Integrating Microsoft Dynamics CRM and Microsoft Dynamics GP

Mark Smith, 10 April 2011

Integration between Microsoft Dynamics CRM and Microsoft Dynamics GP has arrived with release of Connector for Microsoft Dynamics Feature Pack 5 for Microsoft Dynamics GP. This provides an integration between Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 (minimum Update Rollup #5) or Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 and Microsoft Dynamics GP 10.0 (Service Pack 4) or Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010.

The Connector for Microsoft Dynamics is intended to be used in an implementation where Microsoft Dynamics CRM is used to manage business contacts, track leads, enter sales orders, and perform other sales and marketing activities, and where Microsoft Dynamics GP is used to perform accounting functions, manage your company’s chart of accounts, and maintain customer, vendor, item, employee, and other records.

Within the Connector for Microsoft Dynamics, separate adapters are used to identify a source system (where data is read from) and a destination system (where data is written to). The source adapter reads data from the source system. The destination adapter writes the data to the destination system.

Record types that are integrated are referred to as “entities.” Some entity information can be integrated only one way between the two systems. For example, a product that is entered into Microsoft Dynamics CRM cannot be integrated with Microsoft Dynamics GP as a sales item, but a sales item that is entered into Microsoft Dynamics GP can be integrated with Microsoft Dynamics CRM as a product.

The Connector for Microsoft Dynamics Feature Pack 5 for Microsoft Dynamics GP integrates the following entity:

It provides a bi-directional integration, allowing data movement between both CRM and GP. In a number of cases, the ERP application is the system of record (Products, Pricing, Unit of Measure, Sales Invoices, etc.) In the case of Sales Orders, these documents can be created in either system.  Once an order is submitted from Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 to Microsoft Dynamics ERP, the ERP solution becomes the system of record and the order will be read-only in CRM.  In the case of the Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 Account and Microsoft Dynamics ERP Customer, the data is truly multi-mastered.  Once the data exists in both systems, and update to either system will trigger a subsequent update in the other respective system for properties which are included in the integration mapping.”

The integration is a web service to web service integration.  The integration is comprised of an NT Service which binds together web services for both Microsoft Dynamics CRM and Microsoft Dynamics ERP to read and write data.  The integration service also leverages a transform engine to convert the data between the interfaces to ensure that the data moving between the two systems is compatible and in correct form.

The Connector for Microsoft Dynamics Feature Pack 5 for Microsoft Dynamics GP is FREE. However, customers will need to have an active Microsoft Dynamics ERP Enhancement/Maintenance plan (on the Dynamics ERP product) and an active Microsoft Dynamics CRM Software Assurance (SA) Support Plan (on the Dynamics CRM product).

To learn more about the new Connector Microsoft Dynamics for Microsoft GP, click here or contact us right away.