Approximately every two years you see ERP application to release new version. From Accounting perspective itself such mid-size ERP and MRP application as Dynamics GP Great Plains probably does required job and you do not really see the need to undergo sometimes complex and a bit challenging version upgrade process
However, you may find certain advantages, if you look at ERP version upgrade and versioning as the ERP life cycle: software application typically has to depend on contemporary hardware, operating system, Database and service packs. You probably do not expect old ERP version to be fully compatible with new Windows 2008 Server or new Microsoft SQL Server 2008, and if your IT is moving you toward these new OS and DB versions, there might be a good idea to update your ERP application, in our case Microsoft Dynamics GP Great Plains to the current version (Dynamics GP 10.0 at this time, March 2009). Also, think about Microsoft Business Solutions feasibility perspective to support reasonable set of versions – they have to train Dynamics GP Technical Support technicians, and it might not be practical for MBS to support Great Plains version 6.0, which was released over 10 years ago. Let’s review Dynamics GP version upgrade questions and scenarios:
1. Upgrade path. It is common practice when you are skipping one or two versions and then upgrade over, say two versions. Good example is this – if you are on Great Plains eEnterprise 6.0 and your target version in Dynamics GP 10.0 Professional, you are making three steps: 6.0->7.5, 7.5->9.0 and then 9.0->10.0. There might be few complications there: non Microsoft SQL Server DB (Pervasive SQL 2000 or Ctree, here you have to undertake Great Plains migration step from Pervasive/Btrieve to Microsoft SQL Server on Great Plains 7.5), no longer supported add-ons (Intellisol Advanced Purchase Order Processing, Intellisol Project Accounting, for example – here you have migration path from Intellisol to Great Plains Project Accounting for Dynamics GP version 7.5)
2. Upgrade technology. Dynamics GP or former name of this ERP was Great Plains Software Dynamics and eEnterprise is SQL oriented ERP application (compare to Lotus Notes Domino, where Database is more versatile and crosses SQL boundaries). DB application upgrade typically takes all the tables, where new version has new structure (added new fields to improve and advance ERP functionality). Dynamics GP Utilities, responsible for GP upgrade, copy tables into temporary database, drop old version table, recreate it and then copy back all the records with new field defaults from temp DB. And this is what majority of midsize Dynamics GP customers are caring for – of course new Dynamics GP version has GP workstation side, where new version typically replaces old GP workstation code folder. Plus if you are taking advantage of Dynamics GP Business Portal version 10.0 or 9.0 (GP BP 3.0), obviously Microsoft Sharepoint and integration to Microsoft Office and Outlook might bring you additional benefits
3. Customization Upgrade. You may have deployed Great Plains Dexterity add-ons, eConnect integrations, GP Integration Manager VBA scripting extensions, Crystal Reports, Great Plains ReportWriter modified reports (SOP Blank Invoice form is the popular one). All the mentioned above require programming code review by certified Great Plains programmer or consultant
4. eCommerce integration upgrade. E-commerce integrations might be coded in eConnect C# or VB.Net Microsoft Visual Studio we application projects. The other option was traditional SQL Server Stored Procedures. Both approaches require Dynamics GP Integration code revision
5. Dynamics GP new version user training. In our opinion Great Plains keeps good record of being taking evolutional approach to user interface, so you should expect your Dynamics GP users to recognize new version interface, if you still need to secure uninterrupted operations, please feel free to call our office
6. FRx. This is preferred tool for Great Plains Balance Sheet, Profit and Loss Statement, Statement of Cash Flow, Consolidated Financial Reporting. FRx upgrade typically requires you to go from FRx 6.5 (Great Plains 6.0, 7.0 or 7.5) to FRx 6.7 (Dynamics GP 8.0, 9.0 or 10.0). FRx has its internal reports design database in Microsoft Access format, and it is sensitive on where you keep Sysdata folder
Dexterity Customization for Dynamics GP Evaluation Level Paper
When you are developer it is always a good idea to read technical manuals. But if you was just assigned to the IT team to decide if Dexterity is the right tool to customize your ERP application then first you need something which is in style of ‘easy reading papers’ or FAQ
Planning Dynamics GP Customization in Large Corporation
If you are reading this page then chances are high that you were not able to find ISV add-on and need customization project. Let’s talk about planning, quality assurance and future event such as version updates.
Dynamics GP Invoice Logo Attributed to Specific Company or Crossing the Borders of Three SOP Forms
Initial Great Plains Dynamics architecture had three SOP Invoice forms: Long, Short and Blank. Modern GP is popular in scenarios where you have more than three companies under one business entity umbrella
