When MIBAR added Acumatica to its product offerings, I immediately began reviewing the product. I wanted to learn the cloud based ERP platform from a technical standpoint. After all, I was going to customize it and we had some big plans in store. It takes significant time for an organization to ramp-up in a product, and development often leads that effort. We need to know the application and the code. This is not my first ERP system, so I know the drill.
I learned quickly Acumatica is built on a solid foundation of ASP.NET using the MVC design pattern written in C#. The platform could be customized to fit the needs of today’s demanding ERP buyers in a cost-effective manner. The efficient design enabled us to develop and reuse key modules. The architecture allows developers to focus on business logic not UI issues. Customizations end up looking crisp, clean, and integrated with the application. Some platforms leave your developers doing more HTML work than they should be. We write code, not design web pages. I’m lucky to match my pants with my shirt much less skin your UI.
To support the application’s design, the back end could run on multiple database platforms including Microsoft SQL Server. Acumatica runs on top of the reliable Microsoft IIS backed by Windows Server. All in the cloud. Fitting the SaaS model people crave today.
Acumatica Application Developer
Ok, technically we have a rock-solid granite foundation here but what makes it tick. How would I customize the platform? My boss wasted no time hooking me up with key people at Acumatica. I spoke with one of the lead developers of the product. He was kind, offered me all the help I needed and suggested I consider the Application Developer Badge because of my vast experience. I went to Acumatica University and downloaded the self-study courseware for this certification and began what seemed like an unsurmountable journey.
To achieve this certification, Acumatica has divided the training up in to 3 courses. Each course contains multiple sections. After each section, you are given a test to gage your knowledge. With completion of each section, you arrive closer to a full understanding of how to properly customize this amazing platform. No ERP platform I’ve seen has a detailed training like this. When you complete these courses, you understand how to customize the platform from all angles.
The first course teaches the basics from the ground up. I created an add on application for a fictitious company that built the supporting file maintenance. It did a good job teaching the first step which is basic file maintenance, light business logic, project and menu customization.
The second course built upon the first, adding the ability to further extend the data model with complex business logic. This course added inquiries, reports, and setup maintenance. Each section delivers a unique customization methodology that enabled you to create customizations that integrated with the application naturally.
The final course rounded out the training by showing how to integrate with the application. You learn how to follow existing business logic and override stock methods with customized logic. As a part of the training, you deploy customizations to a mock production environment. The training leaves you prepared and confident that you know what can happen and what mistakes to avoid. During the course, you execute test scenarios which forces students to test what they have created. The training makes sure you don’t skip parts or fall behind with each section building on work you did in the previous one.
Now as the organization applies the MIBAR way to the application, development is ready to lead the way in customizations. As of last Wednesday, I am proud to say I have completed the requirements to achieve this badge. In all the certifications I have done over the years, this was, by far, one of the most comprehensive and one of the hardest. I am confident that I’m ready to perform the complex customizations and deliver Acumatica, the MIBAR way.
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Addtional Acumatica Resources
6 Competitive Features That Make Acumatica a Favorite Cloud ERP Solution
