Reporting. Microsoft Dynamics GP enterpri se. Dynamics GP. Christopher Liley. Create and manage business reports with.

Transcription

1 Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010 Reporting Create and manage business reports with Dynamics GP David Duncan Christopher Liley [ PUBLISHING J enterpri se - BIRMINGHAM MUMBAI

2 Preface 1 Chapter 1: Meeting the Reporting Challenge 7 Trends in reporting 8 Increased flexibility 9 Reporting through all levels of an organization 10 Increased access to report generation process 11 Challenges in developing and writing reports 11 Intended audience 12 Data sources 14 Latency 15 Formatting and presentation 17 Ad hoc queries versus traditional reports 18 Security 20 Network access and general IT infrastructure 21 Developer resources 23 Summary 24 Chapter 2: Where Is My Data and How Do I Get to It? 25 DYNAMICS database versus company database 26 What is the DYNAMICS database? 26 Company database 27 Dynamics GP table naming/numbering conventions 28 Tables versus table groups 28 Physical table naming/numbering conventions 29 Alpha code 30 Table type 31 Sequence 33 Variant 33 Locating Dynamics GP data using the Resource Descriptions windows 34 Tables 34

3 Fields 37 Windows 38 Table Import 40 Accessing data at the table level using SQL Management Studio 41 Locating Dynamics GP data with additional tools 42 Dynamics GP 2010 Software Development Kit 42 Downloading the Software Development Kit 43 Using the Software Development Kit 43 Support Debugging Tool 44 Downloading the Support Debugging Tool 44 Using the Support Debugging Tool 45 Summary 49 Chapter 3: Working with the Builders: SmartList and Excel Reports 51 Satisfying basic reporting needs with canned SmartLists 51 Structure of SmartList 52 Basic SmartList tools 53 Narrowing our result list with search criteria 54 Adding new columns 56 Changing the number of records returned 59 Achieving faster export to Excel with a simple dex.ini switch 60 Extending SmartList data to Excel by deploying Excel reports 61 Deploying Excel reports 61 Maintaining security for Excel reports 65 Shared network folder permissions 65 Database level permissions 66 Accessing and using Excel Reports 67 Connecting to Excel Reports via Windows Explorer 67 Connecting to Excel Reports via GP Creating and publishing new SmartLists by using SmartList Builder 69 Understanding the SmartList Builder window 70 Creating a new SmartList via SmartList Builder 71 Creating and publishing new Excel Report formats using Excel Report Builder 77 Understanding the Excel Reports Builder window 78 Creating a new Excel Report via Excel Reports Builder 79 Additional tips and tricks for using the Builders 85 Summary 85 Chapter 4: Report Writer 87 Understanding the reports dictionaries and how Dynamics GP treats original versus modified reports 88 Storing Report Writer reports 88

4 Storing reports dictionaries locally 89 Storing reports dictionaries on a network share 89 Accessing Report Writer reports 90 Setting the Dynamics GP launch file 90 Setting security to custom/modified reports 90 Opening and navigating the Report Writer windows 92 Setting security permissions for using Report Writer 92 Opening Report Writer 92 Report Writer Resource windows 94 Fields 94 Data types 95 Formats 96 Pictures 97 Strings 98 Report Modification windows 99 Report Definition 99 Report Table Relationships 100 Sorting Definition 101 Report Restrictions 102 Layout 102 Modifying all reports in the application by using global modifications 104 Data types 105 Formats 106 Pictures 106 Strings 107 Modifying an existing Dynamics GP report 107 Common modifications 108 Modifying a report: Adding aging buckets to Payables Trial Balance Report 108 Importing and exporting customized reports 117 Exporting customized reports 117 Importing customized reports 119 Using modified reports from the Reports Library 120 Rendering reports in Microsoft Word by utilizing the new Dynamics GP 2010 Word template feature 121 Enabling Word templates 122 Installing the Dynamics GP add-in for Microsoft Word 124 Understanding the Word template modification process 125 Modifying the presentation of a default Word template 126 Applying simple formatting changes to an existing template 126 Setting the default Word template for a company database 129 Adding fields to an existing Word template 131 Adding new fields to the Check Remittance template 132 Summary 138

5 Chapter 5: SSRS Report Library 139 Getting started with SQL Server Reporting Services 140 Deployment configurations 140 Standard model 141 Scale-out model 141 Prerequisites for installing SQL Reporting Services 142 Configuring IIS for Reporting Services 142 Configuring IIS for Windows Server Configuring IIS for Windows Server Installing and configuring Reporting Services 144 Installing Reporting Services 145 Configuring Reporting Services 146 Starting Report Manager 152 Deploying SQL Reporting Services reports and metrics 152 Installing the SQL Server Reporting Services Wizard 153 Deploying predefined Reporting Services Reports and metrics for Dynamics GP 154 Listing SQL Server Reporting Services reports in the Dynamics GP Report List 157 Using the predefined SSRS reports 159 Viewing the charts and KPIs from within GP 161 Configuring security for Reporting Services 163 Assigning access to the Reporting Services website 163 Setting up database security for predefined SSRS reports 166 Modifying the canned reports with Visual Studio 169 Creating a new reporting metric via Report Builder 176 Summary 182 Chapter 6: Designing Your Analysis Cubes for Excel Environment 183 Understanding the components of the Analysis Cubes environment 184 SQL Server Database Engine (data warehouse) 186 Connecting to the data warehouse 186 Understanding the tables in the data warehouse 186 SQL Server Analysis Services database 188 SQL Server Integration Services packages 189 SQL Server Agent job 190 Multiple tier installations 190 Installing Analysis Cubes 192 Pre-installation checklist 193 Installing the Server Configuration Wizard 194 Using the Server Configuration Wizard to deploy the cubes 196 Populating the data warehouse and processing the cubes 200 Granting security access to the cubes 201

6 Exploring the Analysis Services database 203 Objects in the Analysis Services database 204 Data source view 204 Dimensions 205 Measure groups 205 Cubes 205 Security roles 205 Advanced objects (KPIs, Translations, Perspectives, Partitions, and so on) 205 Modifying our Analysis Cubes environment 206 Renaming existing attributes in a dimension 206 Adding new attributes to a dimension 208 Modifying the Account Category hierarchy by editing the GLAccountCategory table 209 Adding GP budgets and forecasts to the cubes 212 Modifying the GLBudgetSetup table 212 Adding the Budget Measure to the Financials cube 213 Summary 214 Chapter 7: Utilizing Analysis Cubes for Excel for Dynamic Reporting 215 Using an OLAP viewer to connect to the SSAS database 216 Creating a connection to the cubes 216 Creating a new connection 216 Storing connection files on network share or locally 217 Repointing to a different data source 218 Changing data source for a single pivot table 218 Changing data sources for an entire workbook 218 Using an existing connection to connect to a cube 219 Excel Pivot Table-Analysis Cubes Interface 219 PivotTable pane 220 PivotTable Field List 221 Fields Section 221 Areas Section 224 Creating ad-hoc reports 226 Using PivotTable design features to change report appearances 227 Changing the Report Layout 228 Applying styles to PivotTables 229 Using slicers to filter PivotTable data 229 Utilizing the Excel cube formulas 230 Basic cube formulas 231 CUBEMEMBER 231 CUBEVALUE 232 Combining the CUBEVALUE and CUBEMEMBER formulas 233 Building a "Top Ten" table 234 CUBESET 235 [v]

7 ljibl _o[ Con tents CUBERANKEDMEMBER 236 Creating the table 236 Adding a chart for visual effect 238 Creating dashboards from Analysis Cubes data a few thoughts 239 The seven default cubes 240 Financials cube 240 Accounts Receivable cube 241 Accounts Payable cube 241 Sales cube 242 Purchases cube 242 Inventory cube 243 Analytical Accounting cube 243 Summary 243 Chapter 8: Designing Financial Reports in Management Reporter 245 Management Reporter architecture 246 Installing and configuring Management Reporter 247 Installation overview 248 Registering Management Reporter 248 Configuring a data provider 249 Management Reporter security 252 Users 252 Groups 254 Companies 255 Navigating the Management Reporter report designer interface 256 Menu bar 258 File 258 Edit 258 View 259 Format 259 Company 259 XBRL 260 Go 260 Tools 261 Window 262 Help 263 Navigation Pane 263 Working with the Management Reporter building blocks 264 Row definitions 264 Column definitions 266 Reporting Tree definitions 268 Report Definitions 269 Report 270 Output and Distribution 271

8 Headers and Footers 272 Settings 273 Tools for reducing building block sprawl 274 Group building blocks in the Navigation Pane with the use of folders 274 Creating building block groups in environments with multiple entities 276 Finding and eliminating unused building blocks by using building block associations 280 Management Reporter Feature Pack Summary 281 Chapter 9: Viewing Financial Reports in Management Reporter 283 Overview of Report Viewer for Management Reporter 284 Report Library permissions 284 Generating reports to the Report Library via Report Designer 287 Navigating the Report Viewer for Management Reporter interface 290 Overview of Report Viewer interface 290 Menu bar 290 Navigation Pane 293 Inserting external files to create report packages 294 Understanding Version Control 298 Differences between Management Reporter and FRx bit compatibility 299 Enhanced stability and performance 299 SQL Server 299 User experience 299 Summary 300 Chapter 10: Bringing it all Together 301 Looking back at what we've covered 302 Chapter 1: Reporting trends and challenges 302 Chapters 2-9: Reporting tools for Dynamics GP 303 Viewing our reporting tools in light of reporting challenges 303 Intended audience 304 Data sources 306 Latency 307 Formatting and presentation 309 Ad hoc queries versus traditional reports 310 Security 311 Network access and general IT infrastructure 312 Developer resources 314 The future of reporting for Dynamics GP 315 Summary 317

9 Appendix: Comparing the Dynamics GP Reporting Tools Against Different Reporting Challenges 319 Comparing SmartList Builder, Excel Report Builder, and Report Writer 320 Comparing SSRS Reports Library, Analysis Cubes, and Management Reporter 321 Index 323