March 18-21, 2013New Orleans

#conv13

Extending the reach of Microsoft Dynamics® AX 2012 R2 with Microsoft® Office®

Chris GartySenior Program ManagerMicrosoft

CSAX09-R1

Session objectives1. Identify the Office Interop possibilities in Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2.2. Describe how the Office Interop capabilities of Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2

help it work with other business software.

Key takeawaysMicrosoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2 can interop with Microsoft Excel®, Microsoft Word®, Microsoft SharePoint®, and Microsoft Lync:• Read, analyze, summarize, and update Microsoft Dynamics AX data in Excel.• Generate Word documents from Microsoft Dynamics AX.• Store document templates and record attachments in SharePoint.• Communicate with contacts via Lync.

Session objectives and takeaways

New in R2Responding to your feedback…

Document managementNew: SharePoint and SharePoint Online support.

Excel add-inNew: Office 365 support via export, filtering APIs, dimension descriptions, refresh on openImproved: Table support (40% to 95%), services support, user experience.

Word add-inNew: Generate from template to Office 365, template storage in SharePoint Online.

LyncNew: Lync 2013 and Lync Online support.

Session focus—scenarios

How to create ad hoc reports in Excel

How to edit business data in Excel

How to create a document template in Word

How to import data into Microsoft Dynamics AX using Excel

Pains and challengesKevin, Sales Manager• Every time I need a change to a report I need to involve

the IT department.

June, Product Division Manager• I plan my budget using Microsoft Excel, then need to

copy it to my budgeting system.

Prakash, Project Manager• I want to personalize the project quotations I send to

important prospects.

Simon, Systems Implementer• I need to gather data from functional team members

and import it into Microsoft Dynamics AX.

Kevin, Sales Manager• I want to initiate communications with contacts without

leaving Microsoft Dynamics AX.

SolutionsMeeting the challenge

Ad hoc reporting in ExcelKevin, the sales manager, analyzes his opportunities pipeline using Excel.

Editing business data in ExcelJune, the budget manager, organizes and edits budget information in Excel.

Create a document template in WordPrakash, the project manager, builds a project quotation in word that his team can use.Import data using ExcelSimon, the implementer, collects customer details in Excel and sends them to Microsoft Dynamics AX.Communicate using LyncKevin, the sales manager, can quickly initiate communications with colleagues and contacts.

Generic document service

Metadata service

Query service

Business document services

Architecture: Office add-insService-based interop with Office 2010 and 2013

Metadata

Services

Tables

Queries

Templates

Exported workbooks

Architecture: SharePointSDK-based interop with SharePoint 2010 and 2013

Document attachments

Export to Excel

Document Management

Generate from template

Initiate communication

Architecture: LyncSDK-based interop with Lync 2010 and 2013

Contacts

Presence information

Contact details

Demo 1: Ad hoc reporting in Excel

Persona Pain Points and Challenges Features Covered Results and Benefits

Business User • Self-service reporting

• Send to SharePoint• Read data from Queries• Add fields• Filter data• Refresh data

• Build reports in a familiar tool• No need to involve IT or

Developers• Security and localization built

in

• Export the opportunities list page• Extend it with additional fields• Add formatting and pivots• Refresh as conditions change

Highlights for R2: ExcelFresh data automaticallyAdded a user option and an OpenXML API to allow refresh of a workbook on open to retrieve fresh data.

Send to Office 365Added support for sending exports to SharePoint and SharePoint Online to enable use of Office 365 Excel.

Localize itAdded support for localized templates via column and field label support.

Easier to useImproved the Add-in user experience.

Demo

Ad hoc reporting in Excel

Demo 1: Ad hoc reporting in Excel

Demo 2: Editing business data in Excel

• Build a template• Modify data• Publish changes

Persona Pain Points and Challenges Features Covered Results and Benefits

Business User • Duplication of data between Excel and the budgeting system

• Formulas and formatting in budgeting tools

• Write data to Services• Lock design• Dimensions support

• Store budget information where it belongs – Microsoft Dynamics AX

• Flexible and familiar tools for forecasts and budgets

Highlights for R2: Excel editing

Filter workbooks from codeAdded an OpenXML API for programmatic filter changes so workbooks can be customized to a user.

Lock it down when neededAdded an OpenXML API to optionally lock down the design of a workbook.

Dimensions explainedAdded the dimension descriptions as a field binding option and as a helper in lookups.

Matrix fields as editable aggregatesImproved the support for data entry in a matrix table via new “Add Row” dialog.

Demo 2: Editing business dataFind a budget plan in Microsoft Dynamics AX

Demo 2: Editing business dataEdit that budget plan in Excel

Demo 2: Editing business dataTemplates are designed using the Add-in

Demo

Editing business data in Excel

Demo 3: Create a template in Word• Define template in Microsoft

Word• Place the template in

Microsoft SharePoint• Activate the template for use• Generate a document

Persona Pain Points and Challenges Features Covered Results and Benefits

Business User • Manual work and copy/paste to author documents

• Consistent yet easily customized documents

• Document template library

• Document data sources• Word Add-in• Generate from template

• Quick and easy generation of documents

• Easy-to-build templates

Highlights for R2: Word

Store templates anywhereAdded SharePoint Online support for template storage.

Generate to SharePointAdded support for SharePoint as a document storage location.

Dimensions descriptionsAdded the option of including dimension descriptions in documents.

Demo

Create a template in Word

Demo 3: Create a template in Word

Demo 4: Import data using Excel

• Select tables• Enter data• Import data

Persona Pain Points and Challenges Features Covered Results and Benefits

Business User • Data often needs transformation before import

• Data import process can often require multiple steps

• Table selector• Write data to tables• Validation

• Users can massage via data bulk edit, find/replace, calculations, etc. before importing

• Flexible tool for data import

Highlights for R2: Excel import

Tables galoreImproved our support for surrogate foreign keys (SFK) to improve the percentage of tables supported for import/export from 40% to 95%.

Use services when neededAdded support for key services such as LedgerGeneralJournalService and VendVendTableService.

Demo

Import data using Excel

Demo 4: Import data using Excel

Demo 5: Communicate via Lync• Set contact address• View contact presence info• Initiate communications

Persona Pain Points and Challenges Features Covered Results and Benefits

Business User Communicating with contacts often means switching to another application

• Lync presence and contact information

• Initiating IM and email communications

Quick communication with contacts and colleagues

Highlights for R2: Lync

Lync 2013Added support for Lync 2013.

To the cloud!Added support for the latest version of Lync Online.

Demo

Communicate via Lync

Demo 5: Communicate via Lync

Office interop capability summary

• Excel read-only• Query

• Excel read-write• Services• Tables

• Word read-only• Query

Office Add-ins• Export to Excel• Static• Refreshable• Send to SharePoint

• Generate from template• Word doc• Excel workbook

Doc Generation

• Presence• Initiate• IM• Email

Lync• Document

storage• Database• File folder• SharePoint

Doc Management

Others• Project collaboration sites in SharePoint• OData feeds consumable by Excel/SharePoint

Office 365: Key scenariosSend exports to SharePoint OnlineSend static and refreshable workbooks to SharePoint Online for storage and collaboration.Store document attachments in SharePoint OnlineSharePoint Online can be used as a document storage location for record attachments.

Place templates in SharePoint OnlineStore templates in SharePoint Online for use with “Generate from template”.

Collaborate through Lync OnlineYour local Lync client can use Lync Online as the server.View documents in the Excel and Word web applicationsDocuments stored in SharePoint Online will open in the web applications by default. The Add-ins won’t run, but you can view documents and workbooks.

Top tips from this sessionTake advantage of support for SharePointDocument management, content management, collaboration.

Use Excel whenever neededAdhoc reporting, data analysis, editing data, data import.

Use Word as a lightweight alternative to reportsStore templates in SharePoint, create good looking templates, and add the “Generate from template” button wherever needed.

Take advantage of Lync for collaborationLive contact information and flexible communication options.

PerformanceJudicious filtering conserves system resources and saves time. Use the data migration toolkit for large data migration efforts.

Session Objectives1. Identify the Office Interop possibilities in Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2.2. Describe how the Office Interop capabilities of Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2

help it work with other business software.

Key TakeawaysMicrosoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2 can interop with Excel, Word, SharePoint, and Lync:• Read, analyze, summarize, and update Microsoft Dynamics AX data in Excel.• Generate Word documents from Microsoft Dynamics AX.• Store document templates and record attachments in SharePoint.• Communicate with contacts via Lync.

In review: session objectives and takeaways

Key resources

Information Sourcehttp://informationsource.dynamics.com

My Blog – Questions and commentshttp://blogs.msdn.com/chrisgarty

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