A Voice from the Field: Extending Microsoft Dynamics GP with the Right Tools and Careful Choices

When mid-sized companies adopt Microsoft Dynamics GP, the need to integrate or expand the solution footprint never seems to be far behind.  The range of tools and techniques for expanding the capabilities and footprint of Dynamics GP makes it possible for partners to offer almost limitless options for solution enhancements.  But at the same time, that variety of tools, platforms, and programming languages can easily become a maze of options if it is not well understood at both a technical and business level.

Like most any Dynamics GP partner organization, our consultants are frequently learning new skills as quickly as new projects kick off.  And as many technical consultants would likely admit - at least privately - there is no substitute for a little deadline pressure to accelerate the learning process when it comes to new technology.

I recently sat down with Sue Matter from the Boyer & Associates staff in Minneapolis to learn about her path over the last two years as a Dynamics GP developer working on a variety of projects that required different technical solutions using Dexterity, SQL Server Reporting Services, .NET, SharePoint, eConnect, VisualStudio, and more.  Most recently she created a .NET-based Requisitions module in SharePoint for one of the largest YMCAs in the country, located in the Twin Cities. 

In building the YMCA solution, which Sue explains below, she not only gave the Y a great way to expand their GP footprint in the organization and streamline their business processes, but she learned a lot about the interaction between technology and business process that is key to smart integrations with Dynamics GP.

Jack Boyer: How do you determine what ...