Microsoft Small Business Manager eCommerce ? Overview
December 23, 2007
Microsoft Business Solutions Small Business Manager is scaled down Great Plains Dexterity based version of Microsoft Great Plains or former Great Plains Dynamics/eEnterprise. Small Business Manager first release 7.0 and all the following version was available on MSDE (MS SQL Server 2000 with limited usage and database size ? 2GB maximum). It is nice situation on the market in eCommerce niche ? we see huge number of customers, who have purchased and implemented SBM for their small and mid-size businesses and then realized that customization options for Small Business Manager are very limited: in comparison to Great Plains SBM doesn’t have VBA/Modifier, it has very restricted version of Integration Manager. These restrictions lead you, eCommerce developer to direct SQL programming. Again ? being scaled down version of Microsoft Great Plains ? Small Business Manager has a legacy of relatively complex tables structure. tom stored procedures way here:
1. Tables Structure. Small Business Manager has similar to Great Plains structure and similar System DYNAMICS database and the company. As you could see tables structure in Resource description in Great Plains ? so you do in SBM
Perfectly New Database Query Tool - Foxy SQL Pro Released
December 22, 2007
Are you a database professional? Do you work with a lot of databases? Do you use an SQL code? Do you want to connect to a new database to physically create its structure in no time and with ease? Are you tired of having to handle several client applications?
If your answer is "yes" to any of these questions, I recommend you to go on reading this article.
Let’s imagine you work with let’s say three databases. Whenever you feel the need to connect to the database and execute SQL code, you will probably have to use another third party software (also client software) that allows you to do it.
There are a lot of different client softwares in the market. However, they allow users either to connect to one certain database, e.g. MS SQL, or provide only one available connection, e.g. ODBC. However, what if you work with not only one database… So, there would be no wonder if you had to use three client applications for each of the databases to be able to communicate with them and simply do your job. In practice it also means that you have to get used to three different interfaces and learn how to deal with different features, which is, let’s face it, pretty far from being an ideal state (not speaking of expenses, time and your efficiency provided you are switching among three different environments. Thank goodness you work only with three databases and not five, seven or more!)
Microsoft Small Business Manager Customization Options - Overview
December 21, 2007
Microsoft Business Solutions Small Business Manager is Great Plains Dexterity based application and successor and small business market niche version of Microsoft Great Plains. Microsoft Great Plains itself has variety of customization and integration tools: Integration Manager, VBA/Modifier, Great Plains Dexterity, SQL Server stored procedures to name a few. By one reason or another MBS decided to restrict Small Business Manager and do not provide VBA/Modifier, restricted Great Plains ReportWriter version and didn’t include Great Plains Dexterity IDE installer on SBM CD.
Here we would like to give you your options and tools available in your disposition. If you are developer who is asked: how do we customize Microsoft Small Business Manager ? read this and you will have the clues on where to look further.
1. Great Plains Dexterity ? this 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 /8.0 CD #2. In case of Small Business Manager ? you need to call to MBS Partners, such as Alba Spectrum Technologies/ Obviously it requires a lot of learning / training, but it allows your custom piece be seamlessly integrated with Great Plains interface. Nowadays, however ? and this is a good thing ? 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.
Microsoft Great Plains eCommerce ? Stored Procedures Approach
December 21, 2007
Since Version 8.0 Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains & Great Plains Standard are available on Microsoft SQL Server and MSDE (which is in fact MS SQL with database size limit of 2GB). As eCommerce designer you should be aware of several options and customization tools in your disposition, when you utilize Microsoft Great Plains 8.5 (June 2005), 8.0, 7.5, Great Plains Dynamics/eEnterprise 7.0, 6.0, 5.5 or 5.0 Great Plains Dynamics C/S+. When you have old versions (7.5 and prior) we assume that you are on MS SQL Server 2000/7.0, because if you are on Ctree or Pervasive SQL/Btrieve ? you should use ODBC / RDO connection tools, such as MS Access and its queries or use MS SQL Server Linked Server technique with OPENROWSET statements. So, lets assume that you are on MS SQL Server. You have basically two options eConnect (you should pay for the reg key/license and this is SDK) and custom stored procedures. We’ll only consider custom stored procedures way here:
Microsoft Great Plains e-Commerce ? additional considerations for programmer
December 20, 2007
Microsoft Great Plains, designed back in 1990th as database transferable and graphical platform independent ERP application ? Great Plains Dynamics/Dynamics C/S+/eEnterprise. For eCommerce developer the most important is to understand Great Plains tables structure and business processes in Sales Order Processing, Accounts Receivables, Inventory Control (inventory items allocation, backordering, etc), posting to Bank Reconciliation and General Ledger. And this is where Great Plains structure seems to be not transparent. Let’s give you highlights:
1. Great Plains Tables Structure. Open Great Plains, if on version 7.5 or prior, Tools->Resource Description->Tables, then you should select Sales series, explore these tables:
2. Sales Order Processing module (SOP)
? SOP10100 ? Sales Order Processing header
? SOP10200 ? Sales Order Processing lines
? SOP10102 ? Sales Distribution Work and History ? it is how Invoices will be distributed in GL ? in case if you are creating quote or sales order with the following processing in GP backend ? you do not need distribution
3. Accounts Receivable module:
? RM00101 ? Customer Master
? RM00102 ? Customer Address Master ? each customer can have multiple addresses for delivering, billing, statement mailing, etc.
4. Possible issues and recommendations:
Microsoft Great Plains eCommerce: overview for developer
December 19, 2007
Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains was designed back in the earlier 1990th as first graphical ERP/accounting system for mid-size businesses. The architects of Great Plains Dexterity ? this is the internal mid-shell, all Great Plains was written on, designed it to be easily transferable between graphical operating systems (MAC, Windows, Solaris ? potentially) and database platforms ? initially Great Plains was available on Ctree (both Mac and PC) and Btrieve, a bit later high end version Dynamics C/S+ was available on Microsoft SQL Server 6.5. But the idea was to catch or switch winning/losing database platform ? nobody could predict if MS SQL Server, Oracle or DB 2 become a dominant DB platform, like Windows among OS. All these trade-ins for being potentially cross-platform application make the life of nowadays eCommerce developer difficult.
? eCommerce developers were using Microsoft IIS and ASP-based Great Plains eCommerce around 4 years ago. Today, with the move to .Net and ASPX platform, server based scripts are replaced with .Net code behind approach and Great Plains eCommerce should be rewritten.
? Microsoft Great Plains subdivision released SDK ? eConnect which was targeted to eCommerce developers to manipulate Great Plains objects, such as Customer, SOP Order, Invoice, Quote, etc. What is a bit unpleasant ? eConnect requires license key and is quite expensive for small internet eCommerce sites.
eCommerce development for Microsoft Great Plains: tools and highlights for programmer
December 18, 2007
Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains, former Great Plains Software Dynamics and eEnterprise was designed in earlier 1990th as ERP, which can be easily transferable to the winning Database and OS platform and it was originally available on Mac and PC ? Mac OS and Microsoft Windows respectively. Graphical platforms battle is pretty much over and now with eCommerce demands, we should look at Great Plains Dynamics tables structure:
? Naming Convention. Great Plains was designed to be ready to move to the winning database platform and probably this is why we see this a bit complicated naming convention in place: SOP10100, RM00101, IV00101 ? these are samples: SOP header, Customer master, Inventory master. First ? we see module prefix: SOP ? Sales Order Processing, RM ? Receivables management, IV ? Inventory control, etc., then 0 stays for the master files, 1 ? so-called work files (before transaction being posted), 2 ? open files (after transaction is posted) and 3 ? historical files (when you close the year in General Ledger ? transactions are moved from open to history files). So as you see ? logic is present and structured, but it is not friendly to the developer, who never seen and worked with Great Plains Dynamics.
Integrating Microsoft Great Plains Accounting/ERP: RMS, CRM, eCommerce, Lotus Domino ? overview
December 17, 2007
Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains has substantial market share among horizontal and vertical clientele in the USA, Canada (including French version for Quebec/Montreal), UK, Australia, New Zealand, Spanish speaking Latin and Central America, South Africa and Middle East. Nowadays ERP can not stay as it is off-the-shelf product ? it requires integration with Legacy or newly implemented systems, such as CRM, Retail Management applications, custom in-house made business systems (transportation/cargo tracking, etc). The tendency is that if company uses Microsoft-driven computer park (Windows domain, SQL Servers, MS Exchange) the rest of the ERP/CRM applications are Windows-oriented. However you can have successful bridge between non-Microsoft ERP and Great Plains: Oracle, IBM Lotus Notes/Domino, DB2 or others), usually it involves Java/CORBA/EJB/JSP type of expertise.
? Microsoft RMS-Great Plains integration. There are few options ? first one is to use standard integration, coming with MS RMS. It has Dexterity interface in Great Plains, does integration to single company at the time. Doesn’t integration on SOP/AR level, however. Second option is to use integration, maintained by Alba Spectrum Technologies ? it integrates unlimited number of stores, SOP/AR/POP, posts through Bank Reconciliation module and so allows to track Check Books/Credit Card balances. This integration also has Dexterity interface for Stores-GP Companies mapping and could work as nightly or real time SQL Server routine
Instant Messenger Clients
December 16, 2007
If you have been using the Internet for any amount of time you have probably used an instant messenger at some time or another. They allow you to talk to your friends, family and co-workers with the click of a button. There are many great clients out there, as well as many different networks.
(Windows) ICQ - http://www.icq.com/
One of the oldest networks is ICQ, with millions of users world wide. Their software has come along way, with many hurdles being overcome. One of the biggest advancements in my opinion is the addition of a roaming profile, letting you travel from computer to computer keeping your user list intact. If this had been supported from the start I would have probably not started using additional IM clients.
One of the major failing points I’ve found with ICQ is the fact that their software is often full of ‘extra’ stuff that I don’t want. They have quite a bit of advertising and unfortunately it became a playground for spammers, often for adult websites which for children using the software is a major problem. More recent versions of ICQ have Spam blockers built in, but the occasional piece still manages to make it through.
Internet Relay Chat - A Basic Introduction
December 16, 2007
What is IRC?
IRC is Internet Relay Chat. It is a group of networked server computers that let clients (or users) connect and passes their message among the networked servers in almost real time. In other words, it is a big chat server, you join a group (channel) and you talk in an open forum type environment or one on one.
What IRC Networks are out there?
There are about fifty really mainstream IRC networks (groups of servers) you can connect to. The most common I have found is typically, ‘EF-NET’, ‘Under-Net’, and ‘DAL-Net’.
What is a Channel?
A channel is the name for the ‘group’ you are joining, or the ‘forum’ in which you want to talk. On IRC channels are denoted as #ChannelName. For instance, say you are interested in MP3 music, then you may want to go to #MP3.
What is a nickname?
Your nickname is how others will see you online. On most IRC works your name can be 9 characters long. However on some networks it can be much longer. The syntax for changing names is listed under the basic commands below.
