Through virtual integration with Popdock, it is entirely possible and easy to leave old systems behind, turn off old SQL Servers, and have quick access to historical data whenever you need it. It’s all possible without having to fully transfer that data to your new system.

In this article, we’re going to show you how to access historical Dynamics GP data inside the NetSuite interface.

To help you understand each step of the process, we’ll start by defining a few terms. We’ll then move on to our overall migration strategy before jumping into how you can view historical Dynamics GP data inside of NetSuite.

Terms to know

If you have documents in Dynamics GP, how can you view those files?

Popdock allows you to extract that document, place it into an Azure Data Lake, and make it viewable in NetSuite or any other system.

Before we look at Popdock in action, let’s go over the terms you will need to know.

Azure Data Lake

Put simply, an Azure Data Lake is a storage account located in the cloud that can house your historical data. It allows you to store all kinds of files. An Azure Data Lake is an unstructured way of storing files, as opposed to something like a database which you have undoubtedly used in the past with Dynamics GP.

Unstructured data is not arranged in preset ways. This kind of data cannot be stored in a traditional database. Email messages, videos, webpages, photos, and audio files (all text and multimedia files) count as unstructured data.

For GP, data was primarily stored in tables that were formatted according to GP’s requirements. However, there may have been additional tables where third-party products or other items were stored.

Azure Data Lakes are much more versatile. These files could be CSV, XML, JSON, JPEG, PDF, Word doc, or any other form of file type, and they can be stored next to each other. The storage rules are flexible. They give you the capability of storing large amounts of data at an incredibly affordable cost.

It’s important to note that all your Dynamics GP data will be stored within your Azure account, as we do not store any customer data on our end.

Another key aspect is cost-effectiveness. If your data is under one terabyte, you can store it for less than $20 per month using the Azure Data Lake. Typically, our customers store less than 100 gigabytes of historical GP data, which would cost much less than $20 per month.

Popdock Data Lake Upload Tool

The Popdock Data Lake Upload Tool allows for efficient archiving to your Azure Data Lake without the need to open ports or SQL. This “push” feature provides a secure way to archive your data.

It also allows you to hook into your on-premise systems, extract the Dynamics GP data, and move that data to the data lake, preparing it for you to embed the data in NetSuite or any other system.

This tool is included in the Popdock solution. You are not charged an additional cost to use it.

eOne’s overall migration strategy

For our Dynamics GP customers who have already moved to a new system or are beginning to look at their options, eOne’s overall migration strategy is to provide help along the way.

Whether you’re using NetSuite or any other system, eOne has a solution for you with Popdock.

Here are just a few examples out of many possible scenarios that may apply to you:

Scenario one:
If you’re like the vast majority of GP customers, you likely already have an on-premise solution in place, with a SQL Server or a server on your network. However, many people are now considering retiring this server in the future to avoid the ongoing maintenance and management it requires.

Scenario two:
Some users have opted for a solution that involved storing their GP data into Azure or on a virtual machine. It’s also possible to migrate the entire database to Azure SQL.

Scenario three:
We also have a few partners that have hosted some GP data on a special server, such as Power GP.

Whatever your situation is, Popdock provides a solution for connecting to your data and accessing it, enabling you to archive it and stop maintaining your SQL Server and its services.

It’s worth noting that the middle of the graphic below, outlining our migration strategy, includes not only Popdock but also our traditional integration tool, SmartConnect.

Any time we mention a full migration strategy, we’re mainly focusing on accessing the historical data that most people don’t want to bring into the new system. It’s either extremely difficult, expensive, or there are complexities with third-party products, etc.

SmartConnect can be a vital asset when you need to move records to your new system. Oftentimes, both SmartConnect and Popdock are used.

If you need to transfer only certain master records to the new system, SmartConnect can facilitate this process by moving that particular data to NetSuite. If there is any historical data that you have not yet transferred to NetSuite but still want to access, Popdock can provide a way to view it outside of the NetSuite interface.

No matter what your unique migration needs may be, we have a tool that will work for you.

Popdock gives you easy access to history inside NetSuite

If you have moved to NetSuite, how are you able to view that information without your new users needing to leave the NetSuite interface?

We will discuss a few possibilities below.

History only

Using Popdock, you can make lists available within NetSuite that display only historical data from Dynamics GP after it has been archived into a data lake.

Combined list

You can also take a more unique approach. You can merge your historical data with the new information coming from NetSuite to create a single list, eliminating the need to search in multiple places. With one consolidated SmartList, you can easily access all relevant information in one place.

Filter lists by customer, vendor, account, etc.

You can also embed Popdock inside NetSuite and filter it down by customer, vendor, account, or any other relevant criteria based on the type of data being added. This feature is incredibly valuable because you can choose to display only the specific information you need on the page within NetSuite.

Next up: Demonstrations

In this article series, we’ll be going over demonstrations that show you how to access historical Dynamics GP data inside the NetSuite interface. 

Are you ready to learn more about how Popdock can help your NetSuite experience? Contact one of our Popdock experts today at sales@eonesolutions.com or 888-319-3663 ext. 1. They are always eager to provide help and answers!