Microsoft Dynamics GP Customization Tools Alba Spectrum
Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains was renamed into Microsoft Dynamics GP and became part of Microsoft Dynamics strategy in September 2005.
Former name of the strategy was Microsoft Project Green, where the idea was to introduce so-called Microsoft Business Suites: Financials, Distribution, Human Resource, Manufacturing, etc. In our opinion Microsoft reserves the rights to alter the next steps of Microsoft Dynamics realization and the shapes of the next wave of the merging ERP (Axapta, Great Plains, CRM, Navision, Solomon). This is why the developer has to analyze the development tools, if she/he wants to provide the longest possible longevity to the custom logic. Alba Spectrum Group, USA/Canada: 1-866-528-0577, 1-630-961-5918, Europe: +44 20
8123 2580, +45 36 96 55 20, Mexico: 52-55-535-04027, Brazil: 55-11-3444-4949,
help@albaspectrum.com skype:
albaspectrum
Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains was renamed into Microsoft Dynamics GP
and became part of Microsoft Dynamics strategy in September 2005. Former name of
the strategy was Microsoft Project Green, where the idea was to introduce
so-called Microsoft Business Suites: Financials, Distribution, Human Resource,
Manufacturing, etc. In our opinion Microsoft reserves the rights to alter the
next steps of Microsoft Dynamics realization and the shapes of the next wave of
the merging ERP (Axapta, Great Plains, CRM, Navision, Solomon). This is why the
developer has to analyze the development tools, if she/he wants to provide the
longest possible longevity to the custom logic. Let’s look at the dilemmas:
• “Fat” versus “Thin” client. Here we reveal “Fat” client technology – it is
Microsoft Dexterity with DYNAMICS.DIC – dictionary (all objects for core
functionality: table, procedure, function, form, window, string, etc are defined
here). Thin client is Business Portal approach (we are not talking about Citrix
way here, because in Citrix you usually open the same Fat Dexterity client) or
web client. The dilemma of web client is – Dexterity is not web-enabled
technology and such questions as GP security realm, accessing business logic
(coded in Great Plains Dexterity) is complicated if not possible at all. Plus –
if you look at licensing structure – user licenses are actually simultaneous
“fat” clients connections, controlled by Dexterity technical logic. Imagine –
you need to extend SOP Entry screen logic – you can only realize it accessing
Fat client and adding custom logic there through dexterity, Extender (or in
Visual Studio, programming relevant GP Object – but again it will go to Fat
client extension and Dexterity has more control over its own realm). When
Microsoft Dynamics GP will offload Fat Client logic to Business Portal, then you
will be using more thin client or web development to do the job, it is not
actual today and probably Dexterity has another several years to stay on the
first position.
• Probability of the Paradigm Change. Could you expect in 1995 that something
like .Net, or XML Web Services will show up on the scene and make Graphical
Platform and database independence (Oracle, MS SQL Server, Sybase, DB2, Ingress)
actuality obsolete? This was only a decade ago. Now – the paradoxical question –
would you think that such paradigms as Java/J2EE/EJB and .Net plus XML Web
Services will stay for another decade? We don’t know. At the same time, such
old-timers, as Microsoft Dexterity or former name Great Plains Software
Dexterity stay robust and alive since the beginning of 1990th. Please look at
Microsoft tools, such as VBA (Visual Basics for Applications) – it was scripting
language, designed in 1990th and now it is pretty much phased out. In other
words, we don’t know and can’t predict the longevity of current paradigms and
axioms in IT and Programming industry. Maybe the answer is this – Dexterity was
designed to stay through technological cataclysms, while new tools were designed
to serve current needs and commercialize current technology trends.
• Reporting. Let’s look at ReportWriter, which is Dexterity-based tool and
Crystal Reports. Report Writer has huge number of customization across the Great
Plains clients community: SOP Invoice Long form, Purchase Order with company
graphical logo, AP Check form to name a few. Crystal Reports were the tool of
choice when ReporWriter can’t do the job, to remind the story – Crystal was
Industry Standard tool, capable to deliver stunning graphical quality and
excellent database independence and heterogeneous linking. Nowadays Crystal is
deemphasized for Microsoft Dynamics Project – Microsoft SQL Server Reporting
Services are in the preferred position.
• Balance. Again – what will be the future? It is not clear and what kind of
agenda (even if it is not consciously placed behind by the tool architect) is
behind it – you as developer should think through the time and minimize the risk
for your custom logic upgradeability and the dependence of “modern” technology
trends, which have high chance to be abolished in the short future.
Please do not hesitate to call or email us: USA 1-866-528-0577, 1-630-961-5918
help@albaspectrum.com
Alba Spectrum Technologies (
http://www.albaspectrum.com
http://www.enterlogix.com.br
http://www.ronix-systems.de ) - Microsoft Business Solutions Great
Plains, Navision, Axapta, MS CRM, Oracle Financials and IBM Lotus Domino
Partner, serving corporate customers in the following industries: Aerospace &
Defense, Medical & Healthcare, Distribution & Logistics, Hospitality, Banking &
Finance, Wholesale & Retail, Chemicals, Oil & Gas, Placement & Recruiting,
Advertising & Publishing, Textile, Pharmaceutical, Non-Profit, Beverages,
Conglomerates, Apparels, Durables, Manufacturing and having locations in
multiple states and internationally.
We are serving USA Nationwide: CA, IL, NY, FL, AZ, CO, TX, WI, WA, MI, MA, MO,
LA, NM, MN, Europe: Germany, France, Belgium, Poland, Russia, Middle East
(Egypt, Saudi Arabia, OAE, Bahrain), Asia: China, Australia, New Zealand,
Oceania, South & Central America: Mexico, Peru, Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia,
Ecuador, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico
About Alba Spectrum Technologies. Alba Spectrum Technologies is joint venture of
several IT and business consulting companies, now operating as single business
entity. We have local presence in the Houston, Chicago, New York, Los Angeles,
San Diego, Dallas, Miami, Atlanta, Denver, Phoenix, New Orleans, Minneapolis,
San Francisco, LATAM & Brazil, Germany, Russia, South East Asia and Oceania. We
believe in the coexistence of Java (J2EE, EJB, Linux, Unix), Oracle and
Microsoft (.Net, C#, VB) platforms and systems and specialize in several product
lines and cross platform integration, customization, heterogeneous report
design, plus we provide ERP/CRM systems comparison and reviews, not being
committed to just on MRP platform. We also stake on XML cross-platform data
interchange to be advanced in the coming decade.
Alba Spectrum Technologies websites:
http://www.albaspectrum.com
http://www.greatplains.com.mx
http://www.enterlogix.com.br
http://www.ronix-systems.de
Alba Spectrum Group, USA/Canada: 1-866-528-0577, 1-630-961-5918, Europe: +44 20
8123 2580, +45 36 96 55 20, Mexico: 52-55-535-04027, Brazil: 55-11-3444-4949,
help@albaspectrum.com skype:
albaspectrum
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