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Sap Business One: Extending it With Sdk – Overview for Consultant

admin — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 19:47:57 +0000

It is always a good advise to adopt procedures and functionality available in out-of-the-box version of any ERP application, including SB1, however it is common, when standard logic doesn’t allow to automate unique business processes, in this case you have to program modified logic in Software Development Kit. Let’s review SDK in the format of this small article:

1. Programming Language and IDE. You can use either VB or C#.Net and Microsoft Visual Studio will be your tool, assuming that you are on Windows and MS SQL Server platforms. Generic C# programmers are available on the market, however it is recommended to consider contracting certified SB1 SDK developer, who has expertise in B1 objects structure and technical side of business logic

2. SDK integrations. Before considering changing existing or adding new screens to SB1, try to design your customization just to integrate external application. This is good example – imagine, that you have legacy Sales Order Processing system, then when order is ready to be sent over to SB1, deploy SDK programming to create AR Invoice or Sales Order in SAP Business One. If implementing integration logic, try not to communicate with SB1 in real time mode (as if you are uploading 50 objects in one minute from 50 SB1 users), instead try to implement batch upload custom logic. Batch upload logic and SDK programming is common in Barcoding scenarios

3. Implementation with custom add-ons. If you plan to launch SB1 in production, please budget some time for custom tables historical data conversion, here as you can expect you can not use such nice tools as Work Bench to move data in

Sap Business One Consultant Atlanta, Chicago Newsflash: Customization

admin — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 15:38:27 +0000

Sap B1 ERP is on the rise in gaining its ERP and MRP for small and mid-size businesses market share. This publication should help you in your next accounting software selection, as well as in deciding on who will be your SB1 VAR or Reseller and Implementation Partner. When you are in software selection phase you should see SAP Business One presentation and in this demo you should identify which functionality fits your business processes and where you might need modifications. We will give you highlights on SAP B1 software development and programming, plus integrations

1.       First, if you are programmer, please know that in SB1 you can only do select statement, but you can not modify or insert data into SAP B1 tables directly, as you probably did with your legacy ERP application, such as Great Plains, for example. SAP Business One installation controls your direct database access in order to prevent possible data integrity problems

2.       SAP Business One SDK programming. Your SAP B1 customization partner should give you custom logic estimation. Modification should be programmed in SB1 Software Development Kit. SDK programming should be entrusted into certified SB1 SDK developer hands, and SDK is available for SAP Business One Certified VAR. Programming itself could be done either in VB or C# in Visual Studio .Net. If your SB1 implementation crosses US borders, then you should know that your custom module should be separately compiled for A and B versions (where version B is international). Plus you should be aware about future SAP Business One customization upgrade cost – as custom code will need to be verified and recompiled in the new version. Current SB1 version is 2007A and B. If you are upgrading from 2005, you will need to recompile it

3.       SB1 Workbench and Integration methods. If you got it working with Excel templates and this is OK for you, then the following paragraph should be skipped. However if you do not like Excel way, you should consider ODBC queries instead, where you can go and try advanced SQL scripting: select, union, group by, having clauses for example

Dynamics Gp Consultant: Customization Design, Support and Upgrade

admin — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 10:26:09 +0000

Great Plains ERP or new name Microsoft Dynamics GP has large client base in US, Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, Caribbean, Australia, New Zealand, Pacific, UK and South Africa. It has also good MRP applications market share in Asia, especially in the countries, where English language is in use in business. As you would always like to have multiple options open in installing, implementing, customizing and modifying your Great Plains version, in this small publication we would like to give you more ground in this topic

1.       Great Plains Software Licenses Purchase. There are three MBS centers: US, Ireland (Europe, Africa, Middle East), Singapore (Asia, Australia and Pacific). You should locate Microsoft Dynamics GP Great Plains Reseller/Implementation Partner in your region accordingly. Some companies, Alba Spectrum is an example are authorize in all centers and sell GP licenses Worldwide. You can only acquire Great Plains licenses through Microsoft Dynamics GP VAR channel, they are not available from Microsoft Business Solutions directly to ensure GP implementation to be performed by Microsoft GP Certified Partner

2.       Great Plains Customization. As typical mid-market ERP application Great Plains has good exposure to software programmers for custom development, integration and reports design. We recommend you to review whitepapers on GP eConnect, as this tool is very friendly to C# or VB.Net developers. If you are looking to make professional customization for your ERP, please check out with GP ISV partners, who provides Great Plains Dexterity programming services

3.       Great Plains Support. Modern technologies, such as Web Sessions, VPN, RDC allow you to get Great Plains technician help remotely and save on consultant travel. Remote support also theoretically could be done instantly on demand

4.       Great Plains Version Update. GP Upgrade should be trusted to professional GP consultant. To

give you just some Great Plains upgrade examples. Upgrading to version 10.0, which is in time current – it is service pack sensitive. For example, if you have GP CD 10.0, you can only upgrade with RTM version from GP 9.0 SP2, if you are taking upgrade path from 9.0 to 10.0

History of Microsoft Dynamics GP: Project Accounting integration scenarios – overview for consultant

admin — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 08:18:05 +0000

Microsoft Great Plains or former Great Plains Software Dynamics/eEnterprise is very good platform for service business automation, including midsize and large corporations, specializing in routine projects: placement, small contracts to residential and small business customers, franchisee networks, distribution, etc. In our small article we will be giving you example of medical personnel placement projects, where hospitals and clinics are the customers. The advantage of such standard-functionality system as Great Plains/Dynamics GP is reasonable price and very reliable database platform: MS SQL Server. The other way is to deploy rich-functionality ERP, such as SAP R/3/mySAP, Oracle Financials, however the implementation, customization and integration cost would be a way higher.• Timesheet import. Placement industry is underserved and placement application market is very weak, this results in a high demand in standard ERP customizations. Usually placement agency has CRM application with sophisticated or simple time and expenses logging functionality. This time logs should be integrated with project accounting timesheet header and line tables. Timesheet import should come in parallel with the import of new customers, new contracts and projects. Tables: PA10000 – Timesheet header and PA10001 – Timesheet line, PA01901 – PA Key Master, PA01301 – PA Budget Master, PA01101 – Contract Master and PA01201 – Project Master.• Employee Expenses. Your temps usually file you expense reports, especially if they are traveling to remote locations/hospitals/clinics• Billing Process. In the billing itself you usually need fixes to Project, Contract and Timesheet records – if you deploy simple custom logic and user defined fields plus notes. Prior to billing you typically run SQL script and stored procedures. The necessity of this custom logic should be attributed to legacy design – please note that GP was designed as database and graphical platform independent application/MRP back in the earlier 1990th. Its IDE and programming language is kind of a shell written in C – Great Plains Dexterity, current name is Microsoft Dexterity.• Invoice Formats/Forms. Great Plains Project Accounting is former MatchData Dexterity third party module. The initial design was done in Philippines at the end of 20th century. Since then Great Plains Software tried to integrate PA into DYNAMICS.DIC (as well as its new acquisitions – Great Plains Manufacturing), later on the decision was made to keep third party (now purchased and integrated modules) in their own dictionaries. Further complication – Project Green was intended to merge all the applications into one: Microsoft Navision, Axapta, Solomon, Great Plains – currently the idea is to have web portal type of integration. As you can expect – the invoice form is very flexible and is probably too generic for the standard functionality of GP Project Accounting. You might need Dexterity custom touches to activate required features• For C#/VB.Net developers. With the version 9.0 Microsoft Dynamics GP will be exposing you Microsoft Great Plains objects and forms. This is not a Dexterity, however you should be familiar with Dexterity design and architecture.• Dexterity Legacy. You should still see it out there: DYNAMICS.SET, DEX.INI, DEX.EXE. In some cases we see ancient legacy applications, coming back to 1980th – Great Plains Accounting for DOS and MS Windows: 9.2, 9.5. The only recommendation to the customers who are without GP/MS support – upgrade to Microsoft Dynamics GP Standard 9.0• Future Directions. Microsoft Dynamics GP has a long history of success. However in the US, UK, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Continental Europe Microsoft Business Solutions is now promoting new MRP/ERP application, originally developed and designed by Navision Software – Microsoft Dynamics AX/Microsoft Axapta/Navision Axapta

Dynamics Gp Consultant Newsflash: Importing Into Great Plains

admin — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 16:39:48 +0000

If you have Dynamics GP or former Great Plains Dynamics eEnterprise implemented in your organization there is a good idea to understand your options to add such things as EDI, ongoing integration or one time data conversion. Dynamics GP has multiple data import and export options and in this small publication we would like to give you initial GP integration highlights:

1.       Dynamics GP Integration Manager. This tool is really great and you can setup the integration simply by reading IM user manual. It integrates text files: CSV, Tab and special character delimited. Also, you can get advantage of more flexible ODBC data sources integration, where you can deploy such ODBC compliant constructions as SQL Views, including cross-platform: Oracle, Lotus Notes, Pervasive SQL, Ctree, Microsoft Access, Excel, PHP mySQL (including bridges to Linux or Unix) to give you the idea. Plus, IM allows you to alter integration logic in VBA scripts: before integration, before document commit, and other execution points. You may say, that it is all great, the only problem for you is ERP implementation and support budget (especially now in 2009, when we are supposed to be in deep recession) – Integration Manager doesn’t come free with GP purchase (however Dynamics GP Business Ready license gives you, at least now the IM conversion license – this is temporary license, assuming that you need few month to conversion legacy accounting and MRP data to Dynamics GP Great Plains)

2.       Dynamics GP Macros. This technique is a bit creative and not necessary known to every Dynamics GP programmer or consultant. Macros work even if you have add-ons, or third party Dynamics GP ISV partners customizations. The idea of macro deployment is simple and straightforward: open the window of the object to be integrated (customer maintenance for instance) and start recording macro in Tools->Macro->Record. Enter manually two new customers and then stop playing macro. Look at the macro file, open Excel file with your customers (coming from legacy system: PeachTree, MYOB, QuickBooks, Lotus Notes Domino) and add macro commands as Excel columns (in between your customer related fields). Then save your Excel file in text format and give the new text file macro extension. Now you are ready to play macro. Macro playing requires computer session dedication – do not try to switch to another application while macro is in progress – simply take lunch or cup of coffee

3.       eConnect programming. If you are on Dynamics GP 10.0 or 9.0, and if you classify yourself as Microsoft Visual Studio C# or VB.Net programmer with good skills in SQL and XML, then you can program integration on your own. eConnect is especially great tool for ecommerce programmer, who needs to expose Dynamics GP as back end ERP for ecommerce application

Great Plains Dynamics Gp Consultant Chicago Newsflash: Working With Comments

admin — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 00:36:09 +0000

Microsoft Dynamics GP Great Plains ERP was designed in earlier 1990thwith new Shell Great Plains Dexterity. Dex was in turn programmed in C++ to resolve operating system and Database platform dependency. However C programming language was in time and probably now, especially when you are trying to use platform independent functions – not perfect in working with new Windows drivers: PDF printing, pictures formats, working with Unicode and International ASCII collations, web publishing, etc. In this small publication we would like to review long text attachments, which you can do in Dynamics GP – comments:

1.       OLE and Pictures. Great Plains was initially supporting and currently supports these technologies, however OLE compliant applications and pictures are stored in the files, and not in SQL database

2.       Text attachments or Notes. Comments are stored in MS SQL Server company database. Dynamics GP supports only four lines of notes, plus you should be aware that they are stored in the following table: SY04200 – comment master. Here you can assign comment id to each specific comment. However when you are attaching comment to, let’s say, SOP invoice line – you are copying its contents to the comment instantiation table – SOP10202 in our example. However on this instantiation level GP actually splits comments text into four comment lines: COMMENT_1, 2, 3 and 4 – system makes a judgment and decides if the line should be split

3.       Updating comments on the existing documents. If you have a need to update comment on Sales Invoice line level you will have to produce the algorithm from SY04200 comment master table, where you will be splitting comment text field into four comment lines. These four comment lines will be used by GP workstation to print popular reports, such as SOP Invoice Blank form

4.       eConnect eCommerce programming. Here you have encrypted stored procedures, which you can call from MS Visual Studio C# or VB .Net project, however comment restrictions apply and you still have to deal with four comment lines. If you decide to introduce customization, then you can potentially break trough

Great Plains Dynamics Gp Maintenance and Support Overview for Consultant

admin — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 16:39:05 +0000

ERP and MRP application support might be too critical to ignore and left in the hands of internal IT folks. This statement is especially true if your business processes require certain level of customization, add-ons development, reports design, modification and custom programming. Your Business Management System or Corporate ERP application stoppage might be too dangerous – in these scenarios Great Plains Technical Support: Data Repair, Version Upgrade, EDI, Moving Great Plains to new dedicated SQL 2005 Server, Integration with Microsoft CRM 4 should be considered seriously with possible appropriate budgeting. In this publication we would like to give you highlights on Great Plains maintenance:

1.       SQL Server Maintenance. Here you typically deploy SQL Server maintenance wizard to create GP databases backup and maintenance jobs. The most important databases are Dynamics, Company DB as well as Master database, where you store all SQL Server security

2.       Custom Reports and Forms. Great Plains Dynamics GP is Microsoft Dexterity based application, and Dex in turn has Modified reports and forms concept. You can modify standard report in Great Plains ReportWriter, as well as modify any existing GP form or screen in Great Plains or Dynamics GP Modifier. Modifier allows you to add VBA scripts to Great Plains modified forms, where you can even connect to Dynamics GP tables via ADO construction in VBA scripting

3.       Great Plains Dynamics GP Technology Paradox. If you look at Great Plains Dexterity – this Sanscript programming or scripting language and IDE Shell was programmed in C programming language in earlier 1990th, however even now Dex is base for new Great Plains Dynamics GP version 10.0

4.       eConnect as platform Paradox. eConnect was programmed in encrypted SQL stored procedures by Dynamics GP programmers, who apparently had access to DYNAMICS.DIC Dexterity source code dictionary. This technology opens Dynamics GP Dexterity objects to Microsoft Visual Studio C# or VB.Net software developer, who is familiar with SQL Server Stored Procedures and XML

Great Plains Consultant: Dynamics Gp Dexterity Customizations

admin — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 19:20:44 +0000

Microsoft Dynamics GP ERP application was initially designed and coded in Great Plains Software Dexterity. Dex is in turn EDI and shell, written in C++ programming language. Dexterity is tightly interrelated with Database structure, it has its own indexing, typically working with MS SQL Server primary keys and indexes. Plus Dex has its own scripting language (which is not interpreted, but compiled) – Sanscript. GP Dexterity might be not the first modification option, you like to try – you can first research such tools as Modifier with VBA, eConnect, Extender, but if you think your custom add-on should be seamlessly integrated with GP user interface and security realm, then Microsoft Dexterity programming is the way to go. Let’s come through Dex highlights:

1.       Dexterity developer selection. If you need Great Plains technical consultant with Dexterity programming expertise and certification, you typically find these specialists working for mid-size or large regional Great Plains VAR or Reseller. It might be tough project to lure in Dexterity developer on short term contract. If you think Dexterity coding could be learned in short period of time – this might be too optimistic opinion. Dexterity programmers need several years of experience to be comfortable to work on their own to spec out Add-Ons appropriately and then do the coding job, close by its quality to accepted Dex programming standards and guidelines

2.       Outsourcing Dexterity Custom Programming to subcontractor. This way is in our opinion the most optimal. Dexterity Software Development Factories are available through major Microsoft Dynamics GP partners and resellers

3.       Dexterity Technical World. Dex Add-Ons are distributed via so-called Dexterity chunks, which makes the process very flexible and open for remote support via web sessions, VPN and remote desktop connections. Sanscript is cursor driven programming language, however you can call SQL stored procedure from Dex code to get advantage of SQL selection aggregation. Dexterity debugging – Dex could be installed on your test server and Dexterity programmer could work with your system remotely, debugging flawing raw code, as part of QA procedures

4.       eConnect power and limitations. eConnect has SQL encrypted stored procedures as technology base. In various scenarios eConnect replicates Dexterity logic on SQL scripting level and exposes GP object to C# or VB.Net programmer. The strong point of eConnect is the fact, that you can get generic .Net programmer to code your GP objects directly in MS Visual Studio, the only recommendation is familiarity with MS SQL Server scripting. However eConnect doesn’t have all the power of Dexterity – especially this is seen when you need to post Great Plains transactions and batches. eConnect works with master records and work transactions only and it lacks posting logic, meaning, for example that e-commerce developers can’t post GP batches automatically without add-on, such as Alba Spectrum Posting Server

You Great Plains Technical Consultant

admin — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 20:31:32 +0000

Microsoft Dynamics GP consulting field nowadays typically requires high-end technology expertise and hands-on experience. If you are implementing Microsoft Great Plains in large or mid-size company, you expect your new ERP application to be seamlessly integrated into your existing IT infrastructure: Microsoft Windows domain, probably elements of such non-Microsoft systems as Linux Red Hut and PHP with MySQL (or another Linux brand), Oracle db integration, and things like these. Also take into consideration the needs to switch from unsuccessful implementations of concurring MRP products: Oracle EBusiness Suite, People Soft, PeachTree, Accpac, MAS 90 or 2000 – then the need of technical expertise in ERP data conversion will be even more valuable. We’ll try to keep reasonable balance in ERP consulting requirements expertise, reviewing it in this article

1. Great Plains Dexterity – is more likely the must. Historically in earlier 1990th Great Plains Software Dynamics was designed on GP Dex platform. Dex is in fact C-shell, meaning that C programming language was used in the developing of Dexterity Integrated Development Environment. Of course, currently Microsoft is marketing and positioning GP on MS .Net platform, so Dexterity is kind of legacy, comparing to .Net. However here we have to play Dex apologetic role – if your GP business logic was designed and programmed in Dex, then Dexterity modification upgrade path is critical for you

2. Great Plains data massage, this is related to GP data conversion. ERP data conversion is expected scenario, however this is typically something that is not cheap and you should review all your possible options, prior to diving into full-scale data migration

3. Heterogeneous GP reporting. Microsoft SQL Server allows you to deploy such constructions as SQL linked server, where you can query data (using OPENROWSET command) from non-Microsoft platforms, such as Java, Oracle, Sybase or IBM DBII related

4. eConnect. This tool or SDK was initially dedicated to eCommerce developers and programmers, opening for them Microsoft Dynamics GP objects realm for programming and e-commerce integration. eConnect should be moderate learning lesson for C# or VB.Net MS Visual Studio developer, as it is in its core set of encrypted SQL Stored Procedures

5. SQL Scripting for GP integration. Of course this approach is not “object-oriented” and it is not recommended for somebody who considers himself as GP novice. However, if you are scripting for Great Plains for over 5 years, you should recognize that direct SQL scripting is the most efficient way to gain integration performance

6. GP Reporting. Here you have a choice: Crystal Reports, GP ReportWriter, MS SQL Server Reporting Services or SRS, MS Excel, MS Access, Microsoft Dexterity, FRx – all these tools are in your disposition, and you should make your homework in identifying the best tool for the specific job

Great Plains Consultant Chicago, San Diego News: Dynamics Gp Reporting

admin — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 18:37:06 +0000

Microsoft Dynamics GP ERP has multiple reporting tools: Report Writer, Crystal Reports, MS SQL Server Reporting Services, FRx, Microsoft Access reports, Excel reporting. Seeing such a variety of tools, you need to know that report design tool selection depends on the report nature. For example if you need to link several modules in Dynamics GP, such as Sales Order Processing and Purchase Order Processing (when your project is done for sales commission release, when items and services are sold and goods are delivered by your vendors) – then you should consider Crystal Reports or SRS, where you can create SQL Stored Procedure or View as report background. Let’s briefly review reporting tools selection and their capabilities:

1.       FRx. FRx report designer links directly to Great Plains General Ledger. This means that you should consider this report design tools for GL level reports, including consolidated reports, working over FRx reporting tree. Also it works with GL budgets as well as has an option to consolidate your GP companies with virtual companies, which are exported into Excel worksheet – FRx has Excel linking mechanism.

2.       Dynamics GP ReportWriter. The strong points of this tool are direct call of existing reports from GP user workstation with parameters screens. RW is seamlessly integrated with GP interface and user security realm. Such reports as SOP Invoice Blank form is one of the most popular for RW modification – you got to place your company logo on Sales Invoice Form. You can also create RW compatible report in Great Plains Dexterity customizations and these reports will be available via GP Customize menu. Such Dex reports are known as GP Alternate Modified reports. RW is less flexible than Crystal Reports or SRS, but it can have GP parameters entry screen within GP user security realm

3.       Crystal Reports and SRS. You may think that these two tools are coming from different vendors and unlikely are comparable. However in the case of Great Plains report design they are similar in report programming technology – the best reports are based on MS SQL Server Stored procedure or SQL view

4.       MS Access, Excel and generic MS Visual Studio .Net report publishing. Excel and MS Access can hook up ODBC compliant DB platform, such as MS SQL Server in VBA scripting. C# or VB .Net programmer or Great Plains Technical Consultant can build GP report via SQL select statement in ADO.Net. If you are .Net MS Visual Studio developer, please consider eConnect programming versus direct SQL select statements. If you need GP tables structure, please install GP SDK from CD #2