Friday, December 9, 2011
Alhamdullilah am awarded “Community Recognition Award” by Mricrosoft :)
The Microsoft “Community Recognition Award” is an award rewarded to those who are contributing to Microsoft development community within the region as a speaker, trainer and mentor. The value of these resources is greatly enhanced by participants who voluntarily contribute their time and energy to improve the Community & Technology experience for others.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Reporting and BI Opportunities in Microsoft Dynamics AX: Part 1 - The Power of Ad Hoc Reporting
This article has also been published on MsDynamicsWorld.com
Business Performance Management (BPM) features in a business application enable users across an organization to access and analyze data relevant to their functional roles in a timely and secure manner to enable improved business insight and better decision making. The term Business Intelligence, or BI for short, is commonly used in the industry to label products and technologies that support implementing, integrating, and deploying BPM solutions to enable employees across an organization gain deeper business insight and make informed decisions.
The Microsoft Dynamics AX Reporting and BI framework enables a wide variety of reporting options that can be developed, deployed, and consumed with a great amount of flexibility. You can break down the primary uses of the framework into the following areas:
Ad Hoc Reporting
Production Reporting
Multidimensional Reporting and Analysis
Business Scorecards
Financial Reporting
Each type of reporting has implications for Dynamics AX developers, users, and administrators. In this article I will examine some of the business needs that ad hoc reporting for Dynamics AX can fulfill, as well as best practices for developing and deploying such reports. In upcoming articles we will look at some of the other report types that organizations can benefit from.
Ad Hoc Reporting in Microsoft Dynamics AX
Ad hoc reporting enables business decision makers and technical end-users to dynamically develop and run reports without the involvement of IT or software developers. Such reports, which rely on SQL Server 2008 R2 and SQL Report Builder 3.0, are powerful tools for day-to-day business analysis. There are two ways for Dynamics AX users to create ad hoc reports:
Use SQL Report Builder, a report-authoring tool in SQL Server Reporting Services.
Use Microsoft Excel for ad hoc analysis of OLAP cubes.
The main goal of ad hoc reports is to use the abstracted tools and services that do not require user knowledge of the underlying database schemas or experience in programming and advanced report authoring are required to enable this scenario. This scenario is also typically referred to as "self service" reporting. Application users locate, select, filter, sort, and group data, and they view and format the results using predefined layout templates.
Features for the Microsoft Dynamics AX Application User
Application users can start SQL Report Builder from the Microsoft Dynamics AX client to design ad hoc reports and publish them to a configured SQL Report Server. They can use all features of SQL Report Builder to navigate, select, group, sort, and filter data when they design ad hoc reports. Ad hoc reports designed in SQL Report Builder can be formatted to present data in tabular, matrix (cross tab), and various chart layouts.
Application users can also start the SQL Report Manager from the Microsoft Dynamics AX client to browse report server catalogs and view published reports.
Features for the Microsoft Dynamics AX Application Developer
Application developers define abstracted views of the Microsoft Dynamics AX data model to enable ad hoc end-user reporting. These abstracted views are materialized as SQL Report Builder Semantic Model Definition Language (SMDL) models and deployed to a SQL Report Server. Application users can then open a SMDL model in SQL Report Builder and use it to author Ad Hoc reports.
The Microsoft Dynamics AX Reporting framework includes developer features that shield the developer from the intricacies of building secure, production-quality abstracted views of the Microsoft Dynamics AX data model to enable Ad Hoc Reporting with SQL Report Builder.
There are steps that a Microsoft Dynamics AX developer has to execute to define views of the Microsoft Dynamics AX data model for Ad Hoc Reporting which we would not discuss here.
Features for the Microsoft Dynamics AX Administrator
The Microsoft Dynamics AX Reporting Framework includes a comprehensive feature set to support the deployment and administration of Ad Hoc Reporting.
The Microsoft Dynamics AX Administrator is responsible for the following tasks:
Configuring and Registering SQL Report Servers
Configuring Model Generation Options
Updating Ad Hoc Reporting Models
Securing Ad Hoc Reporting
Future direction:
The following are the core enhancements planned for Ad Hoc Reporting in future releases of Microsoft Dynamics AX:
Role based Ad Hoc Reporting Perspectives and Models shipped as part of the product.
Use of Dynamics AX Views when you define Ad Hoc Reporting Perspectives.
Selective publishing of Ad Hoc Reporting Models.
Integration and access of Ad Hoc reports from Application menus, My Favorites, and Forms
De normalized relational data marts for Ad Hoc Reporting.
Multi-dimensional Ad Hoc Reporting models that are based on SQL Server Analysis Services cubes.
How ad hoc reporting is different from other reporting
Ad hoc reporting is different from other types of reports because of its availability to users in the context of the AX modules in which they work. Ad hoc reports allow users to drill down into the data in ways that older ERP systems would have never supported. Here are key features that differentiate ad hoc reports in Dynamics AX:
Users can view report data in context with related Microsoft Dynamics AX database tables and fields. For example, a user can create a report that uses data from several customer tables in the context of the Accounts Receivable module.
Users can drill down in report data.
Report Builder supports rich formatting and charts.
Users can export reports to Microsoft Excel with the click of a button.
The Reporting Services platform lets users to create reports from Microsoft Dynamics AX data and most other common data sources.
Data security is automatically enforced according to Microsoft Dynamics AX user-group permissions. If a user does not have permission to view specific data, the report returns zeros or null values.
Depending on Microsoft Dynamics AX permissions, users can view report data (and create reports) for multiple companies.
Reporting Services supports multiple-currency reporting.
The management component of Reporting Services, which is named Report Manager, is a Web-based tool for storing ad hoc reports, scheduling report execution and delivery, and managing report security.
Business Performance Management (BPM) features in a business application enable users across an organization to access and analyze data relevant to their functional roles in a timely and secure manner to enable improved business insight and better decision making. The term Business Intelligence, or BI for short, is commonly used in the industry to label products and technologies that support implementing, integrating, and deploying BPM solutions to enable employees across an organization gain deeper business insight and make informed decisions.
The Microsoft Dynamics AX Reporting and BI framework enables a wide variety of reporting options that can be developed, deployed, and consumed with a great amount of flexibility. You can break down the primary uses of the framework into the following areas:
Ad Hoc Reporting
Production Reporting
Multidimensional Reporting and Analysis
Business Scorecards
Financial Reporting
Each type of reporting has implications for Dynamics AX developers, users, and administrators. In this article I will examine some of the business needs that ad hoc reporting for Dynamics AX can fulfill, as well as best practices for developing and deploying such reports. In upcoming articles we will look at some of the other report types that organizations can benefit from.
Ad Hoc Reporting in Microsoft Dynamics AX
Ad hoc reporting enables business decision makers and technical end-users to dynamically develop and run reports without the involvement of IT or software developers. Such reports, which rely on SQL Server 2008 R2 and SQL Report Builder 3.0, are powerful tools for day-to-day business analysis. There are two ways for Dynamics AX users to create ad hoc reports:
Use SQL Report Builder, a report-authoring tool in SQL Server Reporting Services.
Use Microsoft Excel for ad hoc analysis of OLAP cubes.
The main goal of ad hoc reports is to use the abstracted tools and services that do not require user knowledge of the underlying database schemas or experience in programming and advanced report authoring are required to enable this scenario. This scenario is also typically referred to as "self service" reporting. Application users locate, select, filter, sort, and group data, and they view and format the results using predefined layout templates.
Features for the Microsoft Dynamics AX Application User
Application users can start SQL Report Builder from the Microsoft Dynamics AX client to design ad hoc reports and publish them to a configured SQL Report Server. They can use all features of SQL Report Builder to navigate, select, group, sort, and filter data when they design ad hoc reports. Ad hoc reports designed in SQL Report Builder can be formatted to present data in tabular, matrix (cross tab), and various chart layouts.
Application users can also start the SQL Report Manager from the Microsoft Dynamics AX client to browse report server catalogs and view published reports.
Features for the Microsoft Dynamics AX Application Developer
Application developers define abstracted views of the Microsoft Dynamics AX data model to enable ad hoc end-user reporting. These abstracted views are materialized as SQL Report Builder Semantic Model Definition Language (SMDL) models and deployed to a SQL Report Server. Application users can then open a SMDL model in SQL Report Builder and use it to author Ad Hoc reports.
The Microsoft Dynamics AX Reporting framework includes developer features that shield the developer from the intricacies of building secure, production-quality abstracted views of the Microsoft Dynamics AX data model to enable Ad Hoc Reporting with SQL Report Builder.
There are steps that a Microsoft Dynamics AX developer has to execute to define views of the Microsoft Dynamics AX data model for Ad Hoc Reporting which we would not discuss here.
Features for the Microsoft Dynamics AX Administrator
The Microsoft Dynamics AX Reporting Framework includes a comprehensive feature set to support the deployment and administration of Ad Hoc Reporting.
The Microsoft Dynamics AX Administrator is responsible for the following tasks:
Configuring and Registering SQL Report Servers
Configuring Model Generation Options
Updating Ad Hoc Reporting Models
Securing Ad Hoc Reporting
Future direction:
The following are the core enhancements planned for Ad Hoc Reporting in future releases of Microsoft Dynamics AX:
Role based Ad Hoc Reporting Perspectives and Models shipped as part of the product.
Use of Dynamics AX Views when you define Ad Hoc Reporting Perspectives.
Selective publishing of Ad Hoc Reporting Models.
Integration and access of Ad Hoc reports from Application menus, My Favorites, and Forms
De normalized relational data marts for Ad Hoc Reporting.
Multi-dimensional Ad Hoc Reporting models that are based on SQL Server Analysis Services cubes.
How ad hoc reporting is different from other reporting
Ad hoc reporting is different from other types of reports because of its availability to users in the context of the AX modules in which they work. Ad hoc reports allow users to drill down into the data in ways that older ERP systems would have never supported. Here are key features that differentiate ad hoc reports in Dynamics AX:
Users can view report data in context with related Microsoft Dynamics AX database tables and fields. For example, a user can create a report that uses data from several customer tables in the context of the Accounts Receivable module.
Users can drill down in report data.
Report Builder supports rich formatting and charts.
Users can export reports to Microsoft Excel with the click of a button.
The Reporting Services platform lets users to create reports from Microsoft Dynamics AX data and most other common data sources.
Data security is automatically enforced according to Microsoft Dynamics AX user-group permissions. If a user does not have permission to view specific data, the report returns zeros or null values.
Depending on Microsoft Dynamics AX permissions, users can view report data (and create reports) for multiple companies.
Reporting Services supports multiple-currency reporting.
The management component of Reporting Services, which is named Report Manager, is a Web-based tool for storing ad hoc reports, scheduling report execution and delivery, and managing report security.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Cloud Computing Applications
Cloud computing applications give business owners incredible freedom in what concerns the business process and the opportunity to save a lot of money. They basically imply the fact that all the necessary applications needed in a company are loaded on a remote server belonging to a service provider and they can be accessed from anywhere just using an Internet browser. Simple examples of cloud computing are web-based e-mail services like Gmail or Yahoo Mail. Instead of having an application installed on your computers, you just access it whenever you want. Ofcourse cloud computing applications are more complex than web based e-mail services. They are very advantageous to be used by companies in terms of saving money, saving time and having access to data at any point from anywhere. The business owners just have to pay a fee and they will have an account that can be accessed regardless time and location.
Cloud computing applications eliminate the problem of buying expensive hardware that can support all the needed applicatios and the problem of buying software and software licenses. The terminal from which you can access the account doesn’t need to be very performing because the applications you normally use are not installed on it. There is no need any more to have software licenses for all the employees using a certain application. Another way of saving money due to cloud computing applications is that you also don't need IT support in your company. It's far easier to let the service provider deal with any possible problems than to maintain the entire IT infrastructure a company normally needs for day-to-day activities.
The best thing about cloud computing applications is that valuable information is not stored on local hardware anymore. If your computers break down, you won't lose important data because they are stored remotely and the service provider takes care of backing them up and recovering them. You don't have to worry about up gradation either because this is also the provider's task.
Cloud computing applications can be upgraded whenever external or internal conditions require it.Although it might seem that cloud computing applications are miraculous - and from the points of view specified above, they really are - there are still some limits they have. Those will probably be solved in time, but for the moment being, they need to be considered. Since all data is stored on a server belonging to a service provider, troubles regarding the security of data might occur.
Confidential information needs to be handled very cautiously and there is also the question regarding to whom that data belongs. Another aspect that needs to be considered when talking about cloud computing applications is the fact that there are still some applications that need to be run on your local computers.
Cloud computing applications eliminate the problem of buying expensive hardware that can support all the needed applicatios and the problem of buying software and software licenses. The terminal from which you can access the account doesn’t need to be very performing because the applications you normally use are not installed on it. There is no need any more to have software licenses for all the employees using a certain application. Another way of saving money due to cloud computing applications is that you also don't need IT support in your company. It's far easier to let the service provider deal with any possible problems than to maintain the entire IT infrastructure a company normally needs for day-to-day activities.
The best thing about cloud computing applications is that valuable information is not stored on local hardware anymore. If your computers break down, you won't lose important data because they are stored remotely and the service provider takes care of backing them up and recovering them. You don't have to worry about up gradation either because this is also the provider's task.
Cloud computing applications can be upgraded whenever external or internal conditions require it.Although it might seem that cloud computing applications are miraculous - and from the points of view specified above, they really are - there are still some limits they have. Those will probably be solved in time, but for the moment being, they need to be considered. Since all data is stored on a server belonging to a service provider, troubles regarding the security of data might occur.
Confidential information needs to be handled very cautiously and there is also the question regarding to whom that data belongs. Another aspect that needs to be considered when talking about cloud computing applications is the fact that there are still some applications that need to be run on your local computers.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Discontinuation of Oracle database support in Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012
Microsoft is committed to support the database system that scales to meet customer needs and helps lower the total cost of ownership over time. Microsoft® SQL Server® 2008 R2 delivers several breakthrough capabilities that will enable organizations to scale database operations with confidence and improve IT and developer efficiency, as well as enable highly scalable and well-managed business intelligence on a self-service basis for users. Today our customers are selecting Microsoft SQL Server as their database system.
Below are a number of benefits that customers can get by switching from an Oracle to a SQL Server database:
Business value
Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 is a complete set of enterprise-ready technologies and tools that help people derive the most value from information at the lowest total-cost-of-ownership. Enjoy high levels of performance, availability, and security; employ more productive management and development tools; and deliver pervasive insight with self-service business intelligence (BI).
Lower the total cost of ownership (TCO)
SQL Server 2008 has a simple tiered SKU licensing model helping provide lower TCO over time, while Oracle 11g requires additional licensing costs for a multiple array of options and add-ins, on top of already high maintenance and support costs. Microsoft SQL Server 2008 provides a data platform with many advantages and business benefits including better security, performance and scalability, developer productivity, and Business Intelligence tools (BI) – all at a lower total cost of ownership.
Business Intelligence
Microsoft SQL Server 2008 provides a scalable Business Intelligence platform optimized for data integration, reporting, and analysis, enabling organizations to deliver intelligence where users want it. Microsoft Dynamics AX utilizes the Microsoft Business Intelligence (BI) Platform that comprises offerings from Microsoft SQL Server and Microsoft Office to empower people with self-service
Business intelligence to deliver the right BI tools for the entire organization. Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 will utilize additional, more powerful features of Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services to enable visually richer, more interactive and more flexible reporting and will use Reporting Services as the primary reporting engine. Microsoft SQL Server enables Business Intelligence for everyone in your company by enabling self-service access to data for analysis and team collaboration using familiar Microsoft Office and SharePoint user tools. The seamless interoperability of SQL Server 2008 with Microsoft Office SharePoint® Server and Microsoft Office adds a tremendous productivity gain for your users.
Security
Advanced security features, such as encryption, transparent auditing, and centralized key management, are among industry-leading features and included in SQL Server 2008 Enterprise, while Oracle charges extra for security add-ons.
About Migration
The Oracle to Microsoft SQL Server Data Migration Assistant for Microsoft Dynamics AX (Data Migration Assistant) helps you with the migration of data from a Microsoft Dynamics AX Oracle database to a Microsoft Dynamics AX SQL Server database. The Data Migration Assistant supports the following versions of Microsoft Dynamics AX: Microsoft Axapta 3.0, Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0, and 2009.
The Migration Assistant was released in October 2010 and is available for download from the partnersource.
Below are a number of benefits that customers can get by switching from an Oracle to a SQL Server database:
Business value
Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 is a complete set of enterprise-ready technologies and tools that help people derive the most value from information at the lowest total-cost-of-ownership. Enjoy high levels of performance, availability, and security; employ more productive management and development tools; and deliver pervasive insight with self-service business intelligence (BI).
Lower the total cost of ownership (TCO)
SQL Server 2008 has a simple tiered SKU licensing model helping provide lower TCO over time, while Oracle 11g requires additional licensing costs for a multiple array of options and add-ins, on top of already high maintenance and support costs. Microsoft SQL Server 2008 provides a data platform with many advantages and business benefits including better security, performance and scalability, developer productivity, and Business Intelligence tools (BI) – all at a lower total cost of ownership.
Business Intelligence
Microsoft SQL Server 2008 provides a scalable Business Intelligence platform optimized for data integration, reporting, and analysis, enabling organizations to deliver intelligence where users want it. Microsoft Dynamics AX utilizes the Microsoft Business Intelligence (BI) Platform that comprises offerings from Microsoft SQL Server and Microsoft Office to empower people with self-service
Business intelligence to deliver the right BI tools for the entire organization. Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 will utilize additional, more powerful features of Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services to enable visually richer, more interactive and more flexible reporting and will use Reporting Services as the primary reporting engine. Microsoft SQL Server enables Business Intelligence for everyone in your company by enabling self-service access to data for analysis and team collaboration using familiar Microsoft Office and SharePoint user tools. The seamless interoperability of SQL Server 2008 with Microsoft Office SharePoint® Server and Microsoft Office adds a tremendous productivity gain for your users.
Security
Advanced security features, such as encryption, transparent auditing, and centralized key management, are among industry-leading features and included in SQL Server 2008 Enterprise, while Oracle charges extra for security add-ons.
About Migration
The Oracle to Microsoft SQL Server Data Migration Assistant for Microsoft Dynamics AX (Data Migration Assistant) helps you with the migration of data from a Microsoft Dynamics AX Oracle database to a Microsoft Dynamics AX SQL Server database. The Data Migration Assistant supports the following versions of Microsoft Dynamics AX: Microsoft Axapta 3.0, Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0, and 2009.
The Migration Assistant was released in October 2010 and is available for download from the partnersource.
Connector For Microsoft Dynamics AX
You can now download the connectors for Microsoft Dynamics AX to Microsoft Dynamics CRM from PartnerSource. For now take a look at the following PartnerSource announcement with associated information and downloads!
Connector for Dynamics AX
Connector for Dynamics AX
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Microsoft Dynamics AX '6' Coming This Year
Microsoft plans to roll out the next version of its Dynamics AX enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution in the latter part of this year, the company announced today.
That version, called Microsoft Dynamics AX code-named "6," will succeed the currently available Dynamics AX 2009 flagship product. Microsoft is promising that the new release will have an improved architecture plus the usual integration with other Microsoft products, such as Microsoft Office 2010, SharePoint 2010, SQL Server 2008 R2 and Visual Studio 2010.
With the new release, Microsoft is highlighting a "model-driven layered architecture" in Dynamics AX 6 that will benefit developers and independent software developers (ISVs).
Dynamics AX 6 has a model-driven-layer architecture that will accelerate the application development process for our partners, enabling them to write more quickly, to do less coding and to deliver the solution more quickly," said Crispin Read, general manager of Microsoft Dynamics ERP, in a phone interview. "They [developers] are modifying models vs. writing code -- that's a big new capability, a very significant capability in AX 6."
Read noted that ISVs will be able to use this modeling capability to better extend their products to additional markets. He claimed that the new model-driven layered architecture approach was "unusual" in the ERP software industry. Traditional ERP software products have tended to drift more toward "spaghetti code" when it came to product upgrades and expansions, he claimed.
Earlier versions of Dynamics AX have been based on a layered architecture, but they have not included this modeling capability. The modeling is based on a SQL Server-based model store, Read explained.
"The layered element is really intended to separate the work that is done by the different parties involved providing a customer solution," Read said. "That's very unique, but it's been a fundamental architectural attribute of AX for some time. We certainly improved it; certainly extended it, and we made it much more fine grained in AX 6 through layering. Now, it's model driven in the sense that we now have a SQL Server-based model store, so that there'll be fewer cases where you need to write code to modify or provide application functionality. There will be more cases where you can do that by tweaking the models themselves."
"Application modeling tools enable developers to customize an application using specialized languages that are simpler than a full programming language," explained Robert Helm, managing vice president at the Directions on Microsoft consultancy, in an e-mailed response. "Modeling can make writing customizations simpler than programming, which is how it's done today. Modeling can also make customizations easier to deploy, update and migrate to new application versions than code would be."
Read cited three main benefits for ISVs that will come with the Dynamics AX 6 release. Products will be able to get to market faster, ISVs will be able to expand their marketing and they'll be able to reduce their lifecycle investment costs, he said. Read explained that Microsoft Dynamics AX is targeted toward addressing five markets, including retail, distribution, manufacturing, services and the public sector. The solution initially will be designed for 38 countries
That version, called Microsoft Dynamics AX code-named "6," will succeed the currently available Dynamics AX 2009 flagship product. Microsoft is promising that the new release will have an improved architecture plus the usual integration with other Microsoft products, such as Microsoft Office 2010, SharePoint 2010, SQL Server 2008 R2 and Visual Studio 2010.
With the new release, Microsoft is highlighting a "model-driven layered architecture" in Dynamics AX 6 that will benefit developers and independent software developers (ISVs).
Dynamics AX 6 has a model-driven-layer architecture that will accelerate the application development process for our partners, enabling them to write more quickly, to do less coding and to deliver the solution more quickly," said Crispin Read, general manager of Microsoft Dynamics ERP, in a phone interview. "They [developers] are modifying models vs. writing code -- that's a big new capability, a very significant capability in AX 6."
Read noted that ISVs will be able to use this modeling capability to better extend their products to additional markets. He claimed that the new model-driven layered architecture approach was "unusual" in the ERP software industry. Traditional ERP software products have tended to drift more toward "spaghetti code" when it came to product upgrades and expansions, he claimed.
Earlier versions of Dynamics AX have been based on a layered architecture, but they have not included this modeling capability. The modeling is based on a SQL Server-based model store, Read explained.
"The layered element is really intended to separate the work that is done by the different parties involved providing a customer solution," Read said. "That's very unique, but it's been a fundamental architectural attribute of AX for some time. We certainly improved it; certainly extended it, and we made it much more fine grained in AX 6 through layering. Now, it's model driven in the sense that we now have a SQL Server-based model store, so that there'll be fewer cases where you need to write code to modify or provide application functionality. There will be more cases where you can do that by tweaking the models themselves."
"Application modeling tools enable developers to customize an application using specialized languages that are simpler than a full programming language," explained Robert Helm, managing vice president at the Directions on Microsoft consultancy, in an e-mailed response. "Modeling can make writing customizations simpler than programming, which is how it's done today. Modeling can also make customizations easier to deploy, update and migrate to new application versions than code would be."
Read cited three main benefits for ISVs that will come with the Dynamics AX 6 release. Products will be able to get to market faster, ISVs will be able to expand their marketing and they'll be able to reduce their lifecycle investment costs, he said. Read explained that Microsoft Dynamics AX is targeted toward addressing five markets, including retail, distribution, manufacturing, services and the public sector. The solution initially will be designed for 38 countries
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