Month: September 2014

How to create new documents with Word Layout in NAV 2015

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In new Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2015, we are introduced in new reporting feature – Word Layout. It means, that now we can use both of layouts, RDLC and Word. Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2015 includes 4 built-in report layouts that are used on reports by default. These are only “mini” sales reports: Sales – Quote (1304), Sales – Confirmation (1305), Sales – Invoice (1306) and Sales – Credit Memo (1307).

By default, all of these reports are configured as ‘RDLC (built-in)’, but we can change it on Report Layout Selection.

rep1

We can also customize these reports using ‘Custom Layouts’ command. But, what if we need more documents report in Word Layout, for example some of purchase documents. The biggest benefit of this feature is that you can give your customers to prepare own documents and don’t spend your time (and their money) on this job. Because of that, we need to be able to create Word Layout for new documents. In my example, I will create Purchase Receipt document report.

Create Word Document

First of all, you need to create Word Document. You can see one small example on following picture. You need to put all required information (only as captions) on header, but on line, you need to put caption in one line and only one line for data, because, this line will be repeatable. OK, save it.

rep2

Import and Edit Document in NAV

Open Report Layout Selection and change Selected Layout to ‘Custom Layout’. Run “New” and choose ‘Insert Word Layout’. Fill some your description and Import Layout from your already created Word document. Then, press “Edit” and prepare layout. on Developer tab, find XML Mapping Pane and find your document in Custom XML Part.

Now, you can find all fields from Dataset. Add these fields to place you want pressing right-click on some field in dataset and choose ‘Insert Content Control’ and ‘Plain Text’. For lines, first select complete row and on Line dataset field press ‘Insert Content Control’ and ‘Repeating’. After that, add fields you need. Save this document and close.

rep3

Press Yes on window and choose this Custom Layout in Report Layout Selection. You can try this report on ‘Run Command’ and you can see this document as Word or PDF if you choose it.

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Correction and Cancelation of Posted Documents in NAV 2015

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Correction and Cancelation of posted documents? First thought is that it is not possible or it is stupid, because it is not by accountant standards. But, this is not so…

This feature is one with which we have simplification of user interface and faster work, but currently only in Small Business role center. This feature is possibility to correct or cancel already posted sales and purchase invoices, but only if we have item in the lines.

CorrectCancel

When we open posted document and want to correct it, we need to press “Correct” command from ribbon. This will provide us to correct existed posted document. But, this is not allowed and it is not by NAV standards. As a matter of fact, system create credit memo with the same data as on posted invoice and automatically post it. In the same time, system create identically invoice to correct data. System however create and post new document.

When we want to cancel posted document, we need to press “Cancel” command from ribbon. This will create credit memo with identically data and post it document automatically.

If we want to create credit memo for manually posting, but with identically data as on posted invoice, we need to press “Create Corrective Credit Memo” command. System will only create credit memo as posted invoice, but will not post it. You need to do it manually.

Using of Expressive Tiles in NAV 2015

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Cues as tiles already exist in the Microsoft Dynamics NAV client that display business data as FlowFields and integers. But with Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2015, they start as some kind of BI tools to also present key performance indicators (KPIs) on Role Centers and includes the following new features. Now we have enhanced the functionality of Cues to give application developers, as well as end users, more control over the appearance of Cues. Each changing will be seen on all clients.

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Now, we have not only static tiles. With new feature, we can configure the Cue to display a bar along its upper border that changes color based on the data in the cue. It can be made by developing a cue or by end-user, using “Set Up Cues” on Role Center page. With this feature, Expressive Tiles provide us more quality in daily work.

Cue3

Developing cues, we can change the image that displays on the Cue or set up the Cue without an image on property. There are several images to choose from and for now, we cannot use customized images.

In previous Microsoft Dynamics NAV versions, we could only set up Cues based on FlowFields and we could set up them to display on integer data types. Now, in Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2015, we can also use normal fields (instead only FlowFields) and we can also use a decimal data type. This provides us additional data aggregation possibilities instead of just COUNT, such as SUM, MAX, MIN, and AVG and of course, extends source of Cue data, such as using query objects.

By using the AutoFormat and AutoFormatExpr properties, we can customize the format of the value in a Cue. For example, we can set the number of decimal places, or place a symbol such as currency sign or % before or after a value.

What behind NAV 2015?

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In this moment, this question maybe is not so actual. Why? First Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2015 still not formal released. It will be in October 1st. But, I think good to know, what we can expect in next year. Yes, as we already know, Microsoft will release new version every 12 months. And we have to get used to it.

OK, next NAV release will be known as code name ‘Corfu’. Corfu is another beautiful island in the Mediterranean Sea… but, it is also future NAV release.

What will be new in this release? Currently, we do not know so much. We can expect following.

  • Workflow
  • Document Management and OCR
  • E-services integration
  • Streamlined UX across all clients
  • …

Now you can download NAV 2015!

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Finally, Microsoft has published Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2015 today, for all partners. Last few days, a lot of friends have asked me from where and when they can download the last Microsoft Dynamics NAV release. Now, we can do it from Partner Source. Go to the following link to download.

You can find W1 version and 20 other localized versions, depends of country you need. For other countries, you need to wait localization partners solutions (Translation Kit will be available soon).

As previous announced, Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2015 can be ordered from the October, 1st for a new customers and from October 6th for existed customers. Customer still can order Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 R2 if they want it, as well downgrading license key.

Important notice: Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2015 introduces license key versioning with the following specifications:

  • Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2015 license keys are not compatible with Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 R2 or Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013.
  • Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 R2 and Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 license keys are not compatible with Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2015.

UpdatePropagation Property on NAV 2015 Page

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In Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2015, a new property called UpdatePropagation is added to the page fields.

UpdateProp

The introduction of this property makes it possible to update a parent page from a subpage automatically without using the page Refresh button. From child page request parent page to do update instead. The parent page first updates itself and then the children.

It sets a value that specifies what happens when a main page with a subpage is updated. The UpdatePropagation property is available on part controls and has two options; Subpage and Both.

If UpdatePropagation is set to Subpage, an update action will update the subpage only. If UpdatePropagation is set to Both, an update action will update both the main page and the subpage. This is useful if a value on the subpage changes, and you want a main page total to be refreshed automatically. Also, it works on all NAV Clients, doesn’t matter is this Windows, Web or Tablet client.

We can use the UpdatePropagation property to update a main page total, when the amount on the subpage lines is updated. To do that, add a CurrPage.UPDATE(); call, for example, in the OnValidate trigger on the subpage to have the UpdatePropagation property take effect.

Report Scheduling in NAV 2015

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Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2015 offers an easy way to run reports on Microsoft Dynamics NAV Server at a specified time and deliver the resultant report to a ‘Report Inbox’ on your Role Center.

This new feature – scheduling reports lets end-users to:

  • Run performance intensive reports on the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Server.
  • Free up user interface threads while reports are running.
  • Save the resultant reports for later viewing.

The user can select when reports are run and the output format, such as .PDF or Word. We can do it when we want to print document. Only we need is to choose schedule option and fill dialog box with date and time when we want to get a report.

RepSch1

If we want to use this feature, we first need to make some configuration. We have to set up a job queue that will run the scheduled reports and add the report inbox to the Role Center. When we configure all of these and when we run report scheduling, we can see that we have new report in report inbox on role center in scheduled date and time. After that, we can double-click on these new report entry and open the report.

RepSch2

Fine new feature, especially when we have sized reports which requires a lot of times for creating. This functionality works from all clients, it doesn’t matter is this Windows, Web or Tablet Client.

Mandatory Fields in NAV 2015

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I suppose that all of you who are already developers, have requirements to mark fields that specify whether users must enter a value. Now, with new ShowMandatory property on page fields, we can do it easily. This is small, but very useful thing in NAV 2015.

When we set value in field as mandatory, the field will be marked on the page with a red asterisk and does not enforce any validation. Once the field is filled, the red asterisk disappears. When we configure this property, this red asterisk will appear on all Microsoft Dynamics NAV clients – Windows, Web and Tablet Clients. In Windows Client, the red asterisk is inside the mandatory field, but in Web and Tablet Clients, the asterisk is in front the field. Everything works the same in all clients. The ShowMandatory property can be specified as true, false, or as an expression.

ShowMand

As remark, the ShowMandatory property controls marking the page field with a red asterisk independently of the NotBlank Property. The ShowMandatory property can be used to mark all page fields, but does not enforce any validation of the field. This means that the user will be able to close a page without entering data.

Tablet Client in NAV 2015

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As I already wrote, Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2015 introduce a new user interface called Microsoft Dynamics NAV Tablet Client. While the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Windows and Web Clients are designed for mouse and keyboard interaction, the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Tablet Client allows users to get access to the data they need from the touch device they prefer, but only on devices in screen sizes range, longer than 7 inches and with screen resolution 960 × 510.

One important thing, we can use new Microsoft Dynamics NAV Tablet Client on devices, regardless of their operating system. It means that we can use it on Windows tablets, but also on iPad or Android tablets.

For testing purpose, you can open Tablet Client in your browser, but for your really usage, you need to use Apps. Using of SSL is mandatory because of security issues. you can download Apps from different sites, according your platform:

tc1

You can also run Tablet Client using browser (IE11 and Chrome 36.0 for Windows are prefered), but if you run Tablet Client from browsers on iPad or Android tablets, you will not be able to download files from client and you will maybe have some other limitations. You can do it from Windows tablets, but if you want other tablets and download files, you have to run this Client from Apps. Microsoft made possibility for Tablet Client using from browser only for developing and testing purpose.

Tablet Client is multilanguage client. As on Web Client, we need to configure Tablet Client on the same way for this purpose. The language that is set for the Client comes from the Web Server Instances and you can specify it on your web.config file. That means that for one Web Server Instance, we have one language. If we want to provide multiple languages, than we have to provide multiple Web Server Instances.

In following posts, I will bring you user experience using Tablet Client.

You can find here system requirements for Tablet Client on browser and Tablet Client Apps on MSDN.

NAV 2015 is Alive

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Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2015 is formal presented on Direction US. Now, this release is no longer a secret and we can speak about it. This release is announcing to be available on October 1st to new customers and on October 6th to existing customers. If I’m not wrong, new NAV will be available in 25 localization versions, but for lot of other countries, we still need to prepare localizations, but I think it will not be a big job.

From tomorrow, I will be happy to make available a some technical news every day: client changes, page and report changes, new cmdlets, and lots of other enhancements.