Released on: August 29, 2008, 6:13 pm

Press Release Author: Alba Spectrum LLC

Industry: Computers

Press Release Summary: Microsoft Dynamics GP, or former ERP name - Great Plains
Dynamics and eEnterprise, being implemented often requires initial or even ongoing
data migration, data massage in Excel, preparing data in EDI complaint format either
importing into GP or exporting from there to place order with your EDI vendors and
suppliers.

Press Release Body: Microsoft Dynamics GP, or former ERP name - Great Plains
Dynamics and eEnterprise, being implemented often requires initial or even ongoing
data migration, data massage in Excel, preparing data in EDI complaint format either
importing into GP or exporting from there to place order with your EDI vendors and
suppliers. In this publication we would like to share with you some common data
integration and conversion techniques

1. Dynamics GP Integration Manager. IM should be reviewed first, prior to
considering other data integration and migration options and tools. Assuming that
you are implementing new GP version, such as Great Plains 10.0 (current at this
time, September 2008), you should know technical side of new connectors available -
eConnect technology. eConnect revolutionizes IM, as it breaks through performance
hurdle and provides several hundred documents per minute, depending on the document
type. If you have your conversion data in ODBC compliant database, we recommend you
to consider advanced ODBC query in IM. Advanced ODBC allows you to do union, group
by, having, sum, max and other standard SQL queries (obviously ODBC places some
restrictions, but they are typically not critical and not a show stoppers)

2. IM and Text Files. If your legacy data export is not really flexible and what
you get is old fashion text report, do not give up, if you design Advanced ODBC
query over Text Driver, you can weed out blank lines, headers, comments and other
rows, non participating in integration

3. Data Conversion Strategies. If you think that you can import "everything", you
probably should review conversion scenarios and their cost and vulnerability to
flaws and errors. When you switch over from your old legacy MRP to new accounting
application, you should consider smooth transition, where you leave your legacy
system for data inquiry for several years, while new system crosses reasonable data
collection time frame to virtually shut down the old ERP

4. Master Records Migration. Try to evaluate first so-called master records
conversion: GL accounts, customers, vendors, employees and addresses. Then you
simply enter GL beginning balances and switch over daily data entry to your newly
implemented Dynamics GP Great Plains. This approach is the best, the most reliable
and the most cost efficient and errors proof

5. GP historical data conversion. This conversion is something that we would like
to discourage you to do. It is possible, however it is not easy and you should
review the feasibility from the stand point of the budget, the efficiency and the
end result. You may get final results, however you will spend high budget with
modest performance


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

Contact Details: Andrew Karasev, Alba Spectrum, LLC, http://www.albaspectum.com,
help@albaspectrum.com, 1-866-528-0577, serving Great Plains Dynamics GP community
since 1994. Please visit our information portal Pegas Planet:
http://www.pegasplanet.com. GP, SAP B1 local service in Chicago, Naperville, San
Diego, Atlanta, Houston, Dallas. We specialize in ERP remote support and we cover
the whole territory or the USA, Canada, Mexico, Central America, Caribbean, Pacific,
UK, Australia, New Zealand. US States covered: IL, CA, FL, WA, DC, NY, MI, PA, AZ,
TX, LA, GA, AL, HA, IN, WI, AL, KA, IO, NV, NM, CO, SC, NC, DE, MA.