Microsoft Dynamics GP 10.0 Great Plains Remote Support – overview

GP technical problem solving scenarios and if you need to get info on specific GP modules features: GL, SOP, POP, etc. please find it in others GP related materials, such as module user manuals, whitepapers

1. ERP remote support technologies in general.  Web session tools, such as gotomeeting, allow ERP consultants, being remote, lead web presentation, when your users, supposedly sitting in one conference room at your office and watching projected to the wall screen computer monitor.  Web session allows consultant to take mouse and keyboard control as well as give it back to trainees
2. Phone conferencing.  If you are in the same country, you can typically use your regular office phone and call to conference supporting phone from gotomeeting or other web conferencing service provider.  If you are in several countries, the best and cost efficient solutions might be internet telephony, such as skype: if your remote users have skype ID – this is all you need to get everyone in the conference
3. Problem Solving advises.  As, regardless of theoretical efficiency of web conferences, your human face-to-face interaction is to some extent restricted, there should be nurtured the culture of well structured technical questioning.  For example, try to be very specific: what exactly you were doing, what error message you received (provide screen shots of error messages) – this technique will let technical support engineer to skip “clarification” phase and go down to the problem solving immediately
4. Version upgrade, data fixing remote support technologies.  Web session being good for user training, is probably not optimal solution for day-to-day data repair tasks.  Web session requires both sides to be in the session, which is not really required for data fixing scenarios – you as GP user, describe the issue and remote support technician will connect to your desktop remotely and will fix the problem when he will have this task to be scheduled by manager.  Remote desktop technologies typically include VPN connection and Remote Desktops.
5. Customization Support and Design remotely.  Microsoft Great Plains Dynamics GP has its own proprietary modification technology – Microsoft Dexterity, it can be developed remotely on local testing system, however in order to debug Dex customizations on your test environment, Dexterity installation on your remote connection server is recommended – this will reduce programmers getting-into-project curve
6. Version update hints.  GP is currently on version 10.0 and if you are on earlier version: 4.0, 5.0, 5.5, 6.0, 7.0, 7.5, 8.0 or 9.0 – you should make your homework on upgrade scenarios.  One of the examples would be migration from Pervasive SQL 2000 (former Btrieve) or Ctree/Faircom to Microsoft SQL Server 2005, or 2000