Dynamics GP Implementation for Large Corporation: International ERP Notes

If you have Microsoft Dynamics GP (formerly referred as Great Plains Dynamics, eEnteprise, Dynamics C/S+) implemented in large company, which is expanding internationally, you should know your options in catching up with multinational Corporate ERP.  Dynamics GP has its pluses (and minuses) and this small publication should help you with initial research.  We will try to be maximally laconic, as subject is very broad and requires numerous pages:

1. Foreign Language characters notes.  Dynamics GP is coded with ASCII standards consideration.  If you are in the country, where Latin characters are used without accent marks, and these countries are English speaking: USA, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Oceania, some countries in South East Asia (where English is the language of business), then your alphabet is ASCII compliant.  If you use accents in Latin alphabet (Spanish, Portuguese, French, etc.), then you are also fine with ASCII standard and you use characters over 127 (or in the second bit of the one byte, reserved by ASCII).  However if your language crosses the borders of ASCII and requires UNICODE, as in many hieroglyph based languages: Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Dynamics GP architecture (also known as Great Plains Dexterity) doesn't support it out of the box at this time (and we think that Microsoft Business Solutions doesn't have plans to adopt UNICODE in Dexterity in near future)

2. Translation to foreign language.  If you need only few screens translated to foreign language, you need first to check if your targeted language is supported in ASCII table second page.  To give you examples of supported languages: Arabic, Russian, most of East European.  If your language is ASCII compliant, you can translate several Great Plains screens in Dexterity (Dex string resources).  If your language requires Unicode, then consider the option to place Graphical icons with your text as guidance for the user.  If you are in China, Korea or Japan, consider using NJStar extension to GP to enter hieroglyphic text to Great Plains documents

3. Chinese reports in Dynamics GP.  As  alternative approach, if your local representation requires reporting only (or if you are distributing to Chinese businesses in USA and require some limited Chinese language support in Invoice, Credit Memo, Packing Slip), consider entering Chinese texts as supplements to GP documents and then combine both applications (GP and Custom Add-On) in Crystal Reports

4. Corporate ERP Localization FAQ.  ERP system localization has two aspects: local language support and compliance to local tax, industry and government reporting.  The second (compliance) is usually more challenging in larger countries, such as India, China, Brazil, Russia (smaller countries are trying to be more compliant to international GAAP).  Microsoft Dynamics GP is localized in US, Canada, Australia, UK, South Africa, New Zealand, and to some extent in Spanish speaking Central and South America (please, note that Brazil is Portuguese speaking and GP is not localized there)

5. Combining Dynamics GP companies for various countries on the same SQL Server in Corporate Headquarters.  As different countries require different SQL Server DB code pages and collations (English, Spanish, Polish, Lithuanian, Latvian, Estonian, etc.), you should change DB language settings in installation.  the easiest way to do this is to install initially your GP company on the Windows Server, localized for your country and then transfer database to your Headquarters based SQL Server.  This technology is not apparent, feel free to call us for help

6. If Dynamics GP is not localized in your targeted country.  If you are committed to Microsoft Dynamics platform, please consider Dynamics AX or formerly known as Axapta, Microsoft Business Solutions promotes AX for most of the World.  If AX is too expensive, consider Corporate ERP competitors.  One of the first recommendations would be SAP Business One.  This small and mid-market business corporate ERP is Unicode compliant and localized in most or at least major countries.  SAP B1 is very open in integration and reporting and you can easily export Balance Sheet, P&L, Trial Balance or any possibly report to Excel (Text file or make it available over ODBC connection to SB1 SQL Server database).  In SBO you can switch languages on the fly and inspect the work of your foreign subsidiary as internal auditor

7. Dynamics GP FRx consolidated international reporting.  FRx deploys Reporting Trees in Consolidation across the companies.  If you decide to use SAP Business One, you can consolidate in FRx SB1 Excel exported BS, P&L, Statement of Cash Flow, as FRx supports Excel worksheets

8. Dynamics GP Great Plains in Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq.  Arabic language support is available in Great Plains, so entering documents in Dari is not a problem.  However we are not favoring translating all the Great Plains screens to Dari, as the project might be too voluntary

9. How to get help? Please, feel free to call us: 1-866-528-0577, outside of USA: 1-630-961-5918 or email us help@albaspectrum.com We are very technical and real Dynamics GP Dexterity, SAP Business One SDK and Microsoft CRM programming gurus. We have Great Plains Software Development Factory and could support unlimited Dynamics GP Customization and Programming needs. Plus we speak English, Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, and not only as native speaking sales folks, but as real technical consultants. If you prefer skype: albaspectrum