Andrew Karasev

Dynamics GP Partner Chicago Data Migration Notes

Microsoft Dynamics GP, formerly known as Great Plains Dynamics, is reasonably open for data conversion, initial balances import, and other implementation data conversion steps

We recommend you to review multiple tools and options to make your own estimation on the data migration scope and expected complexity.  This small publication is intended for IT people:

1.       Integration Manager.  This tool is preferred, as it validates business logic in importing process.  Customers, Vendors, Addresses, GL Accounts, and various transactions could be imported via IM with relatively quick learning curve.  If you plan to bring historical GL transactions, then we recommend you to bring them month by month and post them in GL module, as the only way to import transactions is to import them in Work status and you cannot import transactions directly to history via IM.  If you are versatile programmer and you would like to probe your skills in advanced IM routines, read about such techniques as VBA scripts (Before Integration, Before Document Commit, etc.) and Advanced ODBC Sources (where you can base your incoming data on SQL View, or create Union constructions over tab or comma delimited text files) – if you can create SQL View in MS SQL Server Management Studio, including heterogeneous Selects (cross platform: Oracle, Excel, MS Access, Lotus Notes, Text files, etc.) then you should be able to import data from these views via Dynamics GP Integration Manager

2.       eConnect.  This is for ongoing and often real time integration in ecommerce environments.  eConnect is Software Development Kit and you can program integration in Microsoft Visual Studio C#, VB or another programming language.  IM is currently under reconstruction to deploy eConnect as its base level

3.       Direct SQL data feed.  Dynamics GP is Microsoft SQL Server hosted application, so theoretically you can do direct Insert.  We have to warn you here, that direct insert can easily compromise data integrity, as you do not validate complex business logic

4.       Data Conversion Scope.  If you are using IM and your goal is to bring historical transactions in Sales, Purchasing, Inventory – you can do it month by month with batches verification and posting.  This process might be too time (including consulting time) consuming, so in preferred scenario you should consider having the old Accounting system available for inquiry only in several years transition period and bring masters records (Customers, Vendors, GL accounts, etc.) and GL beginning balances only

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