Dynamics GP Modification: Technologies, Recommendations

With latest versions Dynamics GP 2010, 10.0 and even 9.0 Microsoft Business Solutions introduced numerous improvements and flexibilities from the client application interface, however these are mostly from metrics, custom first page, workflow, integration with Microsoft Office stack.  If you need to alter application business logic, you may need to appeal to such customization tools as Modifier with VBA, Dexterity, SDK for Visual Studio (typically some Dexterity knowledge is recommended to create new custom table, for example).  Let’s review the methodologies and recommendations:

1. Modifier with VBA scripting.  This tool does just what the name suggests, it allows you to include the Windows into modification dictionary (it would be FORMS.DIC for code product Dynamics GP, you can review this in Dynamics.set file, where Dynamics product has number zero, and respectively modified forms go to Forms.dic and modified reports into Reports.dic).  Now the modification in Modifier – you can reposition existing fields, move them out of the form visible are.  And plus you can add new fields – these ones you probably want to be present in Great Plains company database.  In order to manage fields associated records you would need to program VBA script with opening old-fashioned Microsoft ADO connection and insert, update or select fields through ADO.  Please, note, that VBA is not Microsoft .Net compliant language – you will need to recollect your old days experience programming in old Microsoft Visual Studio.  The same flavor of VBA was available for Microsoft Excel programming.  And – you can find VBA programmer manual for Dynamics GP Modifier module.  There are also very elegant solutions to translate Dynamics GP String resources into foreign language and make them available through Modifier (these string resources will go to Forms.dic – you will need Customization Site Enabler license to exercise this option).  However do not be over optimistic, this option is available for the languages, compliant to ASCII (one byte), including Arabic, Russian, Persian, etc.  It is not available for Unicode based languages: usually where you deploy hieroglyphs: Chinese, Japanese, Korean

2. Report Writer.  This tool modifies reports in GP.  The most popular would be SOP Blank Invoice Form (I would bet that you need your company logo on the Invoice), Payable Check (usually graphical version).  In RW, besides basic apparent functionality you can also appeal to such techniques, as adding new table relations, adding new tables to the report.  Plus, if you need to pull the fields, not available through current or even new tables relations, you can add report to Dexterity customization, in Dex then add custom function with re_ prefix, which pulls the field, calling SQL Select statement (or doing the same in Dexterity selection mechanism) or even call SQL Stored procedure.  Then this report will be alternate and you can modify it in Report Writer, where rw_ function will be available.  Do not forget to change user security – this report is now classified as Alternate Modified one (in Dynamics GP 2010 and 10.0 this is System -> Security -> Alternate/Modified Forms and Reports).  Report Writer allows you to export reports as Customization Packages in Tools -> Customize -> Customization Maintenance.  You are not really restricted to RW, if you need your reports to look professionally, you may do them in such tools as Crystal Reports, SSRS (Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services), and even if you are Microsoft Access programmer and you are comfortable with Access reporting, feel free to connect MS Access to Dynamics GP database via ODBC

3. Microsoft Dexterity.  This is all-mighty Great Plains customization tool.  Dexterity has its own IDE (Integrated Development Environment) as well as programming language Sanscript.  However, we have to recommend you to be conservative and do not plan to train your internal IT programmers, as Dexterity is proprietary technology and requires long learning and experience solidification time.  This learning curve might be too costly for the employer and plus the scope of the custom programing might be too small for new Dexterity programmer to mature.  We recommend you to appeal to one of the Dynamics GP ISV or technology partners, especially the one, who carries Dynamics GP Dexterity Software Development Factory and has access to Great Plains Source Code (the partner, ideally should be in Dynamics GP Source Code program, this program grants access to Dynamics.dic and other dictionaries, owned directly by Microsoft Dynamics GP.  Sanscript scripts are not stripped out in the dictionary, provided through Source Code Program)

4. If you are thinking about integration.  Here we would like to recommend you to look at such tools as Integration Manager and eConnect SDK.  IM is perfect tool for initial data conversion.  Usually consultants are trained to build integration, based on the CSV text file.  But Integration Manager allows you to base integration on Advanced ODBC queries, where you can call MS SQL View (including cross platform SQL select statement, joining such DB as MS Access, MySQL, Oracle, Pervasive SQL, Ctree, etc.), or create view directly in the integration and parse text file in advanced matter.  IM could be deployed in the EDI (Electronic Document Interchange) scenarios, quasi real time ecommerce shopping cart integration to SOP transaction with customer deposit (ecommerce customer credit card payment) to give you several good and popular examples.  Let’s now take a look at eConnect.  This technology was introduced for ecommerce developers to open Great Plains transaction for ecommerce shopping cart move to GP (around 2003), but later on it was extended to cover most of the modules.  If you are Microsoft Visual Studio programmer (preferably C# or VB) you can include eConnect libraries into your VS project and manipulate transactions and master records in Great Plains

5. Extender.  This tool, opposite to the Modifier does extender, meaning create new screens (while Modifier only modifies existing screens).  We recommend to take a look at the eOne Extender Enterprise version, where you can animate your extended windows with Dexterity Sanscipt codes (no debugging option, however, so discuss your project with your Microsoft Dexterity programmer)

6. For additional information, please feel free to call us 1-866-304-3265 or 1-269-605-4904 (this number works for international customers) or email us help@alba866.com  We serve you USA/Canada nationwide via remote support (web sessions and phone/Skype conferences).  Local service is available in Western Michigan, Chicagoland, Southern California (LA, Orange County, San Diego), Houston area of the state of Texas