Released on: December 29, 2007, 5:31 pm

Press Release Author: Alba Spectrum Group

Industry: Computers

Press Release Summary: In order to be prepared to install on your own or select
Great Plains implementation consultant, you should be familiar with GP database
platform and technology. In early XXI Century, Great Plains Software and
respectively Great Plains eEnterprise and Dynamics ERP was acquired by Microsoft.


Press Release Body: Microsoft formed Microsoft Great Plains Business Solutions with
head office in Fargo, ND, later on renamed into Microsoft Business Solutions, and
finally in September 2005 into Microsoft Dynamics subdivision. Since the time of
Microsoft acquisition, Great Plains was on the way of phasing out non-Microsoft DB
platforms, such as Pervasive SQL 2000 (former Btrieve) and Ctree/Faircom - final
version supporting these non-Microsoft databases was Microsoft Great Plains
Professional and Standard 7.5. For you this means that you should be very
comfortable in supporting and troubleshooting Microsoft SQL Server (2005 or 2000) in
your organization, as GP is available exclusively on MS SQL Server. Let's come down
to the details bullets:
1. Microsoft Dexterity IDE and scripting language of GP. Former Great Plains
Dexterity, currently Microsoft Dynamics GP Dex is the hearth of GP development and
scripting. Dex traces are now hidden to certain extent, however you could see it in
DEX_ROW_ID column in each table, Dynamics.dic, Dex.ini and Dynamics.exe
architectures
2. GP Utilities. When you finish files copy on your workstation or the MS Windows
Server, installation process launches Dex Utilities to begin Dynamics database
loading. Dex Utils create the database itself, tables, atomic stored procedures,
views, other DB components, then they load eConnect encrypted stored procedures.
Great Plains has modular structure, and historically vanilla installation of GP
includes multiple modules, normally 12 for version 10.0
3. Accounts structure. Here you need to understand that GP requires you to decide
on how many segments and maximum account length of your GL accounts. This decision
should be communicated to Great Plains Utilities in the Dynamics DB installation
time. If you plan to familiarize yourself with GP (if you are installing if from
MSDN evaluation DC, foe example), we recommend you to have 3 segments with the
following lengths: 3, 4, 2 respectively
4. Review the installation. We recommend you to review Dynamics.set file and see
which modules are really installed, you should not install additional modules, if
you do not have them in your ERP set, examples could be Manufacturing, Project
Accounting, etc. If you are just evaluating GP you can disregard this
recommendation, however in production MRP environment, you should install only the
modules you need, as all the other modules will try to validate themselves and force
you to do their setup
5. Old version update. If you need GP upgrade, then if you are on archaic version,
where your DB is not MS SQL Server, then you will need to undergo migration process
- migration tool does this job. Migration tool uses link to Pervasive SQL or Ctree
and ODBC connection to Microsoft SQL Server to transfer your GP tables. If you are
on MS SQL Server, then you need to check with your Microsoft Business Solution VAR
on the upgrade path, especially if you are two or more versions behind. Current
version is 10.0 and in order to upgrade from version 8.0 or 9.0 you must apply GP
10.0 Service Pack 1 or the newer as it will be available
6. Installation in Citrix environment. In terminal server you more likely would
like to suppress Microsoft Office stack of products integration, including Microsoft
Outlook. Please review table SY08100 in Dynamics database.
7. Great Plains Customization Upgrade. Here you will need professional Dexterity
programmer help in reviewing your alternative business logic forms and scripts and
performing the upgrade job
8. Great Plains Integration upgrade. Here you should find out which integrating
tool you deploy. In the case of Integration Manager or IM, you should now that in
versions 9.0 and 10.0 you have now eConnect IM connectors for such popular
integration destinations, as SOP transactions, POP transactions, customers, shipping
methods, etc. In order to get the performance advantages of new eConnect connectors
you will have to reassemble IM integrations. eConnect doesn't require GP
workstation be running behind the scenes, however each integration targets specific
GP company, which is not the case for old OLE integrations
9. Additional Considerations. These might be self apparent, however we saw the
problems related to them. So, please be sure that you have Server admin right if
you are installing server side and user workstation admin rights if you are
installing user part
10. Vista User Workstation installation. Please, review latest technical articles
for Vista and Microsoft Dynamics GP, as at this time, January 2008 Vista has certain
patches and assumptions, when you install Great Plains there
Andrew Karasev, Alba Spectrum Group, http://www.albaspectrum.com
help@albaspectrum.com 1-866-528-0577, 1-630-961-5918. Serving GP customers in
Illinois, Texas, California, Florida, Wisconsin, New York, Michigan and USA and
Canada nation wide via remote support. Our service is popular in USA country side,
where you do not expect local consultants to be available and we cover the whole
country with travel onside with initial user training - then we typically save your
budget by convenient remote support, as we already are familiar with your key IT and
accounting personnel. Local service is available in Chicago, Houston, Naperville,
Oakbrook, Wheaton, Joliet, Plainfield, Aurora, Elgin, Springfield, Morris, Ottawa,
LaSalle, Channahon, Brookfield, Villa Park, Downers Grove, Lisle, Hinsdale,
Lincolnwood, Zion, Kankakee, Braidwood, Niles.



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. Serving GP customers in
Illinois, Texas, California, Florida, Wisconsin, New York, Michigan and USA and
Canada nation wide via remote support