Released on = May 28, 2007, 12:31 pm

Press Release Author = Alba Spectrum Group

Industry = Computers

Press Release Summary = If you deploy Microsoft Dynamics GP or older version of
Microsoft Great Plains, formerly known as Great Plains Software eEnterprise,
Dynamics/Dynamics C/S+ and if you have Great Plains Dexterity inhouse modification,
then your custom Dex module upgrade might be inevitable question for you, when you
plan to update GP to current version.. Before you jump into GP upgrade, you should
get some hints on how to understand your GP Dexterity upgrade routes. In this small
article, which is not technically challenging, but requires IT and potentially
programming & development background, we will try to give you initial orientation

Press Release Body = Alba Spectrum Group, http://www.albaspectrum.com
help@albaspectrum.com 1-866-528-0577, 1-630-961-5918

If you deploy Microsoft Dynamics GP or older version of Microsoft Great Plains,
formerly known as Great Plains Software eEnterprise, Dynamics/Dynamics C/S+ and if
you have Great Plains Dexterity inhouse modification, then your custom Dex module
upgrade might be inevitable question for you, when you plan to update GP to current
version.. Before you jump into GP upgrade, you should get some hints on how to
understand your GP Dexterity upgrade routes. In this small article, which is not
technically challenging, but requires IT and potentially programming & development
background, we will try to give you initial orientation.
. Dexterity Customization Technology Utilized. Well, first of all - Dex was
designed as DB and computer graphical platform independent IDE. Later on, when
Microsoft purchased Great Plains Software, Dexterity was optimized for Microsoft SQL
Server DB platform and support for other DB platforms, such as Pervasive SQL
2000/Btrieve and Ctree/Faircom was discontinued. For you this means, that first
thing to look at is - are you on legacy DB platform: Pervasive or Ctree. If you are
on mentioned legacy platforms, then your dex custom modules uses so-called Dexterity
cursors - these may work and may not for newest version of Microsoft SQL Server 2005
- plus performance might be not optimized - reengineering is recommended to move Dex
cursors logic to MS SQL Server Stored Procedures
. Dex sanscript in VBA/Modifier code. This technology was used around 1998-2000, it
also sometimes referred as Continuum code generation (Continuum for VB and Delphi).
In the time, the advantage of this technology was the ability to switch Great Plains
third party modules within your VBA scripts and then apply dex sanscript logic to
third party dictionary - we remember examples when Intellisol Project Accounting and
Advanced Purchase Order Processing modules were manipulated in described technology.
Drawback of this technology is - inability to debug sanscript code in VBA debugger
and as such - problems with version upgrade, especially when Intellisol Project
Accounting was not selected by Great Plains Software to be purchased and integrated
into GP set of standard modules
. Customized Objects. Dex allows you to customize virtually everything in Great
Plains, however the impact on upgradeability depends on the customized objects type.
The first idea is to upgrade existing GP objects, such as Sales Order Processing
form, for example, however if you do so, when GP releases new version - you
virtually had to recustomize SOP Entry form again. Opposite to modifying existing
forms, you should try to create new forms or if this is not possible and you still
need custom logic to hit existing forms, consider Dexterity form trigger approach
. Dexterity Reports. These are candidates to be redesigned in SQL Stored procedures
or SQL views and moved to SRS (preferred) or Crystal Reports

Andrew Karasev, Alba Spectrum Group, http://www.albaspectrum.com
help@albaspectrum.com 1-866-528-0577, 1-630-961-5918, serving Microsoft Dynamics GP
USA and Canada nationwide: Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary, Windsor, New York,
San Francisco, Los Angeles, Miami, Orlando, Pittsburg, Toledo, Indianapolis,
Detroit, Philadelphia, Boston, Washington, Seattle, San Diego, Phoenix, Austin.
Local service is available in Chicago and Houston metros: Rosenberg, Katy, Richmond,
Dallas, Galveston, Sugar Land, Naperville, Wheaton, Plainfield, Aurora, Wheaton,
Downers Grove, Lisle, Oakbrook, Morris, Marseilles, Joliet, Montgomery, Oswego,
DeKalb. With reasonable travel we serve Springfield, Bloomington, Normal, Peoria,
LaSalle, Ottawa, Dixon



Web Site = http://www.albaspectrum.com

Contact Details = Alba Spectrum Group, http://www.albaspectrum.com
help@albaspectrum.com 1-866-528-0577, 1-630-961-5918