If you already have in-house developed ecommerce web application, and you already tried hard to deploy GP eConnect SDK to automate such apparent routines as Batch Posting directly from eConnect libraries, or another good example is drop ship purchase order creation in EDI format and posting it to Electronic Document Interchange channel (after Sales Order or Invoice and Drop Ship Purchase order is created in GP by eConnect), here list of problematic situations could be extended, the point is Great Plains eCommerce is not too simple and at the same time, you can get help in integration programming
We offer you small products,
or share with you our Dynamics GP ecommerce custom codes, the second approach we name as solutions (including our services in tuning our proven integration codes according to your requirements). Let's review Solution version Packaged ecommerce project nuances:
1. If you have to start from the ground, then the best results could be achieved in selecting appropriate Dynamics GP ISV ecommerce extension product, where, depending on the ecommerce Dynamics GP partner product you can have website (or web pages, ready for being plugged into your website), shopping cart (often with good long to Dynamics GP Inventory Items), plus probably credit card and payment processing gateway. However, if all the above features you already have in existing and reasonably efficient ecommerce in-house programmed (or outsourced to generic ecommerce development partner), then all you are looking for is rather integrations and connectors. As integrations and connectors we offer our small ecommerce extensions to Dynamics GP, plus "Solutions" (ecommerce integration codes, which we have deployed in production Dynamics GP to eCommerce environments at other customers, and which could be reasonably easy retuned and reprogrammed to fit your existing ecommerce website business processes)
2. Dynamics GP ecommerce integration and programming tools. If you have generic Microsoft .Net C#, VB programmers in staff or as preferred technical resources, and you would like to consider ecommerce integration to GP in-house programming, please review Dynamics GP eConnect Software Development Kit. If is very friendly to Microsoft Visual Studio developer, who is also comfortable in SQL and XML. If you are on old version of Great Plains, such as 8.0 and earlier (7.5, 7.0, 6.0, 5.5, 5.0, 4.0), you should first check eConnect availability for your version of GP. In our opinion eConnect came to its reasonable maturity at Dynamics GP version 9.0 and in version 10.0 Dynamics GP Integration Manager was to large extend redesigned on eConnect technology. If you think that upgrade to GP 10.0 (or 9.0) is not feasible for your organization (often the major reason is lapse in Microsoft Business Solutions annual enhancement program, and high cost of being reenrolled), we have generic ecommerce integration scripts for Great Plains Sales Order Processing module: Sale Invoice, Sales Order, New Customer creation, etc. This product is available for historical versions: 7.5, 8.0 as well as for current versions. Special consideration should be given to Great Plains Integration Manager in the next paragraph
3. Dynamics GP Integration Manager. IM is available for all versions of Great Plains and Dynamics GP. If you can export text files from your ecommerce web application and you think this is OK to work on text file export import level for now, then you can setup integrations in IM to create new customers, or update existing ones (including addresses, payment terms, credit limits, etc). IM has Sales Order Document integration target template, which you usually deploy in ecommerce scenarios. Usually IM text file integration is simple and your existing Microsoft Dynamics GP Reseller should have expertise in such routines. Integration Manager, however could be utilized in more complex scenarios, where you need close to real time integration. Please review Advanced ODBC sources in IM, where you can create Microsoft SQL Server Linked Server construction (to ODBC compliant data source, such as Oracle, Linux/MySQL, Microsoft Access, Lotus Notes, Pervasive SQL, Ctreee/Faircom, DBII, Ingress, Progress to give you some examples). Again, in our opinion Integration Manager is all-mighty tool, as you could schedule integration via Windows Macro third party add-on (MBS has special tool for scheduling IM integration, or you could look for freeware)
4. eConnect Posting Batch restrictions. If you are trying to do ecommerce invoice creation via eConnect all the way down to the posted transaction, you probably already found that it is impossible, all you could do is create work invoice in SOP and place it into Dynamics GP Batch. This restriction may look strange, but it is natural for Dynamics GP Dexterity architecture, where Batch Approval and Posting is prerogative of GP users. We have econnect extension, which allows you to post Dynamics GP batches directly from eCommerce web application: Alba Spectrum Posting Server. It deploys Microsoft Dexterity Source codes to initiate batch posting process
5. Dynamics GP eCommerce in International aspect. Please, note that Great Plains Dexterity doesn't support (at least at this time, October 2009) Unicode or UTF-8 code page, which means for you in international environment that such languages as Chinese, Korean, Japanese, or others hieroglyph based are not supported. Plus, you should consider Dynamics GP Corporate ERP localization requirements for your country. As it is for Dynamics GP 10.0, it is localized (translated to local language and made compliant to your country business regulations) in USA, Canada (including French Canadian Quebec version), UK, Australia, New Zealand, Oceania, South Africa, Spanish Speaking Latin America and Caribbean, plus in English speaking South East Asia
6. 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
