The Future of Microsoft Dynamics GP Technologies - Mariano

Mariano highlights 5 coolest technologies for Microsoft Dynamics GP in coming years to watch out for. I can't agree for more, since I am already seeing 3 of the highlighted 5 currently.

Just to list you those technologies:

1. Microsoft Lync
2. Microsoft Silverlight
3. Microsoft Visual Studio Lightswitch
4. Cloud Computing
5. Microsoft Dexterity (yeah you did hear it right)

And to know why the above are cool, check out his post: The Future of Microsoft Dynamics GP: 5 Cool Technologies You Should Watch For (and Learn) in the Coming Years

VAIDY

Last Sale By a Customer & Item - Victoria's SQL View

Victoria's latest SQL view retrieves the last sale by customer and an item. With little tweaks here and there, this SQL view will serve us immensely to show various information pertaining to Customer and/or Item sales.

Thanks Victoria for this view. This has come especially when I am working on some dashboards and reporting. It's surely going to help me deriving some important reports.

VAIDY

Disenchanted with Support? - Kuntz Consulting

How many times have to faced such incidents? And how many times have you given such incidents to your customers?

This post, Disenchanted with Supprt? I understand your pain, from Kuntz Consulting blog reminds us of the badness of NOT attending to your customers or at least a courteous response.

Good one.

VAIDY

Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010 R2 - Business Portal External Lists

Looks like an excellent feature addition. So far, we had to rely on Extranet Services for any edit from Business Portal. This Business Portal External Lists feature now fills that gap. We have to wait and see how much we can do using this External Lists.

Errol introduces this feature to us on recent Inside Microsoft Dynamics GP post.
VAIDY

Microsoft Dynamics GP is very much here to Stay

Today, I had another opportunity to attend one of Microsoft's high rated event, Microsoft Dynamics GP Customer Event. I have been fortunate to attend such events off late and I sincerely hope I will be in future as well.

What's the highlight of this event? Elcome International LLC, with whom I have been proudly associated with for the past 1.7 years, presented Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010 Customer Testimony. Mr.Jimmy Grewal, Executive Director, Elcome International LLC, briefed about Elcome's GP experience and future plans.

Is that all? Nope. There is one more information that I would like to share with you all from this event. Specifically, for those who predict a doomsday for GP and it's future, with all due respect, I would like to assure you that GP IS HERE TO STAY AND MICROSOFT IS IN NO MOOD TO DISCONTINUE WITH GP. This was mentioned by none other than Microsoft MBS Product Manager (Gulf), Mr.Ahmed Salama.

There is an interesting statistic which I would like to share and emphasis on my point: Microsoft Dynamics is having 1500 customers in GCC region excluding Egypt, North Africa and Saudi Arabia. Out of these 1500 customers, 40% is for Microsoft Dynamics GP. That calculates to 600 customers. These 600 customers include some of the high profile customers including Elcome International LLC. If we consider overall customers count across this vast globe, Microsoft has more reasons to support this product than abandoning it. 

Even us, human beings, have limited lifetime. We still enjoy our life and we live it to it's fullest, don't we? Like that, I love this wonderful product called Dynamics GP and I AM IN NO DARN MOOD TO LEAVE THIS PRODUCT.

VAIDY

GP 2010 R2 - Substitute Fields for Email

This is going to be another interesting feature. Inside Microsoft Dynamics GP announces another feature added to GP 2010 R2, which is Substitute Fields for Email.

Of course, this is going to be a boon to End Users, but let me also add that this would not be possible till someone knows about how to browse thru' and learn GP Fields and the way it is designed. Which puts them in front of a whole new training session.

The very concept of Resource Descriptions in GP is to educate Users to learn about GP Tables, Forms, Windows & Fields, so that they can do some on-spot Reporting or Windows modification. Having said that, not all End-Users are going to be interested in this learning experience, especially when they are suppose to concentrate on their day-to-day tasks.

Nonetheless, this is going to be one heck of a feature to look at.

VAIDY

Issues with GP 2010 SP1 DYNAMICS.DIC - David Musgrave

David informs us about a very strange but critical issue that's been faced by developers when using GP 2010 SP1 DYNAMICS.DIC dictionary.

This is really critical to be informed about, so all Dex Developers please make sure that you read this post from David, as it also mentions some workaround till a proper fix is released.

Read it here: Unknown identifier 'DYNAMICS' or other Constant with GP 2010 SP1.

VAIDY

Microsoft Dynamics Top Influential Person 2011 - Vote Now

This is the best time for you to stand by the person whom you think is the most influential person in Microsoft Dynamics. This year's poll is running on. Visit this site and cast your vote now.

Link: 2011 TOP 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL MICROSOFT DYNAMICS PEOPLE.

VAIDY

Microsoft Dexterity 2010 R2 - Enhancements

David sums up Dexterity 2010 R2 enhancements and gives us a glimpse of how it's going to be, referring to Feature of the Day posts from Inside Microsoft Dynamics GP.

Pretty exciting to learn these new features, obviously.

VAIDY

Dexterity 2010 R2 Supports Microsoft Team Foundation Server (TFS)

That's a GREAT GREAT news from Microsoft about Dexterity. Inside Microsoft Dynamics GP blog informs us that Dexterity 2010 (v11) R2 will support Microsoft Team Foundation Server (TFS).

What this means? Dexterity supported only Microsoft Visual SourceSafe (fondly called VSS), which has been used under discontinued support from Microsoft. Those who wants to streamline Dexterity Development on their organizations, found it very difficult to use something which is not supported by Microsoft but Dexterity.

Microsoft introduced Team Foundation Server (TFS) which is advanced and very easy to use and maintain. With Dexterity 2010 R2 release, the biggest gap in Dexterity Development history is now filled.

VAIDY

List of Attractive BI Technologies from Microsoft

This was my second session today at Tech-Ed 2011 Middle East. Very interesting and demos were extremely useful to understand all the BI Technologies listed.

Now what exactly are we talking about? The session was all about listing the most promising (some are already existing) BI Tools running on top of either OR all of the following: SQL Server 2008 R2, SharePoint 2010, Silverlight.

The following are the list:

1. SharePoint Excel Services
2. PowerPivot Galleries
3. PerformancePoint (Dashboards, Scorecards & KPIs)
4. PowerPivot for SharePoint
5. Pivot Tool - based on Silverlight
6. Bing Data Connector - To show geospatial data
7. SQL Server 2008 R2 Reporting Services (Report Builder)

Each of them will take it's own time to allow user to understand the basics. I let my readers to BING or GOOGLE these terminologies and learn it.

But, the above list is what Microsoft concentrates more on currently to let users create the most attractive BI for them.

Enjoy.

VAIDY

Top 10 Challenges on Delivering BI to the Masses at Microsoft

This was my first session today at Tech-Ed 2011 Middle East. The session titled "Delivering BI to the masses at Microsoft using Consolidated Business Intelligence (CBI) - Top 10 Challenges".

The approach taken by Microsoft is fairly unusual.


Leave the BI Design to End-Users (or designated Power End Users) and simultaneously build EDW (Enterprise Data Warehouse). Once the design & EDW is ready, use following tools to achieve this CBI Model:

Microsoft Office, SharePoint 2010, SQL Server 2008 R2, Silverlight Technology.

CBI basically means one Single Enterprise Report Catalog. It's then delivered as a SharePoint based BI Portal. Microsoft IT hosts BI with Reporting Services, PPS, etc, BUT Power End Users design and publish Reports on to this Portal. There are certain restrictions in terms of how many users being allowed to publish these reports for their own Team/Department/Division.

Top 10 Questions which Microsoft asked themselves before CBI (and of course everyone of us to ask ourselves as well):

1. IT Cost too much to implement this BI Catalog. What to do first? EDW or BI Reporting Catalog?
1.1. Allow End Users to publish all their ideas on a Not-So-Clean EDW Data.
1.2. Clean EDW and keep EDW ready.

2. How do you get the First Sponsorship?
2.1. Push and Pull Approach
2.2. Create a Cool Demo

3. How do you architect with big Holistic Enterprise Vision?

4. How do we implement seamless security across layers?

5. Who should create BI and show we actually give control of the report catalog to business and enable self-serviced BI?

6. Can we implement ZERO footprint deployment for masses using SharePoint?

7. What about regional deployment and scalability?

8. What front end tools to BI publishers use and how do you integrate various tools?

9. How do you evangelize and achieve enterprise adoption?

10. How do you achieve high Customer Satisfaction?
10.1. Customer Empathy
10.2. Maintain Customer Relationship
10.3. Improve, Improve & just Improve

Until next post on Tech-Ed from me.

VAIDY

Project Crescent - Beyond SSRS Reporting Tool

I must be following SQL Server Reporting Services Team Blog for loads of information and all that "What's Coming Up?".

Attending an evening session in Tech-Ed 2011 Middle East, and this is what I got to know which had been in fact announced some months back.

For those, who do not know about this (like me till this moment), this is the information. Project Crescent is a project currently on progress inside MSFT, which targets every kind of user, be it IT Developer or Corporate Power User or a No-Nonsense End-User) to visualize their Business Data; however they want it to be.

More information here: A Glimpse at Project Crescent.

VAIDY

Office 365 & SharePoint Online - TechEd 2011 Session

Just attended the session, Office 365 & SharePoint Online, in TechEd 2011 Middle East. And it's very exciting and interesting.

It's a service offered by Microsoft for anyone who wants a Hassle-Free and Pay-As-You-Use experience. Happened to see a live demo of Office 365 and it's terrific to say the least.

MSFT may not be the first one to work on this, but they have certainly got an edge since it's built on their flagship Product, Microsoft Office, which is used by millions of people out there.

Very impressive. More information here: Microsoft Office 365 - Get In The Cloud.

VAIDY

Microsoft Tech-Ed Middle East 2011 - Starts Tomorrow

This is my first Tech-Ed. And I am damn so excited about it, to say the least. So many terrific sessions, diversified topics across all Microsoft's most happening Platforms and Technologies. And it's all going to happen from tomorrow (well, it's already started in fact from today, but that was Preliminary Sessions).

I will be attending these sessions from tomorrow 8th March 2011 to 10th March 2011.

For more information on this event, check this site: Microsoft Tech-Ed 2011 Middle East.

VAIDY

Mark's Advice for Convergence Speakers

I am nowhere near being even an Amateur Speaker. Haven't presented anything in life so far. Not going to do that in near future either.

But still this article, Advice For Convergence Speakers, from Mark made more sense to me. I am going to keep this article stored in my brain. You never know; I may also present something in future to some audience and this post is going to help me tons.

Thank you very much Mark. As usual, awesome piece of advice for us.

VAIDY

Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010 R2 - 50+ New SSRS Reports

Yeah, we heard it right. We are going to have 50+ new SSRS Reports.

Inside Microsoft Dynamics GP excites us with this post: Feature of the Day: New SQL Reporting Services Reports.

I am more interested in knowing Field Service Reports, since that's where GP lacks a bit in terms of realtime reporting. I sincerely hope R2 fills that gap to most extent. Of course, requirements from different customers would always be different.

VAIDY

Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010 R2 - Report Builder Integration

The latest Feature of the Day from Inside Microsoft Dynamics GP gives us a glimpse of what is going to be a terrific feature for all customers.

All Homepage Metrics dashboards are SSRS reports on the background. And I used to wonder how I could customize that to cater for Customer's requirements. The new feature, Report Builder Integration, is going to be a boon to all such consultants (and of course for all customers) to view Metrics Dashboards accordingly to their own likes and dislikes.

For more information, read the post; Feature of the Day: Report Builder Integration.

VAIDY

Dynamics GP 2010 R2 - Features List is Out

Mariano, in yet another terrific post shows us the first report on list of Dynamics GP 2010 R2 Features.

Awesome list of features being added and I have already started preparing my own plan of actions once it's out.

VAIDY

Difference between Saving & Compiling a Dexterity Code

I was quite taken back by this very difference of Saving a Code and Compiling a Code in Dexterity.

Alright, let me explain.

I was demonstrating a customization my team yesterday and I had to change some code to show a Window on a Button Click event. The only code I had to change in that event script was to add the following statement:

open window [Window_Name];

And even a Non-Dexterity developer would tell us that the above statement do not contain any error, unless the window [Window_Name] do not exist at all. But in my case it did.

I SAVED the code and closed the Project. Created a Chunk and deployed it. To my confusion, the code piece that I added never worked. I was confused to say the least. Why not? I did add the code and created the chunk.

That's where I made a mistake. I SAVED the code instead of COMPILING it. Only when we compile a Dexterity Code, it gets effective. Saving the code won't affect the business logic and it would not have reflected in the chunk on that portion.

So, SAVING a code is totally different from COMPILING a code.

VAIDY

Microsoft Dynamics GP Roadmap

Very promising and sounds great to see Microsoft Dynamics GP's roadmap. Check it out for yourself from Mariano's post: The Evolution of the Microsoft Dynamics GP Roadmap

VAIDY

Online Payment Services module for GP - Reason Behind It

This one from Mariano leads us to this post, Online Services for Microsoft Dynamics GP: Cool? Flashy? It Depends. Tells us precisely why Microsoft came up with this module for GP Customers at this stage.

There are some interesting points, you may not want to miss.

VAIDY

Microsoft Dynamics GP Technical Conference - Opening Session excerpts by Mariano

Always great to hear this: Microsoft Dynamics GP is here to stay. I am so very much in love with this product. And the way it has evolved with latest technologies, is quite awesome.

Mariano gives us all, the Microsoft Dynamics GP Technical Conference Opening Session Excerpts in his article: Microsoft Dynamics GP Technical Conference 2011 - Day 1 Opening Session.

And stay tuned to his blog for more insight on GP and emerging trend.

VAIDY

Microsoft Competing with SAP & Oracle's Mid-Market Solutions - Guy Weismantel talks to Software Advise

UPDATE: For relevance, link attached to Software Advise website is now changed to their Manufacturing Industry Page, since ERP discussions on SA site are grouped under this page.

This video from Software Advise sounded interesting. Microsoft Director of ERP Marketing Mr.Guy Weismantel, gives us a brief idea about Microsoft's position and why they are confident in competing with SAP and Oracle's solutions.

Watch it here: Guy Weismantel on Microsoft's Competency with SAP & Oracle's Mid-Market Solutions.

It's not just this video, Software Advice seems to be coming up with a series of such interesting information. People who are interested in knowing current happenings in ERP may want to visit this site quite often to know more.

Good job, Software Advice. Really appreciated in keeping us updated with some good information.

VAIDY

Back to Mainstream Blogging..

Alright, it's been more than a month since I actually touched my blog. Quite a long time from my own standard. But there were some valid reasons behind it.

One such reason is: I am now working on Business Intelligence with SSRS. Been awesome so far and learned so much from that experience. Still going on strongly and learning more and more. Will be sharing that in coming days.

Now that I am back, I have to first fill gap of around 350+ posts that got posted from our Blogosphere. That's quite too much for me to cover. This hits me so hard that next time I won't ever take a sabbatical of this long.

VAIDY