Dynamics GP Great Plains in Russia, please consider instead SAP Business One

Real life is going on, in early 1990th our company localized Great Plains Dynamics in Russia and CIS, this was done for Great Plains Dynamics version 3.2.  Late on Microsoft Business Solutions made crucial decision to restrict its Dynamics GP, formerly known as Great Plains products line to USA, Canada (including French Speaking Quebec province), other  English Speaking countries and Latin America (Excluding Portuguese speaking Brazil).  We are proud to be the Agent of Change in Brazil, where we got Microsoft Business Solutions order to localize Dynamics GP 7.5 for Brazilian ERP market, however later on Microsoft also decided to switch over to Navision, and even later on to Axapta in Brazil.  Both Dynamics AX and NAV are probably too expensive for modest branch on Multinational corporation in Russia or Brazil, China, Korea.  This article is to give you options (we are writing it in September 2009 to give you obsolescence point).  In Brazil you typically see Microsiga as the leader on locally coded ERP systems, and in Russian Federation you have 1C Accounting in similar position.  If you are IT person, please consider reading additional FAQ and articles on ERP localization for your international branch target country.  Generically Corporate ERP localization includes two aspects: Local language translation and compliance (or better certification) to local government and tax reporting rules.  If your market in Russia or CIS, please carefully paragraph #4, to help you get by with local Accountants and Accounting ladies hiring.  Dynamics GP Great Plains is not Unicode compliant, SB1 is, this is why you see SBO  preferred and localized for such hieroglyph alphabet based counties as China, Japan, Korea, India, Burma, Mongolia, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Indonesia, Arabic World: Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Emirates, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan

Likely if you are reading this article, your corporate ERP is Microsoft Dynamics GP or another application, which is not localized for ERP, Accounting, Manufacturing and Tax Compliance legislation in Russian Federation.  It might be some of the value to be reassured that Microsoft Business Solutions doesn't sell and support Dynamics GP in Russia and Russian language, your options here are Microsoft Dynamics AX Axapta or Dynamics NAV Navision.  These ERP applications are not cheap, or we would say they are rather on the high end of the ERP implementation pricing pyramid.  If your Russian, Ukrainian, Belorussian, Kazakh, Siberian subsidiary is on the tight implementation and software licenses budget, we recommend you to consider alternative solutions from ERP leader SAP - SAP Business One.  This ERP, MRP and Accounting Platform is localized for RF and translated into Russian, plus it is certified with Russian Tax Agency (Nalogovaya Inspekcia).  By the way, Russian language is reasonably popular in Moldova, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbajan, Moldova, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Tuva, Mongolia, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Republic of Georgia, Ukraine, so if your branch is located in one of the above mentioned countries or territories, please feel free to contact us

1. Great Plains Dynamics GP for your Russian Subsidiary.  Here you have to consider your options.  Dynamics GP is definitely a theoretical possibility, however it is not localized in Russian Federation.  Our company, which is no longer active in Russia - Sequoia Computers, currently operating under Alba Spectrum brand name.  We officially localized with Great Plains Software Mandate in 1994 Great Plains Dynamics for Moscow and Russian ERP market.  Today, this announcement would not probably worse a single US Dollar Cent, however it should orient you in who is the leader in Corporate ERP expertise in such exotic markets, as Russia.  We are native born Russians, and we are Naturalized American Citizens, who  are top experts in Dynamics GP (master level certification), and SAP Business One (Local domestic USA and International exposure

2. 1C Bukhgalteria (1S Accounting).  This package is one of the leaders in Russia, and you can easily locate local 1C consultant to implement it.  However, your goal might be to control your subsidiary and in this case such features as English interface support, consolidation to your domestic Corporate ERP, such as Great Plains Dynamics GP.  In the case of implementing Russian traditional accounting application such control might be difficult to expose and exercise

3. SAP Business One.  This application has well rounded with such features as Financials, ERP, MRP, Distribution and Supply Chain Management (simple Picking and Packing), Contract Administration, CRM, it has reasonably good Production module, where you can automate light assembly or discrete manufacturing, HR (doesn't have Payroll, however this is typically outsourced service and HR is often needed for Labor regulation compliance).  It is translated into Russian and compliant to local tax and government reporting regulations

4. Some comments on possible unexpected underwater stones.  Russian Accounting and Finance education is based on rather French model of early 20th Century with Government approved and mandatory Chart of Accounts (Plan Schetov) with emphasis on State Controlled Manufacturing Mill.  Each Account is Government approved number and even if you are not Manufacturer, you still have to imitate Manufacturing style in your GL transactions.  Local Controllers or Chief Accountants (Glavni Buhgalter) are educated in this style and you probably will have issues in the attempts to train them to use Dynamics GP, SAP Business One or another GAAP style Accounting application.  This problem, at least in our experience, often forces multinational corporation to bring over American Controller from USA, Canada, South Africa or Europe to work as Chief Accountant or CFO for Russian subsidiary

5. SAP Business One readiness for your industry.  It is reasonably good for the variety of industries, assuming that your Russian branch is reasonably moderate in its transactions volume.  Such industries as Mining, Oil Drilling, Steal Mills, Wholesale and Distribution of Drugs, Medical Supplies, Instruments, Heavy Machinery and Tools, General Merchandize, Food, Cosmetics, Computers, Electronics, Wine, Auto Industry, Dealerships, Franchises, Consignment Warehouses, Transportation and Logistics, Freight Forwarding, Various Services: Cleaning, Professional Services, Lawyers, Auditing, Breweries, Management Consulting, Non Profit Organizations, eCommerce, Healthcare and Hospitals, Public Relation and Marketing firms, Sea Shipping, Railroads, Power Plants should be covered with out of the box SAP Business One.  Please, expect some modifications (user defined tables and fields additions for industry compliance, custom Crystal Reports design, EDI interfaces setup, Barcoding integration points setup and possible programming, SB1 Add-ons purchasing and implementation)

6. We would be happy to help you with your Russian Subsidiary ERP implementation.  We speak English and Russian and we got American consulting experience in both Dynamics GP Great Plains and SAP Business One, plus reasonable exposure to Crystal Reports, Microsoft CRM, old versions of Great Plains Dynamics.  If you invite us as your ERP implementation consultants, we would be happen to travel onsite in Russia or surrounding countries and be your agent of change

7. Helping with local Russian employees recruiting.  We would be happy to provide calls to Russia and screening potential candidates, based on your employment criteria.  We speak Russian and your candidates should be comfortable with our screening calls, especially related to Accounting, Sales, Purchasing, Manufacturing positions

8. Second Opinion.  If your Russian Subsidiary accounting implementation is in limbo and you would like to have somebody, who is expert in Russian ERP implementation, feel free to have us to help you

9. Going beyond Russia.  We also speak Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Filipino.  If you have subsidiaries in Russia, Brazil, Philippines, Latin America, Mexico, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Caribbean, we might be a good match for your strategic support

10. How to get help.  Please call us: 1-866-528-0577, help@albaspectrum.com