Dynamics GP Integration with POS and Retail Systems: Counterpoint, Microsoft RMS

Feb 20
23:52

2010

Andrew Karasev

Andrew Karasev

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If you deploy one of the mid-market Retail applications and Microsoft Dynamics GP as your Corporate ERP system - we would like to review integration between the two. All three are hosted in Microsoft SQL Server.

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Earlier versions of Great Plains Dynamics were also available on Pervasive SQL 2000 or Ctree,Dynamics GP Integration with POS and Retail Systems: Counterpoint, Microsoft RMS Articles but these versions are really legacy now and we will concentrate on MS SQL Server based versions.  If you have old version of Great Plains, you still can deploy text file import via Integration Manager, and text file could be produced from Counterpoint or Microsoft Dynamics RMS via SQL Query:
1. Counterpoint export to Dynamics GP.  Here you have predefined MS SQL Server DTS packages, exporting GL (usually daily sales)and Accounts Payable (inventory replenishment) transactions.  DTS is now considered as legacy application in Microsoft SQL Server 2005 or 2008 and you can either upgrade your DTS packages or use Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Enterprise Manager to work with DTS files settings (typically when you have to modify predefined DTS package and include user defined fields into your text file export).  When you got text files, the next step is importing them into GP via Integration Manager (this is why we mentioned above that Legacy GP version is not a big problem, as IM was available since really historical times)
2. Microsoft RMS export to Great Plains.  Here you also have Dexterity add-on, which moves your GL and AP transactions
3. Some disadvantages of native integration tools described in paragraphs one and two.  Both integrations should be initiated by user and could not be scheduled (without complex programming) to run automatically.  Second issue - both are for importing into specific Great Plains company and you have to log off current company and login new company to send transactions there
4. Alba Spectrum Microsoft RMS to Dynamics GP integration.  Here you have automatic scheduled integration, many to many (RMS Stored to Dynamics GP companies), integration in Sales Order Processing transaction level (or Accounts Receivable docs, where you can track integration on GL precise distribution level).  This integration is "Solution", meaning that Alba Spectrum technical consultants have to install and tune it for you
5. Advanced Counterpoint Integration to Great Plains.  We recommend you to consider the option to pull Counterpoint documents directly in Dynamics GP Integration Manager via Advanced ODBC queries
6. Bonus topic.  Counterpoint or Microsoft RMS integration with SAP Business One.  Here you have two options.  First one is to deploy SAP B1 Data Transfer Workbench (where in Advanced ODBC query from DTW side you imitate SB1 DTW CSV templates).  Second option - you pull records from SQL Counterpoint or GP databases via SAP Business One SDK.  This integration is probably not for small companies, as programming budget should be close to hundred hours.  But, for those of your who expect some investment and have the plans to benefit from them - we are here to help you