In general it is good idea to pick local consulting firm for initial software sales as well as for generic implementation with data migration from legacy accounting. Let’s name this phase one. In the next phase you are expecting something crucial and important and even probably why you decided to replace old ERP with Business One.
It might be integration with custom ecommerce portal or external database or system. Now you are approaching your reseller and they tell you ‘you know that customization is something not really recommended and we would like you to avoid all kinds of software development’. In other words they are signaling that they are not interested and they are probably not the right people to do the job. Let’s take a look at the situations taken from real life. This paper is not intended to be technical. It is rather for decision makers to get the idea on possible tools and options and go ahead with additional homework:
1. Integration tools. There is generic free tool named Data Transfer Workbench. We need to mention it as it might be able to do the job in simple case. DTW is recommended tool in initial data conversion. Each certified consultant is familiar with the process where you have to fill CSV templates with the data from legacy accounting. Optimal tool to do the job is Microsoft Excel. If you need ongoing data import process then you can either export records from external base in CSV template format and schedule data migration to fire every thirty minutes or even go further and create SQL View resembling template with the first row to contain column headers and pull data in via ODBC connection. Second option is DI Server where you are importing data in XML format. If you like programming in Microsoft Visual Studio C# or VB then Software Development Kit should be considered. SDK has code samples in C# and VB as well as objects descriptions. If you have to call integration from non-Microsoft platforms such as Linux or Oracle then consider wrapping your code as SOAP XML Web Service. There are tools available through ISV channel such as iBolt but they are outside of the scope
2. Project Management and Strategies. First of all when you are connecting together two applications you should understand that QA and testing are the right things to do and migration is often data sample driven. The best approach is to create test server (or at least test company) where you restore your recent production company backup. MS Visual Studio has powerful debugger and developers should be able to try various migration scenarios. If migration is complex then we recommend the budget for Quality Assurance. Unique custom code has to work just for one customer – your company. Just imagine that software vendors maintain ‘known issues’ or techknowledge databases. These bases are filled with reported issues and their recommended resolutions. Unique customization doesn’t have that luxury and decent QA is the way to make it reasonably reliable
3. Outsourcing programming project. The idea is good as SDK coding is recommended to be done by SDK certified developer. Be careful in preparing and signing contract however. Current relations might be perfect and cordial but in the future developer could leave the industry or you may be disappointed with the quality or support. The key thing here is to own source code. Each new version upgrade project will be associated with the need to recompile the code in Visual Studio with new release DLLs. If you don’t have the code then you are screwed up
4. ‘Do we have to stick to local provider?’ Probably not as technology expertise is often concentrated in regional or nationwide VAR technical support call centers and software development factories. Service is conveniently provided via web sessions such as Citrix Gotomeeting
5. ‘Is it a good idea to customize old version such as 2007A or 2005A?’ It is possible but we do not recommend that. Software development cost might be comparable or exceed version upgrade cost. Old version is associated with outdated peripheral technologies such as Windows version, MS SQL Server 2000 or 2005 or even incompatibility with 64 bit computation
6. Please call us 1-866-304-3265, 1-269-605-4904, help@efaru.com. We have local presence in Chicagoland, Southern California, Atlanta Georgia, South West Michigan, Houston and Dallas areas of Texas. We serve customers USA and Canada nationwide and internationally via web sessions and phone conferences (Skype is welcomed). We are working on Brazilian ERP consulting market in Sao Paulo since 2004
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