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Microsoft Great Plains: if you are orphan client - what to-do and FAQ
By Andrew Karasev
Microsoft Business
Solutions Great Plains, former Great Plains Software eEnterprise, Dynamics and
Dynamics C/S+ is very popular ERP and since 1994 has been successfully
implemented for mid-size and mid-size to large companies in the USA, Canada, UK,
Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Middle East. During the economic
recession time 2001-2004 the majority of businesses cut to virtually zero their
IT/computer support expenses and stayed with hardware and software. At the same
time consulting companies: Great Plains Software and later on Microsoft Business
Solutions Partners, VARs, Resellers and ISVs had to reduce their workforce,
merge with large auditing companies or simply close their doors. The result of
these two tendencies was huge number of so-called Microsoft Great Plains and
Great Plains Dynamics orphan clients. In 2005 we see the signs of economy
recovery: companies invested into new computer hardware and OS: Windows 2003
servers, Windows XP Pro workstations, Microsoft Exchange, etc. Now it is time
for them to upgrade/recover their Great Plains Dynamics or migrate Great Plains
Accounting to Microsoft Great Plains. Let’s consider the steps required to
upgrade your ERP system:
·
Annual Enhancement Program.
Minimal plan is 16% of the software list price. Microsoft Great Plains requires
professional support and Microsoft Business Solutions serves its clients through
MBS partner network. This means that you need to pick up Microsoft Business
Solutions partner you like and have them reenroll you into annual maintenance
program. Unfortunately Microsoft requires you to pay penalty to reenroll, but
from time to time it has promotion campaigns when the penalty is partially
waived. When you are back in the program – you will get reg key for the new
version and if needed you can purchase additional user licenses and modules
·
Hardware Requirements.
If you have strong IT group in-house – have them login to MBS customer source
and get hardware and OS requirement for Great Plains version you plan on upgrade
to.
·
Upgrade.
Very good scenario is to have outside consultant for initiating and finishing
upgrade, when upgrade itself is done by your own IT group. Also upgrade has to
do with modifications you have.
·
Migration.
If you are on Pervasive SQL 2000 or Ctree Great Plains Dynamics or Great Plains
Accounting 9.5 or earlier – you need migration tool and migration
·
Modified Reports.
Great Plains ReportWriter reports will be automatically upgraded, except the few
of them, which needs to be redone. On the customer source you will find the
list of these report which needs to be recreated. Crystal Reports usually do
not need upgrade.
·
Dexterity Customization.
This piece is probably the one for outside Great Plains Dexterity consultant or
programmer. Great Plains Dexterity is programming language and IDE and the
complexity of the upgrade may vary, depending on the quality of customization
design and coding and the level of integration with the main application
(usually DYNAMICS.DIC)
·
Integrations.
The integration may work as is – especially if it deploys SQL scripts and stored
procs. If it doesn’t work – you need programmer help – who understands
Great Plains architecture and
table structure.
Good luck with upgrade,
implementation, customization and integration and if you have issues or concerns
– we are here to help! If you want us to do the job - give us a call
866-528-0577 or 630-961-5918!
help@albaspectrum.com About the Author Andrew is Great Plains
specialist in
Alba Spectrum Technologies (
http://www.albaspectrum.com ) – Microsoft Great Plains, Navision, Microsoft
CRM Partner, serving clients in
California, Minnesota,
Illinois, Washington, Florida, Arizona, New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Georgia,
Louisiana, Texas, Canada, UK, Australia, Brazil, Germany, Russia
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