Alba Spectrum Group, http://www.albaspectrum.com help@albaspectrum.com 1-866-528-0577, 1-630-961-5918

Sometimes it is good idea to consider combine legacy tool with new technologies.  This is especially true statement, when we are talking about such product as Microsoft Great Plains.  It is virtually written in former Great Plains Dexterity, which in turn is C shell and IDE with its proprietary programming language sanscript.  In this small article we would like just to highlight you the way and give you the initiative to probe coding, customization, integration and technology deployment

• Dexterity.  This tool allows you relatively simple prototyping with new or alternate Great Plains windows (window is actually object, belonging to form).  The strong point of Dex is the fact that it allows you to integrate your custom object into GP workstation or fat client interface and security realm.  From Dexterity buttons you can call dll procedures, which in turn could be programmed and debugged with MS Visual Studio C# or VB dll project.  To go beyond the prototyping – you should be aware that Dex allows you everything and access to unlimited resources in GP, however it is not classical object-oriented tool – it is rather procedural and cursor oriented, when we are accessing DB
• eConnect.  Low level of eConnect is mainly the set of stored procedures, which means that its performance is a way better than Dex performance.  But this is not the only plus – eConnect has modern interfaces: XML web services, for example, plus its designers tried to organize eConnect “objects” to reflect natural GP master records and transactions: customer, employee, Sales Order, Invoice, etc.
• Cross Companies.  Dex has limitation to one company security realm, with some exemptions, beyond the scope of this article.  When dex scrolling window is based on dex temp table, which in turn is based on MS SQL Server view – you can combine multicompanies data in one dex scrolling window
• Solution.  Create Dex new screens, where place scrolling windows, based on multicompany data.  Then deploy eConnect power to manipulate Microsoft Dynamics GP objects
• Industry examples.  Imagine you need to create agent settlement report and functionality in freight forwarding business.  You have several subsidiaries in the USA and internationally and you need to pay agent invoices as well as receive payments from the agent, when you close agent transactions at your headquarters.  This is where you combine Dexterity and eConnect functionality to do the job

Alba Spectrum Group, http://www.albaspectrum.com  help@albaspectrum.com 1-866-528-0577, 1-630-961-5918, serving customers USA/Canada nationwide: Illinois, California, New York, Quebec, Ontario, Colorado, Utah, Wisconsin, Florida, Texas.  Local service is available in Houston & Dallas: Richmond, Sugar Land, Katy, Rosenberg, Missouri City, Pearland, Friendswood, Meadows, Mission Bend, Jersey Village, Fort Worth; serving GP customers in Chicago, IL: Naperville, Aurora, Joliet, Wheaton, Bolingbrook, Romeoville, Lyons, Niles, Downers Grove, Lisle, West Chicago, Barrington, Schaumburg, Elk Grove Village, Lombard, Morris, Ottawa, Marseilles, Seneca, Oswego, Plainfield, Darien, Winchester, Hinsdale