If you are enthusiast of ecommerce programming, EDI, or any generic data feeding to Microsoft Dynamics GP and you want all the processing to be done automatically this publication is the step in the right direction.
As powerful mid-market Corporate ERP platform with reasonable openness for customization and integration (GP Dexterity,
eConnect, Integration Manager, ad-hoc SQL insert to name few popular options), Great Plains Dynamics (as this accounting application was formerly known) separates duties for transaction entry (where transactions are SOP Sales Invoices, POP Purchase Receipts, Manufacturing Orders, GL Entries, etc.) and transactions approval (in GP approval is done through the batch mechanism, where batch has reasonable level of reporting and analytical tools for being reviewed). So to speak batch of transactions should be approved by manager and then posted manually in Microsoft Dynamics GP by its user interface and business logic. Even if you are looking at eConnect SDK for Dynamics GP – there you can only create documents and place them into the batch, as eConnect doesn’t violate Corporate ERP model rules. However we do respect the desire to automate Great Plains Batch posting automatically, when you have certain level of trust to the channel, where transactions are coming from: examples could be ecommerce, Electronic Document Interchange, Time Logs or timesheets from Project Accounting, Manufacturing Orders (coming directly from your Production oriented standalone barcoding based Warehouse Management System), or similar scenarios. Let’s review the options:
1. Batch Posting Business Logic. It is realized in Great Plains Dexterity code of Dynamics.dic metadata dictionary. When you hit Post button in Great Plains batch posting window (there are separate, depending on batch origin) – in our approximate estimation up to 30% of Dexterity Sanscript source code is serving Batch Posting business logic, this is how complex it is. It is theoretically possible to reproduce batch posting via SQL ad-hoc programming, but the amount of consulting hours or the learning curve for your in-house SQL developers could be not feasible, plus consider Dynamics GP version upgrade – you would need to reconsider the in-house batch posting code with every new version introduced
2. Microsoft Dynamics GP Source Code Partners program. If you are Dynamics GP Reseller, you have an option to be enrolled into the program, where you have access to Dynamics GP Dexterity source code (you will get access to Dynamics.dic with Dexterity Sanscript codes available for your Dex developer to review and reference). We are in the program and for long time we are supporting Alba Spectrum Posting Server, which calls Dexterity procedures for Batch posting
3. Scheduling Batch Posting from external application. As programmer you will be able to place the batch name to Posting Server Approved Batches table and it will be posted within minute. You can do so from MS Visual Studio eCommerce project, or even when you integrate transaction batch via Integration Manager, EDI module
4. eCommerce Automatic Batch Posting Scenario. Imagine the situation when you have eCommerce Shopping Cart (Magento, ASP .Net Storefront or another popular platform) mapped to SOP Invoice with Customer deposit (Customer Credit or debit card payment directly through ecommerce shopping cart). When ecommerce transaction is approved you deploy Dynamics GP Integration Manager in Quasi real time (every hour, for example) to trigger SOP integration. Then, from your eConnect libraries, or directly by querying SY0500 table in the company database you discover if new batch is created and ready to be posted, if this is the case you report it to Posting Server and batch is posted in the matter of several minutes
5. EDI Scenario. Electronic Document Interchange is popular in Wholesale Trade business, where the cost of each transaction is critical and minimized to give your product retail partner maximum advantages in their competition. Let’s assume your Customers are placing orders via EDI channel, then you pull them into SOP Invoices and schedule for automatic fulfillment on the warehouse floor. When EDI SOP Invoices are shown up in Dynamics GP Company Database, consider transferring their batches for immediate posting to Alba Spectrum Posting Server
6. Manufacturing scenario. Here is probably the emphasis to automate simple Manufacturing orders, where you have no question about components (with exception catching, when regular spare part is not available and you have to pick alternative part or replacement). Posting Server has Workflow component, where you may program to launch external DLL, Dexterity Sanscript code, external EXE application, etc.
7. Timesheets Scenario. If you are in the consulting or generic service business and you pay your workers based on their submitted time – you can have their timecards posted automatically in Dynamics GP via Posting Server
8. International Business and Microsoft Dynamics GP Posting. If Dynamics GP is available and localized for your country or if you are multinational corporation, you should probably check with Microsoft Business Solutions if Dynamics GP is good fit for your overseas subsidiary
9. Local, Nationwide Service and Help info. Please, call us 1-866-528-0577, 1-630-961-5918 or email us help@albaspectrum.com As Microsoft Dynamics GP ISV we are geared to support you USA, Canada, Mexico nationwide and internationally. Local service is available in Southern California, Chicagoland, Houston, TX, Southwest Michigan: St. Joseph, Kalamazoo, Holland, Grand Rapids, South Haven, Muskegon, Ludington, Benton Harbor
