Microsoft Dynamics GP – typical customizations

Microsoft Great Plains tailored business logic or professional modifications were initially made back in late 1990th in Great Plains Dex, this IDE has it own C-shell based scripting language – sanscript.  MRP package at that time had similar customization capabilities: SAP had ABAP, Axapta – Morph X, X++, Navision – C/Side.  When Microsoft purchased Great Plains Software and formed Microsoft Business Solutions, Dexterity core of GP was deemphasized (however it stays and not going anywhere), instead Microsoft BS opened GP objects for Microsoft Visual Studio C# and VB.Net developers via new tool – eConnect.  eConnect obviously is not a miracle and it replicates Dex logic in SQL stored procedures – meaning that eConnect is definitely step forward to make Microsoft Great Plains more open MRP platform, but this step is rather evolutional, not a major revolution.  Let’s review typical GP modification scenarios

1. eCommerce.  GP is now open ERP or accounting backoffice, thanks to eConnect.  Good approach in eConnect software development is calling XML web services scenarios.  If you have already practiced eConnect e-commerce development, you should come to the dilemma of eCommerce invoices automatic posting.  eConnect doesn’t do posting job and it is understandable, as eConnect is build upon Great Plains Dexterity architecture, where posting is left to GP operators
2. EDI or Electronic Document Interchange.  Traditionally EDI is considered as fixed length fields standard, new approach is XML data interchange, including XML web services.  In the case of Microsoft Great Plains both approaches could be relatively easy realized on MS SQL Server scripting level, where you deploy such statements and constructions as convert and cast to program fixed field length
3. Sales Order Processing module modifications.  SOP is one of the most popular custom logic scenarios.  If you think about deploying custom logic in GP user workstation, then more likely modification should be programmed in Dexterity.  If Dex is too complex, especially if you plan to customize GP in-house, then consider GP Modifier with VBA
4. Modifier with VBA (Visual Basic for Applications).  This tools is related to older Microsoft OLE technologies – customization of Microsoft Office Excel, Word, PowerPoint, etc