Price list in GP vs Trade Agreements in AX

Today, we are going to analyse the difference between Functionality offered by AX and GP for Trade Agreements and Price list respectively. To be very clear in MS Dynamics GP we don't have Vendor Price List, as compared to AX which provides Trade Agreements for both Vendors and Customers.

Price List in MS Dynamics GP,

In inventory module, users can set the price lists. These prices lists are only eligible for Customers, that means users can not manage price list offered by vendors. Users are required to create Price Levels and need to map these prices levels to customers. During creation of Transaction these price levels can be changed. 

Price levels in MS Dynamics GP 2010, allows users to select Quantity from/to, UOM and price amount. Price levels can be setup in Customer Classes to reduce data entry or bulk map of new price lists to customers belonging to that class. There is no option for Activate or Deactivate, users would be required to delete the price list in case of closed offers.

It seems logical, that different company may offer different prices for different warehouse/sites. We miss such functionality in MS Dynamics GP.

Users cannot perform SOP Transaction without setting up price list for the item.

Trade Agreements in MS Dynamics AX 2012

On Product Information Management we can see the trade agreements button on both Purchase Tabs and Sales Tabs. Purchase Trade Agreements works with Item vs Vendors, whereas Sales Trade Agreements works with Item vs Customers. In both the cases uses can select Group of Customers/Vendors, All Customers/Vendors, or Specific Customer/Vendors against Group of Items, All Items or Specific Items.

User can set the prices for Quantities from/to, UOM, Amount, Dates from/to, fixed price charge. Users can bring in Site/Warehouse combination for setting up prices.

In Dynamics AX 2012, users are required to create trade agreements journals, and need to post them in order to make them activate. 

Trade agreements setup, is not necessary. User may enter prices in Item Master, or during transaction. Prices mentioned Trade Agreements are superseded by the prices mentioned in Item Master.

By specifying the To Date we can expire the trade agreement, and start new one.

The main plus point for AX 2012, it that it provides separate pricing functionality for Vendors. Something which is very much required by MS Dynamics GP 2010.

Inventory Master in AX vs GP

Hi guys, 

Today I am going to share how inventory master in MS Dynamics GP 2010 differs from one that has been introduced in MS Dynamics AX 2012. Clearly MS Dynamics AX 2012 provides more functionality as compared to GP 2010. Since we are only focusing the inventory master, some functionalities may be kept un-discussed. Also we are just discussing the TOP Differences, as I wont be able to write down all in singe post :)

Top 6 Differences (which I believe) 

1. MS Dynamics AX 2012 provides the concept of Shared Products, which means I just need to create a Product one time and that information will be shared across the group (Multiple entities)
1. Certain information will be shared, and certain information is company-wide.
2. Administrators are required to Release the products to entities in order to be used by the users of the entity.
2. Not new in AX2012, but still one of the most important feature of DAX 2012 that it provide dimensions for the inventory, i.e. Size, Colour & Configuration. We can rename the Size & Colour, but not the configuration dimension.
1. These dimensions enable, organisation to reduce load on Item Master
2. For example, a company deals in Coloured Cups, each colour has its own value. i.e in case black cup is not available customer would not accept the white one. In this scenario 
1. GP Says, it need to create each CUP as a separate item
1. CUP-WHITE, CUP-BLACK and So on
2. AX Says, just create the item CUP and define multiple Colour Dimensions.
1. Colours would be treated as Values of Dimension Color, and be made required for the item. AX shall manage the inventory quanities based on these colors
3. I believe Categories in MS Dynamics GP (Limited to 6 Only) are Product attributes in MS Dynamics AX 2012. Again in DAX 2012, it is not limited to 6 and users could add unlimited number of attributes to the product.
4. Tracking Dimension Groups in AX provides more options as compared to GP which is just a selection for tracking as Serialized, Lot or None. See the AX Screen shot below
   
5. Similarly Storage Dimensions enables Users to manage, how they wish to manage storage for the item. GP Lacks such functionality, as we only have Site/Bin.
6. Item Model Group in DAX2012, provides detailed configuration on how Items would be valued/ handled. We miss such options in MS Dynamics GP2010

Controlling Items to be Purchased from Specific Vendors

After a long time, this is my first post in regards to my study towards Comparison between MS Dynamics AX 2012 and MS Dynamics GP 2010. One of the functionality I found interesting in both ERP is in regards to Vendor Assignment. This comparison is not about which ERP is better it is more about which ERP fulfils your requirements.

1. MS Dynamics GP 2010 provides users capability to relate Site to Vendors

2. I cannot see so far, specific vendors for specific sites in MS Dynamics AX 2012, for example  for site NORTH I got Vendor MR Khan, as contrast to site SOUTH I got Vendor MR Zain. Primary Vendor per Site reduce the data entry on most of the forms of MS Dynamics GP 2010.

3. In MS Dynamics GP 2010, we cannot purchase an item from a Vendor that is not assigned to Items (Even in case to Temporary Vendor)

4. In MS Dynamics AX 2012, we can purchase the item from any vendor until Item is not Vendor Controlled (See below). We still have two option in case Item is Vendor Controlled, System Warning or Process Stop.

5. In MS Dynamics AX2012, we have expiry dates for Vendors, one of the feature that is not available in MS Dynamics GP2010. Also the Vendor Agreements provide more advantage to AX2012 as compared to GP2010. Agreements shall be covered in Futures posts.

Vendor Assignment Process in AX2012

1. User will be required to control the item by Approved Vendor
2. Navigate to Product Information Management > Common > Released Products
3. Select the Product, click Maintain> Edit
4. On the Purchase Fast Tab Select any of the two option for Approved Vendor

5. Add Approved Vendors to the item 
6. Navigate to Product Information Management > Common > Released Products>Purchase Tab > Approved Vendors Setup
7. Add Vendors Effective and Expiry Date or Expiration as Never (EXPIRY DATE FEATURE IN NOT AVAILABLE IN MS DYNAMICS GP 2010)

8. After doing this setup Users would not be able to create POs for vendors that are not in approved list.
9. Users will have info logs like

Vendor Assignment Process in GP2010

1. Navigate to Cards > Inventory > Vendors
2. Select the item number
3. Make sure Vendor Lookup is selected to ALL
4. Select the Vendor, Click save
5. Repeat the steps for Each Vendor

6. We can clearly see that MS Dynamics GP provide more options for planning in case for Assigned Vendors.

7. Also in case when users are creating POs, and in case vendors are not assigned we get an option, that Vendor is not assigned and do we need to assign (WE CANNOT PURCHASE INVENTORY WITH UNASSIGNED VENDOR)

On clicking YES, users are taken to Same window (5) to assign the vendor.

8. Default Vendor for each site,

Configuring Management Reporter to be used on different Domain

I usually heard that Management Reporter can only be run on domain on which it has been installed, but fortunately I came across a case where one of my client changed the domain where MR Server was installed (Server where it was first installed).

With detail investigation I came to know ' If there is will so there is a way :)' Following is the method to re-configure MR Settings in order to run MR on different domain.

1. Re-Configure Managment Reporter Service (Run > Services.msc > Change the logon as per new domain user)

2. Re-Configure Management Reporter Application Pool (IIS > Management Reporter Application Pool > Advanced Settings > Change the ID for Login as per new domain )

3. Re-Configure Management Reporter Site Security (IIS > Management Reporter Websites > Advanced Settings > Change the ID for Login as per new domain )

4. Now if you run Management Reporter, you shall see that you are unable to login to MR because you are not authorized to login (You username is not authorized to login to MR ) --> Something like that not sure

5. Run SQL Profiler

6. Re-Try to login and see the entries made by MR to SQL Profiler

7. You should see the long SID Key --> something like S-1-5-21-1024493168-1997020141-3530977040-1000

8. Key is not that difficult to find as SQL Makes 6 to 7 entries and easily visible at the end of the Query

9. Now we are required to update Management Reporter Database

8. Login to SQL Server with SA Credentials

9. Select Management Reporter Database

10. Now we are required to update tables that is : SecurityUser &  SecurityPrincipal

11. Update user name and SID Fields in Security Principal & SecurityUser as per new user of domain

12. You shall now be able to run MR

13. Goto Security are re-configure other users

I guess that would be helpful for others :)

Thanks alot

My Second Excel Based Customized Dash Board

Making Reporting Easy With Excel

With advancement in Microsoft Office Tools, Dynamics ERPs always have new features to enjoy, In my previous posts i have discussed how Excel reports could help non technical users to extract easy information in form of Excel File from MS Dynamics GP.

Technical Users can just write SQL Queries and will be able to get results via Excel File, in this method files are automatically/manually refreshed.

To Enter SQL Query, Extract one excel file from MS DYNAMICS GP UNDER EXCEL REPORTS in order to get default connection settings. Once you get the data from default report make a backup of that report and use it every time for new reports.

To Enter SQL Query,

Within Excel  > Data Tab > Connections > [Select the Connection] Properties > Definition Tab > Enter Query in Command Text

Click ok, Click Refresh All.

Some Basic Queries you can work with,

• SOP Transaction [ Both from Work and History Table ], this query helps you track where document exist and what's the status of the document.

SELECT 'Work' DataType,SOP10100.SOPNUMBE,

SOP10100.SOPTYPE,

SOP10100.DOCDATE,

SOP10100.CUSTNMBR,

SOP10100.CUSTNAME,

SOP10100.BACHNUMB,

SOP10100.CSTPONBR,

SOP10100.MSTRNUMB,

SOP10100.CNTCPRSN,

SOP10100.SLPRSNID,

SOP10200.ITEMNMBR,

SOP10200.ITEMDESC,

SOP10200.UNITPRCE,

SOP10200.XTNDPRCE,

SOP10200.QUANTITY,

SOP10200.LOCNCODE

FROM SOP10100

INNER JOIN SOP10200 ON SOP10100.SOPNUMBE = SOP10200.SOPNUMBE

AND sop10100.soptype = sop10200.soptype

UNION ALL

SELECT 'History' DataType ,SOP30200.SOPNUMBE,

SOP30200.SOPTYPE,

SOP30200.DOCDATE,

SOP30200.CUSTNMBR,

SOP30200.CUSTNAME,

SOP30200.BACHNUMB,

SOP30200.CSTPONBR,

SOP30200.MSTRNUMB,

SOP30200.CNTCPRSN,

SOP30200.SLPRSNID,

SOP30300.ITEMNMBR,

SOP30300.ITEMDESC,

SOP30300.UNITPRCE,

SOP30300.XTNDPRCE,

SOP30300.QUANTITY,

SOP30300.LOCNCODE

FROM SOP30200

INNER JOIN SOP30300 ON SOP30200.SOPNUMBE = SOP30300.SOPNUMBE

AND SOP30200.soptype = SOP30300.soptype

• Excel Based Dash Board

With some basic Excel Skills you can design you own customize dashboards, look at this example.

Drop you email to get this dashboard :)

Installing Fabrikam Reports in Management Reporter (MR)

Unlike FRx, Management Reporter does not provide default reports for Fabrikam, we need to upload the default reports in order to get the sample reports. Follow the procedure in order to get Sample Reports for Fabrikam.


In order to install MR follow my Management Reporter Installation Post June 2011.


Click here to download MR demo reports [Partner Source Access would be required] or alternatively Provide me you email address so I could email you the reports

• In order to deploy the reports open MS Dynamics ERP MR Designer, Companies and Create a new Company as follows,

• Click Finish and set the Company as default, if you unable to set the company as default troubleshoot the problem, likely MR installation is not properly done

• In order to Import the Reports, navigate to Company > Building Block Groups within MR Designer, select the company and click import

Click Select All and Import

Note*

For MS Dynamics GP 2010 SP2 Fabrikam we would be required to rename the Segments name in order to deploy the reports,


Navigate to Administration > Setups > Company > Account Format > Change the Segments


Segment1
Segment2
Segment3


Make sure you perform above activity before deploying the reports.


Let me know if you are stuck somewhere.




Mustafa Chohan

Reduce work load while creating Items in Inventory Management

Traditionally it is always required in MS Dynamics GP to follow the steps to create items, that is create items in Inventory Cards, Assign Vendors , Assign Sites, Create Price List etc. Now with rich features of MS Dynamics GP 2010 user could easily copy all the attributes of one item to new item created.

To Copy Item, navigate to Item Maintenance Window Cards > Inventory > Item. Enter the Item number and click Copy. Item Copy Window will appear, select the Item Number to copy information from and select appropriate options and click Copy

More of GP 2010 rich features shall be discussed in future.

Deploying Excel Reports MS Dynamics GP 2010

Excel Reports,

With the help of Excel Reports Non Technical Users can extract data form Microsoft Dynamics GP to Microsoft Excel. They can user their excel reporting skills to make their reports more productive and make them as per their needs.


Remember with these reports, you can create a Dashboard/Reporting Tools for executive who only view reports in GP, In single Excel File, with multiple sheets they have all decision tools without logging into GP. Excel Reports are automatically refreshed or you can provide functionality on sheet to be refreshed manually.

In order to deploy excel reports in Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010, you are required to create a folder where you wish the reports to be placed. Create a Folder in C:\ as ExcelReports.

In MS Dynamics GP 2010, navigate to Administration > Setup > System > Reporting Tools Setup > Excel Reports

Enter the path for System Level, and click Deploy Reports, print the status report.

To get the excel reports, navigate to any series and click Excel Reports 

To print the report, mark the report and click Excel Report Button on the TOP BAR.

In my future posts I shall tell you how Excel Reports can be used by non technical people by simply using Graphs and Charts in Excel.

Management Reporter Installation

Before you start with Management Reporter Installation make sure you have following pre-requisites installed on you computer,

• It can only be installed on DOMAIN Connected Computer
• Setup Must be run from Domain User
• IIS 6 Metabase Compatibility Feature for IIS 7
• ASP.Net
• WCF HTTP Activation
• SQL SERVER COMPACT 3.5 SERVICE PACK 2 

Start Management Reporter installation, I follow the following method of installation and also prefer it,

Install Management Reporter Database

Install Management Reporter Server

Install Management Reporter Client

Install Management Reporter Data Provider


You need to install all the above components to Design and View reports on Management Reporter.

It is always advised to create a new Domain User for Management Reporter, and supply that user whenever Windows User is required for setup. Use SQL Authentication whenever setup asks and gives option to select between SQL/Windows Authentiation. Add Windows login of MR User to SQL Server, and provide server roles as SysAdmin and Public.

Once you done with the installation you need to login windows with MR user and add other Windows user to use the application. Open Designer to add users.

Install Latest Feature Pack, update as the way you installed that is first update Server then Client and finally the data provider.

Some Errors,

ERROR 25000 -- > SQL SERVER COMPACT 3.5 SP2 is not installed or not properly installed, make sure you install both 32 and 64 bit version of the component on 64 Bit OS.

If MR Report Queue stucks, 

• Restart Management Reporter Service > Start > Run > Services.msc > Restart Management Reporter Service
• Restart IIS > Start > Run > CMD > (TYPE) IISRESET
• Recycle Management Reporter Application pool in IIS
• Restart Management Reporter Website in IIS
• Restart Management Reporter Application Pool is IIS.