UK Microsoft Dynamics Support Team Blog : AX 4.0

Standard Rate of VAT for Microsoft Dynamics Customers

ukdynsupport — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 17:50:00 GMT

In November 2008 the Chancellor stated that the standard rate of UK VAT will drop from 17.5% to 15% on 1st December 2008, until end of Year 2009.

The guidance documentation for partners and customers is now up and live and up on our public facing website.

The standard rate of VAT will affect customers using the following Microsoft software products:

Microsoft Dynamics AX, Microsoft Dynamics GP, Microsoft Dynamics NAV, Microsoft Dynamics RMS

Microsoft Dynamics CRM*1, Microsoft Dynamics SL*2, Older versions of Microsoft Axapta, Great Plains and Navision*3

Please click this Link for the page.

Best Regards

Kevin Tunstall BSc

Microsoft Dynamics CRM Support Engineer

What’s new in Dynamics AX 4.0 Trade and logistics

ukdynsupport — Wed, 14 May 2008 17:18:00 GMT

This webcast will cover the following features:

– Multiple Ship to

– Enhanced delivery date control

– Direct Delivery

– Transfer Orders

– Release Sales Order Picking

Registration:

Delegates can book their places on this webcast via the Microsoft Partner Learning Centre using a .NET passport/ Windows Live ID on: https://training.partner.microsoft.com/plc/details.aspx?publisher=12&delivery=247302

Dates & Times: Thursday May 29, 2008: 5:00pm – 6:00pm CET, 1 hour

Location: Microsoft Office Live Meeting 2007 (upon registration you will receive login details).

Delivery Language: This session will be presented in English.

Dynamics AX Performance Team's Blog is now live!

ukdynsupport — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 13:29:00 GMT

The Dynamics AX Performance Team's blog is now up and running. The first entries will discuss SQL Server 2005 configuration and Best Practices for Dynamics Ax and they'll be covering a much wider range of topics over the coming months, such as Dynamics AOS configuration, X++ profiling, and leveraging new features of SQL Server 2008.

Visit the Blog here: http://blogs.msdn.com/axperf/

Best Regards,

Tariq Bell

AX Build Numbers Explained.

ukdynsupport — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 18:06:00 GMT

In AX 4 the application and kernel version details in help/about do not appear to show you which service pack is installed, this can make it difficult to tell which updates a particular system is running. Although the service pack isn’t shown it is possible to tell which service pack and updates are installed by understanding the version numbers:

AX 4 SP1 4.0.2163.0

AX 4 SP1 with DIS layer 4.0.2500.XXX

AX 4 SP2 4.0.2501.116

AX 4 SP2 with DIS layer 4.0.2503.XXX

Best Regards,

Tariq Bell

AX Updates – Kernel/Application/Service Pack.

ukdynsupport — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 18:00:00 GMT

The variety of different updates available for AX can be confusing for a newcomer to the product, so here is an explanation of what they all are:

- Application Updates – aka the DIS layer. This is a cumulative release of all hotfixes to date delivered in an aod (application object data) file. This is how hotfixes are delivered from Microsoft. These releases need to be tested in the customer’s environment before going live.

- Service Packs – aka the SYP layer. Periodically the DIS layer releases will be replaced with a SYP layer release in the form of a service pack, all of the hotfixes from the DIS layer are moved to the SYP layer. The key difference between the service pack release and the DIS layer release is that the service pack will have undergone full testing at Microsoft.

- Kernel updates – there are also periodic updates to the application kernel (the AX program outside of any layer files), these are delivered via executables, to update the various programs involved in AX: the client, AOS service, business connector, COM connector, .NET connector.

Best Regards,

Tariq Bell

Webcast: The Basics of Lean Manufacturing

ukdynsupport — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 19:46:54 GMT

ABOUT THE TOPIC:

Microsoft are introducing a lean Module within Dynamics AX. This webcast outlines a basic description of Lean Manufacturing with explanations on the working structure and processes of this new module.

Agenda

- Short history of Lean Manufacturing

- Basic standards for Lean Manufacturing

- Workflow within Lean Manufacturing

- Benefits and risks of Lean Manufacturing

- Application Requirements (from business perspective) to lean manufacturing

Dates & Times: Thursday April 24, 2008: 5:00pm – 6:00pm CET, 1 hour

Registration:

Best Regards

Paul Barnwell

Microsoft Dynamics UK Team Manager

An explanation of AX Application File Extensions

ukdynsupport — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 19:02:00 GMT

Dynamics Ax uses several file name extensions for the files that are installed as part of Microsoft Dynamics Ax.

You can use the following naming conventions to understand the function of these files:

• The first letter represents the owner of the file.

A: Application

K: Kernel

• The second letter represents the contents of the file.

L: Label

O: Object

T: Text

D: Developer Documentation

H: Online Help

• The third letter represents the type of file.

D: Data

I: Index

C: Cache

T: Temporary

So, for example, a *.aod file is an application object data file, and *.aoi is application object index.

Best Rgds,

Tariq Bell - Dynamics AX Support Specialist

All you need to know about SQL Server build numbers:

ukdynsupport — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 20:04:16 GMT

If you are using the SQL Server database option with any of the Microsoft Dynamics products you will know that the SQL Server engine is a critical component of the overall Dynamics solution. Many of the issues we work on can be traced back to the behaviour of SQL Server rather than anything specific to the Dynamics product. Therefore, the version and build number of SQL Server deployed at your customer site can be just as important as the Dynamics product version details. The easiest way to establish the SQL Server build number is to simply run the following TSQL statement and include the result with any Service Request placed with Microsoft: SELECT @@VERSION.

The result will look something like this:

In fact, the only part we need to know from the above information is the number in bold, ie: 9.00.3200.00. Including this detail when opening a service request can expedite the response significantly. We can tell a lot from this build number; see below for the corresponding SQL version information for all major releases of SQL Server going back to version 7.0:

Please note that the above is a simple list of all the major builds of SQL Server since version 7.0 and does not show what builds are supported for each Dynamics product and version. Such details will be the subject of future blogs and can be found in product documentation and Knowledge Base articles in the meantime.

See the following KB article for more details about recent SQL Server version history: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/937137/en-us

I hope you find the above information helpful.

Best regards,

Gerard Conroy
Microsoft Dynamics NAV Support Engineer

Webcast: SQL Server 2005 Performance Tuning for Microsoft Dynamics AX

ukdynsupport — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 16:56:00 GMT

ABOUT THE TOPIC:

This presentation will cover the following areas

SQL Server 2005 Setup
Data Storage
Memory
Best Practices
Indexes
Locking
Monitoring
Database Maintenance
Troubleshooting
Q & A

Dates & Times: Thursday February 21^st, 2008: 5:00pm – 6:00pm CET, 1 hours

Location: Microsoft Office Live Meeting 2007 (upon registration you will receive login details).

Delivery Language: This session will be presented in English.

Best Regards

Paul Barnwell

Microsoft Dynamics UK Team Manager