets
Good luck with implementation and customization and if you have issues or
concerns – we are here to help! If you want us to do the job - give us a call
1-866-528-0577! help@albaspectrum.com
Andrew Karasev is Chief Technology Officer in Alba
Spectrum Technologies – USA nationwide Great Plains, Microsoft CRM customization
company, serving clients in Chicago, California, Texas, Florida, New York,
Georgia, Arizona, Minnesota, UK, Australia and having locations in multiple
states and internationally (
http://www.albaspectrum.com ),
he is CMA, Great Plains Certified Master, Dexterity, SQL, C#.Net, Crystal
Reports and Microsoft CRM SDK developer. You can contact Andrew:
andrewk@albaspectrum.com