Dynamics AX 2012 R2 – Cumulative Update 7 (CU7) released

Microsoft released a new cumulative update for Microsoft Dynamics AX2012 R2, named Cumulative Update 7 (KB2885603). The version number of this release is 6.2.1000.4051.

You can download the update here.

Within this update hotfixes are included as well as some new or enhanced features. Also the prior CU’s are included. It’s good to see Microsoft continues enriching the functionality for Microsoft Dynamics AX even in cumulative updates. There was an additional focus within the next areas:

Update experience

The CU7 update experience is more metadata driven – providing users the ability to view applicable changes, perform impact analysis during install and apply them to their environments on an as-needed basis with auto code update (where possible). The new update experience will also have tighter integration between Lifecycle Services in the cloud and the on premise update installer.

Sales order potency

Create and validate price calculations for sales order items that have a potency. Price calculations are based on the active concentration levels of batch attributes.

Budget planning

• Create an Excel worksheet template using a wizard.
• Allocate budget amounts using ledger allocation.

Payroll

Some compliance preparation reports are added for use of the 940, 941, state wage and tax reports. Also preparation reports for VETS and OSHA are available for the US market.

It is possible to create groupings of tax codes that share the same financial data. An user can act on then as group rather than individually. The new tax groups can be used in transaction posting definitions as well.

Another nice enhancement is the functionality for updating benefits rates. A process can be run that compares the default rates to the enrolled rates for each worker and makes any necessary updates. It also provides a way for the user to designate an enrolled rate as “custom” so the update tool will ignore it when processing updates.

You can now use the Payroll cube to analyze information including earnings statements, pay statements, benefit accruals, tax history, arrears, and benefits.

HRM

You can hire or promote a worker using personnel actions. These actions enables the following features:

• The hire action is added to an action history log for the worker
• The option to use standard Dynamics AX Workflow before the Hire is committed
• The option to easily add comments about the hire

Depending on the personnel action type that you use, the hire action can be routed through workflow.

You can now use the HR cube to analyze workforce demographic information, recruiting metrics, compensation, benefits, training courses, seniority, positions, jobs, employment leave, terminations, and more.

On-hand cleanup

The purpose of the On-hand entries cleanup feature is to improve the performance of the on-hand query by deleting records from the inventory on-hand table (InventSum) that are closed and associated with a tracking dimension. Entries in the table that are not associated with a tracking dimension are not deleted. The feature will especially benefit companies that handle large quantities of serialized products.

Product change

Within CU7 functionality is added to document the master data changes needed to accommodate the substitution of a component used in production, and manage the coordinated release of BOMs and routes to production. This functionality is integrated with case management where product cases are routed in this process.

Services industries

It is also good to see some improvements on project functionality:

A Microsoft Project client add-in is included in this update. It enables easy creation and editing in MS Project without requiring Project Server. It supports editing WBS for project, project quotes, and templates including task and category assignment. Additionally it enables tasks to be viewed on SharePoint Online.

Enhancements on the work breakdown structure (WBS) provides a more natural and complete editing surface for project planning, estimation, and monitoring. Several enhancements have been made to provide more effective resource scheduling and assignment. These enhancements include the following abilities:

• Assign resources using visual, graphic-based tools
• Form a project team by identifying project roles and competencies required for the team
• Rationalize team and work breakdown structure assignments • Assign a percentage of a worker’s capacity to a project
• Make group resource assignments

Also enhancements were made on intercompany project invoicing. The goal of this functionality is to make the control of cost, revenue recognition, taxes, and transfer price for intercompany project transactions in Microsoft Dynamics AX Service Industries more flexible and powerful.

Mobile experiences

Until now you could install updates for enabling functionality on mobile devices such as timesheets and expenses. Within this update this functionality is included out of the box.

Data Import Export Framework

Within CU7 also the Data Import Export Framework is integrated as part of the update. Over 60 entities have been added out of the box. Some new entities are: Number sequence codes, Project contracts and Product variants.

Also the new version of this framework now supports file type XML and Excel.

You can now use a wizard to compare or copy entities from one source company to one or more companies.

Imparted from here

Step by step import with Data Migration Framework [AX 2012]

Follow the steps on msdn to install the Data Migration Framework.

http://technet.microsoft.com/EN-US/library/jj225595

Once you have install, there is also a user guide on msdn but not very detailed. I did my first walk through today and took some notes along the way.

There are demo files you should look at. http://technet.microsoft.com/EN-US/library/jj225593

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Data Migration Framework \DemoFiles\Delimited

1. Click on Data Migration Framework > Setup > Source data formats to set up your source data format.

Currently there is on flat file imports available with possible future enhancements from Microsoft to support other types.

2. Under the Applications content, you can select your dimensions. The Dimension code lookup is a multi selection lookup (tick the selection box on the left of the lookup and ok).

3. Click on Data Migration Framework > Common > Processing group. Create a new record and give it a name and description

4. From the Processing group form, click on Entities.

Create a new record. In this example I created one for a Vendor import. The Sample file path field will be blank.

Note: You can use the demo file located under the installed folder. C:\Program Files\Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Data Migration Framework\DemoFiles

If you use the Demo files, then skip steps 5 to 7. If you want to modify the columns, then do steps 5 to 7, as it will ask you if you want to modify the existing file format.

5. Generate a sample file by clicking on Generate source file button. Follow the wizard and select the fields to import.

6. Then click the Generate sample file button. This will open up the sample file in notepad.

Click Finish when done.

7. Now fill in your data on the txt file.

8. Back on the main form click the Generate source mapping button. This will analyze the file and do the mapping between the file and the staging table.

9. Now you can open and view the mapping by clicking on the Modify source mapping button.

It should looks something like this. The Source is your txt file and the Staging is your staging table in AX. If your source file is messed up, you should be able to see it here.

10. Now validate the setup by clicking the Validate button on the main form.

11. View target mapping. This is a mapping between the Staging to the Target table. This should already be predefined. You can however modify the mapping.

Notice a the Function options on the left. These are predefined methods in the class to allow you to execute business logic. The example below, when you pass in a string of dimensions A-B-C, the GenerateDefaultDimension function splits the string up and generates a DefaultDimension RecId. A similar thing happens with the GenerateParty, which creates all the required global address book records to return a Party RecId.

12. Back on the main form.Click the Preview source file button. This loads up the file, to give you a preview of your file..

13. Go back to the Processing group form and click the Get staging data. This opens up a dialog with the processing group, click OK. You will then get this form.

Click on the Run to run client side or Click on Run on AOS to run server side. Usually, the user account doing the import wont have access to SQL integration servers.

Use the second option and it will run under the service account. This should run and complete with out errors.

14. You can now see the staging table by going to the Execution history from the Processing group form. From there you click the View staging data button.

You can modify the staging data before you process it to the target.

15. To process to the target, click on the Copy data to target button. Follow the options to execute the process.

You are now done. The result should be the vendor record created.

Imparted from here