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- Herausgeber: Packt Publishing
- Kategorie: Wissenschaft und neue Technologien
- Sprache: Englisch
Implement Business Central and explore methods to upgrade to NAV 2018
Key Features
- Learn the key roles of Dynamics NAV partner and the roles within your customer's organization
- Create configuration packages and perform data migration
- Explore Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central to use Dynamics NAV 2018 functionalities in the Cloud
Book Description
Microsoft Dynamics Business Central is a full business solution suite and a complete ERP solution, which contains a robust set of development tools; these tools can help you to gain control over your business and can simplify supply chains, manufacturing, and operations. Implementing Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central On-Premise covers the latest features of Dynamics Business Central and NAV from the end users' and developers' perspectives. It also provides an insight into different tools available for implementation, whether it's a new installation or migrating from the previous version of Dynamics NAV.
This book will take you from an introduction to Dynamics NAV 2018 through to exploring all the techniques related to implementation and migration. You will also learn to expand functionalities within your existing Microsoft Dynamics NAV installation, perform data analysis, and implement free third-party add-ons to your existing installation. As you progress through the book, you will learn to work with third-party add-on tools. In the concluding chapters, you will explore Dynamics 365 Business Central, the new Cloud solution based on the Microsoft NAV platform, and techniques for using Docker and Sandbox to develop applications.
By the end of the book, you will have gained a deep understanding of the key components for successful Dynamics NAV implementation for an organization.
What you will learn
- Explore new features introduced in Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2018
- Migrate to Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2018 from previous versions
- Learn abstract techniques for data analysis, reporting, and debugging
- Install, configure, and use additional tools for business intelligence, document management, and reporting
- Discover Dynamics 365 Business Central and several other Microsoft services
- Utilize different tools to develop applications for Business Central
Who this book is for
Implementing Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central On-Premise is for Dynamics NAV partners and end users who want to know everything about Dynamics NAV implementation. This book is for you if you want to be a project manager or get involved with Dynamics NAV, but do not have the expertise to write code yourself. This book can also help you to understand the need to move to Business Central and its advantages.
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Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2018
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Implementing Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central On-Premise Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2018 Packt Publishing
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embedded in critical articles or reviews.
Every effort has been made in the preparation of this book to ensure the accuracy of the information presented. However, the information contained in this book is sold without warranty, either express or implied. Neither the author(s), nor Packt Publishing or its dealers and distributors, will be held liable for any damages caused or alleged to have been caused directly or indirectly by this book.
Packt Publishing has endeavored to provide trademark information about all of the companies and products mentioned in this book by the appropriate use of capitals. However, Packt Publishing cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information.
Commissioning Editor: Richa TripathiAcquisition Editor: Chaitanya NairContent Development Editor: Rohit SinghTechnical Editor: Romy DiasCopy Editor: Safis EditingProject Coordinator: Vaidehi SawantProofreader: Safis EditingIndexer: Pratik ShirodkarGraphics: Alishon MendonsaProduction Coordinator: Priyanka Dhadke
First published: January 2009 Second edition: February 2013 Third edition: April 2016 Fourth edition: December 2018
Production reference: 1171218
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ISBN 978-1-78913-393-6
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Contributors
About the authors
Roberto Stefanetti is a functional and technical consultant, who has worked on education and training for companies, partners, and clients. He currently works on Microsoft systems, especially ERP and related environments.
He started working on Navision in 2004, both as a developer and as a functional consultant, and he is now more involved in consulting and managing projects than in development. He has been an MVP in business application since 2016 and a Microsoft Education Influencer since 2017.
Roberto's blog is one of the most widely read in the world (with more than 1 million page visits). He has also published articles on many digital publications (such as MSDynamicsWorld, NAVUG Magazine, and others) and reviewed a number of books.
Alex Chow has been working with Microsoft Dynamics NAV, formerly Navision, since 1999. His customers range from $2 million a year small enterprises to $500 million a year multinational corporations. With a background in implementing all functions and modules inside and outside of Microsoft Dynamics NAV, Alex has encountered and resolved the most practical through to the most complex requirements and business rules. He founded AP Commerce, Inc. in 2005, a full-service Dynamics NAV service center. Alex has also written the books Getting Started with Dynamics NAV 2013 Application Development and Implementing Dynamics NAV, Third Edition, both by Packt. He lives in southern California with his wife and two lovely daughters.
About the reviewers
Stefano Demiliani is a Microsoft MVP on Business Application, a Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer, and a long-time expert on different Microsoft technologies. He has a master's degree in computer engineering from Politecnico of Turin, and works as a CTO for EID/NAV-lab (one of Microsoft's principal partners in Italy). His core responsibilities include architecting and developing solutions with Microsoft Dynamics ERPs and the Microsoft technology stacks (such as .NET and Azure solutions).
He has worked with Packt on many IT books, having recently authored Dynamics 365 Business Central Development Quick Start Guide, the first development guide for Dynamics 365 Business Central. You can reach him on Twitter (@demiliani) or on LinkedIn.
Duilio Tacconi is a Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central Escalation Engineer at Microsoft EMEA Customer Support and Services. He joined Microsoft in 2008, after working for end customers with a primary focus on the technical side of Microsoft Dynamics NAV. Despite being graduated with highest vote in agricultural science, he has worked on the ERP circuit since 1998 as a developer for several companies, with Microsoft and non-Microsoft technologies. Currently, he is a subject matter expert in the EMEA region for RDLC reports, Microsoft EMEA CSS senior reference for Managed Service for Partners, and an EMEA CSS reference for modern development with Dynamics 365 Business Central.
Three times Ironman competition finisher, Duilio lives in Cernusco sul Naviglio, Italy, with his beloved wife, Laura, and their son, Leonardo.
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Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright and Credits
Implementing Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central On-Premise Fourth Edition
Dedication
About Packt
Why subscribe?
Packt.com
Contributors
About the authors
About the reviewers
Packt is searching for authors like you
Preface
Who this book is for
What this book covers
To get the most out of this book
Download the color images
Conventions used
Get in touch
Reviews
Exploring Dynamics NAV and MSDYN365BC – Overview
Understanding Microsoft Dynamics NAV
Functional areas in Microsoft Dynamics NAV
History of Microsoft Dynamics NAV and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
From Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central – a timeline of features
Functional areas
Financial management
General ledger
G/L budgets
Account schedules
Cash management
Fixed assets
VAT reporting and intrastat
Sales tax
Intercompany transactions
Consolidation
Multicurrency
Sales and marketing
Customers
Order processing
Approvals
Pricing
Marketing
Purchasing
Vendors
Order processing
Approvals
Pricing
Planning
Warehouse
Items
Locations
Transfer orders
Assembly
Pick and put-away
Inventory
Manufacturing
Product design
Capacities
Planning
Execution
Costing
Subcontracting
Job
Job cards
Job tasks subpage
Planning lines
Time sheet
Invoice jobs
Work in process (WIP)
Resource planning
Resource card
Pricing
Service
Service items
Contracts
Price management
Service orders
Service tasks
Fault reporting
Human resources
Employees
Absence registration
Country localizations
Microsoft Dynamics NAV Workflow
Vertical and horizontal solutions
Accessing Microsoft Dynamics NAV
Windows client
Web client
Web client – "In-Client" Designer and User Personalization
Tablet client, phone client, and Universal App
SharePoint integration (remote client)
Web services
Dynamics NAV Development Environments
The Old Development Environment (C/SIDE)
Events and extensions 
The New Modern Development Environment
The Microsoft cloud model
Microsoft cloud services – a suite of applications
Dynamics 365 Business Central (on-premise, SaaS)
Summary
Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2018 – An Overview
Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2018 – what's new
Application changes in Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2018
Improvements made to clients for application users
Windows client – role center layout
Web client for Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2018
Web client is more customizable (with "In-client" or "In-app" Designer)
Preview and print from Web client
Updated Universal App
Windows 10 Continuum
IT changes
Microsoft Dynamics NAV Server administration tool
Windows PowerShell – new and updated cmdlets
New and updated PowerShell cmdlets for server and development
Microsoft Dynamics NAV Server – start/stop 
Merging application objects
Upgrading data
Updating captions in application object files
Office 365 Administration
Importing and exporting NAV data
Development changes (new and updated)
Essential C/AL functions available
Triggers
Extensions 2.0
The New Modern Development Environment (Visual Studio Code plus AL Language extension)
APIs for Microsoft Dynamics NAV
Connected apps
New service connections and extensions pages
Image Analyzer - contact person and item
Functional changes
Sales order to purchase order
Assisted setup by wizards and manual setup
User tasks
Direct transfer orders
Employee ledger entries
Preconfigured Excel reports
Edit in Excel feature
Change Global Dimensions
IC (intercompany) – automation of IC outbox and IC inbox
Item charges – volume and weight
EU GDPR support and data classification
Microsoft Dynamics 365 for sales integration
Microsoft Flow integration
Power BI reporting integration
Contact iterations in Microsoft Outlook
Upgrade automation – an overview
Upgrade automation – the application code
Upgrade automation – data
Enhancement in security and encryption
Native integrations
Best features from previous releases of Microsoft Dynamics NAV
Best and updated application features
RapidStart services improved
Schedule reports
Emailing documents
Assisted setup
Item attributes
Job improvements
Task scheduler
TaskScheduler data type
Cortana Intelligence
Document exchange service (OCR services)
Exchange rate update
Native integration with Microsoft Dynamics 365 (CRM)
Workflow management
Posting preview
Deferrals
Document reporting
.NET interoperability
Enhancements in RoleTailored client control add-ins
Summary
General Considerations
The data model
Master data
Documents
Journals
Ledger entries
Creating ledger entries
Combining all concepts
No save button
When is the data verified?
The main drawback
The Edit button
The posting routines
Posted data cannot be modified (or deleted)
Navigating through your data
The Navigate functionality
Other ways to browse data
Hyperlinks
Sorting on list pages
Filtering for the data you need (advanced filters)
Saved views
Other examples of a filtered view
Real-time data gathering – SIFT technology
Everything leads to accounting
The Date Compression toolkit
The Microsoft Dynamics NAV and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central database
The TableRelation property
Coded data rules
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central – why upgrade to or adopt it?
History of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
The strengths of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
Documentation
Cloud first and automatic upgrades by design
The New Modern Development Environment
Microsoft cloud services and the Virtual Cloud Desktop
Scalability
Sandboxes and Docker for testing and development
Costs and pricing
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is only available in the public cloud
Benefits of the public cloud
Limitations of the public cloud
Web client limitations
Summary
Implementation Process – Partner's Perspective
What is an implementation?
Methodology
The waterfall approach
The agile approach
The best choice – waterfall or agile? 
Inside agile – Scrum overview
Using the best of both
Microsoft Dynamics Sure Step
Another solution – Microsoft Azure DevOps (VSTS)
Project types based on the waterfall approach
The Rapid Project Type
The Standard Project Type
The Enterprise Project Type
The Upgrade Project Type
The Agile Project Type
Ready-to-go scenarios – the Microsoft Dynamics NAV optimization offering
Roles
Salesperson
Project manager
Business consultant
Key users
Analyst
Developer
Implementer
End users
Summarizing the roles
Phases
Presales
Getting the project requirements
Designing the solution
Configuration
Modifying standard Microsoft Dynamics NAV functionality
New functionalities
Data migration
Development
Automatic testing with the Application Test Toolkit
The Automatic Test Toolkit – how does it work?
Deployment
Software and hardware installation
Configuration
Data migration
User-acceptance test
End users' training
Go-live!
Post-implementation support
Dynamics 365 Business Central implementation considerations
Summary
Implementation Process – Customer's Perspective
Definition of goals
Measuring goals
Defining internal processes and key users
Questions to be asked
Identify the key user
Questions about processes
Improve before automating
Getting the requirements
General considerations for Microsoft Dynamics NAV and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
Considerations for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
Define acceptable gaps and workarounds
Workaround in action – using standard dimensions instead of customizing
Change management
Get involved in testing the system
Involve end users
Continuous follow-up 
Summary
Migrating Data
Tools for migrating data
RapidStart Services with configuration packages
Creating a new company using PowerShell (in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central on-premise)
Changing the profile to RapidStart Services Implementer
Using the RapidStart Services Wizard
Working with configuration packages
Creating a new configuration package
Applying a configuration package
The configuration worksheet
Creating the data migration structure
Copying related tables
Using Excel templates
Configuration templates
Creating a configuration template
Using configuration templates
The configuration questionnaire
Creating a configuration questionnaire
Completing the configuration questionnaire
Using RapidStart Services from PowerShell
Powershell cmdLets for RapidStart Services
Summarizing RapidStart Services
Using XMLports to migrate data
XMLport structure
Running the XMLport
Writing code inside the XMLport
The document structure
Filling data not included in the XML file
Validation order may change our data
Creating XMLports in the Microsoft AL language
Writing your own tools
APIs to import/export data
API Setup page
APIs entity pages
Converting data from the old system to Microsoft Dynamics NAV's or Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central's needs
Fields particular to Microsoft Dynamics NAV and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
Master data
Open entries
Customer entries
Vendor entries
Bank entries
Item entries
Fixed-asset entries
General Ledger balances
Historical data
Open documents
Choosing a go-live date
Going live at the beginning of the fiscal year
What are the cons?
Going live in the middle of a fiscal year
Summary
Upgrading to Dynamics NAV and MSDYN365BC
Why to upgrade?
Upgrading philosophy
Upgrades prior to Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013
Upgrades after Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013
The upgrading-process checklist
How to upgrade to Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2018
Upgrading from Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013, 2013 R2, 2015, 2016, or 2017
Technical upgrades (converting the database)
Building application objects and uploading the development license
Converting the database
Connecting the Dynamics NAV Server
Upgrading the application code
Merging the code
Importing the merged code
Upgrading the application data
Automating upgrading using PowerShell
Upgrading from Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009, 2009 SP1, or 2009 R2
Upgrading the Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 application code
Upgrading the Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 data
Upgrading from Microsoft Dynamics NAV 5.0 or 5.0 SP1
Upgrading the Microsoft Dynamics NAV 5.0 application code
Upgrading the Microsoft Dynamics NAV 5.0 data
Upgrading steps for Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013
Preparing to upgrade
Migrating to Microsoft SQL Server
Testing the database
Upgrading the application code
Getting object versions
Converting objects into the Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 format
Carrying out customizations on the new version
Transforming forms to pages
Transforming reports
Upgrading the data
Upgrading tools
Upgrade ToolKit
The text format upgrade tool
Form transformation
Report transformation
Upgrading hybrid reports
Upgrading classic reports
Comparing text tools
MergeTool
Downloading MergeTool
Installing MergeTool
Using MergeTool
Importing the old base version
Importing the old custom version
Importing the new base version
Comparing the old base and new base versions
Merging all versions
Exporting the new custom version
Importing the new custom version to a Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 database
Upgrading from Microsoft Dynamics NAV to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central on-premise
On-premises versus online environments – differences
Upgrading to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central on-premise
Upgrade ToolKit
Case 1 – starting from Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2015/NAV 2016/NAV 2017/NAV 2018
Case 2 – starting from Microsoft Dynamics NAV 5.0/NAV 2009 
Case 3 – starting from Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013
Case 4 – starting from Navision Attain 3.70/MBS Navision 4.0
How to upgrade to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central on-premise
Upgrading the application code
Upgrading the data
Running the data-upgrade process
Upgrade considerations for releases after Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2015
Data Upgrade from Microsoft Dynamics NAV Development Environment and PowerShell
Generating symbols
Upgrading installed extensions
Upgrades permission sets
General considerations about Data Upgrade
Automating the upgrade process using sample Windows PowerShell scripts
The sample scripts for upgrading code
The sample scripts for upgrading data
Upgrading to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central SaaS
Limitations for migrating to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central SaaS
Summary
Development Considerations
Development in Microsoft Dynamics NAV and Business Central general concepts – setup versus customization
Data model principles
Basic objects
Tables – how tables are structured
Object elements
Understanding table structures
Master tables
Secondary tables
Setup tables
Document tables
Entry tables
Journal tables
The final picture
The structure of pages
Understanding page structures
Role Center pages
Card pages
List pages
Document pages
ListPart pages
Worksheet pages
ConfirmationDialog pages
NavigatePage pages
Personalization feature versus "In-client" Designer feature in Web client
Development methods – the CSIDE Development Environment and the New Modern Development Environment
Working with the CSIDE Development Environment
Working with CSIDE Development Environment – table properties
Working with the New Modern Development Environment
Working with the New Modern Development Environment – table properties
Snippet table
Table extension object
Snippet ttableextension
The posting process
The codeunit structure for sales posting
The codeunit structure for general journal posting
Validating fields
Batch jobs through reports objects
Where to write customized code
Formatting customized code
Development in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central SaaS
General considerations
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central Roadmap for development
How to become a 2.0 Microsoft ERP solution developer
Best lessons learned for developers
The new extension model (2.0)
New era for developer skills
Microsoft suggestions for developers
Extensions 2.0 – .fob package versus .app package
The New Modern Development Environment (VS Code plus Microsoft AL extension language)
Visual Studio Code (VS Code)
Microsoft AL language extension
Events instead of triggers
Txt2AL – conversion tool from C/AL to AL
What's new for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central for development?
Naming guidelines for development
Extension translations (XLIFF file extension)
Generating the XLIFF file
Source Control Management (SCM)
Git and GitHub
Publishing your apps on AppSource
Steps to publishing an app
Summary
Implementing Functional Changes
General guidelines
What is a functional change?
Scenario – the Requisition Worksheet
Fixed Assets
Item Tracking
Extending a customized functionality
Interactions with other functionalities
The Requisition Worksheet
Fixed Assets
Item Tracking
Creating a new item
Creating and posting a purchase order for the new item
Creating and posting a sales order for the new item
Turning on Item Tracking for the new item
Extending a customized functionality
Writing documentation to implement changes 
The Requisition Worksheet
Fixed Assets
Item Tracking
Extending a customized functionality
Choosing the "right time" to release and implement the changes, and analyzing the risks
The Requisition Worksheet
Fixed Assets
Item Tracking
Extending a customized functionality
Planning the change
The Requisition Worksheet
Fixed Assets
Item Tracking
Extending a customized functionality
Changes in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
Summary
Data Analysis and Reporting
Using Filters and FlowFilters
Creating views
Statistics
Charts – representing data in graph form
The Show as Chart option (the Windows client only)
Adding charts to the Role Center page – on the Windows client
Creating and configuring charts
Personalizations on the Web client
Personalize and design the Web client via the In-client Designer feature
Using reports
Finding reports in the Windows client and Web client
Running reports
Types of report
List reports
Test reports
Posting preview reports
Posting reports
Transaction reports
Document reports
Report selection
Other reports
Scheduling a report
Account schedules
Analysis views
Understanding dimensions
Setting up new dimensions
Categorizing dimensions
Accessing dimensions
Creating an analysis view
Updating analysis views
Using analysis views
Analysis by Dimensions
Analysis views as a source for account schedules
Extracting data
Sending data from pages to Microsoft Office applications
Sending data to Microsoft Word
Sending data to Microsoft Excel
Extracting data through web services
Extracting data through APIs
Export data using the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Export to a Data File feature (and importing it)
Exporting data from PowerShell
Other ways to extract data 
Understanding report development
Report anatomy
RDLC reports
Word layout reports
Defining the dataset
Designing the visual layout
Using Word layout reports
From the Dynamics NAV Development Environment
From the New Modern Development Environment
Summary
Debugging with Dynamics NAV and MSDYN365BC
The art of debugging
Debugging in Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2018 and in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central on-premise
Break Rules
Placing breakpoints
From the Object Designer
In the current statement of the debugger
Conditional breakpoint
Debugger Breakpoint List
Line-by-line execution
The Step Into option
The Step Over option
The Step Out option
The Continue option
The Call Stack FactBox
The Watches FactBox
Adding variables from the Debugger Variables List window
Adding variables from the code viewer
Debugging in the AL Development Environment
Debugging in Visual Studio Code
The debugger view
Debugging shortcuts in Visual Studio Code
Example of debugging in Visual Studio Code
Step-by-step debugging sample
Summary
Popular Reporting Options
What is a query?
Query Designer
Defining our first query
Adding additional data to the query
Queries object in Microsoft AL
Business Charts
Standard Charts in Windows Client
Web services
Integrating external applications with OData web services
Microsoft Excel and PowerPivot add-in
Microsoft Power BI
Enabling your business data for Power BI
How to get Power BI Apps
Connecting to Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2018
How to connect to Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2018
Jet Basics NAV (formerly Jet Express for Excel)
Downloading Jet Basics NAV
Installing Jet Basics NAV
Microsoft Flow
Microsoft Flow for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
Summary
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central specifics
License types – Essentials versus Premium
The named user licensing model
Fixed prices for Essentials, Premium, and Team Member license types
Dual use (SaaS and on-premise)
Objects available in the licensed product
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central SaaS clients
Innovative Web client
Universal App
Dynamics 365 Business Central localizations
Dynamics 365 Business Central SaaS architecture
Dynamics 365 Business Central – on-premise versus SaaS
Scalability and performance in SaaS
Upgrades and customizations in SaaS
Comparing Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central with Microsoft Dynamics NAV
Business Central Web client better than Dynamics NAV Web client
Business Central Web client – some improvements
Considerations on Dynamics 365 Business Central
Why I will choose Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central – activating a demo license
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central – October's major updates
The October release's best new features – technicals
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central on-premise is available
Keyboard shortcuts
Refreshed and modern desktop experience
Improved search – TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT TO DO
Filtering list and advanced filters
Action bar replaces the ribbon
Permission sets are editable
Copy and paste
Improved grids
Updated Universal App
Enhanced Microsoft Power BI embedded experience
Microsoft Power BI "Ready-to-use Apps" for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
Editing Microsoft Power BI reports in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central SaaS
Hybrid deployment
Dynamics 365 Business Central Admin Center on the CSP portal and telemetry
Dynamics 365 Business Central Event Recorder
The best new features of October's release – functionals
Microsoft AppSource
AppSource for Dynamics 365 Business Central
Get involved in communities and programs
The "Ready-to-Go" program
Microsoft Collaborate
Microsoft Ideas and Insider Ideas
AL issues on GitHub
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central on-premise
Installing Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central on-premise
Enabling personalizations in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central on-premise
Features not implemented in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central on-premise
Business Central data migration tools (RapidStart packages, intelligent cloud and APIs, and data migration extension)
Dynamics 365 Business Central – integrations
Microsoft PowerApps
Microsoft Azure Functions
Rest APIs
Microsoft Power BI
Summary
Working and Developing with Docker and Sandboxes
Introducing Docker, sandboxes, and their benefits
Containers and Docker
Benefits of using Docker
Benefits of using sandboxes
Using sandboxes for Microsoft Dynamics NAV and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
Sandbox types
How to create online sandbox environments
Creating a new sandbox from the production environment
Actions available for sandboxes
Creating a new sandbox from the CSP portal
How to create Azure-hosted sandbox environments
Creating a sandbox on Azure Virtual Machine (VM)
How to create locally-hosted sandbox environments
How to create sandbox environments from the CSP portal
Using Docker for Microsoft Dynamics NAV and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
Working with Docker for Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2018 and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central on-premises
Docker's best commands
Docker image distributions
Docker images for Microsoft Dynamics NAV
Docker images for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central on-premises
Running Docker
Working with Docker and sandboxes
Differences in development and deployment
Developing with sandboxes on Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
Summary
Further considerations
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Leave a review - let other readers know what you think
Preface
Let me start out by saying congratulations on your decision to work with Microsoft Dynamics NAV and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. Microsoft Dynamics NAV is a wonderful historical product, and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is the new release of Microsoft Dynamics NAV, available in cloud (Software as a Service—SaaS) and on-premise releases.
In this book, we will talk about both Microsoft Dynamics NAV and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central because we cannot forget the past when talking about the future Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is the new release of Microsoft Dynamics NAV and is based on NAV (which reports all the features).
When it was created, Microsoft Dynamics NAV (formerly known as Navision) was nothing more than an accounting system from Denmark. Following a couple of releases, its acquisition by Microsoft, and a couple of further releases, Microsoft Dynamics NAV has become a full Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software with rich functionalities. With every release, we are seeing improvements in both the technical and functionality aspects. And they're not done yet. Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is the evolution of Microsoft Dynamics NAV, conceived and designed for the cloud.
At the time of writing, Microsoft Dynamics NAV's installation base is 120,000 companies, and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central licensed users are growing; no other ERP software for the small and medium-sized market comes close in terms of numbers.
In addition, Microsoft Dynamics NAV has a wide range of add-on solutions available, and many applications are also appearing for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, although in this case, it will be apps instead of add-ons. Most of these add-ons are built directly within the Microsoft Dynamics NAV environment with the same user interface. So, by using these add-ons, your company will not need to learn any other new software.
One of the main selling points of Microsoft Dynamics NAV from the very outset was the ability to customize it exactly the way you run your business. Because of its flexibility, you can find a large number of tutorials and explanations on how to develop specific tasks, but not many on how to create a project from scratch.
The "excessive" flexibility of Microsoft Dynamics NAV
To take advantage of the flexibility that's built into Microsoft Dynamics NAV, a deep understanding of the standard application is required. Just because you're able to completely rewrite Dynamics NAV does not mean you should. Without knowing what you have out of the box, you may end up creating a function that's already part of the standard system, thereby wasting valuable time and resources.
The new rules for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
In this case, the philosophy is different. You no longer touch the standard product, which updates automatically. Instead, we use extensions (apps) that are installed on a parallel layer without touching the manufacturer's standard. This entails many advantages that we will discuss later in the book. In short, you can customize by keeping the product updated, while the app can be used in a repeatable way.
Who this book is for
This book is for Microsoft Dynamics NAV and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central partners and end users who want to know everything about Microsoft Dynamics NAV and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central implementations. It is aimed at those individuals who want to be project managers or get involved with these ERP systems, but who do not have the expertise to write code themselves.
What this book covers
Chapter 1, Exploring Dynamics NAV and MSDYN365BC – Overview, introduces you to what an ERP is and what you can expect from Microsoft Dynamics NAV and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. It introduces all the functional areas found in Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2018 and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, the different environments available, such as the Windows client, the Web client, and web services. For the nostalgic among you, we have also included details on the history of Microsoft Dynamics NAV.
Chapter 2, Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2018 – An Overview, provides an overview of the changes made within the application. Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2018 introduces a number of new functional and technical features. All the most important features of Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2018 are illustrated, both functional and technical, and some references to links have been added that are considered useful for understanding the product. This chapter also covers development and IT changes.
Chapter 3, General Considerations, introduces you to general considerations relating to these fantastic products. The differences between Microsoft Dynamics NAV, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central on-premise, and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central online (Saas) are explained, and the advantages and disadvantages of each are illustrated. This chapter could be useful in helping you to understand which solution to implement based on the project that must be realized.
Chapter 4, Implementation Process – Partner's Perspective, explains the meaning of implementation and covers different methodologies that can be applied while implementing Microsoft Dynamics NAV and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. Several individuals may get involved in an implementation process, each one playing their own role and performing different jobs. This chapter also covers the phases and tasks needed to complete a Microsoft Dynamics NAV or Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central implementation, from pre-sales through to deployment.
Chapter 5, Implementation Process – Customer's Perspective, explains what is expected from the company's team (users, key users, and project leader), and how to deal with the changes that the new ERP software will entail for everyone within the company. For a really successful implementation of Microsoft Dynamics NAV or Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, the companies in relation to which this ERP software has been implemented must actively participate in the project.
Chapter 6, Migrating Data, covers the tools that can be used to import data into Microsoft Dynamics NAV or into Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, such as RapidStart services or XMLports. Companies may be unfamiliar with Microsoft Dynamics NAV or Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, but they are usually not new companies. They have been working for a while and they have all kinds of data at their disposal, such as customer, vendor, item, and accounting information.
This chapter also explains what types of data are commonly migrated to this ERP software and the strategies used to migrate this information. With a step-by-step example, the chapter enables you to migrate master data, open entries, historical data, and open documents.
Chapter 7, Upgrading to Dynamics NAV and MSDYN365BC, covers the main development considerations that should be taken into account when developing for Microsoft Dynamics NAV. This includes a detailed explanation of the data model principles in Microsoft Dynamics NAV and how the posting processes are designed. It also includes explanations about where and how to write customized code.
Almost every Microsoft Dynamics NAV implementation implies development. The customized code must fit inside the application's standard code and it should look as if it were part of the standard. This makes it easier for the user to understand how customized modules work and for partners to support them.
Chapter 8, Development Considerations, covers the main development considerations that should be taken into account when developing for Microsoft Dynamics NAV and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. This includes a detailed explanation of the data model principles and how the posting processes are designed. It also includes explanations about where and how to write customized code.
Almost every Microsoft Dynamics NAV implementation implies development. The customized code must fit inside the application's standard code and it should look as if it were part of the standard. This makes it easier for the user to understand how customized modules work and for partners to support them. In Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central (SaaS), it is not possible to change standard objects and the development mode is based only on the New Modern Development Environment.
Chapter 9, Implementing Functional Changes, demonstrates how Microsoft Dynamics NAV and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central implementations are not just for companies that have never used this ERP software before and will now start doing so. Implementation can also be effected for companies already using Microsoft Dynamics NAV or Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. They will not be complete implementations, of course; probably just the implementation of a new module or functionality. There are a number of things to take into account in these kinds of implementations.
Chapter 10, Data Analysis and Reporting, provides an overview of the tools available to analyze Microsoft Dynamics NAV and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central data, both inside and outside the application, such as the use of filters and FlowFilters, statistics, charts, existing reports, analysis views, account schedules, or how to extract data from Microsoft Dynamics NAV and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. Data analysis and reporting are important parts of the management of a company.
This chapter also includes a report development section that is meant to explain the anatomy of reports, to show how to define your dataset, and to show how the visual layout is designed.
Chapter 11, Debugging with Dynamics NAV and MSDYN365BC, covers debugging in Microsoft Dynamics NAV and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, conditional breakpoints, debugging other user sessions, and debugging C/AL code in the Old Development Environment and AL code in the New Development Environment (Visual Studio Code plus Microsoft AL Language extension). All these features will ensure that the debugging experience is a happy one.
Chapter 12, Popular Reporting Options, outlines some of the reporting and analysis options that are included in Microsoft Dynamics NAV and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central that extend their functionalities and are very useful to users and companies. Utilizing web services, the options for analyzing your data are endless, and we'll also cover third-party tools that can be useful for creating reports in a simple and convenient way for users.
Chapter 13, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, covers Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central in detail, how it originates on the Microsoft Dynamics NAV platform, and how it is integrated with several other Microsoft services. Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is designed as a true multi-tenant public cloud service (SaaS) running on Microsoft Azure and sold through the Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) program. Customers can access the service on the web, or by using apps for Windows, iOS, or Android devices.
This product can be integrated with the entire Microsoft Office 365 world using different tools, such as PowerApps, Azure Services, Microsoft Flow, and REST APIs. In practice, it is possible to do anything in the cloud with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central.
Chapter 14, Working and Developing with Docker and Sandboxes, provides step-by-step information on how to install, configure, and activate Docker and Sandbox environments for test data, setups, and development in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and Microsoft Dynamics NAV. Sandbox environments are very useful for developing and testing data and applications before uploading to the Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central Online production environment.
Sandbox environments, online or in Docker containers, locally or in the cloud, are useful for everyone—customers, developers, and consultants—when studying and testing new product releases.
To get the most out of this book
To successfully follow the examples in this book, you will need to install Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2018, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central on-premise, or buy a Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central cloud license.
Download the color images
We also provide a PDF file that has color images of the screenshots/diagrams used in this book. You can download it here https://www.packtpub.com/sites/default/files/downloads/9781789133936_ColorImages.pdf
Conventions used
There are a number of text conventions used throughout this book.
CodeInText: Indicates code words in text, database table names, folder names, filenames, file extensions, pathnames, dummy URLs, user input, and Twitter handles. Here is an example: "Rename HelloWorld.al to PAGEEXT.50100.Item.al."
A block of code is set as follows:
Trigger OnAfterGetRecord();Begin Message('You are on record # ' + rec."No.");End
When we wish to draw your attention to a particular part of a code block, the relevant lines or items are set in bold:
Trigger
OnAfterGetRecord
();Begin Message('You are on record # ' + rec."No.");End
Any command-line input or output is written as follows:
> docker images> docker pull
Bold: Indicates a new term, an important word, or words that you see on screen. For example, words in menus or dialog boxes appear in the text like this. Here is an example: "SelectChart of Accounts."
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Exploring Dynamics NAV and MSDYN365BC – Overview
Microsoft Dynamics NAV and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central (which, as mentioned in the preface, is an evolution of Microsoft Dynamics NAV that maintains the same functionalities and will be available both in the on-premise and SaaS releases), are Enterprise Resource Planning(ERP) systems that are specifically made for growing small to mid-sized companies.
An ERP is a piece of software that integrates internal and external management information across an entire organization. The purpose of an ERP is to facilitate the flow of information between all business functions within the confines of organizations. An ERP system is meant to handle all the functional areas within an organization on a single software system. This way, the output of an area can be used as the input of another area, without the need to duplicate data.
In this chapter, we will talk about Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2018, the last existing version with the name "NAV" and on-premise connected to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, which will disappear before the end of the year. We do this for reasons of continuity toward the past because this book was born to illustrate the implementation of Microsoft Dynamics NAV.
This chapter will give you an idea of what Microsoft Dynamics NAV is, and what you can expect from it. The topics covered in this chapter are the following:
What is Microsoft Dynamics NAV?
The functional areas found in Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2018
A history of Microsoft Dynamics NAV, with a t
imeline of its features
How to use Microsoft Dynamics NAV in different environments (Windows client, Web client, Universal App, SharePoint framework, Outlook integration, Web services, and so on)
Development considerations: How Microsoft Dynamics NAV is developed
From the Business Central overview perspective, the following topics will be covered:
From Microsoft Dynamics NAV to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central (move from on-premise to cloud-based SaaS)
The cloud model (ERP auto-updated system)
Events and extensions
The New Modern Development Environment
Microsoft Azure services
Understanding Microsoft Dynamics NAV
Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2018 is a role tailored ERP. Traditionally, ERP software is built to provide a lot of functionalities where users will need to hunt down information. This is more of a passive approach to information, in which the user will need to go somewhere within the system to retrieve that information.
Microsoft Dynamics NAV works differently. The role tailored experience is based on individuals within an organization, their roles, and the tasks they perform. When users first enter Microsoft Dynamics NAV, they see the data required for the daily tasks they perform according to their role. Users belonging to different functions will have a different view of the system; each of them will see the functions they need to properly perform their daily tasks. Instead of users chasing down information, the information comes to them.
Here's an example of the main screen of the Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2018 Business Manager role. All the relevant information for business managers is displayed in activities and charts for fast reading.
The Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2018 (Windows client role) home page looks as follows:
Note that for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, the pictures are taken from the current release at the time of writing; these could have since changed (pre- and post-October 2018 release).
The Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central W1 on-premise (Windows client role) home page looks as follows:
The Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central on-premise and SaaS (Web client role) home page looks as follows:
Functional areas in Microsoft Dynamics NAV
Microsoft Dynamics NAV covers the following functional areas inside an organization:
Financial management
: Most of the functionalities from "off-the-shelf" accounting software can be found in this module. These functionalities include, but are not limited to, G/L budgeting, financial reporting, cash management, receivables and payables, fixed assets, VAT and tax reporting, intercompany transactions, cost accounting, consolidation, multicurrency, and intrastate.
Sales and marketing
: This module concerns those companies that want to track customer orders and determine when the items can be promised to be delivered to the customer. This area covers customers, order processing, expected delivery, order promises, sales returns, pricing, contacts, marketing campaigns, and so on.
Purchasing
: This module is required when you buy goods and services, and you want to keep track of what you have ordered from your vendors and when the goods should be delivered to your door, so you can make the stuff or ship the stuff to your customers. This area includes vendors, order processing, approvals, planning, and costing.
Warehousing
: Where are your items in your warehouse? This functional area answers this question for you. Under the warehouse area, you will find inventory, shipping and receiving, locations, warehouse bin contents, picking, put-aways, assembly, and so on.
Manufacturing
: The manufacturing area includes product design, bills of materials, routing, capacities, forecast, production planning, production orders, costing, and subcontracting.
Job
: This module is typically used for companies that deal with long and drawn-out projects. Within this job area, you can create projects, phases and tasks, planning, time sheets, work in progress, and similar.
Resource planning
: If your company has internal resources for which you keep track of costs and/or revenues, this module is for you. This area includes resources, capacity, and other tools to keep track of costs and revenues associated with resources.
Service
: This functional area is designed for a company that sells items to their customers that need to be serviced periodically, with or without a warranty. In this service area, you can manage service items, contract management, order processing, planning and dispatching, service tasks, and so on.
Human resources
: This involves basic employee tracking. It allows you to manage employees, absences, and so on.
These areas are covered in more detail in the next section of this chapter.
One of the best-selling points about Microsoft Dynamics NAV is that it can be customized. A brand new functional area can be created from scratch, or new features added to an existing functional area. All development is undertaken using the C/AL (Client-server Application Language) programming language (in versions preceding Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2018); now it's a hybrid development system. You can use C/SIDE (Client/Server Integrated Development Environment) and C/AL, and/or VS Code with an AL extension, to develop in AL.
When someone creates a new functional area, a vertical (a wide range of functions for a specific industry) or a horizontal (a wide range of functions that can be applied across an industry), they usually create it as an add-on. An add-on can be registered with Microsoft, for an appropriate fee of course. If some features are added to an existing area, usually it is a customization that will only be used on the database of the customer who asked for the feature.
Making add-ons (and Apps) available greatly enhances the base Microsoft Dynamics NAV functionalities to fit the needs of every industry and every business. The mode of development has evolved over time.
One thing that is unique about Microsoft Dynamics NAV is that the entire code is located on a single layer. Therefore, if you customize an area, you had to do it by modifying the standard code and adding code to the middle of the standard object definition. This made it a little tough to upgrade in previous versions of Microsoft Dynamics NAV. However, with the release of Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2018, code upgrades can be effected automatically using PowerShell (this feature does not only exist in Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2018; it has been available since Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 R2 and was refined in Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2015). We will dive into PowerShell later.
Microsoft Dynamics NAV is built upon a three-tier architecture:
Microsoft SQL Server and Microsoft Azure SQL are the data tier and are used to store the data in a database.
The Microsoft Dynamics NAV Server service is the middle or server tier, managing the entire business logic and communication. It also provides an additional layer of security between clients and the database, and an additional layer for user authentication.
On the client tier, we will find Windows clients and the Web client. Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2018 also supports other kinds of clients, including Web services (both SOAP and OData v4.0), mobile tablets and phones with Universal App, a SharePoint online integration, the Office 365 native integration, and the Microsoft Dynamics
NAV Application Server
(
NAS
) service.
You can install Microsoft Dynamics NAV in more complex scenarios, as you can have multiple instances of any of the core components.
In Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central SaaS, only the Web client and the native mobile app exist, the infrastructure is cloud-based, the development environment is not different to Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2018 (with Microsoft Dynamics NAV, you have a hybrid development, and you can choose to use C/SIDE or VS Code, or both); however, it is possible to design extensions (applications) with Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2018 using the New Modern Development Environment. This new development environment (composed by Visual Studio Code and the Microsoft AL language extension) is used instead of the C/SIDE and C/AL environment, which could be deprecated in the near future, as it is already with just Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central.
History of Microsoft Dynamics NAV and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
In this section, we will have a look at the transition from PC Plus to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central.
We are not historians, but we thought that it would be important to know where we come from and where we are going. Some of the current restrictions or features can be better understood if we know a bit of the history of Microsoft Dynamics NAV. This is why we have added this section.
PC Plus (the father of Navision) was launched in Denmark and Norway in 1984 by the company PC & C A/S. PC-plus was a character-based (MS-DOS) accounting solution designed for the SOHO (short for small office/home office) market. Three years after its launch in 1984, the first version of Navision A/S was released.
In 2002, Microsoft bought Navision A/S and included it in the Microsoft Business Solution division. The product has gone through several name changes. The names Navision Financials, Navision Attain, and Microsoft Business Solutions—Navision, have been used to refer to the product that is currently called Microsoft Dynamics NAV. Note that all the previous names included the word Navision. This is why many people keep calling it Navision instead of NAV.
Prior to Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009, the classic client was actually the primary end user interface before Microsoft revamped the user interface that we used to call Role Tailored Client (RTC) first, and currently Windows client.
One of the greatest technological breakthroughs with the original Navision was that the application programming objects, the user interface, and the database resided together, in a single file! Back in the late 1990s and early 2000s, no other software came close to having an efficient design like this.
This was the main menu for PC Plus 1.0:
This was the main menu for Navision Financials version 2.0:
We're now close to two decades away from 2000 and technology has changed quite a bit. Microsoft Dynamics NAV has been kept very up to date, with the latest technology that has the best impact on businesses. However, most of these improvements and updates are in the backend. This is an important reason why Microsoft Dynamics NAV has never faded into history. There were a couple of user interface improvements; by and large, however, it mainly looks and feels very much the same as before.
This is the main menu for Microsoft Dynamics NAV 5.0:
Then, something happened. With the rise of a company called Apple, people started paying more attention to the aesthetics and the overall interface of the technology they're using. People demanded not just powerful software with a strong backend, but they also wanted an elegant design with a simple and intuitive user interface.
Because of this shift in user perception, what was once the greatest innovation in accounting software since sliced bread had become not obsolete, but outdated.
When you put the old interface (called Classic Client) against some of the newer applications, even though the backend was light years ahead, the Classic Client was the ugly one. And we all know somebody who's made a terrible decision based only on looks, and not really what's inside.
So when Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 was introduced, the Role Tailored Client was released, which is the interface you see when you install Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2018 for end users. Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 was unique in that it allowed both Classic Client and RTC to coexist. This is mostly to appease the existing Microsoft Dynamics NAV gurus and users who did not want to learn the new interface.
In addition, in Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009, classic reporting coexisted alongside report definition language client-side (RDLC) reporting. RDLC reports brought in a big change because the layout of the report had to be designed in Microsoft Visual Studio, outside Microsoft Dynamics NAV, in order to assimilate the advantages of SQL Server Reporting Services technology, while pages changed the way of developing the user interface.
This is what Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 in the RTC looked like:
At first glance, Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 and Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2015 do not look too different. You will have to understand, however, that there were significant user interface and usability changes. We can list these changes, but if you're not already familiar with Microsoft Dynamics NAV (or Navision), you will find this of little or no interest.
When Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 was released, the Classic Client user interface was completely removed. Microsoft basically renamed the Classic Client as Development Environment. For the foreseeable future, it looks like the Development Environment and the Windows Client environment will remain separate.
Now, we are at Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2018 and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, with tons of performance and usability enhancements, and the aspect is a bit different.
This is what the Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2018 Windows Client looks like:
And here are the Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2018 Web client and phone client:
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is the evolution of Microsoft Dynamics NAV (the name Microsoft Dynamics NAV might disappear shortly); it will be available in two versions: on-premises and SaaS. Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is designed for the cloud.
The Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central web-based client appears as follows:
From Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central – a timeline of features
Recently, I went to some prospects who currently use old versions of Microsoft Dynamics NAV and want to upgrade to Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2018. I was asked to list and summarize the main features introduced in the various versions of Microsoft Dynamics NAV, starting with Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009. Therefore, I decided to make a brief summary of the main features of Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009, through to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central.
The following diagram shows the Microsoft Dynamics NAV timeline with the best features of each NAV release, including Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central as is at the time of writing:
Let's have a quick look at the best technical and functional features:
Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 (and R2)
: RTC , multitier architecture (first three release levels), Web services (with separate service), Zeta Doc Express integration, online payment services, new CRM integration, and tree map visualization.
Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 (and R2)
: PowerShell, Admin Shell, multitenant, query, new model for dimensions, NAV Server multiport services configuration administration, NAV users (and multiple types of users), best charts, Web client, new NAS technology, SharePoint integration, single sign-on, rapid start services, .NET interoperability, help server, cash management, cost accounting, cache flow forecast, assembly management, SEPA v1.0, better service module integration, and inventory movements.
Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2015
: Print reports on job queue (On-Demand Scheduling), document reporting: Word layout, NAV Universal App, SEPA Direct, social listening support, Office 365 first full integration.
Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2016
: Workflow for developers (business and integration), Workflow for users, new approvals model (based on workflow), Events and Extensions, EDI (e-everything), Dynamics CRM native integration, Power BI, SQL Azure, deferrals, document management, incoming documents and OCR, currency exchange rates, new application test toolset.
