There are two scenarios, where you need to plan data to be imported from external file, database of application to Microsoft Dynamics GP. The first one would be ongoing integration, in such cases as eCommerce real time or overnight data move from Shopping Cart, EDI (Electronic Document Interface), all kinds of legacy systems and databases. And the second type is initial data migration from your legacy Accounting application to the new Corporate ERP platform on GP. In both cases you may use the same set of tools, however each scenario requires special consideration, as each has specifics. Let’s review each one with some details. We’ll try to be balancing between the two extremes †to be too technical (where you might be disappointed if you are from the Controller, Accountant or company owner camp) and too functional or business processes oriented (where your programmers, IT engineers might express the desire to use the time for napping, while you are reviewing these functionalities with them): 1.Data Conversion and Integration tools. If you would like to save the money and avoid programming, where it is not absolutely necessary, the first tool to consider should be GP Integration Manager. IM could be deployed for one-time initial balances, customers, vendors and some transactions transfer from your legacy accounting (PeachTree, QuickBooks, MYOB, Accpac, SAP Business One †and you name it) as well as scheduled to run quasi real time, overnight and even GP user triggered ongoing integration. Sometimes you might hear and opinion, that Great Plains Integration Manager is more text file processing application and it is not really strong with advanced integration. These opinions might be associated with the CPA related orientation (with very strong knowledge of GP functional side and lesser exposure to its technologies and programming tools) of the specific Dynamics GP Partner. We will review advanced features of IM below. Second tool to consider is probably eConnect, where you may have more control in sending your transactions to Dynamics GP in real time, especially if you are Microsoft Visual Studio programmer, working with C#, VB.Net. eConnect was originally dedicated to eCommerce programmers to open Great Plains objects, such as customer, inventory items and Sales Transaction documents †these are typically the participants in transforming ecommerce shopping cart with customer deposit (usually credit card payment) to Dynamics GP Sales Transaction. The third option is direct SQL insert statements †this is not really for novices in Great Plains architecture, table structure and data flow †this tool is definitely very powerful, but it is dangerous as it doesn’t validate business logic of the Dynamics GP and could lead to data integrity compromising. There are also integration tools, available from Dynamics GP ISV partners, we are not positioned to recommend one or another, as these tools might not be backed directly Dynamics GP business logic evolution, just on your own take a look at such Dynamics GP ISV as Scribe 2.Dynamics GP Integration Manager in focus. Well, every Dynamics GP certified consultant (probably just from his or her certification class) knows how to build integration from the text tab or comma delimited (and even custom character delimited). Then, when you your needs are to integrate something exposed via ODBC connection, especially cross platform (Windows based Dynamics GP with something coming from Linux/MySQL/PHP, Oracle, Sybase, Pervasive SQL, IBM Lotus Notes) or even XML and a bit advanced processing of the text file (where you should build document header and the lines from the same document) †you may expect the number of Great Plains consultants who are ready to take the challenge to narrow. Please, know that IM is capable to do all kind of the integrations, where you may base your initial query on cross platform SQL view (in MS SQL Server you can create Linked Server to open such DB platforms as Oracle, MS Access, MS Excel, Pervasive SQL, Ctree, MySQL, XML, and even old-good-days text files). IM could be scheduled to run every say 30 minutes to provide quasi real time integration compliance (we saw Great Plains customer who decided to use ecommerce shopping cart integration designed in Integration Manager and scheduled via one of the Windows scheduling free ware programs and this model worked in B2B ecommerce integration scenario) 3.Data Migration and Conversion. This paragraph is dedicated to the phase where you are doing initial Great Plains implementation. Here is where you should be very careful and save the implementation money. If you simply say â€please, convert everything†to your Dynamics GP Reseller, that might be the signal for them to be authorized to use blank check, where the budget is unlimited. We recommend you to review initial data massage and migration strategies. It is important to understand that the best strategy is to bring over GL accounts, Master Records (Customers, Employees, Vendors, Addresses), initial GL account balances and probably open AR and AP to be able to apply issued or received payments. All the rest should be considered to leave in your legacy ERP application just for look up purposes only (in the case of state or federal audit or if customer or vendor calls you to check the status). If you absolutely need GL history to be brought over, we recommend you to consider to combine it into monthly consolidated GL transactions and have Integration Manager do the job, where your accounting people review the import results and post the final monthly batches when you are satisfied with the General Ledger distribution 4.Advanced scenarios with ongoing integration to Dynamics GP. We have to admit high demand on such integrations as eCommerce Shopping Cart (Magento, ASP.Net Storefront) and all the kinds of Supply Chain Management and Warehouse Management Systems as well as Microsoft RMS and POS applications from other vendors. Here we should make a comment, that professionally programmed applications might be too complex for ODBC data connection and pulling daily set of transactions directly from the database and at the same time the volume of daily POS transactions might be too challenging for being exported into the text file and then imported in Integration Manager 5.To request further support, please call us 1-866-528-0577, help@albaspectrum.com We need to discuss your cards in order to recommend you the best solutions, which is not contingent to our preferences. We serve you USA/Canada nationwide via remote support (web sessions and phone/skype conferences). 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