| Microsoft Dynamics GP allows you to automate many | | | | need Great Plains Business Ready, allowing you to |
| typical and classical businesses, restaurants are typical | | | | deploy typical modules: GL, AR, AP, SOP, POP, |
| GP deployment example. In this small article we will | | | | Inventory control and others. If you are purchasing GP |
| review typical scenarios and technical questions. As | | | | right now, March 2008, then you should check with |
| we often see that restaurant owners are not technical | | | | your GP VAR |
| people or programmers - we will try not to use ERP | | | | 3. Integration with Point Of Sale (POS) systems. If you |
| and software academic language and be right to the | | | | are purchasing existing businesses, then in most of the |
| point: | | | | cases you are getting mix of various POS and Retail |
| 1. Your server and network structure. It is typical when | | | | Management Systems: Aloha, Microsoft POS, |
| restaurants are in several places across the city and | | | | Microsoft RMS, etc. In this situation you would rather |
| you control and operate your business from central | | | | prefer something which will resolve your POS system |
| office or even the basement of your house. You | | | | dependence. We recommend you Aspect - it basically |
| should place your Great Plains server to your | | | | works as Store Operation Management Software for |
| headquarters. If you have only few restaurants, | | | | Restaurant businesses. Aspect will import your POS |
| consider purchasing Microsoft Small Business Server, | | | | transactions or even more - it will allow you to run the |
| as it will allow you to install and configure your | | | | restaurant facility on Aspect without POS. Aspect has |
| Windows domain and create your users without or | | | | very robust features to export transaction to GP via |
| with minimal IT consultants help. Also on your Small | | | | Great Plains Integration Manager |
| Business Server, please setup virtual private network | | | | 4. Barcoding. We believe that if you are small or even |
| (vpn) - this will be the gateway to upload transactions | | | | midsize dining network, barcode scanners are not |
| from your stores to central ERP: Great Plains | | | | really required. |
| 2. Great Plains - which modules do I need? You will | | | | |