| Microsoft Dynamics GP should be | | | | exporting Purchase Orders and placing |
| considered as ERP technical platform, | | | | EDI inventory replenishment PO to your |
| which is open for software developers | | | | EDI nationwide vendor, then consider SQL |
| through such technologies as SQL Stored | | | | stored procedure approach. Stored |
| Procedures, Microsoft Dexterity, | | | | Procedure is capable to create EDI |
| Extender, VBA scripting and Modifier, | | | | header, lines, trailing end and export |
| SRS, Crystal Reports, GP Integration | | | | this in typically fixed length EDI text |
| Manager, MS Visual Studio SDK, eConnect, | | | | file |
| GP Report Writer to name the most | | | | 3. GP user interface modifications. |
| popular. If you are programmer, who | | | | Here you need to review Dexterity, |
| just got the project to alter or extend | | | | Modifier and Extender. We do not really |
| GP business logic, you need to review | | | | recommend you to dive on your own into |
| and compare modification instruments to | | | | Dexterity realm, you should rather |
| select the best fit. Let's review | | | | subcontract dex customization. Modifier |
| popular customizations: | | | | allows you quickly alter GP screens and |
| 1. eCommerce integration. Here you | | | | modify business logic with VBA scripts |
| should consider eConnect if you need | | | | 4. Reporting. Here you are free to |
| real time integration and Great Plains | | | | select either one: SRS (or Microsoft SQL |
| Integration Manager, if you are OK with | | | | Server Reporting Services), Crystal |
| scheduled or overnight data | | | | Reports, Report Writer, or FRx (this one |
| synchronization. eConnect requires C# | | | | only if dealing with pure financial |
| or VB.Net programming skills, while IM | | | | reports: Balance Sheet, Profit & Loss, |
| requires VBA scripting if you need to | | | | Cash Flow) |
| intervene into standard integration | | | | 5. Data Conversions. It is not really a |
| logic | | | | customization, rather initial data |
| 2. EDI integration. Here you have two | | | | massage and move from legacy MRP to |
| scenarios: exporting from GP and | | | | Great Plains. |
| importing to GP. If you are just | | | | |