As Microsoft Business Solutions partner, supporting clients and prospects (including so-called orphans), we would like to review (however it might seems to be too retrospective, when everybody around are talking about Microsoft Dynamics GP/NAV/AX/CRM/SL implementation, customization, integration & sales) Microsoft Great Plains or even former Great Plains Software eEnterprise/Dynamics or Great Plains Accounting support issues.

• Posting Issues. More likely you have to clean your SY0500 and SY0800 tables, which are batch headers and batch activities. This is classical Great Plains issues, which was known back from 1994, when Great Plains Dynamics was introduced.

• User Unlocking issue. Well, this is again classical GPS problem – you should deal with ACTIVITY table, sitting in DYNAMICS database or if you are on Ctree/Pervasive SQL – just have all the users log off and delete Activity.* files from SYSTEM directory

• Great Plains Accounting. Some of the orphans may be on this not-supported ERP application – Great Plains Accounting 9.2 or 9.5 for DOS or Windows. If you look back to GPS policies in 1999/2000 – you will see that it was pushing down GPA upgrade to Great Plains Dynamics / eEnterprise those years. In earlier 2000 Microsoft Business Solutions (Successor or Great Plains Software) stopped GPA support. The only way to get limited GPA support is to call partners, such as Alba Spectrum Group and ask them to look at former GPS technowledge database to check if your issue was known one back in 20th century.

• DEX.INI settings. If you are Great Plains partner/VAR – you should be aware of these settings to troubleshoot legacy GP installations, especially this is applicable to Pervasive/Brieve/Ctree. The other way to deal with these legacies is to use ODBC connection.

• Service Packs. Retro service packs: GP 5.0, 5.5, 6.0, 7.0, 7.5, 8.0 and now 9.0 are Microsoft Great Plains Dexterity and SQL stored procedures/scripts to update DYNAMICS.DIC and DYNAMICS/Company databases.

• Microsoft Dexterity Source Code Program. In July 2005 MBS reopened Microsoft Dexterity source code program for new and existing partners. This means that you, as Great Plains Dexterity customization client or orphan has more options to select supporting partner. Great Plains Dexterity customization upgrade is challenging.

• International Connection. Microsoft Great Plains or now Microsoft Dynamics GP 9.0 will be supported for USA, Canada (including French speaking/writing Montreal/Quebec), Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, all English Speaking Africa: Nigeria, etc., South East Asia: Philippines, Singapore, Thailand. MS Dynamics GP support will be phased out for Europe: France, Belgium, Holland, Denmark, Germany, Poland

• Switch To Axapta/Microsoft Dynamics AX? These are signs from Microsoft, especially from the overseas regions: Brazil, Russia, East Europe, India, China, where Microsoft BS is investing into Axapta localization and promotion – plus we see the trend – large MBS VARs are signing up and certifying for Axapta – MBS Dynamics AX is rising star – it is ERP/MRP package for upper mid-market.

• Antiquities – Great Plains ReportWriter – if you have Long or Short SOP invoice form customized – this is the place where you depend on legacy Microsoft Dexterity customization. The same should be mentioned about Crystal Reports, Microsoft is phasing Crystal out with its Microsoft Dynamics CRM and GP – replacing it with MS SQL Server RS

• Integration with Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0. Microsoft Dynamics GP or Microsoft Great Plains is integrated with MS CRM fo0r version 7.5 and 8.0. These integrations work on the level of Microsoft BizTalk server. For MBS Dynamics GP 9.0 integration is rewritten with eConnect/XML web services

Please do not hesitate to call or email us USA 1-866-528-0577, 1-630-961-5918, Brazil: +55-11-3444 4949, help@albaspectrum.com

Andrew Karasev is Chief Technology Officer at Alba Spectrum Technologies (http://www.albaspectrum.com) - Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains, Navision, Axapta, MS CRM, Oracle Financials and IBM Lotus Domino Partner, serving corporate customers in the following industries: Aerospace & Defense, Medical & Healthcare, Distribution & Logistics, Hospitality, Banking & Finance, Wholesale & Retail, Chemicals, Oil & Gas, Placement & Recruiting, Advertising & Publishing, Textile, Pharmaceutical, Non-Profit, Beverages, Conglomerates, Apparels, Durables, Manufacturing and having locations in multiple states and internationally. We are serving USA/Canada Nationwide: Houston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Boston, Miami, Seattle, Minneapolis, Phoenix, Atlanta, Dallas, San Francisco, San Diego, Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Europe: Germany, France, Belgium, Poland, Russia, Middle East (Egypt, Saudi Arabia, OAE, Bahrain), Asia: China, Australia, New Zealand, Oceania, South & Central America: Mexico, Peru, Brazil, Venezuela, Columbia, Ecuador, Chili, Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina

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