The eOne Cash for Clunkers program gives Dynamics GP customers the opportunity to trade in the old, slow and clunky way of doing things, and adopt the SmartConnect way of working in Dynamics GP. $1,500 dollars off the price is a massive saving, and this promotion expires on the 31st of December 2010.

There are a number of generic integration solutions that are usually expensive to maintain and that do not provide even half of the functionality that SmartConnect delivers. This includes the solutions provided via Integration manager, Scribe, Pervasive, eBridge, DTS, custom eConnect or the free Microsoft connector for CRM. When it comes to Microsoft Dynamics GP and CRM integration and automation there is only one product that does it all. If you have invested in one or more of these tools (not limited to just those listed) and need a low cost switch to a single stop solution – then the SmartConnect Cash for Clunkers will give you the answer.

By far the majority of SmartConnect customers that have made the switch have traded in integration manager. Partners are always asking for a list or reasons to upgrade and we will take a look here at the main reasons why they made the move from IM to SmartConnect:

Things SmartConnect does better, faster and more easily:
1. Speed: First and foremost SmartConnect is much, much faster. Integration manger types the data in the front end via a macro, while SmartConnect applies all the Business rules of GP in the background and runs up to 50 times faster.

2. Scheduling: Set the SmartConnect schedule to run, close GP and go home. The schedule service will run in the background, will not break if GP is closed and will run every 5 minutes, 10 minutes, every hour, every day or just once a month. Once it is set it will run.

3. Breadth of Modules: SmartConnect provides a wider range of integration points.

4. Scripting: SmartConnect allows for pre and post integration Tasks to be written in c# and VB.net as opposed to VB script

5. Pre Map SQL validation: SmartConnect allows you to check that your source data is correct before running. SmartConnect will go and lookup to GP and ensure the data you are passing in is valid, before it attempts the integration.

6. Data Sources: SmartConnect allow you to connect to any data source you need without coding. SmartConnect can use data in Excel or CSV files, but also connect to SQL ,Oracle, SmartList, Extender, GP tables, XML, InfoPath.

Things SmartConnect does that Integration Manager just does not do:
1. Extender: Import data into Extender windows, forms, detail forms all during the same runs as importing to core GP.

2. Web Service: Developers can call the SmartConnect Web Service from to trigger a map to run from a website, another application or any custom code.

3. Integrate Dynamics GP with Dynamics CRM: Completely flexible, two way, real time integration of data between GP and CRM.

4. Integrate to CRM: Import data from Excel or any other application direct into Microsoft Dynamics CRM.

5. Real Time Automation: Automate almost any task within Dynamics GP as you move around the screens in GP. Real time triggers will kick in when your criteria are met, to create records in GP based upon data you enter into GP. If you have any rule based processes in your business, where if one thing happens you always enter a follow up transaction these can be automated. For Example: Whenever you add a new employee within Payroll and they are a manager SmartConnect will create a vendor record to allow you to accept expense claims.

6. Use Extender better: Build screens to capture unique business specific data in GP, then use this data to generate transactions in GP via SmartConnect.

7. Enter data in Excel: Do your data entry right into an Excel template, hit a button in Excel and SmartConnect writes that data straight to GP.

8. Use SmartList as a data source: let your end users filter data to be integrated through the easy interface of SmartList. Set restrictions, choose your data and then run a map against this data. It does not matter where this data originated from.

9. Custom Nodes and Connectors: Ability to write and include completely custom integration points within the SmartConnect framework. Ability for ISV’s to build a custom connector to provide a flexible integration point for their application.