Microsoft Dynamics GP is matured mid-market Corporate ERP system, which fits to the majority of industries and business niches.
In some percentage of internet searches it is also referred as Great Plains Dynamics/eEnterprise (this was official name prior to Great Plains Software acquisition by Microsoft Corporation). Modern ERP application is not only accounting self-contained system,
it is also stretching out to Distribution, Supply Chain Management, Barcoding, ecommerce, Point of Sale, EDI. Dynamics GP is one of the leaders on the US, Canadian and international Corporate ERP markets with such enabling tools as Microsoft Dexterity, eConnect SDK, Integration Manager, Microsoft Management Reporter (formerly we recommended FRx Financial Reporting), Modifier with VBA scripting, Extender, Microsoft Visual Studio Extensions and Libraries. Corporate ERP implementation for mid-market enterprise is often state of the art, as we have to respect business secrets and known-how, integration with proprietary databases (often programmed in Microsoft Access, Foxpro, MySQL, Lotus Notes/Domino, Pervasive SQL 2000/Btrieve). Let’s begin with the topic on how Dynamics GP could be implemented, or physical steps in that process:
1. GP Sales Cycle. It is very important to come through business processes documenting, prior to rushing into Corporate ERP implementation phase. As proverb says, “measure seven times and cut once”. In the case, where your current IT infrastructure deploys several custom databases, websites and applications, we assure you that initial analysis will save you up to 80% of consulting hours down the road of the physical implementation. We do not recommend you to agree with every suggestion during Dynamics GP Sales presentation, as the implementation success is in your hands
2. GP Implementation phase. Typical implementation begins with data migration and conversion, often followed by pilot period, where you are entering data in both ERP or accounting systems: Great Plains Dynamics GP and your legacy accounting (Peachtree, MYOB, Quickbooks). Data conversion itself is often the subject of controversy, where you might expect “everything” to be converted over to your new Corporate ERP application, in our case Microsoft Dynamics GP. We recommend you to cool down and revisit the data conversion phase. How about the approach where your old Accounting system, such as Platinum, Accpac, Oracle Financials, SAP Business One just stay available for inquiries for say five years from now?
3. Following Technical Support. If your business processes are pretty standard and you are happy with Great Plains native business logic, your support cases might be restricted to very rare situations, where GP User workstation was crashed during the batch posting routine. Other popular Great Plains Dynamics support scenarios are about unlocking the user in GP licensing model (we recommend you to upgrade to Dynamics GP 8.0 or newer, where this issue is resolved on intuitive user interface level). Others more complex cases are related the US Payroll or Accounts Payable batches posting, where you found the error in amounts and need to reverse the posted batch
4. Comments on Database Platform. Former Great Plains Software Dynamics was really waiting for the directions, as its Great Plains Dexterity SDK and Development environment was coded in C and C++ programming language. Earlier days Great Plains Dynamics was available on Microsoft SQL Server, Btrieve (later on purchased by Pervasive SQL) and Ctree DB platforms. Since version 8.0 Microsoft Dynamics GP was available exclusively on MS SQL Server (and scaled down MSDE 2000) platforms
5. POS and Dynamics GP. We see two options to offer. First one would be full featured tandem with Microsoft RMS and Great Plains, where you may count on such features are inventory serial/lot numbers and non-serialized quantities tracking. And the second option would be add-ons, something like Compass Technologies Dynamics GP SOP POS extensions
6. Alba Spectrum strong positions. We are happy to demo your Microsoft Dynamics GP version 2010/11.0 with advanced features in Distribution suite of modules. You may also involve our company for decision making on POS or Retail application for Dynamics GP (in our opinion several options are available: Microsoft RMS, Compass and even Counterpoint)
7. How to contact us. To request further support, please call us 1-866-528-0577, help@albaspectrum.com. By the nature of our service we are available for WMS implementation USA, Canada nationwide. Local service is available in Western Michigan: St. Joseph, Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids, Muskegon, Holland, New Buffalo; in Chicagoland, North Western Indiana, Southern California (Los Angeles, San Diego, Irvine, Orange County), Houston and Dallas areas of Texas
