Microsoft Dynamics GP ERP application fits to majority of US businesses and due to the fact that it resides in Microsoft SQL Server it is open to the whole range of Reports design tools: Crystal Reports, Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services, Cognos, MS Access, MS Excel.  If you are looking for implementing financial reporting, such as Balance Sheet, Profit and Loss Statement, Statement of Cash Flow ' then your tool of choice is actually FRx reports.  In this small publication we will try to cover Crystal Reports niche and design scenarios

1.       Special Industry documents.  If you need something that belongs to your vertical niche, like special format of Bill of Lading and you believe that you can produce this document from Great Plains Sales Order Processing and Inventory Control modules tables.  In this case Crystal does wonderful job

2.       Heterogeneous database queries.  If you data resides in non Microsoft databases, such as Oracle, DB2, MySQL, Btrieve, Ctree, Lotus, you can create either linked server from Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio.  Crystal Reports works with Linked server and also you can produce the heterogeneous link from Oracle and have Crystal to connect Oracle side

3.       Crystal Reports Design recommendations.  There is very robust reports wizard, however if you pretend to build really sophisticated report, you should build report base in SQL stored procedure or SQL view

4.       Southern California businesses.  We strongly believe that Great Plains Supply chain management modules, as well as light manufacturing and Service management suite will find their ground in LA area

5.       Chicago light manufacturing, warehouse management, nationwide shipping and logistics businesses.  Here you will need our help with Warehouse management and barcoding