| Microsoft Great Plains fits horizontal markets clientele | | | | module allows you to have Quotes, Sales Orders, |
| and in case of Aerospace and Defense industry we'll | | | | Invoices. You might need bidding and negotiation |
| talk about contractors - parts and subsystems for | | | | documentation system. In the case of Great Plains |
| government contracts. We do not necessarily talk | | | | the best and future-oriented approach is to |
| about large corporation, however models described | | | | implement Sales side in Microsoft CRM, integrated |
| could be implemented for large publicly traded | | | | with Great Plains via MS CRM-GP integration tool. All |
| company. As a rule - market is represented by | | | | the calls and emails, plus contracts will be logged and |
| established companies with long history, including long | | | | documented in MS CRM and quotes are moved to or |
| history of its ERP and Computer Business System. It | | | | from Great Plains |
| is difficult to stake on the computer operating | | | | -Purchasing. Your company might use tenders |
| systems future, however you may try to give high | | | | procedure and you would need requisition, proposals |
| level of trust to the ERP coming from Microsoft | | | | and quotes against the requisition, then purchase |
| Business Solutions, especially considering the fact of | | | | order and receiving. Deploy Requisition Management |
| acquisition of such market leaders as Great Plains | | | | and Purchase Order Processing/ Receiving modules |
| Software and Navision Software. | | | | -HR. If you have unionized employees - you may |
| -Service Model. Typically your product has service | | | | need to take a look at HR module, where you track |
| contract with hourly or annual payments and you | | | | employees certification, skills, training programs, hiring |
| track repair and preventive maintenance cases, have | | | | process and promotions |
| a list of replacement parts. Microsoft Great Plains has | | | | -ISO 9000. You can cover ISO compliance reporting, |
| several options to automate these services. You can | | | | assuming that you have either customized Inventory |
| use customized version of Inventory Control Module, | | | | Control system or Field Service suite implemented. |
| where you track serial/lot number, locations, item | | | | The best and recommended reporting tool - Crystal |
| replacements, etc. In Great Plains Dexterity you can | | | | Reports. Usually you create SQL views and stored |
| write light customization, tracking service cycle. | | | | procedures and base your Crystal Report on these |
| Another way is to deploy Field Service suite, where | | | | views and procs. |
| you have Service Call Management, Contract | | | | -Technology Advise. When you implement your new |
| Administration, Preventive Maintenance, Return | | | | system and making modifications to the existing one |
| Management as well as a set of eXXX modules such | | | | - you should try to predict which technology will stay |
| as eService Call, eReturn. You usually have to tailor | | | | for maximum number of years, plus you should try |
| these modules to fit your unique requirements - do it | | | | to avoid dependence on one vendor/provider - if you |
| via Dexterity, VBA/Modifier, SQL Stored Procedures | | | | need to change Microsoft Business Solutions partner - |
| or Web Application, working with Inventory and Field | | | | how difficult to find new one with technical skills and |
| Service tables. Assuming your product has serial | | | | customization expertise to maintain and further |
| number - then by looking up serial number you can | | | | advance your custom system? |
| see all the service history. | | | | We encourage you to analyze your alternatives. |
| -Bidding. Great Plains Sales Order Processing (SOP) | | | | |