Microsoft Dynamics GP Applying Service Packs Technology

Microsoft Dynamics GP is still Great Plains Dexterity (current name for this product is Microsoft Dexterity) application, however Dexterity chunks are now hidden behind Microsoft installer technology, and newly released service packs are packaged in .msp files.  This small article should give you initial highlights on Microsoft Dynamics GP Service Packs:
1. Microsoft Business Solutions Customer Source.  If you are current in MBS Dynamics GP annual enhancement program (there are several levels of support and service plans available, typically ranging from 16 to 25 percents in annual fee, based on your Dynamics GP software price list), then you should have access to Microsoft Dynamics GP Customer Source, where you can place new support case, get access to your Dynamics GP new or historical version  registration key
2. Old Dynamics GP, Great Plains versions restrictions.  Even if you are current in Microsoft Dynamics GP annual enhancement program, if you version is no longer supported by MBS directly, you cannot place support call through MBS anymore, instead you will have to appeal to Great Plains Consultant from Microsoft Great Plains Resellers community who is familiar with your legacy version.  The Dynamics GP versions currently supported (January 2010) are 10.0 and 9.0.  Dynamics GP,  Microsoft Great Plains or Great Plains Dynamics or eEnterprise versions, that are no longer supported are 8.0, 7.5, 7.0, 6.0, 5.5, 5.0, 4.0, 3.2 (including ones on Pervasive SQL 2000 or Btrieve, Ctree and Macintosh).  Plus there are clones of Great Plains Accounting for DOS, Windows and Mac: 9.5, 9.2, 9.1 end earlier
3. Microsoft Dynamics GP 10.0 and 9.0 applying technology.  The technology is the same as Dynamics GP version upgrade, where you apply Service Pack, then launch Microsoft Dynamics GP Utilities to Synchronize dictionary, upgrade Modified reports (Reports.dic), and then or prior upgrade all the companies (in our estimation allow five minutes per company database, so if you are US Payroll outsourcing company, and you have, let's say 100 clients, each of them is Dynamics GP company, allow 500 minutes or 9 hours to apply service pack to Microsoft Dynamics GP; please note that 20% of Service pack application time is consumed by eConnect Stored Procedures redeployment)
4. Microsoft Dynamics GP 10.0 Service Pack 3 DVD problems.  If you have MSDN account with download access to Microsoft Dynamics applications media, please note that this DVD has high risk of problems, especially if used in Dynamics GP Version Updates scenariosThere is the following known issue:a. Do not restore the company database.  Leave the company database at the failed state.b. Close Microsoft Dynamics GP 10.0 Utilities.c. Run the following script in Query Analyzer:
UPDATE DYNAMICS..DU000030 set Status = 0, errornum=0 where fileNumber = 1 and PRODID = 5597
d. Run the following script in Query Analyzer to create the required index on the SEE30303 table:
CREATE UNIQUE CLUSTERED INDEX [AK5SEE30303] ON [dbo].[SEE30303] ( [GLPOSTDT] ASC, [ITEMNMBR] ASC, [QTYTYPE] ASC,[SEQNUMBR] ASC )
By the way, the issue above is reported to be resolved in Microsoft Dynamics GP Service Pack 4
5. Microsoft Dynamics GP version 10.0 was known as really "innovative" in service packs dependency and if your target is to upgrade to Great Plains Dynamics 10.0, please contact your Dynamics GP partner or reseller to get the quote on version update job
6. Microsoft Dynamics GP Service Pack update and possible customization functionality mismatch.  If you have in-house coded or programmed by external Dexterity programmer custom module, please check with her/him, as new Service Pack might try "to improve" native Dynamics GP functionality in the same place, where customization alters business logic and conflict might be possible