Activating OData for better external analysis
OData stands for Open Data Protocol. It is an open protocol that allows the creation and consumption of data. In particular, OData allows web clients to publish and edit resources, identified using URLs and defined in a data model. With respect to Dynamics GP, it facilitates easy, secure access to GP data for any number of needs, including reporting and analytics.
There are some pretty significant installation and setup requirements for OData before it's ready to use, but the end result is worth it, so we'll cover that here.
Getting ready
OData is installed separately from the GP installation media. Ian has already done a terrific job of explaining how to install OData for Dynamics GP at http://azrcrv.co.uk/EL80CN.
Also, there was an early update to fix issues with OData connections. Make sure to visit CustomerSource to obtain the latest updates. The initial update can be found at http://azrcrv.co.uk/IyRK5V.
When you install the OData...