Microsoft Great Plains Subcontracting – overview for Microsoft Business
Solutions Partner
By Andrew Karasev
Alba Spectrum Technologies
1-866-528-0577, 1-630-961-5918
help@albaspectrum.com
Microsoft Business
Solutions Great Plains is very popular ERP/MRP applications in the USA, Canada,
UK, Australia, New Zealand, Middle East, South Africa, Latin America.
Considering high number of new Microsoft Great Plains partners and the desire to
subcontract occasional customization, integration and reporting projects, we
would like to advise you on Microsoft Great Plains subcontracting guidelines,
based on our experience in dealing with Great Plains VARs
Candidates for
subcontracting:
- Great Plains
Dexterity customizations –
Dexterity was and still is the IDE and programming language of Great Plains,
especially workstation thick interface. However since Microsoft bought Great
Plains Software and formed Microsoft Great Plains Business Solutions, later
renamed into Microsoft Business Solutions – Dexterity became the candidate to
be replaced by C# or VB.Net. The plans are the plans, but the realities of
Microsoft Great Plains customization signals that Dexterity will stay another
5-7 years as IDE. However I agree with the strategy that if you are new GP
reseller you don’t want to hire Dexterity programmer
- SQL Integration.
We see more and more requests for Great Plains integrations with web eCommerce
applications, industry specific databases: Freight Forwarding, Distribution,
Logistics, Beverages, Jewelry, Furniture, Consignment. Healthcare, etc. The
dilemma for the programmer is – should I know all the details of
Great Plains
table structure model and document workflow – or probably purchase the set of
SQL stored procs to help me.
- Integration
Manager with VBA/Continuum.
These are traditional custom pieces. Integration Manager doesn’t allow you to
switch companies during the integration, and so have the work done over night
without operator’s involvement
- eConnect
– this relatively new SDK from MBS,
created primarily for eCommerce developer, has certain restrictions,
especially with transferring Sales Order to Invoices and transactions
posting. These are the restrictions of Great Plains architecture and to
resolve the issue you need set of custom stored procedures
VAR should have some GP
customization experience/skills:
- Great Plains
Security model. Great Plains
allows you to grant access to so-called alternate and modified alternate
Microsoft Great Plains forms and reports – this is where you enable our
customization to take over standard logic. Please, invest reasonable
resources into GP basics, before you get in touch with nation-wide
subcontractor
- Central
REPORTS.DIC – this is critical
to serve mid-size and large clients. Usually you create your custom Sales
Order Processing (SOP) invoice form from one of the GP workstations and then
place your reports on the server. If you use IT subcontractors – these folks
should be trained on installing new Great Plains workstations (or you should
insist on working via terminal server/Citrix)
- Remote Support.
The best scenario is VPN with remote desktop access (Windows XP Pro or Windows
2000 Pro). VPN will allow SQL Enterprise manager connect over the secured VPN
connection. Less desired scenario would be Websession or PCAnywhere.
Good luck with
implementation, 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
866-528-0577 or
630-961-5918!
help@albaspectrum.com
Andrew is Great Plains
specialist in
Alba Spectrum Technologies (
http://www.albaspectrum.com ) – Microsoft Great Plains, Navision, Microsoft
CRM Partner, serving clients in
California, Minnesota,
Illinois, Washington, Florida, Arizona, New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Georgia,
Louisiana, Texas, Canada, UK, Australia, Brazil, Germany, Russia