Dynamics GP Partner Newsflash: International Installation Aspects

Feb 8
13:01

2009

Andrew Karasev

Andrew Karasev

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Microsoft Dynamics GP or formerly known ERP Great Plains Dynamics and eEnterprise, is Microsoft SQL Server based application. At this time, Spring 2009 it is translated and localized for English speaking countries: USA, Canada (where it is also available in French for Quebec), UK, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and Spanish Speaking Caribbean, Central and South America.

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Plus,Dynamics GP Partner Newsflash: International Installation Aspects  Articles Dynamics GP is popular in Middle East with Arabic language support, in India, South East Asia, where it is used in English as well with local Add-ons to meet government reporting and taxing for the countries in this region.  If you are IT support engineer or DB Administrator in multinational corporation, where Dynamics GP Great Plains is deployed in the US headquarters, you need to know your options in implementing Dynamics GP for overseas subsidiaries – this small publication is for you:

 

1.       English interface with limited translation to the local language.  You should check out the idea of keeping English interface for your accounting department overseas, with limited number of screens translated into the local language: Sales Transaction Entry, Inventory Item Maintenance, Purchase Receipt would be the most popular candidates for translation.  Translation itself should be given to your Dynamics GP technology partner or reseller – your Dynamics GP VAR should be familiar with Dynamics GP Dexterity and its customization power.  All Dynamics GP interface phrases are Great Plains Dexterity string resources

 

2.       SQL Server Code page and Collation.  By default, Dynamics GP will install new company database with the same code page and collation as your SQL Server itself (defined in master database).  In USA, you are likely to install SQL Server with 1252 for non Unicode data.  Please, open SQL Server Management Studio and enter sp_helpsort command.  You will get in USA the following result: Latin1-General, case-insensitive, accent-sensitive, kanatype-insensitive, width-insensitive for Unicode Data, SQL Server Sort Order 52 on Code Page 1252 for non-Unicode Data.  However, if you are installing your Microsoft Windows 2003 or 2008 Server in non-English speaking country you will get different result and your Dynamics GP Dynamics DB as well as companies Databases will take your local default code page and collation.  Now, let’s assume that you are in USA and trying to open Dynamics GP company for your Lithuanian subsidiary, where language has letters S, C and others with accents.  If you install Dynamics GP workstation on Lithuanian Vista OS, Great Plains Dexterity interface will allow you to enter Lithuanian characters in Dynamics GP edit fields, however if your company DB has been installed on MS SQL Server for US, these accents will be wiped out when you will save the record in Dynamics GP.  In order to preserve accents, you will need to install Lithuanian Dynamics GP company in Lithuanian language supporting code page and collation.  Please, feel free to seed in your Dynamics GP company with international collation to your MS SQL Server 2005 or 2000 in US – Microsoft Dynamics GP should work fine

 

3.       But, or However…  If you have Dynamics Database and SQL Server itself in American collation and international subsidiaries in their local respective collation, there are known issues about FRx.  You might expect other ifs, but we suppose that international IT support is not a piece of cake, so you should decide on acceptable risks and trade offs

 

4.       Dynamics GP localization.  We often here the question – could we just deploy Dynamics GP Great Plains in such countries as Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Czech Republic, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan?  The simple answer is Yes, you can do it.  However you should understand the requirements of the localization.  If Language is not a problem and your GP users in Central Asia could simply enter transactions in English – this is perfect scenario.  However if in Kazakhstan you have specific government and tax reporting – then you are not compliant without developing and applying special Dynamics GP add-on, where Kazakh legislation is handled

 

5.       Dynamics GP support in Eastern Europe.  Microsoft Business Solutions is in process to phase out Dynamics GP in favor of Axapta Dynamics AX and earlier trend Navision Dynamics NAV.  You can get Dynamics GP Great Plains support in Eastern Europe from Alba Spectrum, feel free to call our office in USA or Moscow