Software Information

Microsoft Great Plains Integration with Legacy Systems - Overview For Developer


Looks like Microsoft Great Plains becomes more and more popular, partly because of Microsoft muscles behind it. Now it is targeted to the whole spectrum of horizontal and vertical market clientele. Small companies use Small Business Manager (which is based on the same technology - Great Plains Dexterity dictionary and runtime), Great Plains Standard on MSDE is for small to midsize clients, and then Great Plains serves the rest of the market up to big corporations.

If you are developer who is asked: how do we implement Great Plains integration/interface with your legacy or other system - read this and you will have the clues on where to look further.

1. Great Plains Integration Manager - this is rather end-user tool - it is very intuitive, it validates 100% of business logic, brings in/updates master records (accounts, employees, customers, vendors. etc.) brings in transactions into work tables. The limitation of Integration Manager - it does use GP windows behind the scenes without showing them - so it is relatively slow - you can bring 100 records - but when you are talking about thousands - it is not a good option. By the way you can program Integration Manager with VBA.

2. eConnect - it is type of Software Development Kit with samples in VB.Net. Obviously the development environment should be Visual Studio.Net. eConnect will allow you to integrate master records - such as new customers, vendors, employees, etc., plus you can bring transactions into so called Great Plains work tables (eConnect doesn't allow you to bring open or historical records - you need to post work records in Great Plains, the same limitation applies to Integration Manager above) eConnect is rather for ongoing integration. It was initially created for eCommerce application integration to Great Plains.

3. SQL Stored Procedures. Obviously you have unlimited control and possibilities with SQL queries. You need to know Great Plains tables structure and data flow. Launch Great Plains and go to Tools->Resource Description->Tables. Find the table in the proper series. If you are looking for the customers - it should be RM00101 - customer master file. If you need historical Sales Order Processing documents - they are in SOP30200 - Sales History Header file, etc. Do not change existing tables - do not create new fields, etc. Also you need to realize that each GP table has DEX_ROW_ID - identity column. Sometimes it is good idea to use inbound/outbound XML in the parameters - then you can deploy web service as a middle party between two systems.

4. Data Transformation Services (DTS) - Good tool for importing your third party data into staging tables in GP - then you can pull them in using either stored procs of Integration Manager. You can also deploy this tool for EDI export/import.

5. Great Plains Dexterity Custom Screens. Sometimes users prefer to have seamlessly integrated into GP interface custom screens - for parameters settings and initiating integration. Dexterity is a good option, however remember - it is always better to create new custom screen versus customizing existing one - due to the future upgrade issues. Also - Dexterity is in phasing our by Microsoft Business Solutions.

6. Modifier/VBA custom buttons on the existing screens - alternative to Dexterity is you are comfortable with VBA and ADO.

7. MS Access - if you are doing one time conversion and your legacy has old ODBC compliant platform - you can use MS Access to create linked tables there - or import into MS Access.

8. SQL Linked Servers - you can do direct SQL queries to other ODBC compliant platform via SQL Linked Server (including ORACLE, UNIDATA, Pervasive SQL, Ctree, etc) - you may need to familiarize yourself with OPENROWSET command in Transact SQL. This is also good option if you need cross-platform Crystal Report - pulling data from SQL Server and third party databases on the same report.

9. Warning - do not place existing GP tables into Replication! - you will have upgrade issues.

Happy integrating! if you want us to do the job - give us a call 1-866-528-0577! help@albaspectrum.com

Andrew Karasev is Chief Technology Officer in Alba Spectrum Technologies - USA nationwide Microsoft CRM, Microsoft Great Plains customization company, based in Chicago, Boston, San Francisco, San Diego, Los Angeles, Houston, Atlanta, New York, and Miami and having locations in multiple states and internationally (www.albaspectrum.com), he is Dexterity, SQL, VB/C#.Net, Crystal Reports and Microsoft CRM SDK developer.


MORE RESOURCES:

FRANCE 24

Oracle Rejects $272M SAP Award, Demands New Trial
ABC News
Business software maker Oracle Corp. has turned down $272 million in court-ordered damages from SAP AG in hopes of leaving a much bigger dent in its rival's pocketbook and reputation during a second trial over allegations of corporate theft.
Oracle wants new trial in SAP caseAFP

all 231 news articles »


Jive Software Q4 Earnings, Revenue Beat Street
Forbes
Updated: Enterprise social networking company Jive Software reported its first earnings as a public company today, beating Street earnings and revenue expectations. Jive generated $22.5 million in revenue in the fourth quarter of 2011, up 53% from the ...
Photo Release -- Jive Software Announces Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2011 ...MarketWatch (press release)
Jive Software Q4 Loss Widens - Quick FactsNASDAQ
Jive reports bigger 4Q loss, higher revenueBusinessWeek

all 49 news articles »


Advent Software Beats on EPS, but GAAP Results Lag
msnbc.com
31 (Q4), Advent Software beat expectations on revenues and beat expectations on earnings per share. Compared to the prior-year quarter, revenue expanded significantly and GAAP earnings per share contracted significantly. Advent Software notched revenue ...

and more »


Guidance Software Acquires CaseCentral
socalTech.com
Pasadena-based Guidance Software, which develops digital forensics and e-discovery software, said Tuesday afternoon that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire CaseCentral, a developer of electronic discovery software.
Guidance Software to Acquire CaseCentralMarketWatch (press release)
GUIDANCE SOFTWARE, INC.: Guidance Software Reports Q4 2011 Financial Resul..4-traders (press release)

all 13 news articles »


1 Software Stock to Buy Now
DailyFinance
The company, which specializes in providing accounting, inventory management, and other operational software over the Web, projected $0.19 to $0.21 in adjusted earnings on $295 million to $300 million in profits. All figures represented an increase ...

and more »


Bradenton Herald

Hydrovolts Uses Autodesk Software to Create Plug-and-Play Water Turbines
MarketWatch (press release)
SAN RAFAEL, Calif., Feb 07, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Clean technology innovator Hydrovolts is using software from Autodesk, Inc. /quotes/zigman/68719/quotes/nls/adsk ADSK +1.55% to create unique hydrokinetic turbines that are more easily installed in ...
Hydrovolts Turbine For Clean Energy Generation, Designed With The Help Of ...TheStreet.com (press release)
AUTODESK, INC.: Hydrovolts Uses Autodesk Software to Create Plug-and-Play ..4-traders (press release)

all 7 news articles »


eNewsChannels

TeamF1 Announces Support for Cavium OCTEON® III Multicore MIPS64® Processor Family
Sacramento Bee
TeamF1.com), the leader in embedded networking and security software solutions for wired and wireless applications, today announced it will support the new state-of-the art OCTEON® III MIPS64® family of 1 – 48 core multicore processors from Cavium, ...
6WIND Announces Packet Processing Software Optimized for Cavium's OCTEON® III ...PR Web (press release)
6WIND Announces Packet Processing Software Optimized For Cavium's OCTEON(R ...Daily Markets (press release)
MontaVista Software Announces Support for Cavium OCTEON(R) III Multicore ...MarketWatch (press release)
eNewsChannels
all 63 news articles »


Tax Software Vs. An Accountant: Which Is Right For You?
San Francisco Chronicle
While the ever improving selection of tax preparation software certainly makes it easier to do your own taxes, it has hardly put Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) and other personal tax preparers out of business. There is no way around the fact that ...

and more »


Polarion Software Makes a Bold Move Into the Software Testing Market With ...
MarketWatch (press release)
ALAMEDA, CALIFORNIA, Feb 07, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- Polarion Software, a recognized leader in application lifecycle management, announced today it has further expanded its end-to-end support for software development teams with the launch of ...

and more »


Software Engineering Institute Hosts Free Software Architecture Virtual Event
MarketWatch (press release)
7, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- The Carnegie Mellon Software Engineering Institute (SEI) will host "Architecting Software the SEI Way: Essential Steps Toward Mastery," a free virtual event on Tuesday, February 28, from 1 pm to 4:30 pm (ET).

and more »

Google News

Home | Site Map

Powered By: Free Work At Home Business Opportunity!

© 2006