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Microsoft Dynamics Gp 10.0 Customization Scenarios

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Microsoft Great Plains version 10.0 has a lot of new features, including changes in architecture and especially user interface. These new features dictate change in GP 10.0 programming and custom development. If you are using Great Plains since earlier versions: 9.0, 8.0, 7.5, 7.0, 6.0, 5.5 or 5.0 and your company ERP deploys tailored Great Plains business logic, chances are high that customized logic was programmed in Great Plains Dexterity. Let’s begin with Dex modifications overview for GP version 10.0:

1. Microsoft Dexterity 10.0. Surprisingly enough, but Dex is still similar to its old versions, however if you are Dexterity programmer you have to adapt your Dex code to new interface features: icons, color schema, etc. Here we suggest, that at this time there is no need to imitate Microsoft Vista and Office interface compliance: drop down menus, navigation arrows. Historical excurse to Dexterity – this IDE is written in C programming language, theoretically allowing you to resolve Operating System and DB platform dependence; when Microsoft acquired Great Plains Software, non-Microsoft platforms, such as Pervasive SQL and Ctree were abandoned and Microsoft Business Solutions decided to concentrate on MS SQL Server platform only – for Dex Microsoft suggested advanced MS SQL Server Stored Procedures support – obviously DB platform independence paradigm is no longer feasible. Maybe this Dex excurse seems non relevant to you, however if you plan to customize GP for your organization, you have to know the architecture and Dexterity platform

2. eCommerce for Microsoft Dynamics GP. E-Commerce is becoming one of the most popular modification routines. Here Dex comes to the secondary plan and new integration tool Great Plains eConnect comes on the first scenes. eConnect replicates GP Dex logic in SQL Stored Procedures and by doing so it boosts integration performance, however eConnect still has to validate GP business logic and in most of the cases it uses SQL cursors to replicate Dex cursors. Cursors are obviously very powerful in manipulating GP objects, but they are not optimal in performance, especially if you compare cursors with aggregated SQL select and insert statements. Another eCommerce dilemma is GP batches automatic posting – eConnect, which is bound by Dex architecture restrictions doesn’t allow batch posting; in order to post GP batches from eCommerce application you will need to deploy Albaspectrum posting server

3. VBA/Modifier. GP Modifier is at this time legacy modification technology. Modifier allows you to place extra fields and buttons to GP screens and VBA fills them with the logic

4. GP programming for Microsoft Visual Studio developer. If you are C# or VB.Net programmer, you should invest your time in eConnect research; eConnect has multiple interfaces – all of them are coming back to call eConnect encrypted SQL stored procedures