Implementing Dynamics GP in Large Organization Notes

In the past we already described the advantages of deploying Dynamics GP in larger firm - it has reasonably reliable and scalable DB platform NS SQL Server and has standard functionality ERP and MRP logic, versus more expensive Corporate ERP rich functionality applications: Oracle EBusiness Suite, SAP mySAP or R/3, etc.  When we are talking about standard Corporate ERP logic advantages, these are saving on ERP software and user licenses, as you do not have to pay for rich logic (most of which you will never use).  In the case, that some of the logic needs to be modified, Dynamics GP is open for modifications, customizations via GP Dexterity, eConnect integration programming, and other tools.  Now, let's review features in paragraphs:

1.       Unlimited Number of Companies.  If your corporation has multiple subsidiaries in the USA, Canada and Internationally, and if you plan to deploy Great Plains in headquarters on the single installation, then you can create unlimited number of companies and enable remote and foreign users access via Citrix or Terminal Server.  Microsoft Dynamics GP licensing schema allows unlimited number of companies at this time and that was historical feature since the introduction of Great Plains Dynamics in earlier 1990th.  Please, check with your Dynamics GP Partner if GP is localized for the foreign country, where you have your subsidiary.  In general Dynamics GP 10.0 is localized for English speaking countries: USA, Canada, Australia, UK, New Zealand, Oceania, South Africa, Caribbean, South East Asia (in the countries where English is the language of the business) and Spanish Speaking Latin America (with some restrictions, please note that Brazil is not Spanish speaking country and GP is not localized there).  Please, note that you should consider some technical nuances for Latin American company installation, as you should choose specific SQL DB collation which fits to Spanish accents - there are known issues with FRx consolidated reporting, when Reporting tree is consolidating GP companies with different SQL collations

2.       Consolidation.  If all your subsidiaries could be implemented in Great Plains - this is perfect.  However, if GP is not localized for the part of your branches, please, instead of trying to implement GP in English, rather consider implementing either another Small Business Corporate ERP application, such as SAP Business One, or even keep local accounting, assuming that it allows you to export GL transactions in CSV or Tab delimited file.  Then, this file could be scheduled or manually integrated via GP Integration Manager integration.  In this case, we recommend you integration on General Ledger GL transactions level only.  This method should allow you to have GL detailed control and reasonable internal and external audit.  In the case, when you foreign operations as in initiation or very modest in number of transactions, consider exporting its GL Balance, P&L or Trial Balance into Excel worksheet, which could be consolidated with your FRx financial reports

3.       Integration with legacy IT infrastructure systems.  It is rather unlikely that in the publicly traded corporation you do not have Business Management Systems, such as Sales Order Processing in Oracle, EDI (Electronic Document Interchange) server, Barcode automation for Warehouse Management and Shipping & Receiving, GP general fit to your Discrete Manufacturing requirements.  In our opinion these business processes and technologies mapping should be done in several Specification Review sessions with your Dynamics GP VAR

4.       Industry Verticals and Horizontals.  Great Plains Dynamics GP is traditionally good in such industries as Non Profit and Grants Management (based on Analytical Accounting in GP), ecommerce web portals with strong behind the scenes logistics and on order discrete manufacturing, Freight Forwarding with Agent Settlement report, Generic Discrete Manufacturing, Sales Networks, where Sales Orders are integrated into GP from Microsoft CRM, Project Organization, where you implement GP Project Accounting module, Membership managing organizations, where  membership annual fees are tracked in recurred batches in SOP (light customization is needed), Mid-size and small retail store chains with franchisee networks, where you integrate Retail transactions to GP and print barcode labels from GP directly or from such applications as Microsoft RMS

5.       How to get help?  Please, feel free to call our office at 1-866-528-0577, if you are outside of USA: 1-630-961-5918, or email us: help@albaspectrum.com  We speak English, Spanish, Chinese, Portuguese, including Brazilian Portuguese, Russian, Filipino.  Please, be aware that Dynamics GP is not UNICODE compliant application, and if you need help in having GP Screens to be translated to Chinese, Korean, Japanese, and other hieroglyph based characters language, this is not possible.  We would be happy to create Chinese Crystal Reports out of your Dynamics GP system with the help of third party Dynamics GP ISV tools, such as NJ Star.  If you are trying to consider Great Plains for your Brazilian subsidiary, we would have to discourage you and ask you rather to consider SAP Business One, which is localized for Brazil.  Great Plains Dynamics GP is also not localized for Russian market, we invite you to call us to help you understand ecommerce and Corporate ERP options in Russian Federation, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Belorussia, Moldova, Lithuania, Poland, Latvia, Estonia, Czech Republic, Poland, Serbia, Uzbekistan