Going Live With the Dynamics Core

It is long times since I’ve updated my blog here, a long time were a lot has happened. Last time I wrote I had just started a new job as the solution manager for Dynamics with one of the world’s largest companies ISS. We were developing a global core based on Dynamics NAV and Dynamics CRM combined with Microsoft Reporting Services for BI.

In the meantime our global core has been finished. And our pilot company in our subsidiary in Thailand is live.

Now we are focusing on our next projects, primary in Mexico, the Philippines, India and Taiwan. But mostly we are focusing on getting the infrastructure, the methods and our core team organized and optimal.

The infrastructure

As I just wrote, then our core is based on Dynamics NAV and Dynamics CRM combined with Microsoft Reporting Services for BI. As Microsoft doesn’t have a “standard” connector between NAV and CRM, we selected the connector developed by our global implementation partner Tectura (together with Celenia – who also have developed many very good add-ons and parts of standard Dynamics NAV). This has not been an easy task. And to say it mildly then I’m not really very happy about it. It’s simply not flexible enough. And its way too difficult to setup.

And on top of that we have the issue of Dynamics NAV not using the Unicode standard. With our pilot being our subsidiaries in Thailand, then we had the issue of supporting double byte characters. Handling it within Dynamics NAV is a challenge. But when it comes to integrating to CRM, which is Unicode, then we had other a big challenge. So our plans about one global database is currently put on hold, as we had to move the Thai companies to a separate server setup in Thai. I still have a dream that we can put it into one, but we’ll see. Any suggestions are welcomed…

The other issue we ran into was the earthquake in Taiwan in December. That caused the internet connections between Asia and Europe to be very handicapped for a long time. And with it happening just when we were to go live, then we had to take a force major and setup a local server in the office in Bangkok.  Now the connection is back to normal and we are going to move them back to our global servers.

 

I have a lot more to write, but I have so little time. So I will stop here and promise to get back to you very soon.

Posted Mar 5, 2007 23:04 by Erik P. Ernst
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Comments

David Singleton wrote re: Going Live With the Dynamics Core
on Mar 6, 2007 0:40

Well it sure sounds like an exciting project.

I wonder if Microsoft will rethink Unicode. Currently they seem pretty adamant that there will be no Unicode for NAV, but maybe with a few international projects they will reconsider.

Erik P. Ernst wrote re: Going Live With the Dynamics Core
on Mar 7, 2007 0:03

Yes it's really an interesting project.

I would love if they would rethink the Unicode issue. I think that the issue is that their native database cannot use the Unicode unless it's redesigned and I don't think this will happen.

But if you have an suggestion to how we can put more pressure on Microsoft then I would love to hear so.

David Singleton wrote re: Going Live With the Dynamics Core
on Mar 7, 2007 10:23

Well when asked last year, the officail answer was "That's the Axapta Market"

Erik P. Ernst wrote re: Going Live With the Dynamics Core
on Mar 7, 2007 11:04

Maybe we should try to organize an official request from the user group?

David Singleton wrote re: Going Live With the Dynamics Core
on Mar 7, 2007 11:34

No I asked that also. The reply was "user groups are not considered, we have our focus groups which combined with input from our partners determines the need for new requirements". By the way that was after they had just told me that MVPs are also NOT used for product feedback.

Erik P. Ernst wrote re: Going Live With the Dynamics Core
on Mar 7, 2007 11:42

But then I think we (you and the other MVP's as I'm not going) should take this (both the Unicode issue and the issue that they don't even use MVP's for product feedback) up with Microsoft at the MVP Summit next week. Maybe that's the right forum??

David Singleton wrote re: Going Live With the Dynamics Core
on Mar 7, 2007 15:17

believe me its on my list. :)

DenSter wrote re: Going Live With the Dynamics Core
on Mar 8, 2007 15:21

Not going to make a difference :). I'll bring it up at Convergence, you're not the only one that would benefit greatly.

How's BI working for you? Do you have a separate reporting database? Is that a replicated database or do you have ETL processes? If it's ETL, how do you treat option values? I will have more questions :)

Erik P. Ernst wrote re: Going Live With the Dynamics Core
on Mar 9, 2007 4:13

BI works ok, but we just started this part. We use the SSIS to interface the data from NAV and CRM into the DataStore.

David Singleton wrote re: Going Live With the Dynamics Core
on Mar 9, 2007 15:12

It was at convergence EMEA during the "Ask The Experts" session that I heard this. A customer that had just purchased Navision explained their plight with Unicode, and the "expert" said that they should have purchased Axapta.

Actually Daniel, you may have heard my reply to the "expert" reported later as "a personality clash type issue".

Charlie Maitland wrote re: Going Live With the Dynamics Core
on Jul 23, 2007 23:25

Hi

I have just moved to working with a company that deals with NAV BI. If you would like some pointers (not product) on extracts then drop me a line at Charlie "insert symbol here" Maitlandnet.co.uk

Some of our people have unwrapped some classic Gotchas.

Charlie Maitland

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