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.
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.
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 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.
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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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