Dynamics GP and CRM Timesheet Solution Notes

Let us present you CMS based Timesheet logic and how it is exported into Microsoft Dynamics GP (former Great Plains) or any other Corporate ERP or accounting application (SAP Business One, Oracle eBusiness Suite, Axapta, etc. ).  We are testing this product and roll out is scheduled in earlier 2010:
1. Microsoft CRM Contracts and Budgeting.  Here for each Account you can define Contract, as we are talking about.  As we are talking about billable time, please use Contract Template with Allotment type Time.  In the Contract budgeting is done via Contract Lines.  Each Contract Line might have different billable rate.  When you create at least one Contract Line with budget setup, please reopen Contract (if you look at left bottom corner its status is Draft) and Action -> Invoice Contract.  This action will transfer contract to Active status.  Now open Case, assign it to Contract Line and switch to Activities on the left pane and click on New Activity icon.  In selection list keep default Task option marked and this will open New Task for you.  This task is your Timesheet line with Due date, Duration (billable time log) and description.  Click on Save as Completed icon on the top toolbar and time is now logged toward the case (which is your work order), toward budget (contract line) and contract
2. Timesheet table.  This is custom object created in Microsoft CRM SDK, each row of it allows you to log all your time in one place for the day or the whole week during five to ten minutes as it is supposed to be in Service Organization.  Timesheets go for management approval and then they could be exported into Text File (the other option is to use ODBC connection to MS CRM for pulling approved timesheets from there)
3. Timesheet import to your Accounting application.  In the case of Microsoft Dynamics GP we recommend Great Plains Integration Manager to move timesheet transactions directly to Sales Order Processing module as Sales Orders or Sales Invoices.  Each line is non-inventory item and if the length in CRM task is too long, we recommend you to cut the line (VBA script, as you need to find the beginning of the word) and move the rest of it into SOP Line Comment.  If you do so - the comment will be automatically printed on GP SOP Blank Invoice Form (or another form: Long or Short).  In the case of SAP Business One we recommend to deploy Data Transfer Workbench, working over ODBC integration.  ODBC integration we recommend via MS SQL Server connection to Linked Server (ODBC driver connection to Text File - export).  Now in SQL create the view (OPENROWSET), which imitates CSV templates for oInvoice: document header and document lines.  If you have another ERP or Accounting application, please check with your ERP consultant on Integration tool available to move Text file into Sales Invoice
4. Advantages for Large Service organization.  Microsoft CRM is web based application, which is accessible from internet all over the World.  If CRM license for each technician is unreasonably expensive, the same solutions could be map each technician to one CRM login and Technicians IDs are maintained in Custom MS CRM object/table
5. How to get help?  Please, feel free to call us: 1-866-528-0577, outside of USA: 1-630-961-5918 or email us help@albaspectrum.com  We are very technical and real Dynamics GP Dexterity, SAP Business One SDK and Microsoft CRM programming gurus.  We have Great Plains Software Development Factory and could support unlimited Dynamics GP Customization and Programming needs.  Plus we speak English, Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, and not only as native speaking sales folks, but as real technical consultants.  If you prefer skype: albaspectrum