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Microsoft Great Plains and Microsoft CRM both use MS SQL Server 2005 or 2000databases, GP has eConnect tool, which covers MBS owned GP modules: GL, SOP, POP,PM, RM, Payroll. So, if you plan standard integration, our suggestion is todeploy eConnect. If you use third party GP modules, such as Wennsoft, Mekorma andothers, you will have to use SQL Stored Procedures to feed data into Great Plains. Let s consider high-level technical scenarios:1. CRM->GP. You have two scenarios here. The first scenario works if you arestrong Visual Studio developer with C# skills, consider Microsoft CRM SDKprogramming to pull objects from CRM. Then to push them to GP, you should createseries of stored procedures and call them via ADO.Net objects in C# project. VB.Netshould be also OK, however you may see fewer number of sample codes to help you inMS CRM SDK objects programming. In the second scenario, if you don t really likethe idea to deploy CRM SDK based Visual Studio .Net project, then simply create newdatabase (named something like crmcustomization, as you can not create custom storedprocedures and views in CRM databases they will be wiped out by upgrade). Then goahead and create set of stored procedures, which will pull and mark data asprocessed from MS CRM here you should get good familiarity with linking CRM tablesby GUID column2. GP->CRM. If you need objects to go backward to CRM, then the only option wouldbe MS CRM SDK (if you are not using something like Scribe or another tool availablefor purchase on the market). Pulling data from Great Plains is fairly simple. Research tables structure: Tools->Resource Description->Tables and you will beprepared to send master records: customer, vendor, employee, account; worktransactions: quotes, orders (SOP10100 and SOP10200 tables), etc.3. eConnect posting dilemma. If you are deploying Connect to feed Salestransactions to GP from your eCommerce application, then you will realize that youcan not force eConnect to post sales batches. eConnect by its architecture workswith master and work records only. To do posting you have two options first onewould be code posting logic in SQL or Microsoft Dexterity; the second option is todeploy Albaspectrum posting server, which utilizes Dexterity posting logic andallows you to put the batch in the approved posting queue then Microsoft Dexteritywill do the rest of posting job. Posting Server works with all standard GP modules
Andrew Karasev, Alba Spectrum Group http://www.albaspectrum.comhe lp@albaspectrum.com 1-866-528-0577, 1-630-961-5918, serving Microsoft Dynamics GPUSA and Canada nationwide: Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary, Windsor, New York,San Francisco, Los Angeles, Miami, Orlando, Pittsburg, Toledo, Indianapolis,Detroit, Philadelphia, Boston, Washington, Seattle, San Diego, Phoenix, Austin. Local service is available in Chicago and Houston metros: Rosenberg, Katy, Richmond,Dallas, Galveston, Sugar Land, Naperville, Wheaton, Plainfield, Aurora, Wheaton,Downers Grove, Lisle, Oakbrook, Morris, Marseilles, Joliet, Montgomery, Oswego,DeKalb. With reasonable travel we serve Springfield, Bloomington, Normal, Peoria,LaSalle, Ottawa, Dixon
