Dynamics GP Technical Training: Integration Manager, Dexterity, Crystal Reports

Advanced technical training is probably recommended for large organization, where you have to develop unique in-house ecommerce website, automate supply chain management processes (automatic packaging, barcode scanning in picking and delivery), advanced Electronic Document Interchange (EDI) integrations.  Some of the tools, such as Microsoft Dynamics GP Dexterity is recommended for outsourcing to GP Technology Partner and if you absolutely need Dexterity customizations - these are not easy and not ready for quick learning curve for in-house developers.  If you have huge internal Dexterity development project, then you may consider training your own programmers in Dex.  Let's begin tools review and training methodologies:
1. Integration tools.  GP Integration Manager is recommended to all GP customers, as it could be considered as end user friendly plus it has advanced integration even driven scripts and other methods to create very complex and sophisticated integration.  Usually we train you programmers to build integration on SQL Views and Advanced ODBC integration on Microsoft ODBC Text driver (where you can unionize, group, weed out records from original text file), plus give them directions on VBA scripting for Integration events: Before Integrations (setup integration variables, such as dates), Before document commit (to alter the document), After Integration (where you can update related records in custom tables via Microsoft ADO technology).  Second integration tool we would like to mention here is eConnect SDK, which is optimal for accessing GP objects from such applications as Microsoft Visual Studio project for custom eCommerce.  If you are experienced C# or VB.Net programmer with good exposure to XML and SQL Stored Procedures, eConnect should be simple enough for you, assuming that you are reasonably familiar with Dynamics GP objects: SOP Invoice, Customer, Inventory Item, GL Account, etc.  For EDI integrations to GP we recommend you to process EDI files directly in Integration Manager (you can specify there custom field separator, if required) or parse EDI file in SQL Server Linked Server (with precisely formatted SQL Select Statement) and then deploy Integration Manager Advanced ODBC Query as a base
2. Customization Tools.  Two traditional tools are Dexterity and Modifier with VBA scripting.  Modifier is targeted to simple GP screens customizations and custom buttons animation with VBA event driven scripts.  Dexterity is more fundamental and it was introduced in earlier 1990s as Great Plains Dynamics architecture.  Dex has its own Integrated Development Environment and Sanscript programming language (built as the shell in C++).  We provide Dexterity training via web sessions to dedicated developers in your organization - often we provide training having your specific project as a study model, as the whole tables structure is too broad for being covered in the training.  There are also relatively new tools, such as Extender, where you can extend GP with new screens not being programmer (also you can add Dexterity Sanscript scripts to Extender objects, if you use Enterprise version of Extender)
3. Reporting Tools.  We need to mention FRx Financial Reporting, it is perfectly formalized and if you are professional accountant you should be able to build reports (Balance, P&L, Cash Flow, plus consolidated versions).  For Industry reporting you usually chose either Crystal Reports, or Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS).  Both methods typically require you to abstract report itself from its database query - or in other words, good idea is to base report on SQL View or Stored Procedure versus trying to use directly Report Wizard.  Please, find Dynamics GP Tables Structure in GP SDK (CD#2) or directly via GP user interface: Tools->Resource Descriptions->Tables.  There also are Dynamics GP ReportWriter reports, such as SOP Blank Invoice Form (where you usually want to place your company graphical logo), Sales Aging Report with Buckets (where you often want to change buckets or add new one).  RW requires some training , which is typically provided directly by your Dynamics GP Partner or Consultant
4. Data Conversion training.  Here you typically need to accurately prepare your data sources (often in Excel) and have several attempts in GP Integration Manager, every time to improve integration quality.  We will help you in Integration setup and verification
5. 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 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