| Microsoft Dynamics GP Corporate ERP formerly was | | | | (outside of the scope of this publication), however |
| known as Great Plains Dynamics, eEnteprise. And | | | | some reports are known to be not possible to |
| Great Plains was designed on the architectural | | | | upgrade (on Dynamics GP Partner Source). In fact, if |
| platform, known as Great Plains Dexterity. | | | | you invested in the past into RW modifications, you |
| ReportWriter is and was scaled down version of | | | | can still upgrade virtually all the reports - the upgrade |
| Dexterity, where you have access to all | | | | problem typically resides in redesigned or newly |
| out-of-the-box Dynamics reports (in Dynamics.dic): | | | | created calculated fields (all you need to do is to port |
| SOP Blank and Long Invoice forms, RM and PM | | | | old calculated fields with their original names to the |
| Historical Trial Balances, GL Trial Balance are probably | | | | new version of the report) |
| one of the most known and popular. Typically in RW | | | | 7. Report Writer and Barcoding. Yes, you can |
| you modify existing report by printing it on the screen | | | | associate RW report fields with Barcode compliant |
| and then in menu selecting - modify this report. Report | | | | font and it will be printed (be sure that report is in |
| Writer saves report in its own reporting dictionary | | | | Graphical mode). Also, popular routine is to print USPS |
| (Reports.dic) and you do whatever you need to | | | | barcode mailing labels directly on your envelopes. Due |
| modify the report (or more precisely what RW | | | | to Barcode fonts support in version 7.5 and more |
| Dexterity origin allows you to do). We will review most | | | | recent, Dynamics GP Report Writer could be |
| popular modifications and what you can do on | | | | incorporated into Warehouse Management System |
| advanced level: | | | | (WMS), Supply Chain Management (SCM), Logistics, |
| 1. Placing Graphical Logon on SOP Invoice form. | | | | Consignment, Distributions extensions to Dynamics GP |
| Typically for printing to PDF printer or direct printout on | | | | - all these systems or Dynamics GP ISV Partner |
| Color Laser Jet. General recommendation is to | | | | supported modules are typically Barcode scanning and |
| prepare logo file in JPEG, BMP in higher resolution and | | | | Barcoding Label Printing based |
| then, when placed Picture on the Report (Report | | | | 8. RW troubleshooting. One of the most popular topics |
| Header and Page Header) - just resize it to something | | | | and error messages discussed is when Dynamics.Dic |
| like 40 percent of the original size | | | | dictionary becomes corrupt (due to the attempts to |
| 2. Moving, Hiding fields or creating and placing new | | | | modify reports by Dynamics GP consultant, while |
| Calculated fields on the report layout. As such report | | | | users are printing these reports at the same time). In |
| as SOP Blank Invoice form has complex business | | | | these scenarios you see really weird errors (Microsoft |
| logic, we do not recommend heavy modification. Just | | | | Windows encountered unknown problem and has to |
| move fields horizontally, hide them, resize, or change | | | | close - or even more strange). Simple cure is to have |
| fonts. Be sure that you understand the concept of | | | | all users logoff Dynamics GP, rename your active |
| report body, additional headers and footers | | | | Reports.dic and reimport reports in RW from renamed |
| 3. Advanced options. You can also add tables to the | | | | Reports.dic. By doing so - you will recreate new and |
| report (typically restricted by Dexterity - each table in | | | | healthy dictionary |
| Dex belongs to table cluster and based on the | | | | 9. Report Writer internationalization. Officially Microsoft |
| availability of Dexterity table indexes, you can add one | | | | Business Solutions supports GP in English, Spanish |
| or more tables from the cluster). Also based on | | | | (South and Central America, Mexico, Caribbean), |
| Dexterity tables indexes - you can create new table | | | | French (Canadian), to some extent Arabic. However |
| relation with another table (if Dex indexes permit) | | | | there are add-ons on the Dynamics GP ISV market, |
| 4. New reports. Assuming that Smartlist doesn't do | | | | supporting RW reports printing in Portuguese, Chinese, |
| everything that you need in Dynamics GP data | | | | Japanese, Korean, German, French (European), Dutch, |
| exporting to Excel or CSV file, you can try to do it in | | | | Swedish (more languages are coming). We know |
| Report Writer by creating new report, selecting main | | | | successful RW customizations in Polish, Lithuanian and |
| table and then if required add new tables. For example | | | | Russian |
| you can create new report for exporting Customers | | | | 10. Beyond Report Writer. In our opinion excellent |
| and their addresses (main table is Customer Master, | | | | options are Crystal Reports, Microsoft SQL Server |
| and linked one would be Customer Address Master), | | | | Reporting Services (SSRS). If your goal is pure |
| then go to Layout and add fields from both tables. If | | | | financial reporting, including consolidated, consider FRx |
| you do it this way - you probably want to filter | | | | Reporting. FRx should be able to combine Dynamics |
| customers and/or their addresses by certain criteria - | | | | GP originated GL balances with non Microsoft ERP |
| do it Report Restrictions | | | | platforms exported to Excel: SAP Business One |
| 5. Some limitations and breaking through. There were | | | | (Brazil, China, Japan, Korea, Russia), 1S Bukhgalteria |
| known concerns and compliance from the customers | | | | (Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus) |
| of Great Plains about Report Writer printouts problems | | | | 11. Report Writer and Customer Dexterity Add-ons. It is |
| in working with Clipboard and even if you save RW | | | | required that Dexterity customization has RW |
| print out to the file - it is difficult to open and reformat it | | | | exposed dictionary, where you modify Alternate |
| in Excel. In Dynamics GP 10 SP4 and GP 2010 | | | | Reports (if Dex customization imports reports from |
| (formerly known as version 11) - you can export to | | | | Dynamics.dic and has sum modification there on its |
| XML, which is very helpful in following report data | | | | behalf and then opens it for you for further |
| massage | | | | modification) |
| 6. Upgrading Report Writer reports to new Great | | | | 12. How to get help? |
| Plains version. There is standard way to upgrade | | | | |