Microsoft Great Plains: Service business customization & integration example

By Andrew Karasev

Alba Spectrum Technologies

USA 1-866-528-0577, 1-630-961-5918, help@albaspectrum.com

Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains might be considered as ERP platform, ready for customization and integration.  Microsoft Business Solutions partner typically does one of the two things: specializes in the industry (in this case it goes for the nation-wide clientele) or specializes in the local or regional market.  In this small article we’ll consider the specifics of the services industry and how they could be realized in Microsoft Great Plains

Industry Specifics:

• Very complex pricing formulas.  In services you sell something that people can not touch and so you have to adjust your pricing for each market segment/customer class or for each individual customer.  You can do it, because the nature of service is different from the nature of manufactured goods.  Naturally these business relationship with your customers are rooted in the ability of the business owner or manager to negotiate the price and use complex promotions models
• Service Uniqueness.  Opposite to general products wholesale or retail – service business has very unique market niche and the way of serving its clients.  The service system is outside of the scope here, however it alters the standard way of ERP implementing.  The examples could be – the way you are handling customer complaints via discounting,  price adjustments and issuing credit memos
• Customer Self-Service.  This is when customer would like to see order execution with the connection to payment info.  Typically this should be enabled over the web or extranet security realm

Highlights for Great Plains implementation:

·        Sales Order Processing (SOP).  This module is the most popular connection point for eCommerce developers – the same should be said about service industry.  In the case of services – you should decide if you would like SOP be the place where your Sales Orders are originated – or just where they should be finally recorded after processing in your custom application

·        eConnect.  This tool should be considered as the way to move your very unique custom sales logic into Microsoft Great Plains – if you decide to stick to outside customization (like eCommerce for example).  eConnect was specially developed and designed for eCommerce developers

·        Great Plains Dexterity customization.  Dexterity is programming language of Great Plains.  It allows you to use seamless integration with GP screens and reports plus it works in the GP security realm.  Dexterity customization might be needs for SOP and Inventory Control modules

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 1-630-961-5918 or 1-866-528-0577! help@albaspectrum.com

Andrew 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