IT Department Skills to Support Microsoft Great Plains and Microsoft CRM

Microsoft Great Plains as ERP and Microsoft CRM as Client Relation Management system is very robust combination and could serve midsize to large corporation as Business System. Being VP IT or IT Director you need to foresee the positions to have in your IT department to do internal MS Great Plains and MS CRM support.

Let us give you the directions, based on our research and consulting practice.

  • Microsoft SQL Server Specialist ? we specially do not name this position as MS SQL DBA, because both Great Plains and MS CRM are not very complex from the database administration side, they do not use indexes optimization, referential integrity, probably do not require complex transaction log backup/recovery scenarios. On the other hand this position requires Great Plains and Microsoft CRM tables structure analysis and some primary Great Plains data fixing skills via SQL queries, described in MBS Customer source techknowledge database. The best candidate should have some accounting background - to be able to address ongoing issues to MBS technical support.
  • Network Administrator with good Microsoft Exchange and Active Directory skills. Microsoft CRM uses all the newest Microsoft technologies, and Exchange is a workhorse here. In order to install and upgrade MS CRM this guy needs to understand the under-laying Microsoft technology. In the best case - she/he should know Exchange security structure and probably program Exchange handlers, due to the fact that CRM/Exchange connector is not a perfect tool yet.
  • C# or VB.Net programmer with excellent SQL Skills? if you are midsize or large company - you should have this position - you will need web publishing and MS CRM customization and its support. Currently Microsoft CRM SDK has C# examples - so C# programmer would be the best fit, it may have more VB code in the future, so the C# - VB balance maybe restored.
  • Crystal Reports Designer/Programmer - Crystal Reports is the best tool available on the market to address both Great Plains and MS CRM reporting needs. This position maybe merged with one of the above.
  • These people should be probably cross-trained in both Great Plains, Microsoft CRM, Crystal Reports, SQL and C# programming, so you do not depend on the unique skills of one person. In our opinion, which is based on our long term consulting practice - these skills will allow you to keep the cost of IT support reasonably low and avoid paying high consulting price to your Microsoft Business Solutions Partner.

    Happy hiring and training! But in any case you need to select Microsoft Business Solutions Partner/Var/Reseller to be your official representative. This is how MBS has its channel working - it assures that Microsoft Business Solutions products are properly implemented. If you want us to be your Microsoft Business Solutions Partner - give us a call 1-866-528-0577! help@albaspectrum.com

    Andrew Karasev is Chief Technology Officer in Alba Spectrum Technologies ? USA nationwide Microsoft CRM, Microsoft Great Plains implementation and customization company, based in Chicago, Boston, New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Houston, Atlanta, and Miami and having locations in multiple states and internationally (help@albaspectrum.com), he is Dexterity, SQL, VB/C#.Net, Crystal Reports and Microsoft CRM SDK developer.

    Oswego taxi to Midway ..
    In The News:

    Hackers and scammers keep looking for ways to break into your Facebook account. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson has some tips to make sure your account is secure.
    Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson shows you how to create group texts to reach multiple people at once — and also how to leave them if you get annoyed at the volume of interruptions.
    Tax fraud is on the rise, and hackers are now using identity hijacking and artificial intelligence for tax returns in someone else's name to get a refund.
    Toyota's Punyo soft robot mimics human behavior, using its chest, hips and arms — in addition to its hands — like a human to handle objects,
    Hackers used third-party information to break into Roku accounts, according to the streaming company. Roku says it has secured affected accounts.
    Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
    Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains the simple steps for setting a Wi-Fi hot spot on an Android. If you have internet on your phone, it's easy.
    Dubai recently hosted the first jet suit race with a backdrop of skyscrapers, and one observer says it was straight out of a comic book.
    Kim Komando introduces ways to keep you and your devices safe while traveling. The clever hacks mentioned can protect you from hackers and jackers.
    TikTok CEO Shou Chew published a video Wednesday urging users to "protect your constitutional rights" against a bipartisan bill that would force China to divest from the app.
    Tech guru Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson says you can never be too careful with tech passwords. He explains how to keep your information safe.
    The Lighthouse in New Zealand rotates 360 degrees, constantly giving those inside different views around the clock. Built in the 1990s, it's up for sale.
    High school students in Colorado are learning how to design their own AI model projects, including cameras for self-driving cars and apps that can teach other languages.
    Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
    Vehicles collect sensitive personal information, which is used to set auto insurance rates. That's partly why auto insurance premiums are rising.
    Honda's Uni-One is a hands-free electric mobility device that can reach speeds of 3.7 mph and support a user weighing up to 242 pounds.
    Kim Komando puts three AI chatbots head-to-head to decide which is the best assistant for modern problems. Compare Google Gemini, ChatGPT, and Perplexity.
    To safeguard personal information on iPhones, users can employ built-in security measures and iCloud Keychain for enhanced privacy. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson shows you how.
    Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson introduces you to the City Transformer’s CT-2 electric car, which can seamlessly transition from 8 feet wide on the road to a compact 3 feet for parking.
    Hackers are always looking for new ways to trick targets into downloading malware. Now, they're after cryptocurrency folks via Calendly. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson has the details.
    Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals how the Microlino Lite, a compact and eco-friendly vehicle, tackles city traffic congestion with its chic design and small dimensions.
    A new funeral scam targets surviving family members of those who recently died. Scammers reach out to the survivors and pose as funeral home officials.
    Merlin Labs' autonomous pilot could soon hit the commercial airways and may help alleviate a looming pilot shortage, according to CEO Matt George.
    There's a simple way to check your subscriptions on an Android and cancel them. Tech guru Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains how it is done.
    Hackers use pirated software to target macOS, Android and Windows devices in search of stealing cryptocurrency, according to Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson.

    Begun, The Browser Wars Have

    As Mozilla Firefox nears 10% market share, with well over... Read More

    How a Bug Challenges to a Software Professional

    It is really interesting that a bug can create problem... Read More

    SyncUp ? A File/Folder Synchronizer For Windows

    SyncUp, a file synchronizer is designed to assist the home... Read More

    Start Developing Your Own Software

    Learning how to program software seems like a daunting task... Read More

    Free Software: How Not To Get More Than You Bargained For!

    I completed an experiment recently. I wanted to find out... Read More

    Configure Windows Indexing Service for Performance

    The Windows Indexing Service provides you with the ability to... Read More

    Demand More From Your Lead Tracking Software

    An integral part of any quality CRM system is lead... Read More

    Microsoft and Webmasters

    Does Microsoft care for WebmastersIt's always been a problem with... Read More

    Microsoft Great Plains 8.0 Brazilian Version ? Overview For International Consultant

    Microsoft Great Plains has substantial mid-market share in the USA... Read More

    Theres Gold in Your Websites Server Log

    Many Webmasters have never bothered to view their website's server... Read More

    Things You Can Do With Windows XP!

    Did you ever give a thought to the number of... Read More

    How To Develop Software For Your Business

    Software development is a risky business.Many software developers are barely... Read More

    Groupware Finds Home in American Business: Collaboration Tool Analysis

    What is Groupware?Have you ever had to manage document collaboration... Read More

    Software Upgrades Arent Always the Best Move

    When my daughter was getting into AOL instant messaging (AIM)... Read More

    Microsoft Great Plains version 8.5: Upgrade, Customization, VBA, Crystal Reports - Highlights

    Microsoft Great Plains is one of the Microsoft Business Solutions... Read More

    Groupware and Online Collaboration: Collaboration Series #4

    This article is the fourth of a series of articles... Read More

    Assertion in Java

    Assertion facility is added in J2SE 1.4. In order to... Read More

    Crystal Reports - Geterogeneus databases: SQL Server, Oracle, Unidata, Btrieve ? Tips For Developer

    Crystal Reports is the most flexible tool on the market... Read More

    Backing Up And Restoring Your MySQL Database

    If you've been using MySQL database to store your important... Read More

    How To Choose A Fire Wall Software Program

    In the real world a "fire wall" is a fireproof... Read More

    Increase Office Efficiency With One Simple Tool

    When you need a phone number, you do a quick... Read More

    What is Groupware?

    Vince Lombardi once said that, "The achievements of an organization... Read More

    netstat - Linux Command to Display Networking Information

    In linux, one of great commands for finding out information... Read More

    Programming Language Migration Path

    While I was preparing some personal background information for a... Read More

    Microsoft CRM Data Conversion FAQ

    Microsoft Business Solutions CRM data conversion deserves FAQ type of... Read More

    shuttle from Midway Morris ..