When MISys became the first third-party developer for the software family that is now known as Sage ERP Accpac, we were actually the first developer to license and use the Software Development Kit (SDK) engineered for the purpose by Basic Software Group, Ltd.
The MISys software engineers wanted to seamlessly integrate their manufacturing solution with the Accpac accounting modules, thus eliminating time consuming and error-prone importing and exporting. Since each product used an industry-standard database, MISys could have easily read the data it needed from the accounting database tables. But writing the data back was another matter. We had no idea what business logic rules had to be obeyed. With thousands of rules in play, violating just one of them would allow MISys to corrupt the accounting database. Not a good idea.
Rather than risk that eventuality, MISys licensed Basic Software Group’s SDK, a collection of programs (often referred to as “classes” and “methods” but also known as “views” in Accpac parlance). By using the SDK, an external program like MISys Manufacturing can safely pass data back and forth to the accounting modules because the SDK handles all the business logic rules.
About the time Computer Associates had acquired the Accpac software, a brand new SDK was released that featured an MS Windows-based user interface and an innovative System Manager to handle many administrative tasks. Accpac SDK-developers like MISys were encouraged to run their programs from within the Accpac System Manager, although some developers who required more exotic screen and file manipulation, chose to run their programs outside of the System Manager. Whether inside or outside the System Manager, every developer used the Accpac SDK -- the only reliable way to interface with the accounting business logic.
Several years ago, MISys moved its MISys Manufacturing SBM outside the Accpac System Manager in order to take advantage of Microsoft’s brand new .NET class libraries, while maintaining its compatibility with the Accpac accounting modules.
With the release of each new version of Sage ERP Accpac, MISys engineers carefully evaluate changes to the Accpac SDK and adjust the MISys Manufacturing code as necessary. We strive to release an updated version of the manufacturing software within 90 days of each accounting release, usually much more quickly.
The current version of MISys Manufacturing SBM is fully compatible with Sage ERP Accpac version 6.0. Our engineers are currently evaluating the SDK for Accpac 6.1 in preparation for a future release of MISys Manufacturing SBM.
For more information about manufacturing for Accpac go to www.misysinc.com/accpac.
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