Microsoft Dynamics GP offers a variety of EDI (Electronic Document Interchange) add-ons as well as third-party modules. These allow you to map your EDI codes to expose GP documents such as Vendor Purchase Orders to EDI-compliant vendor vendors, import Sales Orders or invoices from the EDI channel into your SOP module, to name just a few. You can understand more about EDI integration at https://www.cin7.com/ultimate-guide-to-edi/.
Sometimes, purchasing an add-on might not be possible due to your simple requirements. Or paradoxically, their complexity.
Although this publication is intended for EDI technical personnel, it may appear too programer-oriented. However, we made every effort to make it readable and understandable for technology-savvy executives. Let's briefly review both the export and import scenarios.
1. Exporting EDI-compliant text code. EDI codes are typical of fixed length with Lines, Header, and Trailers. This fixed-length formatted text file can be created by saving a SQL select statement. You combine the sections and format each field precisely.
2. Importing EDI files to GP. If automatic batch posting is not required, you should consider pushing documents to Great Plains using eConnect programming. We recommend that you deploy Auto Post or Alba Spectrum Posting Server if Autoposting is necessary.
3. ODBC text file driver limitations. ODBC only supports a subset of standard SQL languages. You will also see limitations with text file drivers: case, text functions, and other standard SQL constructions aren't supported by ODBC SQL
4. EDI and Great Plains Dexterity. GP Dexterity is a tool that can be integrated seamlessly with the GP user interface. Dex lets you call SQL compliant cursors or SQL statements.