Prepping for D365

There are huge concerns for moving an ERP into the cloud. Any software as a service for that matter should be a well discussed process prior to making a commitment.

With the new D365 product suite here are a few areas to consider when deciding how the options may fit within your organization.

There are now three deployment options.

This will require a deep dive analysis period within your organization to understand the value-add of the cloud. Items to consider:

• No hardware cost
• No hardware maintenance
• Always on the current version (Should be the last version, with on-going updates)
• Built-in back-up and Disaster recovery. RTO 10 hours or less
• Dev/Test boxes included
• Analytics

Licensing has a similar model of thought in preparing for D365. With the advent of the two users types: Team Member and Full, plus the Device license, it is important to evaluate how the employees in your organization are currently using AX. It may require effort to redefine employee roles to reduce the need for FULL licenses. You can read more about licensing by downloading the guide here.

Dynamics AX :: Fancy Dates

There is nothing worse than a bad date... or a bad date problem in AX. I recently needed to perform some date verification in a batch for the previous month. I started to play around with some conversions  but luckily before I wasted a whole day came upon this code snippet from another AX blogger.**

It works like a charm!

For date type:

static void EP_dateMonthInterval(Args _args)
{
    date            fromDate;
    date            toDate;
    date            baseDate = systemDateGet();
    ;
 
    toDate      = dateStartMth(baseDate) - 1;
    fromDate    = dateStartMth(toDate);
 
    info(strFmt("%1 - %2", fromDate, toDate));
}

For UTC Date type

static void EP_UtcdateMonthInterval(Args _args)
{
    UtcDateTime     fromDate;
    UtcDateTime     toDate;
    UtcDateTime     baseDate = DateTimeUtil::utcNow();
    ;
 
    // Remove this month number of days.
    toDate = DateTimeUtil::addDays(
    baseDate, -(DateTimeUtil::day(baseDate) -1));
 
    // Add the rest of this days time minus one second.
    toDate = DateTimeUtil::addSeconds(
    toDate, -(DateTimeUtil::time(toDate)+1));
 
    // Remove the number of days we are on in
    // the previous month and add one second to 
    // get to the first of the month.
    fromDate = DateTimeUtil::addSeconds(
    DateTimeUtil::addDays(
    toDate, -(DateTimeUtil::day(toDate))), 1);
 
    info(strFmt("%1 - %2", fromDate, toDate));
}

**Reference source: http://fourone.se/blog/2012/11/01/date-and-utcdatetime-interval-for-previous-month/

AXUG AUGUST MEETING - August 24 2016

On the fence about coming to our August 24th meeting?

Wishing that you had just a tad more details about what is going to be presented and discussed?

This post is for you! Lets flesh out the scheduled presentations, shall we?!

AX7 Deep Dive -  Curtis Olive/RSM

• Come join us for an hour deep-dive into some of the best new features in Dynamics AX "7" that will help drive productivity and collaboration. Curtis Olive, with RSM US will be presenting and showing the details of how to get the most out of the new Workspaces and how they can help make you and your users more productive. He will also talk about all the new searching capabilities that make it easier than ever to find what you are looking for in AX including how to use and contribute to the new Help Wiki. He will wrap up by showing you how to use the new task recorder and task guides which will help make you educate your users quicker and easier than ever before and make it easier for users to learn how to use new features of Dynamics AX.

E-Commerce for Wholesale Distribution & Manufacturers - Giuseppe Ianni/SANA

·         Businesses are improving operations, inventing new models and changing how they engage customers in a digital world. This speaks to both retail organizations and B2B companies, who are at the forefront of this change in regards to how they market, sell and interact with customers. During this presentation we will highlight the growth and key trends in B2B e-commerce and discuss the advantages of implementing an integrated and certified web store for Microsoft Dynamics AX.

The Sana Commerce platform is truly integrated, certified for and installed within Microsoft Dynamics AX to leverage the ERP’s existing data and business logic, and delivers 42 integration benefits out of the box. Working together, Sana and Microsoft Dynamics AX can be leveraged to deliver a web store that will help wholesale distributors and manufacturers reach a global market 24/7, simplify their sales process and increase revenue.

During this presentation, we will highlight:

• B2B e-commerce trends
• Meeting the needs of today’s professional B2B buyer
• E-commerce requirements for B2B organizations looking to take their businesses online by leveraging Microsoft Dynamics AX
• Sana’s 42 integration benefits

The New Microsoft Ecosystem: Dynamics 365 - Justin Carter/Blue Horseshoe

• Sometimes Microsoft's can products seem somewhat disperate and confusing to meaningfully tie together as a total solution, so we will get a peek at what is Micosoft's vision for its new Dynamics 365 offering and how can you take full advantage of it with your Dynamics AX implementation.

Thanks all and we hope to see you all next week! Don't forget to register!

AXUG Summit 2016 - Big News!

Click here to read a blog explaining the new Microsoft commitment to Summit. In general, this is a very positive step with a caveat... Not to turn Summit into Convergence or some huge move away from the intimate setting of Summits past. Fear not... there are very strong and passionate leaders in the community and on the planning board, such as Kelly Kane and GG Rowe, that have got your back! Much of our last meeting was a discussion on ways to avoid losing the Summit touch.

Some highlights I took away from the announcement:

• Opening day Keynote from 'Big Dogs" at Microsoft
• Expanded AX road map discussion with Microsoft Execs
• Expanded presence of Microsoft support engineers available to answer questions and to be involved at each breakout session for back-up resource.

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns to pass along to the Summit 2016 planning committee!

Register for Summit 2016

Cheers ~B~

AXUG Summit 2016 - Session Ideas

{BEHOLD...Blaring sound of Conch shell} (Which, by the way, is made up of a mermaids trill, a sea captains shanty, and the light humming of 1000 narwhals. I digress)

The brave ladies and gentlemen of the committee helping plan the programming sessions for AXUG Summit 2016 need your help! This event is meant to serve the USERS and the best way in which this can be accomplished is to get the USERS involved!

Please take a moment and send an email, make a phone call, or tap an AXUG chapter leader on the shoulder and pass on some ideas for some Seriously Super Summit Sessions. All topics: Master Planning, Upgrades, Finance, Retail... you name it!

If you are ready to take the next step and present, click here to submit a proposal - Summit Proposals. 

We are looking forward to all of your valuable input! 

Peter and Robert's XLNT Adventure part TWO

The new X++ compiler and the Microsoft Dynamics AX development platform click to download
The new X++ compiler and the Microsoft Dynamics AX development platform click to listen

Strange things were afoot at the Tech Convention and the Earl of Villadsen and the Duke of Robear were giving us a heavy dose of "Check this out," during the developer sessions!

The X++ code base is not well-structured for larger data sets and VS projects and therefore the concept of loading everything into one project would be unbearable. Now there is an assembly for each package. These assemblies are composed of net modules and PDB files. each NM contains code for artifacts that are similar in nature. This makes for more efficient use.

AX has introduced IGNORE LIST of for code assemblies that push the boundaries of code generation and legacy code.

Peter and Robert's XLNT Adventure part ONE

The new X++ compiler and the Microsoft Dynamics AX development platform click to download
The new X++ compiler and the Microsoft Dynamics AX development platform click to listen

Dylan knew something about AX even in the 60's

The times they are a changin', and change they have... the compiler is completely rebuilt from 2012, not one line of code! - Peter V

This has been a four year endeavor to rewrite from scratch in C# by a small team, which expanded, and came up with a set of tools available to us end-using developers.

• The Visual Studio intellisense engine.
• The extensible Best Practice engine.
• The Code Migration tools.
• Other ad-hoc tools

As an example of the flexibility of the new XLNT, Peter crowed about someone that had used a web-based app to search all of the artifacts in AX7 using XLNT. This is certainly most non-heinous.

eX PLUS PLUS (X++ for those not into phonetics)

The X++ language click to download the slide deck.
The X++ language VIDEO click to watch Peter in his glory.


Mister Villadsen was at again highlighting the NEW X++ language changes during an informative and fun-filled session, yes fun-filled. Where else are you going to get an X++ genius using arcane terms such as "Cludgy" or "Syntatic Sugar?"

I must start with a digression... Did anyone else think that the dude from the stock image on the opening slide looked like a bizarro Kevin Costner? I could not get it out of my mind at each session.

Anyways, X++! If you build it better they will come! As it was with every other P-Vill sesh, this one was standing room only.

X++ does remain the the vehicle for development in the NEW AX with some changes to promote consistency with other langauges, integration with the CIL and some general house cleaning to sweep away quirks and cludgy elements. The goal is to keep X++ familiar enough as to not scare away legacy developers but evolve it in strategic ways to innovate and attract C# dev folk.

All artifacts are now classes. ALL of them. Every last one. Forms? Yep, Classes? Meta and Yep. Queries and tabular objects? Yep and yep. The designer experience is a little flat, flattened on purpose to be view-able on one page. Not sure that I am going to like this change

• Can now declare variables anywhere in code
• Can now use ‘var’ variables as a shortcut
• Will set data type on assignment
• Static constructors supported

What are you waiting Form, check out Patterns in the NEW AX

Form patterns in Microsoft Dynamics AX click to download slide deck

Form patterns in Microsoft Dynamics AX (BSAX54) THE VIDEO!

Form patterns are a shift from the purely customized form structure in AX 2009. Ahhhh, freedom to do as you please. BUT, customization is the answer to and the cause of all your problems!  In 2012 we get limited template support and a few pain points as a bonus: no feedback without the form style checker, no help building the forms, and not all forms fit a pattern. 

Introducing the new and improved Form patterns! The NEW AX FP's define the basic structure, the objects and controls, and the meta data.

Some highlights:

• Consistent UI
• With patterns there are guaranteed responsive designs
• Validation (validates against the patterns in dev)
• Simpler/faster construction

I never Meta Data I didn't like.

Mining the metadata and authoring X++ best practice rules in Microsoft Dynamics AX click to download the slide deck
Mining the metadata and authoring X++ best practice rules in Microsoft Dynamics AX The Recording!

I recently watched the Lego Brickumentry and found out that the little bricks that I grew up loving originated in Denmark. I immediately thought that Denmark has produced some extraordinary influences; including Dynamics AX Rock Star, Peter Villadsen. Not only is Peter knowledgeable in AX but his style of delivery and cadence in his technical sessions are a genius blend of intellect and curmudgeonry that keeps a room of nerds on edge.

Meta Data has a HUGE role in the new AX...

Some of the most impressive aspects of the meta data shift is the accessibility of the data on which AX is built. This also shifts the processing from a server to file access!

It is all about the WEB and FLOW

It is all about the WEB and FLOW

Productivity and anywhere access through the Microsoft Dynamics AX  web client experience (click to download the slide deck)

Considering where AX is headed, this session opened up with an appropriate quote from one of the moderators,Todd Lefor, "Put your head into the cloud and start dreaming!" This a call in response prompted by the age old adage, "Get head out of the clouds and stop daydreaming."

Obviously, the UI of the New AX is beautiful. Gorgeous. It is built on the web for the web. The application is available in all modern browsers using native web controls that we are all used to seeing. The genius is that unless you as developer are looking to build custom controls you do not need to know HTML or Java Script with AX in the Cloud.

The Form Style Checker introduced in 2012 has morphed into Form Patterns.

MS Tech Conference Developer Experience

The Developer Experience or the Peter Villadsen and Robert Badawy Power Hour

NEW ** Developer experience and customization in the newest release of Microsoft Dynamics AX CLICK forVIDEO

Developer experience and customization in the newest release of Microsoft Dynamics AX
(Click to download full presentation deck)


Ok. After the first session with Peter and Robert it was clear that the organizers needed to move this and all future Dev sessions to Century Link Field. It was insane in my membrane. People were camped out on the floor, auctioning off seats to the highest bidder, and everyone had their lighters out at the end waiting for the encore!

First off, gone are the days of the inherent X++ code compiler. It was a nice vehicle but it is being replaced by the might and power of Visual Studio. It is very similar to C# but picture C# with an AOT. The code is no longer written in the AOS. You will need the AOS to compile, test, and run though.

MS Tech Conference Master Planning

GRAND MASTER P (Master planning, for those confused by my 80's rapper title)
What's new in Master Planning for Microsoft Dynamics AX  (click here to download slide deck)
NEW What's new in Master Planning for Microsoft Dynamics AX Video link

On to the Master of the Planning. A lot was made of the improvements in performance of Master Planning, especially as it relates to the cloud and Azure. Azure will be using Azure SQL and it has a specific set of limitations including a timeout period. The tech time solved this by sending "keep alive thread" every few minutes.

MS Tech Conference Supply Chain and Product Configurations

There were two of us from Ouray at the conference and we tried our best to divide and conquer. It was tough because we are both developers and naturally drawn to Peter Villadsen and Robert Badawy and the wisdom they were imparting at the very popular development sessions.

We each downed multiple cups of caffeinated beverage and set off to battle.

Product Configurator AX7

Product configurator in Microsoft Dynamics AX (click to download slides)

Building on the route floor advances in 2012, the New AX is making ht job card experience easy to personalize and configurable per device. There is better PO visibility for the users.

*UI Digression... You can know search all of AX menus from one search bar. BAM!

• Has been optimized for speed
• Handles many more dimensions than previously
• Filters to show only feasible dimensions per product
• www.signalr.net
• Adds real time web functionality to ASP.NET apps.
• Great for Chat, long polling, page refreshes

Supply Chain

What's new in Supply Chain Management/Manufacturing for Microsoft Dynamics AX (click to download slides)

I am not sure about other conference goers but it was hard for me to focus on the details in some of the functional sessions; I was too enamored of the new Web Client. I am reviewing my notes from Supply Chain and I remember tweeting that navigation and UI was stealing the show. I had to train myself to look past the pretty objects allow the boring, ahem, important details sink in.

The team has focused on the usability and ease of set-up of products. Creating products can be simplified with the use of suggested variants such as color palates. Route building for new products has also improved with step by step guide to adding the proper routes. The Gantt chart has also been improved although my notes are not clear as to how... I told you I was memorized by the interface.

Microsoft Technical Conference 2016 - Day 1 General Sessions

MS Tech Conference 2016

We are a week or so removed from the Microsoft Technical Conference 2016 and my brain is still hurting. Pounding actually. I crammed so much information in, I had to plug one ear for fear that information would start plopping out onto the conference floor. If you stepped in a pile of X++ code outside of room 613, it was probably mine. Sorry.

DAY ONE

General Session – Dan Brown and Sri

I arrived with my work mate David not sure what to expect. I had attended two previous tech conferences under the presumption that Microsoft was unveiling the next version of AX; sometimes called Rainier or AX7.

We entered the main hall ready to hear from Dan and Sri. The room was full, over 1300 attendees, and electric and I knew that this was finally going open the gates to the next level.

Dan set the tone, focusing on the high-level thought process behind the now awkwardly titled, The New Dynamics AX. He emphasized the reasoning behind the development of TNDA. Gave us a road map of the next year and the planned roll-out of TNDA: Available to new users in the cloud and on premise upgrade stories. AX2009 users are going to have to wait because our story is still being written.  Let’s cross our fingers it is a story of hope and triumph and not penned by Step hen King.  

Other Dan Brown highlights:

• Expect faster to market updates and implementations rolled out by MODULE to better ensure successful results.
• More languages available upcoming
• Get to know the term TELEMETRY!!
• 10 current customer LIVE
• The Excel integration is excel-ent! Does anyone out there like Excel? Holla! Think about all the things you can do now with Excel and AX and add 100K. J

We heard about the cloud, Azure, and LCS. I sat in on an LCS ASK THE EXPERTS session and was impressed. More on that from Day Two!

The client experience is off the chain. Is that still a saying? Doesn’t matter. It is web-based using HTML5 and java script and built with mobile in mind.

Dashboards are stepping their game up. These can very easily be customized per user. Work spaces (think old MENU options) are also customizable and are made exponentially more useful with filters. Here is a link to a blog with more details AX7 Workspaces

Sri came out of the gate swinging and wowing us with DEMO after DEMO of the good stuff. He showcased:

• Work space customization
• Customizable BI reporting using the include POWER BI license
• User based data for Conference Room Pilots

However, the biggest, coolest, kickiest-ass thing, from a sheer user experience, has to be the task recorder. Sounds boring but it is a functional giant compared to its big brother. It is the Greek god, Grapho-Morpheus! (Although, I did talk to a few conference goers who held belief that it does have its Achilles heel. Time will tell.)

Highlights:

• Much more guided through each recorded step to assist in on the fly training (Task Guides)
• Can convert a recorded task into:
• A Word document
• A test case for development or performance testing purposes
• Upload to LCS
• A stand-alone mobile application
• For instance I could record a task of creating a sales order, then create a mobile app that has all the fields and processes from the recording in it so that the reps could create an order from said mobile app.

I left the main hall barely able to hear my own thoughts above the buzz in the room. It is truly an exciting time to be a part of the Dynamics AX community. Microsoft is clearly putting its weight behind the product to, as another blogger wrote, drive the technology instead of adapting it. 

I will be adding a recap of the DAY ONE sessions that we attended later this week.

Microsoft Dynamics AX Virtual Launch

Join the Microsoft specialist team as they take you through the details, analysis, and considerations behind the new Dynamics AX. Also, learn more about the technology stack behind Dynamics AX at the global Microsoft launch presentation on March 8th and 9th.

Microsoft Dynamics AX virtual launch

AXUG happenings for MARCH 2016

AXUG programming has stepped it's game up! 

Check out these quick links :

LIVE WEBINARS

Academy classes

Webinar highlights from the next 2 weeks...

• Virtual Conduit LCS Series: Setting up LCS Environments
  • Mar 9 12:00 - 1:00 PM ET
• Microsoft Tools: Power BI - Can't Live Without It
  • Mar 9 12:00 - 1:00 PM ET
• Prof. Dvlpmt. Series: Successful Facilitation for Brainstorming and planning within Groups
  • Mar 10 12:00 - 12:30 PM ET
• Summit Survey Says Top 10: Microsoft Dynamics AX Health Check
  • Mar 10 2:00 - 3:00 PM ET
• MRP Monday
  • Mar 14 12:00 - 12:30 PM ET
• Dynamics AX for Dummies: Purchase Orders
  • Mar 15 1:00 - 1:30 PM ET
• Power BI vs Traditional BI
  • Mar 18 12:00 - 1:00 PM ET
• What's New in the New AX: What's New Developer
  • ***Must attend if you did not go to Seattle***
    • Mar 18 1:00 - 2:00 PM ET