Microsoft Dynamics GP 10.0 Data Conversion Techniques

Data migration might be annoying routine, especially when you have to dig out tons of tab delimited texts, however it may define GP implementation success.  In this small article we will review typical data conversion scenarios and migration tools.  We have to inform you upfront, that MS SQL Server 2005 DB platforms gives you significant advantage in data migration, it opens you the door for SQL scripting: SQL stored procedures and functions, however direct DB feeding might be challenging, if you are not really familiar with GP tables and records distribution

1. No migration.  The best and the most successful data conversion is when you don’t do it at all.  Seriously, first consider this scenario: you print out reports from your legacy accounting ERP application, the one which you are abandoning in favor of GP.  If you have small number of GL accounts, customers, vendors, employees – enter all these master records in GP by hand and then enter and post one GL transactions which will set GL beginning balances.  Then keep going with GP and have your legacy MRP available for inquiry only
2. Master records migration.  If you have thousands of GL accounts, customers, vendors, consider purchasing GP integration manager module.  IM is end-user tool and data migration could be done in-house by your IT and accounting people.  IM could get records from text files as well as from ODBC compliant data sources – the most typical scenario is when you migrate master records from text files
3. IM advanced migration.  If you can not export nicely structured tab or comma delimited records into the text file and instead you have to try migration from text reports, this is also OK, but you will have to tune IM migration and slightly program it: before document VBA script, for example will allow you to cancel line migration, if it has no info (carriage return, spaces only, or comments line – something like these could be weeded out)
4. MS Excel.  This tool is unbelievably popular in data conversions, especially considering its functions with combination with Excel series functionality.  It is common scenario, when you export GP table into text, then import it into Excel and do data repair there – when you are done – you save Excel data in tab delimited text and import it back to GP
5. Historical data conversion.  If you think about migrating “everything” from old accounting application, we have to discourage you, especially when you are not professional Great Plains developer or technical consultant.  Historical data is created in GP through so-called batch posting process, which is very sensitive to your modules settings, transaction types and, considering the fact that Microsoft Great Plains is not an entry level ERP accounting package – chances are high that you will encounter business logic validation problems and historical records will not be reliable and readable