Dynamics GP Supply Chain Management: Implementation, Integration, Customization

Sometimes SCM features might be referred as Logistics or even Distribution.  In this paper we assume, that you have Microsoft Dynamics GP (formerly known as Great Plains Dynamics and eEnterprise) already implemented in your organization, or you are in decision making, selecting new Corporate ERP/MRP application, where Great Plains is one of the candidates – we will use Dynamics GP terminology.  Before we go into details, please be aware that Dynamics GP is recommended for mid-size and smaller businesses, however it is very flexible and capable to automate even large publicly traded and even multinational corporation, as it is based on Microsoft SQL Server database technology, which is scalable and competitive with its rivals, such as Oracle, IBM DB2, MySQL/Linux.  Sometimes prospective customers consider Dynamics GP as more budget oriented ERP system, comparing to Dynamics AX (formerly known as Axapta), capable to bear large volume of transactions.  OK, let’s go to details:

1. Before you launch SCM implementation checkpoints.  First of all, be sure that you are on the latest version of Dynamics GP, or at least on the version supported directly by Microsoft Business Solutions.  We are writing these lines in November 2010 and current version is GP 2010/11.0 and supported by MBS are versions 10.0 and 9.0 (for 9.0 support should expire somewhere in Summer of 2011).  The cost of version upgrade is probably the fraction of what you may expect in Supply Chain Management implementation, and it is wise to be current with potentially maximum level of support directly from Dynamics GP technical support team at Microsoft (if something goes wrong, you probably do not want to hear from Microsoft tech support team something like – sorry, we no longer support your version, you should contact your Dynamics GP reseller on version update)

2. Where SCM business logic resides in Dynamics GP?  In so-called Distribution suite of modules, including Inventory Control, Bill of Materials, Purchase Order Processing, Sales Order Processing and several others.  However be aware that SCM requirements might be very unique and you may expect that some of the business logic should be implemented through SCM and WMS add-ons, especially where you expect to deploy such technologies as barcode scanning, EDI (Electronic Document Interchange)

3. Solution oriented approach in SCM implementation.  Supply Chain Management is not something defined by government or industry standards (at least at this time, 2010 and several years going to the future).  SCM products are out there and available through Dynamics GP ISV channel, but you should expect only certain percentage of your SCM requirements are met and the rest should be done via custom programming and modifications on the base of Dynamics GP Distribution modules and probably also by altering SCM products.  Of course, customizations should be something to avoid, but they might be recommended in the case, when required logic is not available or the product, that might have it is too expensive to purchase (where you might need only tiny portion of the product to be implemented – in this scenario it is easier to take custom programming route)

4. Warehouse Management System.  This topic deserves its paragraph.  WMS is often considered as the core in the SCM theory.  Warehouse Management includes three parts: Inventory Replenishment, Sales Order Fulfillment, and Inventory Adjustments and moves from one warehouse to another, plus WMS is completely barcoding based.  WMS for Dynamics GP is available in two flavors: external WMS with connectors, moving WMS originated transaction to Dynamics GP distribution modules; and the second flavor is Warehouse Management Extensions, working directly out of GP tables.  Please, see our dedicated publications, where we compare external WMS and extensions: pluses and minuses

5. Customization and Integration tools selection in SCM project.  We believe that this topic is important, as not every tool might be seen as something exposed to longevity and not every Dynamics GP VAR (especially newly emerged on the MRP software consulting market) could be neutral in recommending one tool over another.  In our opinion, the safest way it to restrict your custom part to Dynamics GP Integration Manager – this tools has more than ten years of successful history and is geared to keep its positions in the future (it has adopted such new technology tweaks, as eConnect connectors, whatever happens in the future with eConnect, we believe that Integration Manager should be able to keeps its integration background technology and connectors proof).  Second tools we recommend to consider is Microsoft Dexterity (initially known as Great Plains Dexterity).  Dex is at this point and during the whole history of the Great Plains Dynamics was the core technology and Integrated Development Environment with its own scripting language Sanscript.  We do not recommend you to do heavy Dexterity customizations, but small tunes and business logic modifications are the way to go.  The tools we do not recommend are VBA/modifier (as it is based on legacy pre Microsoft.Net technology and at one of the historical moments Microsoft recommended to abandon VBA scripting – something around 2006, however later on the message was deemphasized).  We also do not recommend heavy programming for Extender, as Microsoft Business Solutions shares the copyrights with eOne (Australia based Dynamics GP ISV) and eOne retains the Enterprise version, where you can deploy Dexterity Sanscript codes into Extender objects business logic

6. Dynamics GP SCM for Multinational Corporation.  Please, take conservative approach and do not rush into Great Plains international implementation, until you understand your options.  Please, know that Great Pains Dynamics was acquired by Microsoft in earlier 2000th, late 1990th, later on Microsoft Business Solutions acquired Navision Software (probably to get a share in European Corporate ERP market) and as a bonus ERP/MRP application it got Axapta (at the time of the acquisition Axapta was owned by Navision Software).  Axapta (rebranded as Microsoft Dynamics AX) was the most flexible to address international Corporate ERP market, supporting such features as Unicode (Chinese, Japanese, Korean hieroglyphs) and this was the natural chose for Microsoft to push Axapta on the international Corporate MRP markets.  Having said that, please know that Dynamics GP Great Plains is available in English speaking countries, including South East Asia, where English is used as the language of business.  Plus Dynamics GP is available in Spanish speaking Latin America (not in Brazil, where they speak Brazilian Portuguese).  And it is also available in Canadian Quebec province (Montreal) in French.  There are also Dynamics GP flavors available in Arabic across the Middle East and Northern Africa.  If your region is not listed, we recommend you to research Axapta Dynamics AX or consider other small business ERP packages, such as SAP Business One

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