| If your organization is deploying one of the legacy | | | | Rock Corporate ERP platform, however it is no |
| Microsoft Dynamics GP or Great Plains Software | | | | longer supported directly by Software Publisher |
| Dynamics/eEnterprise versions: 8.0, 7.5, 7.0, 6.0, | | | | (Great Plains Software was acquired by Microsoft |
| 5.5, 5.0, 4.0 3.2 or Great Plains Accounting for | | | | and Microsoft Business Solutions terminated GPA |
| DOS, Windows and Mac: 9.5, 9.2, 9.1, 8.0 or earlier, | | | | support in around 2001) |
| please enjoy this small article reading. Great | | | | 5. GPA redeployment on Windows 2003 Server. |
| Plains Dynamics for Windows was introduced as | | | | This is possible way to try, if you plan to stick |
| pioneering Corporate ERP and Accounting | | | | to Great Plains Accounting for DOS or Windows |
| application back in earlier 1990th as reasonable | | | | for another ten years. There is the technology |
| way out from old DOS accounting and Corporate | | | | to move your GPA from Novell or Windows NT |
| ERP applications. Competition those old good | | | | Servers to MS Windows 2003 Server (we could |
| days was pretty tough: Maconomy (Great Plains | | | | not guarantee the same results for Windows2008 |
| was also balancing Macintosh graphical platform to | | | | Server, including Small Business Server 2008 |
| see who will be the winner in the long run), Scala | | | | version, as we need to provide addition testing |
| (where most of the coding was in time | | | | and QA) |
| performed in Hungary, it was one of the leading | | | | 6. GPA for DOS, Windows and Mac Support. We |
| DOS Accounting packages in Europe), SUN | | | | are committed to this market segment, and we |
| Accounting, etc. Most of the competitors names | | | | have trained Great Plains Accounting consultants in |
| are now forgotten, as we could conclude, but | | | | staff. We have access as well to GPA |
| what the future will be nobody could predict with | | | | knowledge base, where all the known issues for |
| assurance. We remember ourselves to be | | | | Great Plains Accounting were documented as of |
| visitors in Mac World conference in San Francisco | | | | the end of 2001 |
| in 1995, where we decided to stake on Great | | | | 7. Intellisol Tragedy. If your company is on |
| Plains Dynamics (however I personally | | | | Great Plains 7.5 or earlier and you are deploying |
| recommended to try Maconomy - Denmark | | | | Intellisol Project Accounting, please contact Work |
| developed Accounting package for Macintosh OS). | | | | Forth on upgrade path. I you have Intellisol |
| Plus consider additional complexities, as nobody | | | | Advance Purchase Processing add-on module, |
| knew about Java those days (however we took | | | | please consider migration to Great Plains 7.5 |
| into consideration SUN Solaris Operating System, | | | | Purchase Order module. Somewhere around |
| which was close to UNIX platform) But this was | | | | year 2000, Great Plains Software preferred to |
| historical excurse. Let's move on to modern day | | | | purchase Match Data Systems Project Accounting |
| events and Dynamics GP support: | | | | add-on (Great Plains ISV partner from Philippines), |
| 1. Microsoft Dynamics GP support for versions | | | | versus purchasing Intellisol International (Australia |
| 10.0 and 9.0. Assuming that you got so far, | | | | based GP ISV partners with newly opened office |
| support depends on the fact if you are current in | | | | in Fargo, ND) Project Accounting (we don't know |
| Microsoft Business Solutions Dynamics GP annual | | | | the details of the negotiation - we just stating the |
| enhancement program. If the answer is Yes, we | | | | facts. Our Consultant Andrew Karasev was |
| are currently enrolled in Microsoft Dynamics GP | | | | certified with Intellisol both Project Accounting and |
| enhancement program for 2009 (or whatever is | | | | Advanced Purchase Order Processing, this is why |
| the year when you read this article), then your | | | | we feel that we are in good position to help you |
| organization has access to newest Dynamics GP | | | | with Intellisol walking away or migration) |
| version (at this time, October 2009 it is Microsoft | | | | 8. Migration Path to Dynamics GP or SAP Business |
| Dynamics GP version 10.0) | | | | One. Microsoft Dynamics GP is in our opinion |
| 2. If you do not have support plan from Microsoft | | | | preferred as you can rely on GPA to Great Plains |
| Business Solutions, please check with your official | | | | 7.5 migration tool. However if your business is |
| Dynamics GP Reseller on reenrollment options (or | | | | downsizing, please consider migrating to such |
| call our office for having help in reenrollment). | | | | Small Business ERP and accounting packages as |
| Chances are high that your decision to abandon | | | | SAP Business One, Microsoft Small Business |
| support plan was reasonable and the budget to | | | | Accounting, QuickBooks, PeachTree, MYOB. Just |
| reenroll is too high or even unrealistic. In that | | | | as our two cents advise only, as we do not |
| case you should probably stick to the option to | | | | directly sell, implement or support QuickBooks, |
| run your Dynamics GP Great Plains on the old | | | | Peach Tree, MYOB, Accpac |
| version. Just to give you our reasoning. MBS | | | | 9. Some good words about SAP Business One. |
| encourages Dynamics GP VARs to encourage | | | | We would like the opportunity to offer SB1 as |
| their customers to be on current GP version and | | | | an alternative to Microsoft Dynamics GP in the |
| in Annual Enhancement Program, but we | | | | case when you are downgrading in Corporate ERP |
| understand your situation and we are willing to | | | | application. SB1 is dedicate to Small Business |
| help you with old Great Plains version support | | | | clients, however in our opinion this application has |
| 3. Support FAQ for Great Plains on Pervasive | | | | Production (discrete manufacturing), CRM, Service |
| SQL 2000 or Ctree, In our experience the | | | | and Contract Management features |
| issues are typically related to GP System moving | | | | 10. How to get help? Please, feel free to call us: |
| to new server and Location Translation dilemma. | | | | 1-866-528-0577, outside of USA: 1-630-961-5918 |
| Ctree or Btrieve/Pervasive SQL 2000 date | | | | or email us We are very technical and real |
| repair - we recommend these to be done via | | | | Dynamics GP Dexterity, SAP Business One SDK |
| ODBC drivers from Microsoft Access (via Linked | | | | and Microsoft CRM programming gurus. We |
| tables) or in MS SQL Server Linked Server object | | | | have Great Plains Software Development Factory |
| 4. Great Plains Accounting Migration to Dynamics | | | | and could support unlimited Dynamics GP |
| GP. If your organization is in decent shape | | | | Customization and Programming needs. Plus we |
| budget wise, please consider GPA to Dynamics | | | | speak English, Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese, |
| GP migration scenario. GPA for Windows NT, | | | | Russian, and not only as native speaking sales |
| DOS or Macintosh might be considered as Solid | | | | folks, but as real technical consultants. |