Data conversion should be reviewed first, where you should pose such questions as conversion scope, budget, availability of the old system for data querying.
In general, the lesser is the scope – the less is the chance to get some data inconsistency issues discovered for the converted data set. Plus modest migration scope also means lower consulting cost. If you are large organization, you may need reasonable amount of historical data, such as General Ledger posted entries for the previous year, compressed into monthly summaries. But, for smaller organization it is likely OK to keep the old accounting somewhere on the corner of your office, in case if old customer calls you or if there is the concern to face audit down the road. Now, let’s take a look at how conversion is typically done:
1. Exporting data from your legacy accounting. There are several options. One of the most popular is printing reports into the text files, then import each text file as custom table into MS SQL Server database, where you may consider to create view to join several tables (for example Sales document header and lines) and then base Integration Manager integration on the SQL view. You can also try to get ODBC connection to the old accounting database, however this method might theoretically be possible, however the connection might be not too reliable and it is easy just to export tables into the text files, MS Excel or Access. But, if you are downsizing and your old accounting sits in reliable and powerful DB platform, such as Oracle, MySQL/PHP/Linux, Pervasive SQL – you may establish ODBC connection there or simply create cross platform SQL view to join records in Oracle and MS SQL Server hosted tables
2. Migration tools. If your legacy accounting was Great Plains Software associated, for example Small Business Financials, Great Plains Select on Pervasive SQL 2000 or Ctree, Great Plains on DOS, Windows or Mac – there are migration tools to consider. These cases are typically considered as upgrades, not conversions. There are also migration tools for non-GPS ERP and small business accounting packages, QuickBooks for example
3. Data Massage. There are often exceptions, one of them might be the desire to do GL chart of accounts revision. If you would like to do something like this – you should create accounts mapping worksheet for conversion consultant. This conversion sheet goes into custom table in MS SQL Server and it is one of the parts in the integration SQL View. If you Integration query base is text file, printed as report, there is the need to weed out all the empty lines, page numbers, report headers, and other non-structured lines. This could be achieved in Simple ODBC query over Microsoft Text Driver. We often here the following question – my data is in Excel and several documents are sitting on the same row in five columns – how do I split them into individual lines for the Integration Manager. The answer is use Union statement, which is available for Advanced ODBC working over CSV text file (Excel could be saved in CSV format), and each select statement in the Union should be responsible for the specific one of these five columns
4. Now the preferred conversion tools. For custom conversions we recommend Integration Manager only, as this tool validates business logic and doesn’t allow you to cause data compromise. We discourage you from feeding the data directly into the Great Plains system or company tables, where you are completely open to cause data compromise
5. Second Opinion in the case when your data conversion failed. You should be aware that there are consultants out there ready to help. There is no need to blame your current VAR, as data import is known to be risky, especially when you are trying to convert “everything”, and your consulting firm has limited experience
6. eConnect. This tools is rather for ongoing integrations, such as the interface with ecommerce shopping cart, Warehouse Management, POS systems, EDI. You, as MS Visual Studio C# or VB developer might be too excited about eConnect SDK. In fact – you already have the same integration power and connectors in Integration Manager, where it is much easier to do the conversion
7. Migrating away from Intellisol Advanced Purchase Order Processing. There is migration tool, available from MS Business Solutions. Most of the conversions were done for Great Pains version 7.5 and 8.0. If you have been used Intellisol Project Accounting, we are not aware about migration tool to GP PA (incorporated former MatchData PA), likely you should consider migration via Integration Manager
8. Migrating away from Dynamics GP or older versions of Great Plains Dynamics. In this scenario we are more than happy to export requested data into the format you choose: MS Access, Text File (CSV, Tab Delimited), MS Excel, XML
9. For further information, please call us 1-866-304-3265 or email help@efaru.com
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