Dynamics Ax Custom Coding Notes Or How To Approach Implementation Phase Two

Dynamics Ax Custom Coding Notes Or How To Approach Implementation Phase Two

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Each Corporate ERP application has its own tools and programming secrets. Former Axapta is not an exception. First of all we need to mention that there might be no need to even do coding here, as you may go by deploying user defined fields and even create new table and forms (IntelliMorph will do the job of placing table fields on the reflecting form) directly in MorphX or even in Microsoft Visual Studio (as MorphX Metadata is exposed to MVS). However normally you need to animate newly created table or extended fields to the existing table. This is where you need to consider X++ programming. We have to note here, that this small publication is not intended to be technical and be a jewel box for software developer. It is rather introduction to IT director or business management. Lets take a look at MorphX and its programming languages X++ in some details:

1.X++ stylistics. By its syntax it is very close to such programming languages as traditional C. However it is object oriented and by this feature it is pretty friendly to C++ programmer. Plus, it has exception handling constructions. This is probably coming from Java world (and of course available in Microsoft C#). But this is not all. X++ is part of AX architecture and it has to deal with such features as three tiers (User Interface, Application Server, Database Layers), SQL Queries to Axapta companies databases. It also has to deal with such objects as AX forms, Grids, Table references, Labels (when you are creating custom buttons or texts it is recommended to abstract them in so-called Labels in this case your custom module could be translated into foreign Unicode or ASCII compliant language by freelance translator without ERP programming experience)

2.Modifying Windows Client or Enterprise Portal User Interface. It is recommended to locate custom programming on the application server level, where you can deal with tables, queries, views and especially Classes (object oriented programming with inheritance, polymorphism and encapsulation). Of course you can always modify Windows user interface forms and reports, but it is recommended to give it up to IntelliMorph. This instrument will evaluate field length and font (including buttons) and place them on the form in very intelligent and human interface friendly manner. In certain cases foreign language translation of the label could be longer, comparing to English. However IntelliMorph will estimate the length of the field and readjust the position and size

3.Phased Approach. We do recommend you to split your Corporate ERP application implementation into several phases. The first one is obviously data conversion, user training and going into production with such modules as General Ledger, AP, AR, WMS, Inventory. In the phase two or three we recommend you to consider customizations and reports design (managerial reporting, as Financial reporting is recommended to be implemented in the phase two in Microsoft Management Reporter or in earlier versions in FRx). It is good idea to make one step at the time and minimize the risk of the ERP implementation limbo (or even failure)

4.Internationalization aspect of the custom module. Dynamics AX is sold and promoted internationally by Microsoft Business Solutions. This fact means that you could implement AX in multinational corporation with locations in China (Worldwide manufacturing and assembling), Brazil (food production, alcohol fuel, mining, marble and granite slabs, etc.), Russia (oil and gas, coal, copper, nickel, platinum, gold and silver mining), India (textile, high tech call centers outsourcing). You should familiarize yourself with such concept as Corporate ERP localization. It includes two sides: local language support and legislation compliance. The second one is especially tough to implement. The good news is the fact that AX is already localized pretty much worldwide and all you need to do is translate your custom module into targeted foreign language

5.Current Versions. Most of the Axapta customers are on version 2009 (we are composing these lines in June 2011). New version 2012 should be released shortly. It was announced and demonstrated on Convergence 2011 in Atlanta. There is reasonable pool of customers on older versions, such as 4.0

6.CLR .Net and COM objects support. X++ was extended in version 2009 in order to support new Microsoft .Net technologies (and legacy technology, such as COM objects). Traditional X++ is case insensitive, but .Net CLR requires Case sensitivity and it is honored in the programming language syntax. Obviously COM and .Net technologies open the door to advanced integrations (including ecommerce shopping carts, such as Magento, ASP.Net Storefront, Electronic Document Interchange or EDI, sophisticated tax engines). We would like to give you some cautions from our consulting practice. It is important to understand that .Net technology is in its rapid progress and new versions deprecate certain percentage of methods. For the end customer this translates to the fact, that you would have to reprogram parts of your custom code it order to make it compatible with the new version of Dynamics AX in the near future. MorphX X++ are more stable and future release neutral

7.Migration from FRx to Microsoft Management Reporter. This activity is going on right now, starting in 2010. Corporate ERP Management Reporter is very similar in its building blocks to old traditional FRx Financial Reporting: Row Format, Column Layout, Reporting Tree. There is migration tool which should help you to move away from FRx to MMR. There are known issues and recommended work around, but in general migration is reasonably smooth. We saw posts and blogs on FRx incompatibility with Windows 7 and Vista 64 bit editions. However we were able to move our customers on 64 bit user workstation and server (Windows 2008 and 2003)

8.Customization Upgrade Notes. In Dynamics AX there is Compare Tool, which should help you, software developer with code upgrade by localizing the code parts which are not compatible with the new version. In any case, you should treat version upgrade project as the one where customization upgrade requires programming hours budget

9.SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS). It is the time, when Microsoft Business Solutions pushes this tool to replace such traditional reporting engines as Crystal Reports, FRx. We were watching SSRS expansion since 2006 and at this time we do recommend you to practice and deploy this reporting technology (which is open over the web virtually worldwide)

10.SOAP Web Services and XML. In the upper mid-market Corporate ERP world we often see the scenarios where company has to combine Microsoft SQL and Windows servers with IBM DB2, Linux/MySQL/PHP/Unix, Oracle, Lotus Domino databases and operating systems. In AX 2012 there is GUI option to wrap custom query into web service (no coding required). Of course web service could be integrated in such popular spread sheet and reporting tool as Excel

11.Notes on AX market niches. Obviously the majority of our customers are in United States and Canada. Here we see it competing with Microsoft Dynamics GP (formerly known as Great Plains Dynamics and eEnterprise). AX is especially recommended for such industries as process manufacturing (food processing, mining, where outcome is predicted in proportion but not guaranteed, opposite to discrete manufacturing where bill of material is precise). With version 2012 AX is offered to non for profit organizations. It now has native offer in General Ledger for funds management (traditionally MBS was recommending Dynamics GP with Grant Management and Analytical Accounting for charities, but it seems like it is now turned toward Axapta). Supply Chain Management, WMS, Logistics and Distribution are the recommended areas. AX is also recommended for service organization, especially in such areas as multimedia, entertainment

12.Axapta and Barcoding/RFID tags reading. Well, Corporate ERP application does what it was intended for. Barcode scanners, RFID tag readers typically require add-ons or ISV (Independent Software Vendor) modules

13.eCommerce. Dynamics AX is open to ecommerce developer via AX SDK available through MSDN or Partner Source

14.Orphan customers. We do understand your situation, where you had to cancel payment for the annual enhancement program through your VAR or directly to MBS. We are specializing in secondary market Corporate ERP customer implementation and customization recovery

15.Bonus Paragraph, Axapta in China and Russia. Well in China it is completely localized and should be considered as legislation compliant (be sure that you are applying recent service packs). Well, lets now move one to Russian Federation. Centered in Moscow and with international business attraction in Siberia Russia is very office and corruption famous. In such Russian environment we would like to set your expectations that new taxing law might be released every month (or even week)

16.Microsoft CRM and Dynamics AX. Axapta has its own CRM (Customer Relation Management) module. It might be difficult to predict the future, we believe that AX CRM might be replaced with MS CRM with the option to automatically convert the data (from Oracle or MS SQL Server)

17.Poland, Russia, Czech Republic, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan. We speak Russian and we are happy to travel to Tashkent or Bukhara/Samarkand

18.Please call us 1-866-304-3265, 1-269-605-4904 (for international customers, where our representative pick up the phone in St. Joseph, MI call center). help@efaru.com We have local presence in Chicagoland, Southern California, South West Michigan, Houston and Dallas areas of Texas. We serve customers USA, Canada, Mexico, Brazil nationwide and internationally via web sessions and phone conferences (Skype is welcomed). Our consultants speak English, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Chinese. Our core expertise is in International Business

About the Author:

Andrew Karasev is Great Plains Certified Master, MVP, help@efaru.com 1-866-304-3265, 1-269-605-4904. He is also the initiator of eFaru project http://www.efaru.com and founder of Alba Spectrum information space



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