If your organization has Microsoft Dynamics GP as its Corporate ERP application, or you are on earlier version, known as Microsoft Great Plains, or Great Plains Dynamics, eEnterprise and Great Plains Select on Pervasive SQL Server 2000 and Ctree, we recommend you this paper.
It is probably not a rocket science to implement Small Business ERP application,
where customer only needs core Financials: GL, AP, AR, probably Payroll modules. However if you are looking for the elements of MRP, Production, Supply Chain Management System, Warehouse Management (all these modules typically rely on Barcode scanning, RFID and related technologies) as being required in your business processes automation, then you should be very careful in choosing your Corporate ERP consulting partner. We saw various scenarios, where Great Plains initial implementation failed due to poor expertise of initial Dynamics GP consultants in data conversion, integration with your external WMS or eCommerce applications. Let's go to paragraphs:
1. Corporate ERP VAR Expertise. Typically your Corporate ERP reseller doesn't make a secret about its specializations and typical customer profile. Very large number of Corporate ERP vendors are positioning themselves as CPA oriented companies, where their goal is to provide reliable implementation of Great Plains Financials and, if you have challenges in technology - these Dynamics GP Partners will still try to make you their customer, hoping to outsource technologically challenging issues or projects to external Dynamics GP ISV or Technology oriented Dynamics GP resellers. If technology exposure is your initial expectation - you should try to locate Corporate ERP consultant, who is experienced in the required field
2. Corporate ERP Second Opinion. If your implementation failed by any reason, there is no reason to blame ERP system itself, as typical Small Business ERP (or Mid-size business ERP) is already implemented in tens of thousands and it is likely reasonably reliable in its core features. As we see in our Dynamics GP consulting practice ERP implementation failure is typically attributed to either lack of the technology expertise of the chosen ERP consultant, or when you management and key proposed ERP user teams are not cooperative with your consultants
3. Microsoft Dynamics GP Logistics and Distribution modules. In the Great Plains architecture, these modules stand two steps away in the integration to General Ledger, and they are Sales Order Processing, Purchase Order Processing, Inventory Control. And further down the SCM and WMS route, those listed modules are often chosen as the base for custom extensions, often programmed and supported by dedicated Dynamics GP ISV partners
4. Dynamics GP WMS and SCM options. In our opinion you have two routes to chose from. The first would be external Warehouse Management Systems, where you should not question system reliability and number of successful installations, however you concern should be in the reliability of external WMS integration to Microsoft Dynamics GP or whatever your ERP system brand is. Second route is picking ERP Warehouse Management Extensions, working directly out of your ERP application logic, and extending its with Barcode scanning and uploading support
5. Dynamics GP SCM and Custom business logic. If you are large organization with extensive manufacturing and inventory management oriented operations, you may expect some degree of modifications, required for the final implementation. You may try phased implementation approach, when you do not do customization until first phase is done and proved to be reliable (generic Dynamics GP implementation). Second phase could be what is next in importance row - maybe Retail Sales Day integration to Dynamics GP SOP or RM modules. And then you are in control of the priorities as you move down the road
6. Old Great Plains versions support. If you have to stick to legacy Dynamics GP, Great Plains Dynamics 7.5, 7.0, 6.0, 5.5, 5.0, 4.0, or earlier or even Great Plains Accounting for DOS, Windows or Mac 9.5, 9.2 or earlier - first of all we respect your situation and we are happy to support All versions of Great Plains Software ERP applications and we have dedicated consultants to do the job. If you decide finally to go technology synch route and upgrade to current Microsoft Dynamics GP version 2010 (as we are writing these lines in May 2010) - we will be the right resource to do the complex multi step upgrade work
7. Dynamics GP Data Repair. This job is typically done by experienced Dynamics GP technical consultant, who has exposure to Great Plains tables structure and data workflow. It is not probably a big deal to repair batch, failed in posting, as there are likely several articles on Dynamics GP Partner Source explaining in detail what to do, but for real Great Plains data surgery you should expect higher level of the expertise
8. What else is left over? Probably Microsoft Dynamics GP implementation for the customers, who have the needs in foreign language support - this topics seems to be very popular and even growing in its popularity. Well, here you have to understand two sides of the coins in going internationally. First side is local language support. Current version 2010 of Microsoft Dynamics GP supports English in USA, Canada, Australia, UK, New Zealand, South Africa, and with some restrictions in English speaking South East Asia and Oceania. Plus it is available in Spanish speaking Mexico and Latin/South America (except Brazil, where Portuguese is spoken). Dynamics GP is also localized to reasonable level in Arabic speaking countries of Middle East, Arabic Peninsula and Northern Africa. And second part of the coin is local language support. With Dynamics GP ISV add-ons it is possible to support GP in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Swedish, Dutch, Polish, Lithuanian, Russian and more languages are coming. If you are trying implement Dynamics GP in the country where it is not localized, we recommend you to consider instead either Microsoft Dynamics AX (high end Corporate ERP solution) or SAP Business One (for smaller branches)
9. How to get further orientation and help? Please, call us 1-866-528-0577, 1-630-961-5918 or email us help@albaspectrum.com Our Microsoft Dynamics GP, Axapta and SAP Business One consultants speak English, Spanish, Arabic, Portuguese, Russian, Chinese to facilitate implementation in the international environment
