Released on = June 13, 2007, 3:38 pm

Press Release Author = Alba Spectrum Group

Industry = Computers

Press Release Summary = As ERP applications go to the web and user work in Internet
Explorer to perform MRP data entry and inquiry routines, we think it would be worth
to describe common scenarios of implementing Microsoft Business Portal for Dynamics
GP. We suppose that your company has several hundred employees, who potentially may
use Business Portal. The advantage of having these people use BP versus work in
Microsoft Dynamics GP directly is licensing cost. If your company is smaller in
size, then you should evaluate BP deployment, in our opinion at this time BP
requires strong Microsoft oriented IT department, familiar with such technologies as
SQL Server, Sharepoint, .Net C# programming, GP ReportWriter, FRx reporting, hosting
in extranet environment secured BP server, MS Exchange

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

As ERP applications go to the web and user work in Internet Explorer to perform MRP
data entry and inquiry routines, we think it would be worth to describe common
scenarios of implementing Microsoft Business Portal for Dynamics GP. We suppose
that your company has several hundred employees, who potentially may use Business
Portal. The advantage of having these people use BP versus work in Microsoft
Dynamics GP directly is licensing cost. If your company is smaller in size, then
you should evaluate BP deployment, in our opinion at this time BP requires strong
Microsoft oriented IT department, familiar with such technologies as SQL Server,
Sharepoint, .Net C# programming, GP ReportWriter, FRx reporting, hosting in extranet
environment secured BP server, MS Exchange
. Requisition Management. If potentially all your office employees are creating
purchase requests: computers, furniture, office supplies, etc - RM is the module for
you to implement. It has pretty flexible approval hierarchy structure where you can
submit purchase request to your approver, approver might be changed by purchase
approving management, if desired (direct approver takes two weeks off situation, or
the like). When you will be doing implementation, you will figure out that RM and
Dynamics GP are actually two "separate", however integrated applications, so, when
you do query in BP RM on the whole Requisition life cycle, starting with creation
and then approvals, transferring to Purchase Order (which is now in GP), Receiving
and Paying off the vendor invoice. This means the report or life cycle query should
be designed as cross-modules and as such directly in MS SQL Server, linking your
company DB with DYNAMICS db (where RM tables reside for BP 3.0)
. HR and Employee Self Service. If you implement Payroll or HR or both PR & HR for
you Microsoft Dynamics GP, then extending this with BP Humane Resources Management
Self Service Suite might be natural extension. Here you people could update their
personal information including W-4, request vacation (if you have MS Outlook
extension for BP HR - they can do it directly in Outlook). Also, if you have
contractors in staff, they will be able to submit their hours (however not
associated with projects, be realistic here in expectations - you need Project
Accounting and TimeCard & Expenses Entry extension for BP - this is different module
of BP). If you have technicians in the repair shops, this might not be very good
idea as BP requires Active Directory user login to access BP.
. Order Management. If you sell to your relatively narrow set of permanent
customers and you can maintain relatively compact catalog of your product, you may
benefit in implementing OM module. Here, you should know upfront, that customers
require Active Directory login and Customer ID in GP in order to place the order.
If you plan customer orders to be placed by your Sales People, then this is not the
case. Active Directory setup for your customers requires you to enforce IT security
and support extranet environment
. Backup Scenario. BP GP modules store their data in DYNAMICS and Company
databases. Probably these modules are predecessors of the future GP modules
transformation from Microsoft Dexterity to .Net. So, besides Sharepoint backup -
you will simply need the above mentioned DB backup in regular fashion - either as
scheduled SQL job or included in tape backup.

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