Dynamics GP Upgrade Project Management in Sure Step
Dynamics GP Upgrade Project Management in Sure Step
Microsoft Dynamics Sure Step is excellent tool to run challenging large scale implementations, especially when the project is categorized as Enterprise (for large corporation with potentially multi multinational presence and more than three locations). It is also a good help for Standard (where customization estimation doesn't exceed 150 hours), and Agile (with uncertainty and high level of custom programming, where specifications could not be created in the Diagnostic or Analysis phases). However, in our opinion this is also valuable project management tool to organize complex version upgrade, where customer is rediscovering its Great Plains system, replaces old customizations with ISV add-ons, implements new modules in the targeted version. Let's review some details:
1. Upgrade Assessment Decision Accelerator Offering. Click on this button to take a look at the accelerator details. On the tools, templates and links section on the upper right section, review such documents as Upgrade Assessment for Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010, Technology Requirements (link to Partner Source), Service Pack Releases. Open Upgrade Assessment Word document. It is ready to be given to your project management team to go onsite and do check list discovery session, it covers such topics, as Current System with its version, modified form and reports, customizations, list of the companies (some of them might be historical and you do not need them in the future version), planning transition to SSRS reports, Word Templates (versus old fashioned Report Writer modified reports). Server Overview section walks you through such important checklists as OS platform (including popular discussion about 64 versus 32 bit Windows Server), SQL version. There are technical SQL Scripts, allowing you to get DB space requirements (if your Great Plains was in use for decade or more, the size of the company database might be huge, and it is important to get it addressed in the new server requirements estimation). In version 10.0 the security model was changed, and the document walks you through the questionnaire on security upgrade methodologies. There is the paragraph about licensing for the new version, new features training needs, and more
2. Technical Upgrade Project Activities. Click on Upgrade project type on the Sure Step central panel and from then on the top of the opened form, click on Technical Upgrade Project Activities, this should open Visio Flowchart in Internet Browser. Here upgrade project is shown in typical activities per each phase: Analysis, Design, Development, Deployment and Operation. For Example Development phase should have: Upgrade Application Modules, ISV Solutions (if applicable), Customizations, Conduct Testing
3. General Project Management in Sure Step. If the magnitude of the project or your self-discipline as project management oriented consultant allow you to go extra miles and automate your Upgrade projects in the Sure Step, we recommend you to install this product (it is downloadable from Partner Source on Microsoft Business Solutions website), potentially take the training class (or online training), and consider getting certified in Sure Step for Microsoft Dynamics. In SS training you should get such skills as general Project Management theory (with such breakdowns as Risk, Scope, Issue, Time & Cost, Resource, Communication, Quality, Procurement and Sales management)
4. Combined Upgrade Project Dynamics GP and CRM. Microsoft CRM is available Worldwide and its coverage in Sure Step is very detailed (along with Dynamics AX, outside or the scope in this paper). MS CRM is typically deployed on your corporate headquarters server and made available to your worldwide offices via web browser (it requires Microsoft Internet Explorer). There is good coverage on Microsoft Dynamics CRM industry compatibility and Proof of Concept
5. Some words on Great Plains international upgrade projects. When Great Plains was operated by Great Plains Software, prior to it being acquired by Microsoft, GP was expanding World Wide, including continental Europe (France, Germany, Russia, Poland), Middle East (Arabic World, English language oriented African countries). When GPS was acquired by Microsoft, the Microsoft Great Plains Business Solutions subdivision was formed within the corporation to run Corporate ERP software development and consulting business. Dynamics GP SL (former Solomon) was part of the acquisition, as GPS acquired Solomon Software a year before. Microsoft, however continued its acquisition activity and it acquired Navision Software (Denmark based ERP developer), which added such new Corporate ERP applications as Navision (now Dynamics NAV) and Axapta (now Dynamics AX) to the MBS crown. Brazil and Dynamics GP was really a sad story, as our company was engaged to localize Great Plains version 7.5 for Brazilian ERP market. Around 2006 Microsoft changed its mind toward Navision and around late 2006 and earlier 2007 AX was in the Microsoft press releases in Sao Paolo and Brazilian Corporate ERP market
6. GP in South East Asia. Here Dynamics GP has to respect the fact, that Chinese language (with hieroglyphs, or UNICODE compliant characters) is popular, however English language could still be dominant on your working place in Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Philippines, Honking, Taiwan
7. Oceania, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, UK, Spanish Speaking Latin America and Caribbean. Here Great Plains upgrade project should be available. Please, call or email us for details and we will get in contact with Microsoft Business Solutions to give your localization readiness status
8. Targeted version in the upgrade project. As we are writing these lines in March 2011, the current version is 2010/11.0, and this is where we would like to upgrade to
9. Dynamics GP versus AX notes. Former Axapta seems to be more robust in such industries as Process Manufacturing (mining, meat or food processing, where you cannot guarantee the amount of end product in pounds or kilos), and Supply Chain Management. There are various options for both AX and GP in the area of Warehouse Management System, Barcoding, RFID
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