When you are implementing new Corporate ERP system, or when you already have one implemented, technical support options should be always discussed and ready to be exercised.
Microsoft Dynamics GP, or how it was formerly known – Great Plains Dynamics, was created with high leverage of flexibility and the exposure to various integration, modification, customization, reporting instruments. When you alter ERP logic, you help your unique business processes to be automated, and at the same time, it might be the place, where you may expect some technical support and potential data repair needs. Also Dynamics GP is mid-market Accounting, Corporate MRP and ERP, this is why we assume that you have at least few folks in your IT department, who are probably responsible and who are at the same time reasonably technical to perform recommended data repair procedures. Let’s review technical support options:
1. Direct Support from Microsoft Business Solutions. We recommend you to establish access to so-called Customer Source on the Microsoft business portal. Please, keep in mind, in order to have access to the Customer Source you have to have active annual support contract with Microsoft (usually you pay it once a year either to Microsoft directly or to your Dynamics GP Partner organization). In the Customer Source you can open new support case (usually for small fee), or even better option – search knowledge base (free of charge), chances are high that somebody already got similar problem and it is documented with recommended solution. Good news about knowledge base – it typically has older (no longer supported on the case base) version support articles (you may be aware that tech support for version 9.0 expires in the beginning of 2011, and older versions are no longer supported: 8.0, 7.5, 7.0, 6.0, 5.5, 5.0, 4.0 as well as Great Plains Accounting for DOS, Windows: 9.5, 9.2 and earlier). If you do not have access to Customer Source (your support contract expired and you decided not to pay for its extension, or similar situations), you can still call Microsoft and open the case (with higher fee per case – have your credit card handy, and be sure that you are on the Dynamics GP version, which is currently supported by MBS directly, in December 2010 they are 2010/11.0, 10.0 and 9.0). If you are on the older version, we recommend you to deal with Dynamics GP VAR who supports your version, the list of such consulting organizations could be obtained through Microsoft or feel free to search Google, Yahoo, MSN/Bing
2. Technical Support from Dynamics GP consulting firms. Even if you are on the older version (something like Great Plains Dynamics Select on Pervasive SQL 2000: 6.0, 5.5, 5.0, or even Great Plains Accounting for DOS, Windows or Mac) – Great Plains Technology partners are out there to help you. However, supporting thin strata of the historical version clients might place the restrictions on the business model – Great Plains Consultants, certified in older versions might have to work in nationwide support manner – via web session, Skype/VOIP and phone conferences. Here you typically pay hourly rates. One comment about consulting firms, even if you are no longer on active support with Microsoft, your Dynamics GP partner on your behalf can search so-called Partner Source and see your old version Registration Keys, search Knowledge Base, etc. Dynamics GP VAR hourly rates are not cheap, but we assume that if you decided to lapse in Microsoft annual enhancement contract – your Great Plains Dynamics is relatively stable and you do not have to call tech support every day, week or even every month – the number of expected cases is probably few per year. Nationwide tech support providers typically use web sessions to connect to your Dynamics GP workstation and resolve the issue
3. Self-Support recommendations for IT department. Here you typically face the dilemma to have just Windows network engineers/administrators or have somebody with moderate exposure to Microsoft SQL Server technologies. Modern versions of Dynamics GP are hosted in MS SQL Server and for data fixing and repair it is recommended to have somebody who is comfortable to run recommended (taken from Customer Source technical articles) SQL update/delete scripts. If your Dynamics GP implementation is customized and has something like integrated EDI, eCommerce, Warehouse Management System, SCM, Barcoding, RFID add-ons you may consider (as VP IT or manager of the Information Technology department) to hire MS SQL Server programmer or DBA and have him trained in Dynamics GP (or older versions of Great Plains Dynamics) tables structure. If you are on non-MS SQL Server version (typically Pervasive SQL 2000, in some cases also old Btrieve and as rarity – Ctree database), in our opinion the most reliable tool for data repair is Microsoft Access (install Pervasive SQL or Btrieve driver, create DSN and connect from MS Access through linked table scenario, please be sure that you understand DDF files role and generation tools)
4. Great Plains Accounting for DOS, Windows and Mac support. It might be a surprise for internet surfers, but this archaic Corporate ERP application is still out there (actually we see it more often comparing to relatively young in their age Great Plains Dynamics on Pervasive SQL 2000: 7.5, 7.0, 6.0, 5.5). Well, to the point, GPA is really a black box for supporting. What we can do for you is to open archived Great Plains Accounting tech support knowledge base and try to find the articles, close to your technical issue. What we can also do – to give your DDF files, so you can connect to your GPA tables via ODBC and pull the data (if you are phasing GPA out and converting its data to something more moderns, SAP Business One for example). Please, note that even Great Plains Accounting for DOS could be supported remotely via web session (in our case we issue Gotomeeting session ID)
5. Great Plains Dexterity customizations. These were very popular in the late 1990th and earlier 2000th (before Great Plains Dynamics ISV partners channel introduced numerous horizontal and vertical solutions in the form of Great Plains Dexterity compiled chunks). Nowadays, Dexterity custom modules are usually in maintenance mode, where you have your source code (Dynamics.dic with Sanscript procedures, functions and even handlers), and you call your Dynamics GP Dexterity consulting firm to review the code to be compatible with GP version to upgrade
6. Great Plains and Dynamics GP Table structure. This is bonus paragraph for business enthusiasts without backing budget or venture capital. Open Dynamics GP user workstation, go to Tools -> Resource Descriptions -> Tables and do self-discovery and good luck!
7. To request further support, please call us 1-866-528-0577, help@albaspectrum.com We need to discuss your cards in order to recommend you the best solutions, which is not contingent to our preferences. We serve you USA/Canada nationwide via remote support (web sessions and phone/Skype conferences). Local service is available in Western Michigan, Chicagoland, Southern California (LA, Orange County, San Diego), Houston area of the state of Texas
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