| > | | | | to eConnect |
| We assume that in your case you have established | | | | |
| Microsoft Dynamics GP (also known as Great Plains | | | | 3. eConnect SDK and technology for |
| Dynamics in the past) and use it in production for | | | | Dynamics GP. If you are C# or VB.Net ecommerce |
| accounting, Sales Order Processing, AP, AR, | | | | programmer or programming savvy web master, |
| distribution and logistics. | | | | please review eConnect, as it has set of libraries, |
| Plus you have working ecommerce website, where | | | | which could be added to your MS Visual Studio web |
| integration to GP is very loose: maybe it triggers | | | | projects and you could create, edit, delete virtually all |
| email to Picking and Packing department, or Sales | | | | GP Master records: customer, vendor, GL account, |
| Order Processing people. In this small publication we | | | | Item, Address, Employee, and work transactions: |
| would like to review relatively open for end user or in | | | | Sales Invoice, Purchase Order, Purchase Receipt, GL |
| the case of software developer - not difficult to | | | | Transaction, Customer Payment. Please, note that |
| begin integration coding. We do not specifically | | | | you cannot post GP Batches (such as popular in |
| review here differences between B2B and B2C | | | | ecommerce scenarios Sales Order Processing Batch) - |
| ecommerce scenarios in Dynamics GP, please review | | | | if you need complete automation with Batch Posting |
| our past articles. There are ready for deployment | | | | you need to consider Alba Spectrum Posting Server |
| solutions, we assume that you already did this | | | | or Autopost. Also, eConnect doesn't cover some |
| homework and decided to preserve your | | | | rather historical modules, such as Invoicing (usually |
| investments into your current eCommerce web | | | | Great Plains Customers prefer more robust Sales |
| application, and all you would like to do is robust | | | | Order Processing module). And plus, eConnect from |
| integration: | | | | Dynamics GP doesn't cover third party Dynamics GP |
| | | | | ISV modules, which you may deploy - consider to |
| 1. Real Time versus Batch Mode | | | | check with you Great Plains ISV partner if they have |
| integrations. Real Time ecommerce transactions | | | | extensions for eConnect. If you are on Dynamics |
| move to GP Sales Orders or Invoices is definitely | | | | GP 10.0 and 9.0 - eConnect is the way to go, |
| cool to have, however if this is not absolutely | | | | however if you are on older version, consider to |
| required, we recommend you first to think about | | | | upgrade to GP version 10.0 prior to deploying |
| Batch Mode ecommerce integration. Batch mode | | | | eConnect in your ecommerce integration |
| means, that ecommerce may have some lookups for | | | | programming |
| your customers if item is available in one of your | | | | |
| warehouses (via simple SQL query to your Dynamics | | | | 4. Beyond eConnect. If you believe that |
| GP Company database), however ecommerce | | | | your integration is SOP only and it is very simple, we |
| transactions are moved to GP Sales Document only | | | | offer Alba Spectrum Order Connector. This tool |
| once per day, or maybe every hour, if you are larger | | | | supports all current versions: 10.0 and 9.0 plus older |
| ecommerce retailer | | | | versions: 7.5 and 8.0. You can also combine some |
| | | | | Great Plains Dexterity programming to alter business |
| 2. GP Integration Manager. This tool is | | | | processes in GP as additional help to Integration. |
| very friendly to Great Plains users, and it could be | | | | We are trying to discourage you from considering |
| extended by programmer via VBA event driven | | | | direct SQL Server Stored procedures coding, as |
| scripts. IM is first choice if you are planning integrate | | | | eConnect already have this work done for you - its |
| in Batch Mode. Please, do not be mislead by some | | | | initial layout is encrypted MS SQL Server Stored |
| GP consultants, that IM is for text files only. For | | | | Procedures, plus consider the fact that Dynamics GP |
| advanced ecommerce integration to GP we | | | | Business Logic and Data Flow is complex, and its |
| recommend you to base IM data queries on SQL | | | | database is not protected from inexperienced SQL |
| Server Views (Advanced ODBC based query) and | | | | programmer - you can compromise data integrity and |
| the View itself looks at the existing GP orders and | | | | incur additional unexpected expenses in involving GP |
| lines and into new ecommerce document - in that | | | | Technical consultants to do data recovery and repair |
| case your scenario could be completely automated. | | | | |
| Plus IM integration could be called automatically via | | | | 5. How to get help? Please, feel free to |
| Windows macro third party tiny applications (or you | | | | call us: 1-866-528-0577, outside of USA: |
| can purchase Integration scheduling tool from | | | | 1-630-961-5918 or email us We are very technical |
| Microsoft Business Solutions, check with your | | | | and real Dynamics GP Dexterity, SAP Business One |
| Dynamics GP Partner on that). We helped | | | | SDK programming gurus. We have Great Plains |
| implement scenarios for large Computer IT integrator | | | | Software Development Factory and could support |
| and warehouse, where all transactions are coming | | | | unlimited Dynamics GP Customization and |
| through B2B ecommerce website on PHP/Linux and | | | | Programming needs. Plus we speak English, Chinese, |
| GP Integration Manager is scheduled to run every 20 | | | | Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, and not only as native |
| minutes to be close to real time mode integration. | | | | speaking sales folks, but as real technical consultants. |
| OK, now if you think IM is too simple, let's move on | | | | |