Modern Corporate ERP systems go down to your Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Distribution processes automation.
In Microsoft Dynamics GP (former Great Plains Dynamics and eEnterprise), there is special suite of modules – Distribution: Bill of Materials, Inventory Control, Purchase Order Processing and Sales Order Processing. Supply Chain Management theory typically specifies Warehouse Management System as its core. And WMS logic is implemented in the products, available on software market for mid-market ERP systems, such as Great Plains. Others elements of SCM might be in the product developing phase, so, you may expect reasonable amount of custom programming to enable desired Supply Chain functionality in your GP (or maybe consider Corporate ERP system, dedicated to larger companies, such as Oracle Applications, Dynamics AX Axapta, where you may be able to find more SCM modules and business logic). WMS comes with under laying barcode labeling and scanning (and new technologies, such as RFID). We’ll try to give you introduction level paper, where we are discussing SCM, Distribution, Logistics:
1. Warehouse Management System. According to various ideologists, it includes three parts, based on barcode scanning technology: Inventory Transactions, Sales Orders Allocation and Inventory Restocking via Purchasing. Great Plains has parallel functionality in Inventory Control, Sales Order Processing and Purchase Order Processing modules. Now about WMS products and direct extensions – there are two flavors to be aware of and consider for reviewing and final implementation. Warehouse Management System might be implemented as external standalone application with integration connectors to GP. And alternatively – WMS could be implemented as extension, working directly out of Great Plains SOP, POP, INV tables. We believe that extensions approach has several advantages, as you do not have to pay for the same functionality in Warehouse application (already paid for software licenses for Great Plains distribution modules). Plus, there is no need to implement the “integration between WMS and Great Plains”. And finally, the whole GP set of windows is open to be customized in Dexterity or in Microsoft Visual Studio SDK to enable barcoding or RFID scanning/reading
2. EDI or B2B eCommerce. This is a dilemma for modern nationwide and international distributors and wholesalers. Electronic Document Interchange (EDI) is traditional and rather matured technology (to have a chance to become obsolete in the future). Business-To-Business ecommerce is more flexible and it gives you more options to open your business partners for various incentives (in franchising, dealership channels). We rather recommend you to consider the way to lure in your customers to switch to ecommerce order placement
3. Barcoding Technology. Technically it is possible to open every Great Plains form, where you have data entry or editing fields for barcode scanning. If you have USB compliant scanner, connect it to your GP user workstation, open the desired form, tab through the fields, until you are ready to fill the one (field) by barcode laser scanning and you have the job done. However it is unlikely that you will send your warehouse worker with notebook (connected via wireless network to your GP server) with cheap USB Barcode scanner connected to do the job on the warehouse floor. Obvious reasons are training cost and performance (in the sense of time, spent to scan the document)
4. Custom Elements of Supply Chain Management. Again we have to mention here that Dynamics GP is mid-market Corporate ERP application and it has excellent exposure to logistics, manufacturing (discrete, not process manufacturing). We saw various requests to help with programming SCM related truck delivery time and route (including consignment contracts). We also recommend you to call to your current reseller and check with them if something is available through Dynamics GP ISV market
5. What is you are located internationally? Then you have to consider Great Plains current or your version localization status. Feel free to call us for the nuances for your country or the World region
6. For additional information, please feel free to call us 1-866-528-0577 or 1-630-961-5918 (this number works for international customers) or email us help@albaspectrum.com 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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