| Microsoft Dynamics GP, or former ERP name | | | | design Advanced ODBC query over Text Driver, |
| – Great Plains Dynamics and eEnterprise, being | | | | you can weed out blank lines, headers, comments |
| implemented often requires initial or even ongoing | | | | and other rows, non participating in integration |
| data migration, data massage in Excel, preparing | | | | |
| data in EDI complaint format either importing into | | | | 3. Data Conversion Strategies. If you |
| GP or exporting from there to place order with | | | | think that you can import “everything”, |
| your EDI vendors and suppliers. In this publication | | | | you probably should review conversion scenarios |
| we would like to share with you some common | | | | and their cost and vulnerability to flaws and |
| data integration and conversion techniques | | | | errors. When you switch over from your old |
| | | | | legacy MRP to new accounting application, you |
| 1. Dynamics GP Integration Manager. | | | | should consider smooth transition, where you |
| IM should be reviewed first, prior to considering | | | | leave your legacy system for data inquiry for |
| other data integration and migration options and | | | | several years, while new system crosses |
| tools. Assuming that you are implementing new | | | | reasonable data collection time frame to virtually |
| GP version, such as Great Plains 10.0 (current at | | | | shut down the old ERP |
| this time, September 2008), you should know | | | | |
| technical side of new connectors available – | | | | 4. Master Records Migration. Try to |
| eConnect technology. eConnect revolutionizes | | | | evaluate first so-called master records conversion: |
| IM, as it breaks through performance hurdle and | | | | GL accounts, customers, vendors, employees and |
| provides several hundred documents per minute, | | | | addresses. Then you simply enter GL beginning |
| depending on the document type. If you have | | | | balances and switch over daily data entry to your |
| your conversion data in ODBC compliant | | | | newly implemented Dynamics GP Great Plains. |
| database, we recommend you to consider | | | | This approach is the best, the most reliable and |
| advanced ODBC query in IM. Advanced ODBC | | | | the most cost efficient and errors proof |
| allows you to do union, group by, having, sum, | | | | |
| max and other standard SQL queries (obviously | | | | 5. GP historical data conversion. This |
| ODBC places some restrictions, but they are | | | | conversion is something that we would like to |
| typically not critical and not a show stoppers) | | | | discourage you to do. It is possible, however it is |
| | | | | not easy and you should review the feasibility |
| 2. IM and Text Files. If your legacy | | | | from the stand point of the budget, the efficiency |
| data export is not really flexible and what you get | | | | and the end result. |
| is old fashion text report, do not give up, if you | | | | |