| Microsoft Great Plains is main mid-market | | | | Structure). This is similar to surgery - so you |
| application from Microsoft Business Solutions. This | | | | probably need outside consultant to help you. If |
| is short article, written in question/answer/FAQ | | | | the volume of historical data is small - you can |
| style to give IT Director/Controller balanced top | | | | deploy Great Plains Integration Manager and then |
| level information on Microsoft Business Solutions | | | | post the records in the modules. |
| Great Plains implementation. If you have decided | | | | - User Training - we are just listing this item - it is |
| on Microsoft Great Plains as main accounting and | | | | up to you to decide on the way to train your |
| ERP system you need to know some technical | | | | users |
| details on Great Plains installation and | | | | - Using Two Systems in Parallel - this is |
| implementation and what is going on behind the | | | | recommended. You should print the reports from |
| scenes. As of right now the current version is | | | | both systems during this test period and compare |
| Microsoft Great Plains 8.0 | | | | the results |
| What is installation in the language of technology? | | | | - Customization - typical areas of customizations: |
| Installation has server and client sides. | | | | Invoice form, Crystal Reports, pulling info from |
| - Server side - Installation creates security | | | | multiple databases, including Great Plains database, |
| environment (logins) on MS SQL Server or MSDE, | | | | Great Plains forms modification with Modifier/VBA, |
| creates system database - DYNAMICS and then | | | | Great Plains Dexterity forms and logic |
| company databases. All these tasks are | | | | customization, integration with CRM, RMS and |
| performed by Microsoft Great Plains Utilities | | | | other business systems, web publishing from |
| - Workstation side - workstation installation copies | | | | Great Plains tables, EDI with your suppliers, SQL |
| the client side application, installs current version of | | | | Data Transformation packages |
| MDAC (we need SQL ODBC driver - please check | | | | Do I need consultant? We strongly recommend |
| documentation on ODBC DSN setup), registers | | | | you to use consultant in the following cases |
| the application. If you plan to run Great Plains | | | | - You have identified the need for Great Plains |
| Utilities from the workstation to create server | | | | Dexterity customization |
| side (see above) - you need to check Install Client | | | | - You are doing migration from Pervasive/Ctree |
| and Server Components | | | | to Microsoft SQL Server/MSDE, especially when |
| What is following implementation? Implementation | | | | you have third-parties without migration tools |
| requires combination of technological and | | | | - You are doing migration from Great Plains |
| accounting skills | | | | Accounting to Microsoft Great Plains |
| - System Setup - you should refer to GP | | | | - You have to create a lot or ReportWriter |
| documentation. In general setup consists of | | | | Modified Great Plains Reports |
| Company information, General GL/AR/AP/Payroll | | | | - You have old version of Great Plains: Dynamics |
| setup, User classes, Customer/Vendor/Employee | | | | or eEnterprise 6.0 or prior - in this case you can |
| classes to name a few | | | | not appeal to Microsoft Technical Support - it is |
| - Master Records - you should either use | | | | discontinued |
| integration tools, such as Integration Manager, | | | | - Your Great Plains has more than 20 users in this |
| SQL queries or have users to type in all your GL | | | | case the mistake may lead to serious business |
| Accounts, Customers, Vendors, Employees . | | | | problems |
| - Beginning Balances - this is recommended | | | | - You don't have support for your old Great Plains |
| approach - you place aside the old accounting | | | | - then you have to select your Microsoft Business |
| application for querying the historical data and | | | | Solutions Partner and pay for the annual support |
| enter beginning balances in Great Plains GL, AR, | | | | enhancement plan - you will get new registration |
| AP, SOP, POP, Payroll. When you have balances in | | | | key and will be ready for the upgrade |
| the system you are ready to use it in production | | | | Good luck with installation, implementation, upgrade |
| - Historical Data conversion - this is optional, in | | | | and if you have issues or concerns - we are here |
| order to do historical data conversion you need to | | | | to help! If you want us to do the job - give us a |
| know basic Great Plains tables structure | | | | call 1-866-528-0577! |
| (Setup->Tools->Resource Description->Tables | | | | |