There are several methods available, the easiest one is probably Integration Manager, assuming you can either export external records into the text files or expose it via ODBC connection.
If you have another type of connection to external database via native driver, web services – good idea to create Microsoft Visual Studio project, where you can call remote data and combine it with eConnect methods to import the document into GP. Integration could be programmed directly in SQL Insert statements, packed into stored procedures, but this method requires experience with table structure and data flow. There are also ways to send data to Great Plains directly from something which is non Microsoft Windows: Linux, Mac. Here you typically expose eConnect methods via custom programmed web service on GP hosting IIS. Let’s review these options one-by-one:
1. Integration Manager. If you do not have strong IT department with C# or VB.Net programmers, we recommend you IM to do the job. This tool validates business logic and cannot cause data compromise. Also IM has new Data connection type, based on eConnect encrypted SQL Stored Procedures, which makes its performance comparable to direct call of SQL Stored procedure. Probably the most popular way of deploying IM is via Text File (tab or coma delimited, or you can specify custom delimiting character). We participated in the eCommerce to GP SOP transaction shopping cart integrations and heard reasonable number from external consultants. Two scenarios seem to be the most popular with eCommerce shopping cart integrated via Integration Manager. Large percentage of eCommerce websites are deployed in Linux PHP platform on MySQL. In ecommerce integration realizations they prefer exporting new shopping cart to coma delimited text file, then it is picked by Integration Manager SOP Integration (if you have returns, you would need to deploy OLE based old connectors, as for versions 2010 and 10.0 IM SOP transaction integration doesn’t support returns in eConnect via eConnect connectors). Usually Integration Manager is called on demand, however you could schedule its integrations via Windows Macro, or directly in DOS command line with parameters. Scheduling would give your so-called quasi real time shopping cart integration. ODBC based integrations – here you really have the way for programming and technology maneuver. If you use SQL Linked Server object or OpenRowSet SQL statement – you can join SQL Server tables or bring data from external database: Oracle, DB2, Sybase, MySQL, MS Access, FoxPro, File Maker Pro, Excel and others
2. eConnect programing in MS Visual Studio. We think that you should consider the option being on Dynamics GP version 10.0 or newer, where eConnect came to its maturity in our opinion. Well here you have unlimited opportunities. First of all eConnect methods could open GP master records and transactions for inserting, updating or deleting
3. Web Services for GP. If you plan to call Great Plains resources from Linux or Unix, Web Services might be the good option. Here you are achieving cross platform SOAP call, where data goes from MySQL or Oracle to Dynamics GP SQL Server
4. Direct SQL Inserting. This is also possible, however it might cause data inconsistency as SQL insert or update statements do not validate internal business logic. If you are making your first steps with Great Plains integrations we recommend you first to consider Integration Manager, then eConnect Microsoft Visual Studio programming. If you think that you are better off with SQL statements and stored procedures, consider to create test environment, where you can experiment without potential harm to your production accounting system
5. Please call us 1-866-304-3265, 1-269-605-4904. help@efaru.com We have local presence in Chicagoland, Southern California, West Michigan, Houston and Dallas areas of Texas. We serve customers USA, Canada, Mexico nationwide and internationally via web sessions and phone conferences (Skype is welcomed). Our consultants speak English, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Chinese
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