Former Great Plains Software Dynamics, later one Microsoft Great Plains and currently Microsoft Dynamics GP is built upon GPS Dexterity technology. Great Plains Dexterity was specially created to provide DB and Graphical platform independence for one of the first graphical ERP applications in earlier 1990th Great Plains Dynamics for Windows and Mac
Since then the initial purpose of Dexterity lost the actuality, but it still does the job and Microsoft Dynamics GP 9.0 and 10.0 are dex built applications. And, so dex modification upgrade is actual, especially for businesses with custom ERP logic, built on Dexterity custom programming. As the majority if not all of EDI tools, Dexterity come through evolution during these 15 years. This is why you should consider new technologies trends when planning to upgrade dex customization:
Sanscript. DYNAMICS.DIC with your sanscript scripts present should be available for dexterity programmers in order to upgrade your modified logic. Dex customization is distributed and integrated via so-called Dexterity chunk, when being integrated chunk converts itself to the dictionary, where scnscript code is stripped out. If you dont have original custom dictionary with code, please contact your former consulting firm to get it.
Modifier/VBA Continuum imitation. In some cases we see dex sanscript code was incorporated into VBA code in Modified Great Plains forms. This technology was used to cross modules boundaries in Great Plains, for example to switch from Dynamics core module to Intellisol Advanced Purchase Order Processing or Project Accounting third party modules. This logic is OK to work, however it is a way harder for upgrade, as it will need to be analyzed and ported to new technology
New trends in Dex: COM object interface this technology allows you to call such nice new tools as XML web services from dexterity code, via COM object envelope. eConnect this tool introduces elements of object oriented programming to GP and in the case of Dexterity customization upgrade, we recommend you revise dex logic and move work and master objects creation and modification to eConnect: customer, vendor, sales invoice, purchase order, etc.
Andrew Karasev, Alba Spectrum Group, http://www.albaspectrum.comhelp@albaspectrum.com 1-866-528-0577, 1-630-961-5918, serving Microsoft Dynamics GP USA and Canada nationwide: Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary, Windsor, New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Miami, Orlando, Pittsburg, Toledo, Indianapolis, Detroit, Philadelphia, Boston, Washington, Seattle, San Diego, Phoenix, Austin. Local service is available in Chicago and Houston metros: Rosenberg, Katy, Richmond, Dallas, Galveston, Sugar Land, Naperville, Wheaton, Plainfield, Aurora, Wheaton, Downers Grove, Lisle, Oakbrook, Morris, Marseilles, Joliet, Montgomery, Oswego, DeKalb. With reasonable travel we serve Springfield, Bloomington, Normal, Peoria, LaSalle, Ottawa, Dixon
