Posts Tagged ‘axapta’

Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012– The New Reporting Engine

Friday, June 24th, 2011

AX 2012 – New Reporting Functionality

In Dynamics AX 2012 (Formally known as Axapta), extensive changes have been made in the area of reporting. SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) is the primary platform for reporting in the new version. The Report Development Environment in AX is easier to work with as it is now fully integrated with Visual Studio 2010 and utilizes extended SQL Server tools. Microsoft is working on the move to SSRS and at last count, 850 out of the 1245 out-of-the-box reports have been converted to the new platform.

Dynamics AX 2012 – What’s New

In Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 (DAX 2012_, there is a new concept of a Report Data Provider (RDP) framework which handles all the processing of data fetched for the report. The RDP framework aims to improve on performance by calculating and storing all the displayable data in a temporary table. This way, the report can directly render the output quicker than before. SSRS also calls the AX Application Object Server to run the report leading to speedier reports. A new powerful feature available in DAX 2012 is the Drill-through functionality. Using parameters that enable drill-through actions, reports can now be linked to each other. Users can conceivably drill down on the data on the report to the most detailed level. Using the Interactive Sort property on report fields, users can sort the data by any such columns in their report before actually sending it to the printer. SSRS is now more EDT-aware. EDT is the library or definition of fields used in Dynamics AX. In previous versions, some columns did not display fully or in the correct format without additional tweaking of the column design when creating a report. Now, properties such as Display Width, Date/time and Numeric formatting are automatically set.

Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Reporting – Upgrading and Challenges

All the X++ reports currently available in AX will be discontinued. There is no direct upgrade path from the current X++ reports to the SSRS reporting platform. All custom reports will have to be recreated in the new environment. This will obviously make upgrades more complex and expensive, but in the long run, will result in a much more flexible, standard and powerful reporting environment.

If you need help with upgrading or just want advice or service, email us at info@clientsfirst-us.com

by Charan Bhamidi

Edited by Mark Chinsky

Tags: axapta, ca, ct, Microsoft Dynamics AX, nj, pa, Reporting, reporting AX 2012, texas, tx
Posted in Microsoft Dynamics AX | 1 Comment »

Key Features and Benefits of the Dynamics AX 2009 Food and Beverage Solution — Part 1

Thursday, May 19th, 2011

by: Donald Clark CFPIM, CSCP

People in the food and beverage industry already know that “standard” ERP systems can be less than ideal when it comes to product definitions, production management and materials management. The Dynamics AX 2009 Food and Beverage Solution changes all of that. It was designed with industry-specific functionality and capability that managing the processes in food and beverage companies a great deal easier and more effective.

I have spent a great deal of time with the solution and will share some of its key features and benefits, ones I think add value to these In the food and beverage industry, in the next several posts here.

Here are some starters.

Yield Planning and Tracking

Users can define yields at the top level of the product, or for individual ingredients. This has a few benefits. First, the system will allow users to calculate an accurate cost for the produced items and for their individual ingredient contributions. Second, when determining material requirements using MRP, users get the “real” requirements, thus helping to eliminate material shortages.

Integrated Quality Control

Users can design any needed quality control tests for incoming materials or produced items. Once created, users can associate those tests to production steps or receiving activities and define disposition codes for failed tests. With integrated QC, users always know the test results and dispositions of tested materials – all within the system and all without mandating this information in spreadsheets or other external systems.

Expiration Date Management

The Dynamics AX 2009 Food and Beverage Solution can automatically track expiration and best-before dates for raw materials and produced items. The system also tells users that expiration dates are approaching so that they can take appropriate action. This saves users from having to track dates off line and helps to reduce the waste

If you are interested in further information on this solution, then go ahead and give us a call at 888-222-8827. We can show you how the Dynamics AX 2009 Food and Beverage Solution can help solve your issues effectively.

At Clients First Business Solutions, we welcome opportunities to deliver software solutions that help make people’s lives easier and more productive. If you would like to see how we can help you, we would love to hear from you.

Tags: AX, axapta, ca, california, dynamics ax, Dynamics AX Food and Beverage, food manufacturing software, manufacturing, new jersey, software
Posted in Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG), Distribution, Food Processing, Made-to-Stock Manufacturing, Microsoft Dynamics AX, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Dynamics AX 2009 Food and Beverage Solution – Formula and Recipe Management

Wednesday, May 18th, 2011

by: Donald Clark CFPIM, CSCP

Companies in the food and beverage industry have software needs that are unlike those found in other manufacturing companies. One of these needs is managing their formulas and recipes.

Many times when we talk to prospects that produce food products, we hear the same thing about how they manage formulas and recipes – they do it outside of their systems in Excel or they use work-around’s in their ERP systems. The fact is that traditional ERP does not provide the necessary tools to properly manage formulas or recipes. they are based on discrete models for product definitions and do not handle well products that are based on percentages like those in the food and beverage industry.

The Dynamics AX 2009 Food and Beverage Solution provides users with the ability to define their products whose components, or ingredients, are percentage-based. Some of the features in the solution include:

Formulation by percentages
Yield definition and tracking at the ingredient level
Ability to globally change ingredients or percentages
Capability to define co- and by-products
Security control that permits only authorized users to make changes

All of these capabilities deliver a much better way for food and beverage producers to define their products accurately and manage those definitions more easily and effectively. So why are you still using those spreadsheets when there is a much better way?

If you are interested in discussing formula or recipe management, or other food and beverage specific issues, with us then go ahead and give us a call at 888-222-8827. We can show you how the Dynamics AX 2009 Food and Beverage Solution can help solve your issues effectively.

Tags: AX, axapta, ca, california, dynamics ax, Dynamics AX Food and Beverage, new jersey, nj
Posted in Food Processing, Made-to-Stock Manufacturing, Microsoft Dynamics AX | No Comments »

Dynamics AX 2009 Food and Beverage Solution — Catch Weight

Wednesday, May 18th, 2011

by: Donald Clark CFPIM, CSCP

I worked with a company once who had an interesting problem. They are a frozen foods distributor selling into institutions like schools and hospitals. A product they sell a great deal is frozen chicken breasts that come in large cases. Managing a seemingly simple product like this actually caused them a great deal of trouble.

The trouble came from the fact that they bought and sold the chicken in cases, yet the product itself was costed and valued in pounds. When purchased or sold, users needed to track, offline in Excel, the associated number of pounds per case. This was a time-consuming and inefficient process for them,

What this company needed was a way to track two different units of measure. As it turns out, there is a solution. The Dynamics AX 2009 Food and Beverage Solution provides a host of functionality that makes the lives of people in the industry much easier. One of these capabilities is catch weight management.

The catch weight solution allows users to track and manage multiple inventory units of measure at the same time, thus eliminating the headache created by off-line or manual methods. Catch weight functionality lets users transact inventory by either of the defined unit of measure. So, in the case of the chicken breast distributor, each case has a weight associated with it and when they sell cases, the system automatically knows the total pounds and, therefore, value sold.

If you are interested in discussing catch weight, or other food and beverage specific issues, with us then go ahead and give us a call at 888-222-8827. We can show you how the Dynamics AX 2009 Food and Beverage Solution can help solve your issues effectively.

Tags: AX, axapta, ca, california, dynamics ax, new jersey, new york, Tips
Posted in Food Processing, Made-to-Stock Manufacturing, Microsoft Dynamics AX | No Comments »

Process Improvement Comes First

Thursday, June 24th, 2010

By: Donald Clark CFPIM, CSCP

Companies around the world implement ERP systems for a wide variety of reasons: some to eliminate manual efforts, some to run their businesses in an integrated environment, some for regulatory reasons, and on and on. I think that if you ask many people why they undertake an ERP implementation, you might get an answer like “So we can improve”.

True as it is that an integrated ERP system can help a company gain efficiencies, it seems like that improvement sought is not always clearly understood or realized.

There is an old saying that goes something like this: “When you automate a bad process, you can now produce junk at the speed of light”. I do not remember who originally said it and the first time I heard it, it was stated more colorfully. The point needs to be well taken though. (more…)

Tags: axapta, bay area, business process improvement, ca, california, erp, manufacturing
Posted in Industry Insights, Other, Partners Perspective | No Comments »

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Posts Tagged ‘axapta’

Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012– The New Reporting Engine

AX 2012 – New Reporting Functionality

Dynamics AX 2012 – What’s New

Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Reporting – Upgrading and Challenges

Key Features and Benefits of the Dynamics AX 2009 Food and Beverage Solution — Part 1

Dynamics AX 2009 Food and Beverage Solution – Formula and Recipe Management

Dynamics AX 2009 Food and Beverage Solution — Catch Weight

Process Improvement Comes First