| Microsoft Great Plains, currently new name in | | | | eConnect software development is calling XML web |
| Microsoft Dynamics family is Microsoft Dynamics GP, | | | | services scenarios. If you have already practiced |
| originally this ERP package was created by Great | | | | eConnect e-commerce development, you should |
| Plains Software as Great Plains Dynamics in earlier | | | | come to the dilemma of eCommerce invoices |
| 1990th as Great Plains Dexterity application. Microsoft | | | | automatic posting. eConnect doesn't do posting job |
| Great Plains tailored business logic or professional | | | | and it is understandable, as eConnect is build upon |
| modifications were initially made back in late 1990th in | | | | Great Plains Dexterity architecture, where posting is |
| Great Plains Dex, this IDE has it own C-shell based | | | | left to GP operators |
| scripting language - sanscript. MRP package at that | | | | 2. EDI or Electronic Document Interchange. |
| time had similar customization capabilities: SAP had | | | | Traditionally EDI is considered as fixed length fields |
| ABAP, Axapta - Morph X, X++, Navision - C/Side. | | | | standard, new approach is XML data interchange, |
| When Microsoft purchased Great Plains Software and | | | | including XML web services. In the case of Microsoft |
| formed Microsoft Business Solutions, Dexterity core | | | | Great Plains both approaches could be relatively easy |
| of GP was deemphasized (however it stays and not | | | | realized on MS SQL Server scripting level, where you |
| going anywhere), instead Microsoft BS opened GP | | | | deploy such statements and constructions as convert |
| objects for Microsoft Visual Studio C# and VB.Net | | | | and cast to program fixed field length |
| developers via new tool - eConnect. eConnect | | | | 3. Sales Order Processing module modifications. SOP is |
| obviously is not a miracle and it replicates Dex logic in | | | | one of the most popular custom logic scenarios. If |
| SQL stored procedures - meaning that eConnect is | | | | you think about deploying custom logic in GP user |
| definitely step forward to make Microsoft Great | | | | workstation, then more likely modification should be |
| Plains more open MRP platform, but this step is | | | | programmed in Dexterity. If Dex is too complex, |
| rather evolutional, not a major revolution. Let's review | | | | especially if you plan to customize GP in-house, then |
| typical GP modification scenarios | | | | consider GP Modifier with VBA |
| 1. eCommerce. GP is now open ERP or accounting | | | | 4. Modifier with VBA (Visual Basic for Applications). |
| backoffice, thanks to eConnect. Good approach in | | | | |