subject: Dynamics Gp Support: What Are My Options And The Cost [print this page] The needs in Microsoft Dynamics GP (formerly known as Great Plains Dynamics/eEnterprise) technical and functional support depend on the phase of your GP lifecycle. If you are in the implementation phase, you need babysitting help from your Dynamics GP Reseller, Consultant or ISV, but as time goes and you are on your own in Dynamics GP production cycle, you may think about support cost optimization. If you are in good standing with Microsoft Business Solutions (meaning that you paid for annual support contract with MBS in 2009 and it still current in 2010 as we are compiling these lines in October 2010), then you can get case level support directly from Microsoft (Business Solutions). If you do not have active support contract (likely that you lapsed in your annual maintenance contract payments), then your options are a bit restricted, and you have to seek support from Dynamics GP Partners who are capable to serve your Great Plains version:
1.Second Opinion. It is not the same as in health care practice. Dynamics GP Partners channel wants you to stick to specific Great Plains Reseller. From your perspectives, if you feel that your Dynamics GP implementation phase went into limbo, you should probably to consider the option to look around who is available out there. The most popular reasons for Dynamics GP implementations to fail are overestimated data conversion, Dexterity customization coded by inexperienced programmer, Crystal Reports designed by somebody who is novice to Great Plains tables structure, attempt to engage local Dynamics GP Partner (especially in the country side) with poor exposure to your industry niche
2.Direct support from MBS. Here you need to understand the restriction or sort of scope gentlemen agreements. Technical support case is one question, where you got issues or concerns, and your MBS annual support plan may have unlimited number of cases covered during the year, or you may have fixed pack, covering only N number of cases, or in budget scenario (likely for most of us) you have discounted price for each case. If you need something like Dynamics GP version upgrade, customization, integration, data conversion or report design scenario, case is good place to start, but likely that you will have to switch to Dynamics GP consulting hourly rates from your local or nationwide Partner
3.Working with your Dynamics GP Reseller. In normal circumstances these Great Plains consultants are open to help you with Dynamics GP version support, assuming that you are couple of supported by MBS versions behind. Currently Microsoft Business Solutions supports version 2010/11.0, 10.0, 9.0, so realistically most of the VARs should be capable to support such versions as 8.0 and 7.5 (especially if you are on Microsoft SQL Server platform)
4.What if I am on Great Plains Dynamics on Pervasive SQL 2000, Btrieve or Ctree. You are likely to be on version 7.5, 7.0, 6.0, 5.5, 5.0, 4.0 and earlier. If you plan to upgrade something like that to current version 2010 (also referred as version 11.0), you would have to budget for such process as migration from Pervasive SQL Great Plains to MS SQL Server 2000 (migration tool was designed for that version of Microsoft SQL Server back in its time)
5.Great Plains Accounting for DOS, Windows and Mac support. Chances are very high that you are frozen in history in GPA version 9.5 or 9.2. In our experience most of the GPA customers use Great Plains Accounting for DOS (and about 10% are on GPA for Windows, plus really fraction of the percent are on Macintosh)
6.Technical Support cases classification. Great Plains Dynamics on Microsoft SQL Server inherited GP Dexterity mechanisms (Dex cursors, handling SQL requests and associated non-aggregated SQL performance). In our opinion the majority of technical support cases have data repair origin, where you have to come through Customer or Partner Source at Microsoft website and find the fix or simply do it via SQL Query Analyzer
7.FRx reporting. It is pretty friendly to Dynamics GP consultant and even end user, however if you need such advanced features as Multicurrency, Exception reports, International consolidated financial reporting - there are some probabilities to get frustrated with local FRx support
8.Special notes on such new tools as eConnect and integration with eCommerce websites, shopping cart and applications. We recommend you to stay with such industry standards as Magento, Asp.Net Storefront, and discuss with your current Dynamics GP service provider on the integration options. You are also welcome to call us directly, see the numbers below
9.Barcoding for Dynamics GP: Warehouse Management System, Supply Chain Management, Bill of Lading, Consignment. These are the cases, where we would like to discuss your situation. We are happy to give you guidelines, but when it is narrowed down to the specific way out, we need to discuss with you the options. Dynamics GP is not for tiny business it is rather for the company with established operations, where you cannot simply expose your business to Corporate ERP selection risks
10.To request further support, please call us 1-866-528-0577, help@albaspectrum.com We need to discuss your cards in order to recommend you the best solutions, which is not contingent to our preferences. We serve you USA/Canada nationwide via remote support (web sessions and phone/skype conferences). Local service is available in Western Michigan, Chicagoland, Southern California (LA, Orange County, San Diego), Houston area of the state of Texas
