DEMONSTRATION · people to make business decisions with greater confidence. Microsoft Dynamics...

Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0 SP1

Microsoft SQL Server

Reporting Services

Integration

June, 2007

DEMONSTRATION

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MICROSOFT DYNAMICS AX 4.0 SSRS INTEGRATION

Contents

Demo Overview ................................................................................ 3 I. Introduction .................................................................................................................... 3 II. Technologies Highlighted .................................................................................................. 3 III. Audience ........................................................................................................................ 3 IV. Scenario ......................................................................................................................... 3 V. Problems This Demo Addresses ......................................................................................... 3 VI. Purpose of Demo ............................................................................................................. 3

Demo Preset ..................................................................................... 4

Demo ................................................................................................ 5

Conclusion ...................................................................................... 13

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Demo Overview

I. Introduction

Microsoft Dynamics™ AX captures data in the form of discrete business transactions. These transactions need to be analyzed and trends understood for businesses to make informed decisions. “Should I order more stock?”, “Are my sales profitable?” To help answer these questions, Microsoft Dynamics AX provides integration with Microsoft® SQL Server™ Business Intelligence tools such as SQL Server Reporting Services and SQL Server Analysis Services.

In this demo we will show how Microsoft Dynamics AX uses Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS). For background reading on Microsoft SQL Server Business Intelligence capabilities, refer to the Microsoft SQL Server Web site at http://www.microsoft.com/sql/default.mspx

II. Technologies Highlighted

Microsoft Dynamics AX

Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services Microsoft® Office Excel®

III. Audience

This demo is targeting a technical audience of business decision makers (BDM).

IV. Scenario

In this scenario we will look at an analysis of sales for a company so that we can understand distribution across dimensions.

V. Problems This Demo Addresses

Users need to be able to quickly and easily analyze transactional data so that they can identify and interpret trends and help facilitate informed business decisions.

VI. Purpose of Demo

Show the out-of-the-box integration of Microsoft Dynamics AX with SQL Server Reporting Services and its advantages for analyzing data.

http://www.microsoft.com/sql/default.mspx

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Demo Preset

Configuration a. The desktop of the Virtual PC (VPC) has been configured with the shortcuts to the applications you

need.

b. Ensure the VPC machine is up and running:

o Log on as Administrator.

o Password: pass@word1

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Demo

Presenter’s Discussion Points Actions taken

The ability to provide simple reporting tools for the

end users of business applications has always been a

challenge for IT. Microsoft Dynamics AX introduces

integration with Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Reporting

Services (SSRS). Power users can now use a simple

Report Builder tool to produce their own reports.

Click Start-> All Programs ->Microsoft Dynamics AX

The Tools menu contains the tools that manage the

integration with SSRS.

Click Tools and then select Reporting Tools

Select Reporting Servers

This is the access point in Microsoft Dynamics AX to

use SSRS.

Note the Web Service URL and the Report Manager

URL. These are the paths to the locations where SSRS

is installed and where Microsoft Dynamics AX will

publish the model of the data dictionary to make it

simple for the Report Builder user to produce reports.

Open the AOT. (Press CTRL+D)

Expand the Data Dictionary node of the AOT

tree.

Click Perspectives.

Expand Perspectives. You will see that there are

many perspectives available out of the box.

Perspectives are a collection of tables that have been

dragged and dropped in the Perspectives group. This

gives the Report Builder user a simplified view of the

Microsoft Dynamics AX data dictionary.

Perspectives can be created for different roles in the

organization. You could have roles for Inventory

managers, Warehouse managers, etc. You would then

grant them access to these perspectives to make it

easier for them to find the table they want to report

on.

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Note also that there are new properties that have

been created on tables and fields to support the

display of the table and fields in the published models

in Report Builder. Discussion of these properties is out

of scope for this demo.

Open Report Manager by clicking Tools->Reporting

Tools->Report Manager.

Report Manager is a Web site that users can access to

run and build new reports with SSRS.

Published reports display here which allows users to

send URL links by e-mail to other users to share

reports across the organization.

An important point to note here is that SSRS uses

Windows® authentication and the security setup in

Microsoft Dynamics AX to control access to data from

Microsoft Dynamics AX. If a user doesn’t have access

to data then they will not be able to view it in SSRS

reports.

The Report Builder will start. Note the published

perspectives on the top right-hand side of the Report

Builder task pane:

Select Accounts Receivable. You see 3 Report

layout options:

o Table: A standard transaction type report

o Matrix: A cross-tab type report

o Chart: Ability to chart data directly

Select Matrix.

Click OK.

Click Report Builder. This will launch the Report Builder. If this is the first time you have used the Report Builder you may be asked to install it. Make sure you accept the option to install.

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On the left-hand side of the screen you see the

Explorer view.

Click Accounts receivable to expand the group.

In this demo we are going to create a new report to

analyze customer sales.

Locate and click the Customer Transactions

table.

You will note that the Fields pane on the left Explorer

pane is now displaying the fields from the Customer

Transaction table. You can now drag the following

fields onto the report surface.

1. Drag the Company to the left-hand axis.

2. Drag the Customer account.

3. Drag the Department field to the top analysis

tab.

4. Drag Total Amount currency to the center of

the report area.

5. Click in the report areas and enter a title such

as Customer Transactions.

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You can change the format for the Amount field by

selecting the Amount field and right-clicking. Select

Format.

Select the correct format and click OK.

You can now run the report.

Click the Run Report button on the toolbar and wait

for the report to generate.

The displayed report is an analysis of customer

transactions by company and dimension.

Under Company, click dmo to drill down into the

details.

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You will notice that the balance of customer 4000 in

company dmo is $6075.00.

You can verify the result in Microsoft Dynamics AX.

Go to Accounts Receivable ->Customers.

Select Customer 4000.

Click the Balance button. You will see the balance

from within Microsoft Dynamics AX.

The displayed report surface is an active surface for

users. They can change the sort order of columns.

Users can also add filters.

To access multiple companies and be able to report on

transactions across companies:

1. Click the Filter button on the toolbar.

2. Drag the Company field onto the field area and set

the filter, if necessary.

3. Double-click the filter definition and select the

company you want to filter on in the list of available

companies.

4. Click OK.

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Another important user feature is the ability to export

the report to multiple formats such as XML, CSV, TIFF,

PDF, and Excel.

Click the Export button on the toolbar to list the

format.

Select Excel.

Save the report to the desktop to be able to view it.

Open the report from the desktop.

You will see that the report maintains almost all its

formatting and allows you to drill down into the

details.

Close Microsoft Office Excel when you have finished

viewing the data.

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You should now be back on the Report Builder. You

can save the report with a new name so that users can

access it from Report Manager.

Click File -> Save As.

Give the report a name such as Customer

Transactions by Dimension.

Click Save.

Close the Report Builder.

Switch back to Microsoft Dynamics AX.

On the Tools menu, select Reporting Tools ->

Report Manager.

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When Report Manager opens, click Home in the

top left hand corner.

You will now be able to see the published report that

you saved earlier.

Users can click the link and view the report if they

have the appropriate permissions.

When reports run from Report Manager, users can

access them through a Web browser.

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Conclusion

When integrated with Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services, Microsoft Dynamics AX enables end users to generate ad-hoc reports as needed, saving time and eliminating the dependency on an IT professional or a consultant to create them. An additional advantage is that other users in the organization who do not typically use the Microsoft Dynamics AX client to access data can gain access

to reporting information.

The information contained in this document represents the current view of Microsoft Corporation on the issues discussed as of the date of publication. Because Microsoft must respond to changing market conditions, this document should not be interpreted to be a commitment on the part of Microsoft, and Microsoft cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information presented after the date of publication.

This White Paper is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED, OR STATUTORY, AS TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS DOCUMENT.

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© 2007 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Microsoft, the Microsoft Dynamics Logo, 2007 Microsoft Office system, Microsoft Dynamics AX, Microsoft Office InfoPath BizTalk, Dexterity, FRx, Microsoft Dynamics, SharePoint, Visual Basic, Visual C++, Visual SourceSafe, Visual Studio, Windows, and Windows Server are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation, FRx Software Corporation, or Microsoft Business Solutions ApS in the United States and/or other countries. Microsoft Business Solutions ApS and FRx Software Corporation are subsidiaries of Microsoft Corporation.

Microsoft Dynamics is a line of integrated, adaptable business management solutions that enables you and your people to make business decisions with greater confidence. Microsoft Dynamics works like and with familiar Microsoft software, automating and streamlining financial, customer relationship and supply chain processes in a way that helps you drive business success.

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