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TRAINEE WORKBOOK Atlas 4.0 for Microsoft Dynamics AX

Advanced upload system

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

Copyright © 2009, Globe Software Pty Ltd, All rights reserved.

Trademarks

Dynamics AX, IntelliMorph, and X++ have been registered as or are under registration as

trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.

Microsoft Office System 2007, Windows 2003 and Windows 2008 are registered trademarks of

Microsoft Corporation.

Software release

This documentation accompanies Atlas version 4.0.1749 or higher and which is suitable for

Microsoft Dynamics AX V4.0 SP2 and Dynamics AX 2009 SP1 or higher and Microsoft Office

2007 or higher.

Publication date

12/07/2009

Reader comments

Any comments or suggestions regarding this publication are welcomed and should be

addressed to the attention of:

[email protected]

i

Table of Contents 1 Introduction .................................................................................................... 3

1.1 Welcome .............................................................................................................................. 3

1.2 About this course ................................................................................................................ 3

1.2.1 Course description ......................................................................................................................................................................... 3

1.2.2 Audience ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 3

1.2.3 Objectives .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 3

1.2.4 Pre-requisites ................................................................................................................................................................................... 3

1.3 Classroom Training ............................................................................................................. 4

1.4 Training Materials .............................................................................................................. 4

2 Working with templates .................................................................................. 6

2.1 Outline ................................................................................................................................6

2.2 Objectives ............................................................................................................................6

2.3 Walkthrough: Creating a simple customer template ........................................................ 7

2.3.1 Scenario ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 7

2.3.2 Preliminaries .................................................................................................................................................................................... 7

2.3.3 Identifying mandatory fields ...................................................................................................................................................... 8

2.3.4 Creating a table template ........................................................................................................................................................... 8

2.3.5 Selecting mandatory fields ......................................................................................................................................................... 9

2.3.6 Adding user required fields...................................................................................................................................................... 10

2.3.7 Remove redundant fields ......................................................................................................................................................... 11

2.3.8 Applying basic defaults ............................................................................................................................................................. 11

2.3.9 Saving the template ................................................................................................................................................................... 13

3 Table upload functions ................................................................................... 15

3.1 Outline ............................................................................................................................... 15

3.2 Objectives ........................................................................................................................... 15

3.3 Append function ............................................................................................................... 16

3.3.1 Outline............................................................................................................................................................................................. 16

3.3.2 Uses for the Append function ................................................................................................................................................. 16

3.3.3 Lab. Exercises ................................................................................................................................................................................ 17

3.4 Update Column function .................................................................................................. 18

3.4.1 Outline............................................................................................................................................................................................. 18

3.4.2 Uses for the Column function ................................................................................................................................................. 18

3.4.3 Walk-through: Updating a field ............................................................................................................................................ 19

3.4.4 Lab exercises ................................................................................................................................................................................. 23

3.5 Replace function ............................................................................................................... 24

3.5.1 Outline............................................................................................................................................................................................. 24

3.5.2 Uses for the Lookup function .................................................................................................................................................. 24

3.5.3 Walk-through: Find and replace ........................................................................................................................................... 25

3.5.4 Lab Exercises ................................................................................................................................................................................. 30

3.6 Key points .......................................................................................................................... 31

Introduction

ii

3.7 Quick interaction .............................................................................................................. 32

4 Journal functions ............................................................................................ 33

4.1 Outline .............................................................................................................................. 33

4.2 Objectives .......................................................................................................................... 33

4.3 Walk-through: Journal upload functions ......................................................................... 34

4.3.1 Scenario .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 34

4.3.2 Creating a basic template ........................................................................................................................................................ 34

4.3.3 Adjusting heading and lines fields ........................................................................................................................................ 35

4.3.4 Mapping and setting defaults ................................................................................................................................................. 37

4.3.5 Test the journal upload ............................................................................................................................................................. 41

4.4 Key points ......................................................................................................................... 43

4.5 Quick interaction .............................................................................................................. 44

3

1 Introduction

1.1 Welcome Training is a vital component of retaining the value of your Atlas investment. Our training

keeps you up-to-date on your solution and helps you develop the skills necessary for you to

fully maximize the value of your investment. Whether you choose to undertake Classroom

Training, or download our Training Materials, there’s a type of training to meet your needs.

1.2 About this course This course provides you with specific guidance on how to build templates in the Atlas upload

system.

1.2.1 Course description

This tutor-led course provides students with the knowledge to use advanced functions of the

Atlas upload system. The course focuses on using all the upload functions and demonstrates

each in isolation and in context.

1.2.2 Audience

This course is intended for all students who wish to learn about the Atlas upload system and

what it can do for them. It is expected that students have a good understanding of Microsoft

Excel and its basic features.

1.2.3 Objectives

The objective of this course is to provide you with the ability to:

Understand and navigate the Atlas ribbon and task panes

Understand Designer and Context modes of operation

Use the data source tabs and mapping fields to entries in your document

Understand the concept of a template and its primary purposes

o Field selection

o Setting of defaults

Understand and how to build table upload templates for the following functions:

o Append

o Column update

o Replace

Understand and how to build journal upload templates

Understand the various forms of defaults and how to apply them

1.2.4 Pre-requisites

Students must have completed the Atlas 4 introductory upload course and must be familiar

with Microsoft Dynamics AX. They must also have a good knowledge of the basic features of

Microsoft Excel.

Introduction

4

1.3 Classroom Training Classroom Training provides serious, in-depth learning through hands-on interaction. From

demonstrations to presentations to classroom activities, you’ll receive hands-on experience

with instruction from our experts.

1.4 Training Materials Training Materials allow you to learn at your own pace, on your own time with information-

packed training manuals. We offer a variety of training manuals and user guides, each rich with

tips, tricks, and insights you can refer to again and again:

Atlas Training Workbooks are very detailed training manuals, designed from a training

perspective. These manuals include advanced topics as well as training objectives, exercises

and interactions.

Look for a complete list of manuals available from your partner or via the website:

www.atlas4synamicsAX.com.au.

Before you begin please check that you have the following:

You must have a copy of Dynamics AX 4 of Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 installed and

working on the CEU company. Or,

A copy of Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 installed in a VPC with the demonstration company

CEU installed.

Atlas 4 installed with connections to the appropriate Microsoft Dynamics AX installation. (If

you are using the VPC with an Atlas differential installed, then this should already be

working)

An Atlas client icon on the desktop, configured to point to the training system

Atlas 4 training workbooks installed

LAB 3.6.1 - Append Post codes

LAB 4.3.1 - Append Customers

LAB 4.3.2 - Post codes

LAB 4.3.3 - Addresses

LAB 4.4.1 - Update Customer Credit ratings

LAB 4.5.1 - Customer - Item sales forecast

LAB 5.3.1 - Free-text invoice

LAB 5.3.2 - Sales price journal

LAB 5.3.3 - Sales order

Atlas 4 completed training workbooks

COMPLETE WALKTHROUGH 3.4.1 - Build in-document template

COMPLETE L3.6.1 - Append Post codes

COMPLETE WALKTHROUGH 4.4.3 - Update sales pool

Introduction

5

COMPLETE WALKTHROUGH 4.4.3a - Verification

COMPLETE WALKTHROUGH 4.3.1 – Journal

COMPLETE L5.3.2 - Sales price journal

COMPLETE L5.3.3 - Sales order

Upload data source file and templates:

Training - General - Upload.AtlasDataSources

LAB 3.3.1 Append New Customers

LAB 3.4.1 Append New Customers

LAB 3.6.1 City postal codes

LAB 4.3.3 Addresses

LAB 4.4.3 Sales order pool update

LAB 4.5.1 Sales forecast

LAB 5.3.1 Free-text invoice

Free-text invoice

LAB 5.3.2 - Sales price journal

Accompanying walk-through templates:

WALKTHROUGH 2.3.1 - Upload new customer

WALKTHROUGH 3.4.1 - Update sales pool

WALKTHROUGH 3.5.1 - Replace Sales Budget

WALKTHROUGH 4.3.1 - Journal

6

2 Working with templates

2.1 Outline For all but the simplest of uploads, a template is needed to define both the fields in the target

Microsoft Dynamics AX table and the mapping between these fields and your Microsoft Office

document.

A template serves two purposes:

1. Describes the required fields in the target Microsoft Dynamics AX table in terms of:

a. System requirements. i.e. have all the mandatory fields been included

b. User requirements. i.e. have all the fields the user needs been included

2. Provides a means by which pre-set or default values can be assigned to fields, thus

reducing the amount of data-entry the user has to do, to successfully upload into

Microsoft Dynamics AX. These defaults come in the form of:

a. Pre-set literal values

b. Number sequences

c. Defaults from parent or child records

d. X++ method calls

3. Provides a means to map the Microsoft Office document to the Microsoft Dynamics AX

fields

Templates are analogous to saved queries; they can be saved as a file and shared amongst

other users.

Mapped templates are often saved into the document as in-document templates. It is these

that are used when the upload is run. The batch tasks procedure can only use in-document

templates.

2.2 Objectives At the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

Create table function templates

Understand what is meant by system and user requirements in a template

Understand the various forms of template pre-set values

Understand how to edit templates

Understand the difference between a template and an in-document template

Working with templates

7

2.3 Walkthrough: Creating a simple customer template 2.3.1 Scenario

This is the first opportunity you have had to build an upload template. With an eye for

simplicity, you decide to attempt to build a template that can be used to append customer

records to the Microsoft Dynamics AX customer table. It will derive the customer account code

from a number sequence and it will default the language. You need to remember that the

template must satisfy the following conditions before it can be used successfully.

Choose a table

Includes all mandatory system fields

Includes the set of fields necessary to meet the business requirement

Remove redundant fields

Apply defaults to reduce on-sheet references

Saving the template

The document you are using to test the upload process is WALKTHROUGH 2.3.1 – Upload new

customer.xlsx.

2.3.2 Preliminaries

Since a number sequence will be used to assign the customer number, it is necessary to create

this in Microsoft Dynamics AX first.

1. Open Microsoft Dynamics AX

2. Navigate to Basic -> Setup -> Number sequences -> Number sequences

Figure 1 Number sequences

3. Create a new number sequence (Ctrl+N)

4. Enter Atlas_1 in the Number sequence code entry box

5. Enter Atlas customer number in the Name entry box

6. Enter 1 in the Smallest entry box

7. Enter 999 in the Largest

8. Enter AC### in the Format entry box


8

9. Save the record (Ctrl+S)

10. Close Microsoft Dynamics AX

2.3.3 Identifying mandatory fields

Each table will typically include fields that are required by Microsoft Dynamics AX to be filled

in. These will include key fields and other essential fields used by the system. Unless derived

through a method call, you must include all mandatory fields in your template. You can

determine the mandatory fields on a table either by inspecting the table definition in the AOT

or selecting the table for upload using Atlas in Context mode:

1. From the Ribbon bar, on the Atlas tab, in the Report options group, ensure that the task

pane mode is Context

2. From the Ribbon bar, on the Atlas tab, in the Upload group click the Table button.

Choose Append from the menu that is shown

3. Tick to select Customers beneath the Create using template node

4. Click to select the Append tab

5. Scroll down the list, mandatory fields are those with a red underline in the Criteria

column

Figure 2 Mandatory fields highlighted with red underline

2.3.4 Creating a table template

Create a template by choosing a table and then adjust the field list to suit:

1. Open the sample workbook

2. From the Ribbon bar, on the Atlas tab, in the Report options group, ensure that the task

pane mode is Designer

3. From the Ribbon bar, on the Atlas tab, in the Upload group click the Table button.

Choose Append from the menu that is shown

4. Tick to select Customers beneath the Create using template node

5. Click to select the Append tab


9

Figure 3 Template based upon auto-report fields

6. Click to select the Customers node

7. Click Properties to reveal the properties form

8. Change the Title to read Basic Customer Append

9. Click OK

2.3.5 Selecting mandatory fields

Ensure your template includes all the required fields. In this case these will be:

Customer account

Customer group

Address book type

Currency

Language

Do this as follows using the Append tab:

1. Click Fields

2. Click to expand the Available fields node

3. Tick to select Address book type

4. Tick to select Language

5. Click OK


10

Figure 4 All mandatory fields included

2.3.6 Adding user required fields

These are fields that are in the workbook that are, from a user’s point of view, necessary for a

successful upload. In this example these include the Search name, Credit rating and the Credit

limit:

1. Click Fields


3. Tick to select Credit limit

4. Tick to select Credit rating

5. Tick to select Search name

6. Click OK

The template now appears as follows:

Figure 5 Template including mandatory, user required and redundant fields


11

2.3.7 Remove redundant fields

The template is useable as specified. However, it can be adjusted to remove those fields that

are not necessary for the data in the source workbook. These fields include:

Address

Telephone

Organisation number

Remove as follows:

1. Click Fields

2. Tick to remove Address

3. Tick to remove Telephone

4. Tick to remove Organisation number

5. Click OK

The template now appears as follows:

Figure 6 Template suitable for use with the workbook

2.3.8 Applying basic defaults

2.3.8.1 Outline

You can apply some basic defaults at this stage, these include:

Number sequences

Literal values that need not be entered from the workbook. E.g. Address book type

2.3.8.2 Adjusting the template for defaults

Defaults are applied at field level, in this example these fields will be Customer account,

Address book type and Language:

1. Click to select Customer account

2. Right-click to select Properties

3. Tick to select Number sequence


12

4. Enter Atlas_1 in the Value entry box

5. Select Per line in New voucher

6. Tick to select Hidden. This ensures the field is not visible at runtime

Figure 7 Customer account properties

7. Click Apply

8. Click the right spinner button (>) until the Address book type field is shown


10. Click the Value search button to reveal a list of alternatives

11. Tick to select Organization

Figure 8 Choose Organization

12. Click Select items

13. Click OK

14. Click the right spinner button (>) until the Language field is shown



13

16. Click the Value search button to reveal a list of alternatives

Figure 9 English US

17. Tick to select en-us


19. Click OK

20. Click Apply

21. Close the Properties window using the red cross at the top right of the form

Below is how the template might look:

Figure 10 Basic, unmapped template

2.3.9 Saving the template

Saving the template will create a file that can be shared with other users and is available for re-

use with similar documents:

1. Click Save As…

2. In the File name entry box, type LAB 231 – Basic Customer Append


14

Figure 11 Saves As... makes the template available for use

3. Click OK

Use the Insert button to make this template an in-document template and then map the

document ranges to the fields in the template.

15

3 Table upload functions

3.1 Outline The table upload functions are used to enter records into Microsoft Dynamics AX tables. These

will typically be budgets and new records for main table and the like. You can also use the

upload functions to amend existing columns of a table, for example adjusting the credit limit

for a range of customers. A replace function is available which deletes records and then

appends new records as a replacement for the deleted ones.

You should note that these functions respect the access settings for the tables in Microsoft

Dynamics AX. This means that if update or append is not allowed as prescribed by Microsoft

Dynamics AX (for example transaction tables) then you will not be able to use the upload

functions of Atlas on these tables either.


Understand the differences in template design for the following functions:

o Append

o Update

o Replace

Understand how each of these three upload functions are built and used

Understand how to edit each function

Table upload functions

16

3.3 Append function 3.3.1 Outline

The Append function adds one or more records to a Microsoft Dynamics AX data source. This

is the simplest of the Table upload functions as no additional filter criteria needs to be applied.

3.3.2 Uses for the Append function

You use the Append function in the following instances:

During implementation, use this to load new, main table and setup data into Microsoft

Dynamics AX. For example, customers, vendors, dimensions and items

When budget transactions are to be loaded into a new model

When the loading of new records using the Microsoft Dynamics AX client would take

longer than using the Atlas upload system


17

3.3.3 Lab. Exercises

1. Your investigations so far have given you a good understanding of the Table Append

function. Despite being shown how to prepare a customer upload template, you will need

to use what you have learned into practice and load a list of new customers. You will open

the workbook and use the Table Append function to create a template for this purpose.

(Use LAB 3.3.1 – Append Customers.xlsx)

Challenge yourself!

1. Ensure task pane mode is Designer

2. Open the Table Append task pane

3. Pick the Customers table

4. Adjust fields to meet mandatory and user requirements

5. Apply defaults

6. Save the template

Need a little help?

1.

Here is an example of the loaded records inside Microsoft Dynamics AX:


18

3.4 Update Column function 3.4.1 Outline

This function is used to update one or more columns in a table with values found in the source

document. The records selected for update are defined using a Filters tab page. The template

used; saved or in-document must nominate which fields uniquely identify a record in the

source document.

3.4.2 Uses for the Column function

The Column update function is used in the following instances:

Where you want to adjust the value of one or more fields in a table of Microsoft Dynamics

AX

There are many records to be adjusted meaning the use of the Microsoft Dynamics AX

client and associated table forms would be prohibitive

Where the column adjustment does not change prior, reported values. In this case a

journal or other transactions postings should be used.

Where a property of a record was missed or was not available during upload and needs to

be added subsequently.


19

3.4.3 Walk-through: Updating a field

3.4.3.1 Scenario

Because the information was not available at the time of loading, the new customers you did

not include a Sales pool code; an attribute necessary for some specific reporting used by the

sales team. You need to be able to modify these existing records with this attribute. You must

build a suitable template that will update the sales order pool.

In this scenario, the following will be done:

Build a template to update the sales pool.

Define named ranges for each column of this list

Map to the document

Run the update

Use WALKTHROUGH 3.4.1 - Update sales pool.xlsx as a basis for this exercise.

3.4.3.2 Build an update template

The following is an example of the table that can be used as a starting point for the update:

Figure 12 New customers that need updating

Build the template as follows:

1. From the Atlas ribbon bar, select the Table button and choose Table columns from the

menu

2. In the Create using template list, tick to select the Customers node

3. Open the Filters tab

4. Click to select the Customer account

5. In the criteria column, enter =AccountNum. This means that Atlas will use this named

range to identify unique customer account codes.

6. Open the Table columns tab


20

7. Click to select the Table Columns (Customers) node

8. Click the Fields button

9. When the Add or modify report columns task pane appears, un-tick all but the Customer

account column

10. Expand the Available fields node and navigate the list until you find Sales order pool.

Tick to select this field

11. Click OK to copy your selections into the list task pane

The task pane appears as follows:

3.4.3.3 Define named ranges

Define the ranges in which Atlas will source the key field of the table and the data to update

the records with.

1. Click to select the Customer Account row

2. Right-click and select =AccountNum

3. Click to select the Sales order pool row

4. Right-click and select =SalesPoolId

5. Click Insert

The task pane appears as follows:


21

Figure 13 Mapped template

3.4.3.4 Map document to template

Use named ranges to so that the upload system knows where to find the data:

1. Select cell D6

2. Right-click and from the menu choose Select->Table Column Data

3. In the Name box, type AccountNum

4. Select cell F6

5. Right-click and from the menu choose Select->Table Column Data

6. In the Name box, type SalesPoolId

3.4.3.5 Confirmation

Send the update request to Microsoft Dynamics AX:

1. From the Atlas ribbon bar, change the mode form Designer to Context

2. Open the Confirmation tab

3. Click Upload

The records in the customer table will be updated and the confirmation page will indicate all

reported records have been updated, thus:


22


23

3.4.4 Lab exercises


24

3.5 Replace function 3.5.1 Outline

This is used to remove existing records from a data source and then append a new set of

records as a replacement. Typically this will only be used on tables that allow for a set of

records to be deleted and then a new set to be added. Because of this, this function may not

be appropriate where records cannot be deleted because of dependencies on other records;

as is the case with customers, vendors and ledger accounts. Normally use this feature on

tables like budgets and forecasts which allow records to be deleted.

Using the Replace function, means you specify a delete action; in which you tell the upload

system what to remove and then build an Append function.

3.5.2 Uses for the Lookup function

The Replace function is used in the following instances:

Where you want a user to remove a set of records and replace them with a new set. For

example a budget or forecast

Whenever wholesale data changes are required and dependent records do not exist

Where the task of entering records directly in Microsoft Dynamics AX exceeds the time

taken by the Atlas upload system to do the same thing


25

3.5.3 Walk-through: Find and replace

3.5.3.1 Scenario

You have been asked to review a sales budget prepared for the coming quarter by the Sales

team. You have been told that data in the workbook needs a template so that it can be loaded

into AX. To do this, you will:

Create a template based upon Ledger budget

Build filter expression to remove existing records

Map the template to the document and create an in-document template

Use the template and perform the upload

Here is an example of the workbook: (WALKTHROUGH 3.5.1 - Replace Sales Budget.xlsx). It can

be assumed that the default named ranges suggested by Atlas is available for use in the

template.

3.5.3.2 Create the ledger budget template

Create the template as follows:

1. From the Atlas ribbon bar, change the mode to Designer

2. From the Atlas ribbon bar, select the Table button and choose Find and Replace from

the menu

3. Tick to select the Ledger budget node

4. Open the Filters tab

5. Click to select the Date row

6. Type =DateRange into the Criteria column

7. Click to select the Model row

8. Type =Model into the Criteria column

Here is what the tab should look like:

Figure 14 Filter expression defining what to delete

9. Open the Find and Replace tab


26

10. Click to select the Amount field

11. Right-click and open the Properties form

12. Using the Field type drop-down, select Number of columns

13. Enter 3 into Number of columns

14. Choose Date in the Date field drop-down box

Figure 15 Amount tabulated into 3 columns

15. Click Apply and close the form

16. Click to select Find and Replace: Ledger budget node

17. Click the Fields button

18. When the Add or modify report columns task pane appears, un-tick the Revision date

field

19. Click OK

The template appears as follows:

Figure 16 Ledger budget upload


27

3.5.3.3 Mapping the template to the document

Assign named ranges to each field in the template apart from the Amount and Date fields

beneath the columns node:

1. Select the Ledger account row

2. Right-click and select =LedgerAccount

3. Select the Model row

4. Right-click and select =ModelNum

5. Select the Comment row

6. Right-click and select =Comment

7. Select the Currency row

8. Right-click and select Properties…

9. Enter USD into the Value entry box

10. Click Apply and close the form

Figure 17 Row based elements with suggested range names

11. Click to select the Ledger budget node

12. Right-click Properties…

13. Change the title from Ledger budget to First Quarter Sales Budget

14. Click OK

15. Click Insert

3.5.3.4 Mapping the tabulated date and amount columns

This requires the mode to be changed from Designer to Context. It is in context mode that the

ranges for the two tabulated fields are mapped.

1. From the Atlas ribbon bar, change the mode to Context

2. Open the Find and Replace tab

3. Click to select Date[1] and type 31/01/2011


28



6. Click to select Amount[1] and type =January

7. Click to select Amount[2] and type =February

8. Click to select Amount[3] and type =March

Figure 18 Mapped tabulated columns for amount and date

9. Select to open the Confirmation tab

10. Click to select Save

3.5.3.5 Performing an upload using the template

Perform the upload as follows:

1. From the Atlas ribbon bar, change the mode to Context


3. Click Upload

When complete, the confirmation page reports the number inserted and the number of

records removed.


29

Figure 19 Added and Deleted records showing successful upload

Here is an example of the records in Microsoft Dynamics AX.

Figure 20 Sales forecast for Lion Sales


30

3.5.4 Lab Exercises


31

3.6 Key points This section introduced the three main table upload functions:

Append

Update

Find and Replace (Replace)

In addition to introducing these three functions, it showed how these functions can be used in

conjunction with other features to make the Atlas upload system a powerful addition for

Microsoft Dynamics AX.

Other lessons learned include:

Append is the simplest of functions as it works with new record sets only

Update changes the value in one or more columns of a table

Find and replace is two operations in one; a delete operation and an append action

The Update function uses a filter tab page to define the set of records to which the update

will apply

The find and Replace function uses the Filter tab page to define the delete action

Use these functions when the volume of records to manipulate is large or the time taken

to achieve a given task in Microsoft Dynamics AX is long

Table functions do not normally operate on transaction type tables. Instead, use the

journal functions

Find and Replace is used for Budget and forecasts

Actions on Vendor, Customer, Items, Projects and the like are undertaken using append

and/or the update functions


32

3.7 Quick interaction Take a moment to write down the three key points you have learned:

1.

2.

3.

33

4 Journal functions

4.1 Outline Use the Journal upload functions to post the transactions that you would normally enter using

the journal forms inside Microsoft Dynamics AX. For example, vendor invoice, general journal,

fixed asset journal, inventory movement journal and trade agreements. You can also use this

for free-text invoices, purchase orders and sales orders.

Candidates for this function are those tables in Microsoft Dynamics AX that are defined as type

Worksheet header and Worksheet line.

This function allows you to send a single header record at a time and attach one or more line

records. To achieve multiple header records and multiple lines, you will need to use the Table

Append functions described earlier.

Journal upload is an Append action only and is similar to the Table Append function described

earlier.


Understand how build a general journal upload template

Understand how to join the header and lines tables to create the initial template

Understand defaults from header

Understand number sequence allocation as it relates to journals and vouchers

Journal functions

34

4.3 Walk-through: Journal upload functions 4.3.1 Scenario

You have prepared a general journal workbook that will allow you to upload un-posted ledger

journal transactions into Microsoft Dynamics AX. Before you can test this workbook you need

to build a suitable saved template from the library of templates in your installation. This will

need to be included into the document and the fields mapped. (Use WALKTHROUGH 4.3.1 –

Journal.xlsx).

In this scenario, you will:

Link the header and lines tables to create a basic journal

Adjust heading and lines fields

Map fields and set defaults as required before inserting into the document

Test the upload

Here is how the workbook appears:

Figure 21 General journal workbook

4.3.2 Creating a basic template

You can do this by selecting the ledger journal table and the ledger journal lines from the list

of data sources, found beneath the Create from template node:

1. From the Atlas ribbon bar, change the mode to Designer

2. From the Atlas ribbon bar, select the Journal button

3. Click to select the Ledger journal table node

4. Right-click to select Journal header

5. Click to select the Journal lines node

6. Right-click to select Journal lines

Journal functions

35

Figure 22 Linking header and line tables to form a basic template

4.3.3 Adjusting heading and lines fields

4.3.3.1 Outline

Once the basic template is built, you can adjust the template to accommodate the required

fields. These fields are those that satisfy both the system and user requirements. In terms of

system requirements, all mandatory fields are included in the basic template, so it is just a

question of including the user required fields.

4.3.3.2 Adjust the journal header

Remove all un-necessary fields. Many of the journal header fields can be populated by using a

standard X++ method. If you use this, then the header needs only include the journal number,

name and description:

1. Open the Journal tab

Figure 23 Basic template showing auto-report fields

2. Click to select the Journal header: Ledger journal table node

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3. Click Fields to open the field selection window

4. Un-tick all but the Journal number, Name and Description fields

Figure 24 Basic set of fields needed for the header

5. Click OK

The following is shown:

Figure 25 Journal header and lines.

4.3.3.3 Adjust the lines component to the template

It is usual that the auto-report fields for the journal lines will always be included in all

templates. Therefore, adjusting the lines is usually a case of adding fields to the template. In

this case the standard dimensions and document fields will be added along with exchange

rate. Do this as follows:

1. Click to select the Journal lines: Journal lines node

2. Click Fields to open the field selection window


4. Tick to select the Account type field

5. Tick to select the Department field

6. Tick to select the Cost centre field

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7. Tick to select the Purpose field

8. Tick to select the Exchange rate field

9. Tick to select the Document field

10. Tick to select the Document date field

11. Click OK

Figure 26 Expanded journal lines record

4.3.4 Mapping and setting defaults

4.3.4.1 Outline

You can see that this template does not contain any pre-set defaults and the link between the

header and the lines is not included. Set the defaults and mapping for each field in turn. You

can assume and can verify by inspection that the suggested named ranges exist in the

document already. Any reference to “=” below represents a known named range.

4.3.4.2 Applying settings to the header fields

Examine each field in turn:

1. In the Journal tab, select the Journal number field

2. Click to select Properties…


4. Tick to select Hidden

5. Type into the Value entry box, the number sequence used to represent journal numbers.

In this case Gene_10

6. Click the (>) button to select the Name field

7. Enter into the Value entry box =JournalName

8. Enter into the X++ Method name box InitFromLedgerJournalName

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Figure 27 Setting defaults using a method call

9. Click Apply

10. Close the Properties… form

11. Select Description

12. Right-click and select =Name

The Journal tab appears as follows:

Figure 28 Header fields mapped and default settings applied

4.3.4.3 Applying settings to the journal lines

Examine each field in turn:

1. In the Journal lines tab, select the Journal number field



4. Click to select from the Field type drop-down Parent field list

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5. In the Value entry box, use the lookup window to tick to select the JournalNum field

from the list

6. Click OK

7. Click Apply

8. Click the (>) button to select the Voucher field



11. Click to select from the Field type drop-down Parent field list

12. In the Value entry box, use the lookup window to tick to select the VoucherSeries field

from the list

13. Click OK

14. Click Apply

15. Click the (>) button to select the Account type field


17. In the Value entry box, use the lookup window to tick to select the Ledger entry from the

list


19. Click OK

20. Click Apply


The form appears as follows:

Figure 29 Default settings for hidden fields applied

22. Select Date

23. Right-click and select =TransDate

24. Select Account

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25. Right-click and select =AccountNum

26. Select Transaction text

27. Right-click and select =Txt

28. Select Currency

29. Right-click and select =CurrencyCode

30. Select Debit

31. Right-click and select =AmountCurDebit

32. Select Credit

33. Right-click and select =AmountCurCredit

34. Select Cost centre


36. In the Value entry box, type =CC

37. Click Apply

38. Click the (>) button to select the Department field

39. In the Value entry box, type =Dept

40. Click Apply

41. Click the (>) button to select the Purpose field

42. In the Value entry box, type =Purpose

43. Click Apply


45. Select Document

46. Right-click and select =DocumentNum

47. Select Document date

48. Right-click and select =DocumentDate

49. Select Exchange rate

50. Right-click and select =ExchRate

The Journal tab appears as follows:

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Figure 30 Mapped template, ready for inclusion into the workbook

Include this template as an in-document template as follows:

1. Click to select the Ledger journal table node at the top of the pane


3. In the Title entry box, type Basic ledger journal

4. In the Returns drop-down, select JournalNum

5. Click OK

6. Click the Insert at the base of the task pane

7. From the Atlas ribbon bar, change the mode from Designer to Context

4.3.5 Test the journal upload

You are going to test the journal upload:

1. From the Atlas ribbon bar, select the Journal button

2. Ensure the in-document template Basic ledger journal is ticked


4. Click to select the Upload button

When the upload is complete, the number of records added will show 3 and a ledger journal is

added to Microsoft Dynamics AX.

In Microsoft Dynamics AX the journal will appear as follows:

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Figure 31 Newly added journal

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4.4 Key points This section introduced the Journal upload function. You also learned that:

Append is the only action allowed using this function

A journal is made up of a header table and a lines table

Normally these tables are classified as Worksheet header and Worksheet line in the AOT

A journal will add one header record and one or more detail or line records

Saved templates are used to define the tables involved and the linkages between them

Saved templates are selected, mapped and included into the document

Templates can use defaults and these can be drawn from:

o Number sequences

o Fields in the related header table

o Pre-set values in the template

o Or from the document

Use this function to add transactions to your Microsoft Dynamics AX system when:

o You need to load opening transactions and balances at time of system start-up

o You want to load transactions into Microsoft Dynamics AX that need manipulation by

or are sourced from Excel

o You need to interface external systems where an automatic interface is not possible

o You want to provide casual users with a means to prepare transactions using a familiar

interface. E.g. timesheets, employee travel expenses, customer forecasts etc.

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4.5 Quick interaction Take a moment to write down the three key points you have learned:

1.

2.

3.

trainee workbook - global software, inc · 2. from the ribbon bar, on the atlas tab, in the upload...

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