Microsoft Great Plains Dexterity Customizations

Microsoft Business Solutions is on the way to popularize it's ERP systems implementation. Right now such products as Microsoft CRM and Small Business Manager (cheap version of Microsoft Great Plains, based on the same Great Plains Dexterity runtime and DYNAMICS.DIC dictionary) are targeted to self-implementation by in-house IT group. This is short article, written in question/answer/FAQ style to give IT Director/Controller balanced top level information on Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains implementation. If you have decided on Microsoft Great Plains as main accounting and ERP system you need to know some technical details on Great Plains installation and implementation and what is going on behind the scenes. As of right now the current version is Microsoft Great Plains 8.0. Plus you probably should know about programming language of Microsoft Great Plains - Great Plains Dexterity

If you are developer who is asked: how do we customize Great Plains with its native programming language ? Great Plains Dexterity ? read this and you will have the clues on where to look further.

The history of the Dexterity. Great Plains Dexterity ? is proprietary programming language and technology, designed back to earlier 1990th with the goal to build platform independent graphical accounting package ? Great Plains Dynamics. Dexterity itself is written in C (following popular those days hope ? that C will provide platform independence). You can install Dexterity from Great Plains 7.5 CD #2. Obviously it requires a lot of learning / training, but it allows your custom piece be seamlessly integrated with Great Plains interface.

1. Native Dexterity Cursors. Dexterity was designed as platform independent programming language and so if you want your code to be operable on all currently supported databases ? you use Dexterity ranges and loops to manipulate the records

2. Great Plains Dexterity with SQL Stored Procs Nowadays, most of Great Plains installations are moved to SQL Server ? so you can use Dexterity for custom forms drawing only and make the buttons run SQL stored procedures.

3. COM Objects calls. Beginning with version 7.0 Dexterity supports COM objects ? you register them as libraries in Dexterity. Refer the manual. This technique allows you to call such nice things as web services across the internet.

4. Dexterity Forms ? if you like VBA and are comfortable to do all the business logic in VBA ? you can use Dexterity as new forms creator/editor. This is OK ? but you have to purchase VBA/Modifier and Customization Site Enabler from MBS.

Some restrictions. Great Plains is actually integration of multiple dictionaries: DYNAMICS.DIC, ADVSECUR.DIC, EXP1493.DIC, etc. In your Dexterity customization you can deal with one dictionary ? DYNAMICS.DIC. If you need cross dictionaries customization ? consider using SQL Stored Procs for crossing dictionary borders and pulling data/making changes in the other dictionary..

Happy customizing! if you want us to do the job - give us a call 1-866-528-0577! help@albaspectrum.com

About The Author

Andrew Karasev is Chief Technology Officer in Alba Spectrum Technologies ? USA nationwide Great Plains, Microsoft CRM customization company, based in Chicago, Arizona, California, Texas, Florida, Georgia, New York, UK, Canada, Australia and having locations in multiple states and internationally (www.albaspectrum.com), he is Dexterity, SQL, C#.Net, Crystal Reports and Microsoft CRM SDK developer; akarasev@albaspectrum.com

PC World
Walt Mossberg to Appear Weekly on FOX Business Network in a ...
Business Wire (press release), CA - 21 hours ago
In making the announcement, Magee said, “Walt is the most well-respected personal technology reporter in the industry, and his insights on new products not ...
Fox Business Snatches WSJ's Walt Mossberg From CNBC Silicon Alley Insider
Walt Mossberg to Join Fox News: What? PC World
Walt Mossberg and the Fox-Journal-CNBC Loophole Conde Nast Portfolio
all 19 news articles

Computerworld
Tech giants unite to thwart web hijack risk
Times Online, UK - 3 hours ago
Microsoft released its patch yesterday as part of it regular patch schedule, and automated updating should protect most personal computers. ...
New flaw could let hackers control web Australian IT
New ‘security patch’ software tackles major internet security breach News Locale
all 209 news articles

Broadband Indiscretions
Forbes, NY - 15 hours ago
It's important to note that the Wiretap Act was created before the advent of personal computing and online communications and was written to apply to phone ...

NAF Institute for Staff Development Workshop Focuses on Use of ...
PR Web (press release), WA - 3 hours ago
Hands-on activities and technology resources give students an applied understanding of high school personal finance and economics. New York, NY (PRWEB) July ...

Management merry-go-round continues at tech startups
Ottawa Citizen,  Canada - 7 hours ago
The executive turnover at Ottawa technology startups is picking up. Natural Convergence said Patrick Smith is the new chief executive of the seven-year-old ...

How to best use Bluetooth technology in a small business
San Francisco Chronicle,  USA - 10 hours ago
Ultrawideband technology promises to offer personal-area networking (that's industry-speak for short-distance networking) capability similar to Bluetooth, ...

Washington Post Personal Technology Columnist
Washington Post, United States - Jun 26, 2008
Read transcripts of Rob's past tech discussions here. Rob Pegoraro: Welcome! My story today is about shooting things with a handheld device--no, ...

Malawi adopts high-tech banking, leapfrogs many countries
NetworkWorld.com, MA - 17 hours ago
Card users are allowed to authorize their transactions by scanning their fingerprints, an alternative to less-secure verification by PIN (personal ...

Personal tech briefs: Game-to-film trend continues
Salt Lake Tribune, United States - Jun 24, 2008
The TV uses stereoscopic technology called TriDef from DDD Group Plc in Santa Monica, Calif., which works by sending the same image separately for the left ...

CNET News
DreamWorks selects Intel tech
ITWeb, South Africa - 6 hours ago
Intel, whose biggest rival is Advanced Micro Devices, said it also plans to develop next-generation 3D viewing technology for home theatres, personal ...
Studio Chooses Intel for Chip Pact Wall Street Journal
DreamWorks and Intel Join To Power 3-D Filmmaking Sci-Tech Today
all 281 news articles

Wind Chimes and more...

Windchimes for great gifts!

Is DVD Storage An Attractive Alternative For Your Computer Backup?