With the release of Office 2010 and SharePoint 2010 the relationship between internal line of business applications and business productivity software is stronger than ever. There have been added many exciting new features, which will bring value to many customers, including those customers that are using Microsoft Dynamics NAV today.

User Interface

The user interface (UI) is the "face" of a software application - A good user interface is intuitive, familiar, and easy to use. It improves productivity by minimizing the number of clicks required to get a task done. This is what we accomplished with the release of the RoleTailored client in Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009. The Fluent UI is now used by all Microsoft Office programs as well as SharePoint Server 2010, and does away with menus, which were growing increasingly complex, replacing them with a clear set of icons that are relevant to the task being performed.

With the 2010 release, Microsoft Office, Microsoft SharePoint Server, and Microsoft Dynamics now share this strong "facial" resemblance, making them more consistent to use and easier to adopt.

Connectivity

Just as beauty is more than skin deep, so the ties between Microsoft Dynamics and Microsoft's business productivity infrastructure run deeper than just the UI.  Business Connectivity Services (BCS) is a new technology that crosses Microsoft Office 2010 and Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010, and can be thought of as "plumbing" for connecting business applications through Web Services in Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 with SharePoint and Office. This is no ordinary plumbing, though, as it enables some powerful new scenarios for Microsoft Dynamics NAV customers, including the ability to update information stored in a Microsoft Dynamics NAV database directly from a SharePoint site, and making it easier to take Microsoft Dynamics NAV information offline through either Outlook 2010 or SharePoint Workspace 2010. 

Analysis

The majority of Microsoft Dynamics customers use Microsoft Excel to analyze their business information. PowerPivot for Microsoft Excel 2010 offers the ability to quickly create PivotTables or PivotCharts that are pulling in data from Microsoft Dynamics ERP or CRM in real time. New Excel 2010 features such as Slicers and Sparklines can then be added to bring the numbers to life and gain deeper insights into what's happening in the business.  

Compatibility

Since Microsoft Dynamics NAV always has had a strong integration to the Office and SharePoint products, we are proud to announce that Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 SP1 and Microsoft Dynamics NAV 5.0 SP1 Update 2 are compatible with Microsoft Office 2010 and Microsoft SharePoint 2010!

The details in the support for the different Office and SharePoint integrations are listed below. Please note that Office 2010 is available in both a 32-bit version and a 64-bit version, but some NAV areas are currently not supported in the 64-bit version. The recommended version of Office 2010 in combination with NAV is the 32-bit version. Further reading on the difference between the two versions can be found here: http://blogs.technet.com/b/office2010/archive/2010/02/23/understanding-64-bit-office.aspx.  

1. Employee Portal is supported for SharePoint 2010. However please look at KB970502 for instructions on how to install in a 64-bit environment.
2. Sending data from Microsoft Dynamics NAV to both Word and Excel using the basic export is fully compatible with Microsoft Office Word 2010 and Microsoft Office Excel 2010. The same applies exporting to Excel from reports and to Export of budgets, Analysis Schedules etc.
3. Interactions such as letters can be initiated from Microsoft Dynamics NAV and stored as appropriate in Microsoft Office Word 2010 in both 32-bit and 64-bit version.
4. Sending emails from Microsoft Dynamics NAV is compatible with Outlook 2010 32-bit version, but is currently not supported for the 64 bit version.
5. Outlook Synchronization is compatible with Outlook 2010 32-bit version. The installation and the add-in is not currently supported for the 64- bit version.
6. Email logging is dependent on CDO, which is not supported in Office 2010. Please read http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2028411. A possible workaround has been identified by manual installing CDO in combination with KB2291071, but it is recommended to stay on Office 2007 if email logging is required.

A couple of big Microsoft products shipped recently, so time for an NAV compatibility update.

Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2

We are proud to announce that both Microsoft Dynamics NAV 5.0 SP1 Update 2 and Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 SP1 are compatible with Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2!

We will be updating our Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 SP1 Requirements List on MSDN shortly.

Business Notification is not compatible with Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2, and will not be supported. For instructions on how to install Business Notification with SQL Server 2008 see this blog post. For more information please look at the Statement of Direction for Microsoft Dynamics NAV available on PartnerSource for Microsoft Dynamics.

Microsoft Visual Studio 2010

You can use Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 for .NET integration scenarios with Microsoft Dynamics NAV, including consuming Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 Web Services.

Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 is not compatible and not supported for editing Reports for the Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 RoleTailored Client. Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 SP1 uses the Microsoft RDLC 2005 format for reports which is not compatible with Microsoft Visual Studio 2010. See our earlier blog post on this topic for more details.

Thanks,

Michael Svanholm Thomsen, Group Program Manager, Microsoft Dynamics NAV Server and Tools 

Announcing the next installment of new videos on MSDN. http://msdn.microsoft.com/bb629407.aspx

These videos target the developer audience for Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009. The new offerings are:

• Multiple Web Service Instances in NAV 2009
• Delegation with Three Tier Installation in NAV 2009

More videos are in the works and will target both the platform and the application, so check back often to see what's been added. All videos are in English.

Two new command line parameters have been introduced for the RoleTailored client of Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 SP1 as a hotfix (KB 2312984). They enable a number of new usage scenarios for the RoleTailored client.

Samples for those scenarios are: point of sales, point of information screens, and monitor screens showing self-updating key performance indicators.

If you want to learn more about these options, please refer to this Blog Post.

Christian Abeln
Senior Program Manager
Microsoft DynamicsNAV

Due to unexpected events, a multiple record corruption at table level in a Native database may unfortunately happen. The error that may arise is something like this (reported below in Danish) while performing actions on determined records in the corrupted area.

This error text is taken directly from the fin.stx file. For example:

…

// ÚÄ´ DB ÃÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ¿

// ³ ÀÄÄÄÄÙ                                                                   ³

// ³  Database System                                                         ³

// ÀÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ

@1@19@0@

@2@1@0@

Caution: There is an error in the database structure. This occurs if the database file is changed by another program or if a device driver does not function properly.

You must correct this error before you can continue. The error (%18 in module %23) may have been caused by the computer or a program.

Table: %1.1

Company: %1.9

Key Fields: %6

Check the database. On the File menu, click Database, click Test, and then click Maximum. If you get the same error, you should:

1. Back up the database by copying the database file or files to another location.
2. Use the built-in functionality to make a backup.
3. If this works, create a new database without deleting the database that contains the error or errors.

Restore the backup that you made with the built-in backup functionality into the new database. To test it, on the File menu, click Database, click Test, and then click Maximum.

If this procedure does not work, then any database changes that were made after the most recent backup will be lost. Restore the most recent backup that was made with the built-in backup functionality and test it.

For security reasons, you should save the old database until you have used the new one for a period of time.

Contact your system administrator for assistance.

…

The official position from Microsoft, then, is to restore a valid recent backup or a copy of the database not affected from this error. But what if you do not have any of those?

There are some chances to isolate those corrupted records, like cancer cells, and create a brand new database with only the sane part of the old one. I have called this “Table Isolation” trick, observing it from a medical perspective.

This action plan could be applied if:

1. You can access safely the database and work in most of the area.
2. You know exactly which table(s) is/are affected and those are in a limited number.
3. Those tables have the table property DataPerCompany set to Yes.

If those 3 prerequisites can be considered fulfilled then you could go with the table isolation trick.

NOTE: In the next example we take into considerations the corruption of multiple records within table 37 Sales Line for one specific company.

“TABLE ISOLATION” plan

1. Create a brand new table XXXX that has got the same table structure as the corrupted table e.g. 37 Sales Line table. (This brand new table must have the same fields and data types, there should even be no need to copy C/AL Code and triggers on it.)
2. TRANSFERFIELDS ALL the records of Sales line table to the brand new created XXXX table for ALL the companies. (For the Sales Line records of the company that are having this problem, you should go with trial and error to recover as much sane records as possible.)
3. Delete ALL the records for the Sales Line table for ALL the companies EXCEPT the one that has got the corruption in the OLD database.
4. Perform a NAV backup of all objects + data common to all companies + ALL the companies EXCEPT the one with the table whom has got the error.
5. Create a brand new database with the appropriate space (we can call it NEW database).
6. Restore the NAV backup at point 4. (Now, in the NEW database you just miss data of one company.)
7. After the NAV restore, TRANSFERFIELDS back all the records from table XXXX to Sales Line for every company and after that DELETE all records in table XXXX.
8. Go back to the OLD database. Go to the Object Designer and change the property of the Sales Line table DataPerCompany to ‘No’. Save and Compile the table object.
9. Perform a NAV backup of ONLY the company that still remains. (From the operation done at point 8, this won’t import the corrupted table).
10. Restore the NAV backup at point 8 into the NEW database. (You should have now in the NEW database, all except the corrupted table. But the sane records are still in table XXXX.)
11. TRANSFERFIELDS back all the records that you have been able to save into table XXXX to Sales Line of this last company restored and then DELETE all records present in table XXXX.
12. DELETE table n. XXXX.

At the end of this procedure, remember to run a FULL NAV database test and correct all the error that may arise.

Remember also to correct all the dependencies left by the missing record and, overall, PLEASE before do this in live environment, always TEST it on a safe test environment.

These postings are provided "AS IS" with no warranties and confer no rights. You assume all risk for your use.

Best Regards,

Duilio Tacconi (dtacconi)

Microsoft Dynamics Italy

Microsoft Customer Service and Support (CSS) EMEA

It is known that in NAV 2009 SP1 there is no Segment Wizard page for RTC.

In this blog you will find some source code in txt format in order to let you start develop the Segment Wizard to your RTC. Please, check the disclaimer on code usage at the bottom of this blog.

The source code file includes 1 new object, the Segment Wizard RTC page (Page 50112). Import this object into the Classic client. Next, you must slightly modify 2 objects in order to let the wizard work properly:

• Table 5096 Segment Wizard Filter (change one line in StartWizard function to run Segment Wizard RTC page)
• Page 5091 Segment (Add and promote action Wizard…)

To modify Table 5096 Segment Wizard Filter:

1. In Object Designer, click Table, select table 5096, Segment Wizard Filter, and then click Design.
2. On the View menu, click C/AL Code.
3. In the C/AL Editor, scroll down to the StartWizard function, and update the function to the following code:

"Wizard Step" := "Wizard Step"::"1";

INSERT;

IF ISSERVICETIER THEN

  PAGE.RUNMODAL(PAGE::"Segment Wizard RTC",Rec)

ELSE

  FORM.RUNMODAL(FORM::"Segment Wizard",Rec);

• Close the C/AL Editor.
• Save and compile Table 5096.

To modify Page 5091 Segment:

1. In Object Designer, click Page, select page 5091, Segment, and then click Design.
2. In Page Designer, scroll down to the first blank line, and then on the View menu, click Actions.
3. Insert a new action under the Functions ActionGroup. This action should have the following properties:
   • Name: aWizard
   • Caption: Wizard…
   • Type: Action
   • Image: SuggestLines
   • Promoted: Yes
   • PromotedCategory: Process
   • PromotedIsBig: Yes
4. On the View menu, click C/AL Code.
5. In the C/AL Editor, find the OnAction trigger for the aWizard action and add the following line of code:

Wizard; 

• Close the C/AL Editor
• Save and compile Page 5091.

This is brief and introductive screenshot step by step of what this page object does.

To start the Wizard…, user has got a promoted Action.

When Clicking the action, the Wizard starts presenting STEP 1.

Checking the completion of Step 1, user is prompted for Step 2 meanwhile the Start action button appears.

User can choose to start the process (like Finish button in classic client) or move forward to the next step.

NOTE that the mechanisms of keepin’hide and visible will always keep MAX 2 FastTab opened, increasing the visibility / usability of the wizard.

User has got the same options that has been present in the Classic Client and can switch between them by checking/unchecking the “Step X Completed” button.

When User is satisfied with his own choice, then he just has to press Start action button…

…and the population/reduction/refinement of the segment is served!

These postings are provided "AS IS" with no warranties and confer no rights. You assume all risk for your use.

Best Regards,

Duilio Tacconi (dtacconi)

Microsoft Dynamics Italy

Microsoft Customer Service and Support (CSS) EMEA