EFaru Dynamics AX Data Cleansing and How to Plan Historical Transactions Migration

July 4, 2011 - PRLog -- There are several technologies and tools in AX to help you with data conversion.  We should mention Excel Import, .DAT, SQL Server Integration Services, AIF web services and of course manual data entry.  It is not really recommended to do large scale data conversion and restrict this project to master records, such as customer, vendor, GL account, addresses, employees and enter beginning balances in General Ledger.  It is recommended to keep historical transactions for lookup only in the old accounting system.  As Axapta is intended to be implemented for upper midmarket and the number of historical documents might be huge (where Excel Import, which is recommended for user friendly data migration path, is capped at around ten thousand records).  So if you are undertaking major data migration, consider some MorphX X++ programming and discuss the budget with your consulting firm.  In this small paper we would like to give you highlights on how data could be exported from your legacy ERP and prepared for Excel Import or maybe SSIS:

1.   What is typical legacy accounting application from where you are walking away to AX?  The spectrum is pretty broad.  There was huge number of Great Plains Dynamics installations in the United States and Canada in earlier 2000th, especially budget version on Pervasive SQL Server 2000 (formerly known as Btrieve).  With recession in the beginning of the XXI century large chunk of these clients stopped paying for Annual Enhancement and lost their access to new release Dynamics GP registration keys.  The percentage of these customers redeploying Microsoft Dynamics on AX platform is proportional.  Also it is frequent case when customer is growing rapidly and switching from Small Business Accounting, such as QuickBooks.  We also have seen scenarios when large business acquires smaller organization, where accounting is done on Great Plains for DOS (very popular in earlier 1990th , in fact it was a predecessor of Great Plains Dynamics and eEnterprise, developed and supported by Great Plains Software).  Business acquisition might lead your organization to replace other currently popular small business ERP packages, such as SAP Business One, and maybe even from large business accounting systems, such as Oracle Financials, PeopleSoft

2.   Exporting data from legacy Corporate ERP applications.  In our practice we would like to recommend two methods.  First method is printing reports into text file and then processing (cleansing) them in Excel or in the case of large number of documents in MS SQL Server Custom table (by weeding out non-structured records in SQL View).  And the second method is direct connection to legacy database via ODBC.  Also we would like to share our opinion on who should do the job in each method.  If you are printing reports into text file, then there is reliable abstraction from legacy application table structure, business logic.  This means that if your IT department is comfortable to clean these text files from blank lines, headers, page numbers and other non-structured elements – you do not need external consultant to export data.  If on the other hand you would like to do more powerful in accessing tables ODBC connection, such experiences as table structure and records flow in old accounting are essential.  We recommend to contact technical consultant, who has these skills and knowledge

3.   Nationwide Data Conversion Remote Support.  It is OK to find nationwide consulting organization, which has exposure to exporting data from your legacy accounting and knowledge in Axapta.  Modern mid-market Corporate ERP implementation project often requires deep industry knowledge as well as specialization.  Axapta data conversion could be considered as specialization and the field worth for consultant to dedicate his or her career.  Typical scenario is when your chosen technical consultant travels onsite to your office, conducts initial meeting and then works remotely via Citrix, Terminal Server, VPN or web session to deliver converted data.  Some corporations have IT policy to deploy local consultants only or preferably.  This might be a hurdle in project progress, as you may not necessary have consultants in your area familiar with such legacy versions as Great Plains Accounting for DOS, Mac or Windows 9.5, 9.2, or Great Plains Dynamics on Btrieve platform: 7.5, 7.0, 6.0, 5.5, 5.0

4.   Please call us 1-866-304-3265, 1-269-605-4904 (for international customers, where our representative pick up the phone in St. Joseph, MI call center),  help@efaru.com  We have local presence in Chicagoland, Southern California, South West Michigan, Houston and Dallas areas of Texas. We serve customers USA, Canada, Mexico, Brazil nationwide and internationally via web sessions and phone conferences (Skype is welcomed). Our consultants speak English, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Chinese.  Our core expertise is in International Business

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Andrew Karasev is Great Plains Certified Master, MVP, help@efaru.com 1-866-304-3265, 1-269-605-4904. He is also the initiator of eFaru project http://www.efaru.com and founder of Alba Spectrum information space