Changing and Copying a Home Page Role - Part 2

Part 2 of 2 - Changing and Copying a Home Page Role.

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In Part 1 of this series, I described how you could change a user's home page by reassigning him or her to a different role using the standard Microsoft Dynamics GP interface, but I also explained that my client wanted to be able to copy all the standard settings they had worked on over months to a staff member who was simply switching departments.

I also mentioned the use of a script, and while there's one, I want to also clarify that the client was not interested in having SQL scripts ran in their environment, so I had to come up with an alternate solution. The answer was to install the Support Debugging Tool and use it's XML Import and Export tool.

XML Table Export window

We created a profile with for the tables containing the settings the customer wanted to replicate for their user, which we then exported into an XML file. Since all that was needed was to use one of the existing profiles for an Accounts Receivable user as a template, we chose one user as a template. We then edited the XML file with Notepad, removing information from all other users, then replacing the template user ID for that of the new Accounts Receivable staff.

We then use the XML Table Import feature to reimport the now changed XML data file with the new user's profile settings.

XML Table Import window

The Support Debugging Tool provided a safe mechanism to replicate data the client needed, because in their eyes it meant not having to run queries against their system. In addition, they could test the import several times if needed, because of the data overwrite capabilities offered by the tool.

The next time you are considering duplicating data from one user to another, don't overlook the Support Debugging Tool.

For more information on the Support Debugging Tool, visit the Support Debugging Tool Portal page over at Developing for Dynamics GP. You can find excellent content on the tool as well in MVP Mark Polino's new book Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010 Cookbook.

Until next post!

MG.-
Mariano Gomez, MVP
Maximum Global Business, LLC
http://www.maximumglobalbusiness.com/

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Changing and Copying a Home Page Role - Part 1

Part 1 of 2 - Changing and Copying a Home Page Role.

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I was working with a client a few days aback and they have been on Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010 for quite a few weeks now. One of their users was moved from the accounts payable department to the accounts receivable department.

The IT staff wanted to change the configuration of her home page to look just like that of an existing user in this department, so of course, came the question..."How do we change her home page, and have her get the same links we have setup for all the other users in the group?".

Out of the box, Microsoft Dynamics GP allows you to change a user's role by clicking the Change Role... button under the Customize Home Page window.

Customize Home Page

Once you click on the Change Role button, you will receive a warning on effecting the changes, since all customizations and previous layout changes would be lost in the process of changing the user's role.

Change Role Warning

Since our goal was to move the user from role, this was the first task at hand. The company enjoyed standard links and settings for their users overall, so worring about loosing the previous links and settings was not an issue. Once we clicked the Ok button, we were at the Select Home Page window where we could move the user to the Accounts Payable role.

Select Home Page

Good so far! Now, how could we make a copy of all the settings established by the IT department for all users to this user profile? Tomorrow, I will show you a script that we wrote to achieve this.

Until next post!

MG.-
Mariano Gomez, MVP
Maximum Global Business, LLC
http://www.maximumglobalbusiness.com/

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IM - Integration Manager Series Summary

I know you are still unreeling from the New Year's celebrations and that you probably missed out on a couple of the articles I published in the past days. The following are the links to the articles:

• Troubleshooting RPC Errors when running Integration Manager
• Retrieving document numbers assigned by Microsoft Dynamics GP when field rule is set to Use Default in Integration Manager - Part 1
• Retrieving document numbers assigned by Microsoft Dynamics GP when field rule is set to Use Default in Integration Manager - Part 2

I also wanted to take the opportunity to highlight Steve Endow's recent article on Integration Manager, over at Dynamics GP Land which highlights an odd error a customer of his was getting on a workstation.

• Integration Manager 2010 Error: Could not load file or assembly Interop.MSScriptControl

This completes a good roundup of the topics covered.
Until next post!

MG.-
Mariano Gomez, MVP
Maximum Global Business, LLC
http://www.maximumglobalbusiness.com/

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GPUG to offer Payroll Tax Update seminar with Microsoft for US and Canadian partners and customers

Important 2011 US and Canadian Payroll Year-End and Tax Update with Microsoft (Jan 2011)



Microsoft payroll tax update gurus will give an overview of 2011 U.S. and Canadian Payroll Year-end and Tax Update changes and how it impacts Microsoft Dynamics GP customers for Microsoft Dynamics GP 9.0, 10.0, 2010 and Microsoft Business Solutions Small Business Financials 9.0. This is a GPUG open event, all members are invited to attend.

The recent legislative changes presents many modifications to U.S. Payroll in Microsoft Dynamics GP and Small Business Financials. This session will provide you with an overview of the updates in the product to comply with the recent legislative changes. Canadian Payroll also has several new regulatory changes as well which is new functionality for our customers that we will review. Microsoft has major payroll releases in the next weeks / month that will impact your payroll, attend this session to be educated on the latest changes so your business will continue to be able to run payroll without issues.

GPUG's presenters work hard at providing valuable education to you, our members. For this session, if you have questions, comments or suggestions prior to the event and would like us to include that information, please email "Presenter Request".

This is an open GPUG event, all members are invited to attend. Register here.

Until next post!

MG.-
Mariano Gomez, MVP
Maximum Global Business, LLC
http://www.maximumglobalbusiness.com/

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IM - Retrieving document numbers assigned by Microsoft Dynamics GP when field rule is set to Use Default in Integration Manager - Part 2

Part 2 of 2 - Retrieving document numbers assigned by Microsoft Dynamics GP when field rule is set to Use Default in Integration Manager.

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In the previous installment, I explained the technique that I otherwise use to relate source systems records with imported records in Microsoft Dynamics GP for which a Use Default field rule has been set for the key field. This article demonstrates the key event scripts needed to obtain the record.

Before Integration event script

'
' Created by Mariano Gomez, MVP
' This code is licensed under the Creative Commons 
' Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 Generic license.

' Secure a connection against the company database we will be running
' the integration against.

Const adUseClient = 3

set oCn = CreateObject("ADODB.Connection")
oCn.ConnectionString = "database=" & GPConnection.GPConnIntercompanyID
oCn.CursorLocation = adUseClient

GPConnection.Open(oCn)

' Make sure the connection is valid
If (oCn.Status = 1) Then
   ' Setup global connection variables
   SetVariable "gblConn", oCn   
   SetVariable "gblInterID", GPConnection.GPConnIntercompanyID
Else
 CancelIntegration
End If

The Before Integration event script will allow us to secure a connection against the company database we will be running our integration against. By opening the connection in this event script, we will avoid having to open a connection for each transaction being integrated, further on, creating any loss of performance in the process. It is important to highlight that we need to save the successful connection to a global variable, to be able to use it in other event scripts. In this case, we will assign the oCn connection variable to a global variable, gblConn, using the SetVariable statement.

Once Integration Manager has integrated the document, we will use the After Document event script to retrieve the record integrated. At this stage, we are assuming that the mapping of source fields to destination fields provisions a user-defined field or description field for the source key field. In the past, I have also used note fields to store these key fields when it has not been feasible to use a standard Microsoft Dynamics GP field.

Note: the After Document event script will only execute upon success of the document being integrated. If Integration Manager is unsuccessful integrating the document, the Document Error script will execute instead. This event can be used to report failure to the source system, which may facilitate new attempts to integrate from the source system by reporting different event statuses.

After Document event script

'
' Created by Mariano Gomez, MVP
' This code is licensed under the Creative Commons 
' Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 Generic license.

' Prepare the SQL statement and retrieve the assigned Sales Transaction number
Set oCmd = CreateObject("ADODB.Command")
With oCmd
 .ActiveConnection = GetVariable("gblConn")
 .CommandType = adCmdText

 .CommandText = "SELECT SOPNUMBE FROM SOP10106 WHERE USERDEF05 = '" & SourceFields("mySourceQry.KeyField") & "'"
  Set oRst = .Execute

 If Not oRst.EOF Then
                SopNumber = oRst!SOPNUMBE
 End If
 oRst.Close
End With  

' From here on you can open a connection to your source system and update the 
' some status flag and the column provisioned to track the GP document number

I hope you find this technique useful. Of course, this is a technique I have been using over the years. I would like to find out from you what methods you have used to accomplish the same.

Until next post!

MG.-
Mariano Gomez, MVP
Maximum Global Business, LLC
http://www.maximumglobalbusiness.com/

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IM - Retrieving document numbers assigned by Microsoft Dynamics GP when field rule is set to Use Default in Integration Manager - Part 1

Part 1 of 2 - Retrieving document numbers assigned by Microsoft Dynamics GP when field rule is set to Use Default in Integration Manager.

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One of the things often frustrating for Integration Manager users and developers alike is knowing what document number will be assigned by GP to an integrating transaction when the document number property in the mapping is set to Use Default. Typically, the developer will need this key piece of data, because the integration will perform some write back to a source system to mark a specific record as processed, but also passing back the document number that was assigned in GP.



The UseDefault rule is shown for a Sales Transaction mapping

But, how to know the journal number, or the order number, invoice number, or voucher number that GP has assigned to a submitted document after the record has been integrated?

Let's start by saying that I have seen techniques that read the next document number from the Microsoft Dynamics GP setup tables, then assign that document number to the key field in Integration Manager for the record being integrated. The problem with this approach is that it can cause the system to lock up and crash if users are processing transactions too. Why? Because most developers do not use transactional methods to retrieve and update the next sequence number in the Microsoft Dynamics GP tables. Imagine updating the next SOP number while a user is creating a SOP transaction at the same time. Without proper transactional methods in place, this can wreak havoc in the system.

I have also seen techniques that immediately query the transaction tables looking for the highest DEX_ROW_ID and the transaction associated with it. This technique is also not reliable, especially if they are users processing transactions at the same time the integration is being executed. In summary, you can end up retrieving the wrong document number for your source integrating transaction.

So what's the solution?

Over the years I have developed a technique to overcome this hurdle. The technique assumes that the source transaction records have a unique identifiable key (and in fact, they should). In the case of journals, orders, or invoices, this key is assigned by some source system where the transactions are being integrated from. You can easily spot this key as it typically allows header records to be linked to the detail records to create the relationships between these. For example, if you are integrating orders from your source system into invoices in Microsoft Dynamics GP, it is assumed that the Order Number from your source system is the key.

The idea is to pass this source key to a Microsoft Dynamics GP user defined field (via mapping) or other data field where it can easily be queried after the document has been integrated.

Tomorrow, I will describe the scripting elements that make it possible to retrieve a document number assigned by GP once a source document is integrated and the field rule for the key field is set to Use Default.

Until next post!

MG.-
Mariano Gomez, MVP
Maximum Global Business, LLC
http://www.maximumglobalbusiness.com/

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Look what Santa brought for me!

There is a little box for me...


The elves at Amazon brought me a book!

Gotta love this one!

Great material for the winter!!

I know Christmas is gone and whether you believe in Santa or not, that's a whole other story, but just before I left for vacation to New York City, I had ordered myself -- yes, I am my own Santa! -- a nice little reading material for the cold Atlanta winter. I figured, since summer was well spent with my Cookbooks, winter should be just as productive, especially the days I really don't feel like leaving my house. So, what did the elves at Amazon brought for me? Nothing more, nothing less than MVP Victoria Yudin's brand new Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010 Implementation book.

Now do me a favor... be your own Santa and go and order Victoria's book.

Be this the time to also congratulate Victoria on her 7th year as a Microsoft Dynamics GP MVP... the woman is rolling!
Until next post!

MG.-
Mariano Gomez, MVP
Maximum Global Business, LLC
http://www.maximumglobalbusiness.com/

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