Andrew Karasev

Dynamics GP Consultant Newsflash: Importing into Great Plains

If you have Dynamics GP or former Great Plains Dynamics eEnterprise implemented in your organization there is a good idea to understand your options to add such things as EDI, ongoing integration or one time data conversion

Dynamics GP has multiple data import and export options and in this small publication we would like to give you initial GP integration highlights:

1.       Dynamics GP Integration Manager.  This tool is really great and you can setup the integration simply by reading IM user manual.  It integrates text files: CSV, Tab and special character delimited.  Also, you can get advantage of more flexible ODBC data sources integration, where you can deploy such ODBC compliant constructions as SQL Views, including cross-platform: Oracle, Lotus Notes, Pervasive SQL, Ctree, Microsoft Access, Excel, PHP mySQL (including bridges to Linux or Unix) to give you the idea.  Plus, IM allows you to alter integration logic in VBA scripts: before integration, before document commit, and other execution points.  You may say, that it is all great, the only problem for you is ERP implementation and support budget (especially now in 2009, when we are supposed to be in deep recession) – Integration Manager doesn’t come free with GP purchase (however Dynamics GP Business Ready license gives you, at least now the IM conversion license – this is temporary license, assuming that you need few month to conversion legacy accounting and MRP data to Dynamics GP Great Plains)

2.       Dynamics GP Macros.  This technique is a bit creative and not necessary known to every Dynamics GP programmer or consultant.  Macros work even if you have add-ons, or third party Dynamics GP ISV partners customizations.  The idea of macro deployment is simple and straightforward: open the window of the object to be integrated (customer maintenance for instance) and start recording macro in Tools->Macro->Record.  Enter manually two new customers and then stop playing macro.  Look at the macro file, open Excel file with your customers (coming from legacy system: PeachTree, MYOB, QuickBooks, Lotus Notes Domino) and add macro commands as Excel columns (in between your customer related fields).  Then save your Excel file in text format and give the new text file macro extension.  Now you are ready to play macro.  Macro playing requires computer session dedication – do not try to switch to another application while macro is in progress – simply take lunch or cup of coffee

3.       eConnect programming.  If you are on Dynamics GP 10.0 or 9.0, and if you classify yourself as Microsoft Visual Studio C# or VB.Net programmer with good skills in SQL and XML, then you can program integration on your own.  eConnect is especially great tool for ecommerce programmer, who needs to expose Dynamics GP as back end ERP for ecommerce application

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