Dynamics GP Inventory Control Module Notes

Inventory items (plus non inventory items, it is when you type in something not registered in Inventory Control as Item ID in Sales documents) you normally sell in Sales Order Processing module (SOP Quotations, Sales Orders, Invoices, Back Orders, Returns) and purchase in Purchase Order Processing (Purchase Orders, PO Receiving documents).  Plus INV is extended with Dynamics GP Bill Of Materials (BOM) module, where you can implement simple discrete manufacturing.  In Inventory Control transactions you have such functionality as items transfer from one site (or warehouse, or consignment location) to another, inventory items cycle count, plus item cycle count might be followed by Item Barcode Label printing.  Sometimes Dynamics GP customers want to integrate such features as Inventory Item Serial or Lot Number to be incorporated into Barcode Label (especially if food, deli, seafood stores, where merchandise barcode label is weight specific).  This small publication is not intended as official manual on Dynamics GP Inventory Control, but rather as known issues, FAQ and industry recommendation paper.  If you are in Corporate ERP selection phase, please review official Microsoft Business Solutions marketing materials on GP and Inventory, Bill of Materials, and Distribution Series.  Now we are moving on to the paragraphs:
1. Inventory Control Modules in Great Plains Dynamics GP Architecture.  Historically Great Plains Dynamics was built on Great Plains Dexterity foundation platform.  Inventory Control module was intended as opening door for multiple suites, such as Sales Order Processing (and its extension in eOrder and Business Portal based module Order Management) and Invoicing, Purchase Order Processing (and its extensions in the form of eRequisition or what is currently a replacement to historical modules: Dynamics GP Business Portal Requisition Management module), Manufacturing Suite (in late 1990th Great Plains Software acquired Icontrol Manufacturing set of modules to use them as Great Plains Manufacturing suite)
2. Inventory Sites. Dynamics GP is designed as Mid-Market ERP, MRP and Accounting application.  If your organization has multiple sites with warehouses and your need the functionality to track items available across the organization (in the case of ecommerce operations, where you would like to allocate specific item in preferred location, but if it is not available, look through the whole organization and schedule shipping from the warehouse where item is available)
3. Inventory Items Data Conversion. If you are upgrading from such applications as Great Plains Accounting, QuickBooks, you should expect migration tools to do most of the data massage and migration work.  In the case when you are downgrading from such rich business logic Corporate ERP as Oracle Financials/Applications/eBusiness Suite - initial data conversion should be done via Dynamics GP Integration Manager
4. Serial Numbers in Dynamics GP Inventory Control.  In our opinion Serial Numbering is crucial in Dynamics GP inventory automation in Cycle Counts, Barcoding, Microsoft RMS and POS transaction integration to GP Sales Order Processing and Inventory Control modules
5. Competition.  It really depends on where you are moving to - if you are downgrading from Oracle, PeopleSoft, SAP R/3, Dynamics GP could be good transition for your Corporate ERP and Manufacturing operations.  However if you are migrating away from such archaic ERP applications as Great Plains Accounting for DOS, Windows, Macintosh, then you may consider Dynamics GP or maybe Microsoft Small Business Accounting (which also has migration tool).  If you are expanding worldwide as US based multinational corporation, especially in such countries and regions as Brazil, Russia, East Europe, South East Asia (China, Korea, Philippines, Oceania, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan), we recommend you to review SAP Business One as small and midsize business Corporate ERP, MRP and CRM
6. Connection to East Europe: Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Serbia, Macedonia, Greece, Romania, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus, Republic of Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Albania, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Iran  - we are happy to help you if you have proxy office in USA or Canada.  We can translate Dynamics GP to your local language or Russian, or implement SAP Business One with Integration to GP
7. Connection to South East Asia.  Dynamics GP is not available in Chinese (or other hieroglyph Unicode based alphabet).  However Microsoft CRM is supporting Unicode, and for small and mid-size assembly and production facilities we recommend you to consider SB1 or for larger operations Dynamics AX Axapta
8. How to get help?  Please, feel free to call us: 1-866-528-0577, outside of USA: 1-630-961-5918 or email us help@albaspectrum.com  We are very technical and real Dynamics GP Dexterity, SAP Business One SDK and Microsoft CRM programming gurus.  We have Great Plains Software Development Factory and could support unlimited Dynamics GP Customization and Programming needs.  Plus we speak English, Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, and not only as native speaking sales folks, but as real technical consultants.  If you prefer skype: albaspectrum