Microsoft Dynamics GP Implementation: Pacific and Hawaii – overview for IT

Microsoft Dynamics GP is new name for Microsoft Great Plains. As Project Green is progressing, Microsoft Business Solutions or whatever is temporary name for Business Systems subdivision, renamed Project Green into Microsoft Dynamics.  Now Microsoft Great Plains, Microsoft Navision, Microsoft Axapta, Microsoft Solomon and Microsoft CRM are renamed into Microsoft Dynamics GP, Microsoft Dynamics NAV, Microsoft Dynamics  AX, Microsoft Dynamics SL and Microsoft Dynamics CRM respectively.  We have published articles, devoted to Microsoft Dynamics in Europe, Brazil, Russia, Australia and New Zealand and now we would like to share our experience and analytics on Microsoft Dynamics GP & CRM implementation, customization, reporting for the clientele in Pacific region.

• Great Plains History.  Regarding Pacific region Great Plains Software had plans and expansion campaign back in 1990th and even 1980th.  Our client in Republic of Palau had ancient Great Plains Accounting implemented.  The support was initially provided by D&T, but when Microsoft acquired Great Plains Software D&T had to abandon Great Plains implementation & support practice – we saw the examples in Pacific as well as in Bermuda.  Later on Microsoft realized that Great Plains Dexterity has certain limitations, especially when we are talking about tax engine and languages localization – it doesn’t support Unicode and Dexterity design was done back in 1992-1994, as a result it is not object oriented product
• American English & US$.  This is official business language in most of the countries in Pacific.  Plus taxation is aligned with American legislation in majority of the cases.  Substantial strata of countries use US Dollar as official currency.  All these facts facilitate Microsoft Dynamics GP/Great Plains as efficient ERP/MRP/Accounting solution
• Remote Support.  Comparing to US Business Metros, such as New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco or Houston, where clients “require” face-to-face meetings and local support – in the Pacific it is really impossible to host local consultant on the island where only one or two small clients are located.  Plus – serving from the USA is kind of time anti phase and probably too expensive. The best servicing location is Philippines, where Great Plains Software had its third party Project Accounting ISV partner – Match Data, as the result a large pool of Philippines based Microsoft Dynamics GP consultants and Microsoft Dexterity developers is available
• Software Sales.  With an exception of Hawaii – the rest of pacific rim should be sold from Microsoft Business Solutions in Singapore.  This fact places restrictions on the ability of US based Microsoft Business Solutions VARs/Partners to serve remote clientele in the region
• Legacy Products.  The life in the Pacific Rim countries is kind of traditional and comfortable.  This means that there is no need to replace good and working computer ERP systems with the hectic technology progress.  The examples could be – the commitment to IBM Lotus Notes Domino, Pervasive SQL/ Btrive/Ctree/IBM Unidata/Ingress platforms.  Microsoft .Net Business Portal might be integration solution together with Sharepoint, but legacy system required multiple connectors to enable lookup and integration
• Oracle/SAP.  Contrary to Microsoft Oracle and SAP have long presence history in the Pacific Rim market.  Oracle Financials or SAP R/3 mySAP / SAP Business One
• eCommerce – is actual for the clients from Hawaii and Puerto Rico.  Microsoft eOrder will be phased out with GP version 9.0.  You should be ready to invest some development money into eConnect-based redesign.  In some cases, such as Great Plains SOP allocation and posting you will have to rescue to Great Plains stored procedures.

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