| Microsoft Dynamics GP 9.0, former Microsoft | | | | to unify its MRP applications on the .Net and |
| Great Plains, MS Dexterity customization | | | | MS SQL Server base. This decision resulted |
| options - overview for programmer, software | | | | in new Dex programmers training slow down. |
| developer, IT director and ERP consultant | | | | This slow down was even worth, considering |
| | | | the economic conditions of early XXI century, |
| Since its introduction as C-Shell computer | | | | when a lot of IT and programmer positions |
| platform (MAC & Windows) and DB | | | | were eliminated and programmers were laid |
| independent programming language and | | | | off. However, opposite process of |
| development environment, Great Plains | | | | programming outsourcing and offshore |
| Dexterity covered very long and probably | | | | development leaded to the Dexterity source |
| bumpy way together with the whole ERP and IT | | | | code programming centers renaissance in |
| industry. When C programming language was a | | | | Philippines and India. Manila was a real |
| believed panacea to provide application | | | | stronghold, where such new programming |
| cross-platform expansion, nobody could | | | | dragons as Alba Spectrum and br opened their |
| envision such future toys as web thin client | | | | development offices |
| (HTML and JavaScript programming with Java | | | | |
| EJB and .NET database connectors), XML | | | | - Future. When Microsoft Dynamics (AX, GP, |
| (providing simple cross-platform | | | | SL, NAV, CRM) will be unified product, |
| interoperability) and especially XML web | | | | Dexterity will probably be replaced with |
| services (enabling remote users to get info | | | | eConnect and Web Services interfaces - |
| from virtually any server). When Great | | | | Microsoft Visual Studio programmers will be |
| Plains Software was acquired by Microsoft - | | | | probably positioned to develop |
| the new owner as we guess had no plans to | | | | industrial-strength third party modules for |
| play-up such Dexterity old-good "strong | | | | Microsoft Dynamics. At this moment some |
| points" as C Shell and cross-platform | | | | experts expect Axapta/Microsoft Dynamics AX |
| potential, and as many expected Microsoft | | | | will play more role in final Dynamics, |
| Business Solutions "froze" new "Source Code | | | | especially on the international arena - |
| Partner" re-enrollment. In 2005 Microsoft BS | | | | Brazil, Europe, China, India, Latin America. |
| re-opened the program (however the price of | | | | Dexterity really doesn't support Unicode and |
| the new enrollment and annual fee is king of | | | | Microsoft had to probe first Navision and |
| high for small and mid-size VAR). The | | | | later on Axapta to become its international |
| unofficial opinions were - Microsoft Project | | | | ERP |
| Green or currently Microsoft Dynamics project | | | | |
| is a technological challenge and it will not | | | | - Some Nice Dex Source Code Programming |
| happen overnight, so Dexterity is still out | | | | Features. Automatic Posting. You can use |
| there and partners, who help MBS develop | | | | Source code to enable batch posting without |
| verticals for Microsoft Dynamics GP are still | | | | operator intervention. This will require one |
| welcomed. | | | | additional user license - this computer will |
| | | | play the role of posting server. Chinese |
| - Sanscript. Microsoft Dexterity scripting | | | | language support - bypassing Unicode lacking |
| language is so-called Sanscript, cursor | | | | - you can write Chinese in special popup and |
| driven DB access language, plus it has script | | | | force it into Dex screens - special utility |
| and triggers. With version 7.0 Dexterity | | | | is required |
| support such nice things as COM objects, web | | | | |
| services, etc. | | | | - Microsoft Dexterity Customization upgrade. |
| | | | When MBS decided to concentrate on .Net and |
| - DYNAMICS.DIC. This dictionary has all the | | | | Project Green - the Dex custom code upgrade |
| logic of GP core modules. When you install | | | | became more straight forward and simple, |
| MS Dynamics GP 9.0, 8.0, 7.5, 7.0, 6.0 and | | | | however it is still good idea to deploy |
| older versions DYNAMICS.DIC comes with | | | | professional Dexterity developer on MBS |
| scripts stripped out. If you are enrolled | | | | Dexterity customization partner |
| into Dex source code program you have access | | | | |
| to DYNAMICS.DIC with all the scripts in | | | | - Dexterity Nation-wide support. Considering |
| place. This enables you to look up | | | | the fact of market diminishing and |
| procedures and functions calls examples, the | | | | programmers concentration in the centralized |
| sequence of events, etc - very good help in | | | | programming hubs (Chicago, Houston) with |
| your custom programming, which is based on | | | | connections to outsourcing centralized call |
| the imitation. | | | | centers (Brazil, Philippines) - it is good |
| | | | idea to deploy phone and skype support |
| - Dexterity Programmers Pool. Well, good | | | | technicians plus outsourcing the |
| point - when Microsoft purchased GPS, | | | | customization upgrade. |
| Navision, Axapta, etc. - it launched the plan | | | | |