Andrew Karasev

Dynamics GP Guru Series: Custom Great Plains Version Upgrade Checklist

If your Microsoft Dynamics GP is on relatively recent version, such as 8.0 or 9.0, and assuming that you use it primarily as GL Accounting, Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable and do not have third party Dynamics GP ISV add-ons or customizations, coded in Great Plains Dexterity specially for your unique business processes...

For those of you who are on older GP versions: 7.5, 6.0, 5.5, 5.0, 4.0, plus potentially on Pervasive SQL 2000 or Ctree DB platforms, and plus if you have Dex customizations, written by Dexterity programmer, who is no longer available:

1.       Upgrade path.  Let us give you couple of examples.  First One: you are on Great Plains 6.0 Select on Pervasive SQL 2000 with Intellisol Advanced Purchase Order Processing and your target is Dynamics GP 10.0.  You will need to migrate from Intellisol APOP to Great Plains Purchase Order (this could be done on GP 6.0 or 7.5), then you migrate to Microsoft SQL Server 2000 (being on version 7.5).  Then you upgrade 7.5->9.0 and the last step is Dynamics GP upgrade 9.0->10.0.  Second example: you are on Great Plains Accounting for DOS 9.2 and your target is Dynamics GP 10.0.  First, you upgrade GPA 9.2->9.5, then you get migration tool and migrate from GPA to Great Plains 7.5, then you upgrade to GP 9.0 and final step upgrade to Dynamics GP 10.0

2.       GP ISV add-ons upgrade.  Here you should contact either your Dynamics GP Partner or directly Great Plains ISV, who supports your add-on.  Typically ISV would look at your current support plan, if any, with them – then you will need to settle on the support plan subject and then you will get access to your new reg key and recommended upgrade scenario

3.       Dexterity customization upgrade.  You should check your old records and figure out if you possess so-called Dexterity Source Code of your custom module.  Typically it is Dynamics.dic or Extract.dic with the source Dex scripts in it

4.       Reports.  If so far you are in good shape, you will need to review with your GP users if they use modified reports.  To help them in this investigation, review Great Plains workstation folder, open Dynamics.set file and locate Reports.dic file path.  If the file exist physically on your local computer or network, please go to Dynamics GP->Customize->Report Writer and see if any reports are listed on the right side, meaning modified.  If this is your case, contact your Dynamics GP Partner on ReportWriter reports upgrade

5.       Access to new version GP key.  If you are current in Microsoft Business Solutions annual maintenance program, you have the key.  If you are not current, it depends, when you lapsed to pay the next annual support plan.  Feel free to give us a call: 1-866-528-0577, help@albaspectrum.com

Article Tags: Great Plains

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR