Developing Microsoft Dynamics GP Business Applications

by Leslie Vail

In Detail Microsoft Dynamics GP is a sophisticated Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) application with a multitude of features and options. Microsoft Dynamics GP can also be used to develop dynamic, mission critical applications. In "Developing Microsoft Dynamics GP Business Applications" you will learn how to create and customize Dynamics GP Applications. This hands-on guide will take you through the initial steps of setting up a development environment through to customizing and developing an example application using tools such as Dexterity, VSTools and sanScript. "Developing Microsoft Dynamics GP Business Applications" will take you through the complex steps of creating and customizing Microsoft Dynamics GP applications. Starting with an overview of Microsoft Dynamics GP architecture you’ll then move onto setting up your development environment. You will learn how to make your application come to life with Dexterity and sanScript. You will create table operations and ranges as well as object triggers to make powerful and practical business applications. You will deploy your Dexterity solution before moving onto customization with Modifier and VBA. This book will also take you through ways of enhancing and extending your application without code using the SmartList Builder and Excel Report Builder. Using these highly flexible tools you’ll be able to create data connections that will increase the usability and functionality of your ERP applications. Approach Written in a hands-on and friendly manner, Developing Microsoft Dynamics GP Business Applications takes a practical approach to teaching you how to develop and customize ERP applications. Who this book is for If you are a Microsoft Dynamics GP developer, consultant, or power user who wants to create and customize applications, then this book is for you. A working knowledge of Microsoft Dynamics GP is required. A basic understanding of business management systems and reporting applications, such as Microsoft Excel and SQL Reporting Services, is highly recommended.

590 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

Reviews

[Mark Polino · Rating 5 out of 5]

I spend my days working with Microsoft Dynamics GP. It's always been a struggle when developers want to learn how to customize Dynamics GP. Not because it's that hard, but because there are so many options and they can be very different. In Developing Microsoft Dynamics GP Business Applications, Leslie Vail has taken on the challenge of explaining the various options, showing where they are applicable and explaining how each option works.

The best part is, even if you aren't a programmer, the book covers ways to develop in Dynamics GP without writing code. Extender, SmartList Builder and more are covered here. These tools provide options to modify GP without writing code. If you are a programmer, the book provides great coverage of development tools like Dexterity, Visual Studio and Modifier with VBA and how each one works with Dynamics GP.

Developing Microsoft Dynamics GP Business Applications probably won't turn you into a code monkey if you're not one already. But if you already understand the basics and are trying to figure out how to apply your skills to Dynamics GP, this is a fantastic book. It's 2.7 pounds of Dynamics GP programming goodness! Unless you get the Kindle version, that doesn't weigh 2.7 pounds, but still has all the goodness.

[Belinda Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are so many methods to customize a Microsoft Dynamics GP installation that it can be overwhelming when trying to decide which approach to take to meet your particular business needs. Leslie Vail's Developing Microsoft Dynamics GP Business Applications does an amazing job of reviewing these options AND providing valuable information on how to use and work with each option.

I pride myself of being a "minor-league programmer" (nowhere near Leslie's skills!); however, this book has motivated me to give Dexterity programming a go, just for fun.

I've worked with the GP product line for 22 years, and I love using many of these tools, so I know a great source when I see one. The explanation of the GP architecture and the overview of available tools are my favorite parts.

This book is now an invaluable part of my tool kit.
Leslie is an amazing resource, and I'm thrilled she's transferred some of her knowledge to paper (physical or electronic)!

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[Marla Greenman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read for the Dynamics GP experienced. As a 30-year veteran of Dynamics GP business implementations, the question I am asked most often is how to choose between the various tools and options for customizing and enhancing GP. It is often difficult to assess the best option for different situations but Leslie Vail demystifies the choices and provides guidelines where they overlap. Her 17 years as a certified trainer of this product line has clearly benefited the reader as it delivers her incredible experience to draw upon for examples and sample development projects. Her writing style has a great flow and her sense of humor adds to the book’s readability.

Just as she does regularly in her Dynamics Confessions Blogspot, Vail clearly describes each tool and she provides clear, concise direction on how to use each of them to maximum advantage. The reader should have a good foundational understanding of the Dynamics GP product line as well as at least some basic understanding of report writing, data queries and Office data connections. However, having said that, Leslie’s development guide provides hands-on, clear direction of several options for customizing and extending Dynamics GP applications. The novice consultant will find her clarity and training experience useful while the more experienced developer will gain perspective and a checklist/reference for planning and executing on complex implementations.

So often too I have been asked into a client’s “botched” implementation to clean up the mess that inexperience leaves behind. Cleaning up what was already led astray is more difficult than starting from scratch with a “clean slate”. Vail provides sound advice on how to maintain customizations as well as how to avoid common pitfalls. She further guides the reader into choosing one method of customization over another based on sound advice, clear direction and years of GP experience. The book is organized in a way that allows the reader to target only those areas of interest, though the early chapters lay a good foundation for any product enhancement or customization. I would enthusiastically recommend this read to any user, developer or consultant engaging in a GP development project.

[Durwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good grounding in GP development

I haven't spent too long with this book as yet, just 3 hours or so, but that's enough to know that it's a great introduction to GP development.

GP has a long history and this book gives a reasonable account of why some things are the way they are without ever getting too esoteric. It then moves on to give a grounding in the various ways you can develop and extend the product.

I've been working with GP since 2001 and used several of the techniques but already found this book a great way to fill in some of the blanks and recommend it to anyone planning to extend GP even if you intend to pay someone else to do it.

[Ian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had high expectations of this book when I heard it had been published. I'm currently reading my way through it and I have to say that I have not been disappointed. Leslie Vail is one of the leading members of the online Dynamics GP community and has produced the book I expected of such a person; comprehensive and easy to read. It provides a thorough overview and grounding in developing within Microsoft Dynamics GP.

I'd recommend this book to people looking to get into, or improve their understanding of, developing addons for Microsoft Dynamics GP.