Transferring Extender customizations from one company database to another

The Microsoft Dynamics GP public newsgroup is always an amazing source of inspiration for new articles, this time, along the lines of a topic that I have been following closely since the announcements of the additions in Dynamics GP 10.0 Service Pack 4: Extender.

Today, we will explore two methods for transferring Extender customizations between company databases.

---

Method 1: Extender’s Export/Import functionality

Extender offers a native method for transferring customizations between company databases with the following steps:

1. Open Extender’s Export window. Go to Microsoft Dynamics GP > Tools > Extender > Export.

a) Click on the Folder button to select the path and enter the file name for your export. Hint: try to use the name of the customization being exported as the file name.

b) Select the customization(s) to be exported by clicking on each of the objects.

2. Click Save to continue. This will create the XML export file with the customizations.

3. Switch companies in Dynamics GP. Click the Company Name on the Status bar and select the company where you would like to import the customizations into from the Company drop-down list. Click the OK button to continue.

4. Open Extender’s Import window. Go to Microsoft Dynamics GP > Tools > Extender > Import.

a) Click on the Folder button and select the file previously exported in steps 1 and 2.

b) Click on the Import button to continue. This action will read the XML file and build the customizations in your target company database.

---

Method 2: Support Debugging Tool

That’s right! You can also use Support Debugging Tools’ XML Table Export and XML Table Import capabilities. With the aid of the sampling scripts presented in my previous post you should be well on your way to identify the tables that contain data. Once you have identified them, you can now use Support Debugging Tool to extract the data into an XML file from your source company database.

1. Open Support Debugging Tool’s XML Table Export window. Click on the Options button, then select XML Table Export.

2. In the Export window, select the tables to be exported.

3. Switch companies in Dynamics GP. Click the Company Name on the Status bar and select the company where you would like to import the customizations into from the Company drop-down list. Click the OK button to continue.

4. Open Support Debugging Tool’s XML Table Import window. Click on the Options button, then select XML Table Import.

5. In the Import window, select the file to be imported.

Now, click on the import button and you are done!

Extender allows users to perform easy customizations in their Dynamics GP system with just a few clicks or with minimum assistance from a developer. It’s time to harness the power of the tool. I will continue to explore other functions available to Extender user throughout the coming days.

Until next post!

MG.-
Mariano Gomez, MVP
Maximum Global Business, LLC
http://www.maximumglobalbusiness.com/

Transferring Extender customizations from one company database to another

The Microsoft Dynamics GP public newsgroup is always an amazing source of inspiration for new articles, this time, along the lines of a topic that I have been following closely since the announcements of the additions in Dynamics GP 10.0 Service Pack 4: Extender.

Today, we will explore two methods for transferring Extender customizations between company databases.

---

Method 1: Extender’s Export/Import functionality

Extender offers a native method for transferring customizations between company databases with the following steps:

1. Open Extender’s Export window. Go to Microsoft Dynamics GP > Tools > Extender > Export.

a) Click on the Folder button to select the path and enter the file name for your export. Hint: try to use the name of the customization being exported as the file name.

b) Select the customization(s) to be exported by clicking on each of the objects.

2. Click Save to continue. This will create the XML export file with the customizations.

3. Switch companies in Dynamics GP. Click the Company Name on the Status bar and select the company where you would like to import the customizations into from the Company drop-down list. Click the OK button to continue.

4. Open Extender’s Import window. Go to Microsoft Dynamics GP > Tools > Extender > Import.

a) Click on the Folder button and select the file previously exported in steps 1 and 2.

b) Click on the Import button to continue. This action will read the XML file and build the customizations in your target company database.

---

Method 2: Support Debugging Tool

That’s right! You can also use Support Debugging Tools’ XML Table Export and XML Table Import capabilities. With the aid of the sampling scripts presented in my previous post you should be well on your way to identify the tables that contain data. Once you have identified them, you can now use Support Debugging Tool to extract the data into an XML file from your source company database.

1. Open Support Debugging Tool’s XML Table Export window. Click on the Options button, then select XML Table Export.

2. In the Export window, select the tables to be exported.

3. Switch companies in Dynamics GP. Click the Company Name on the Status bar and select the company where you would like to import the customizations into from the Company drop-down list. Click the OK button to continue.

4. Open Support Debugging Tool’s XML Table Import window. Click on the Options button, then select XML Table Import.

5. In the Import window, select the file to be imported.

Now, click on the import button and you are done!

Extender allows users to perform easy customizations in their Dynamics GP system with just a few clicks or with minimum assistance from a developer. It’s time to harness the power of the tool. I will continue to explore other functions available to Extender user throughout the coming days.

Until next post!

MG.-
Mariano Gomez, MVP
Maximum Global Business, LLC
http://www.maximumglobalbusiness.com/

Transferring Extender customizations from one company database to another

The Microsoft Dynamics GP public newsgroup is always an amazing source of inspiration for new articles, this time, along the lines of a topic that I have been following closely since the announcements of the additions in Dynamics GP 10.0 Service Pack 4: Extender.

Today, we will explore two methods for transferring Extender customizations between company databases.

---

Method 1: Extender’s Export/Import functionality

Extender offers a native method for transferring customizations between company databases with the following steps:

1. Open Extender’s Export window. Go to Microsoft Dynamics GP > Tools > Extender > Export.

a) Click on the Folder button to select the path and enter the file name for your export. Hint: try to use the name of the customization being exported as the file name.

b) Select the customization(s) to be exported by clicking on each of the objects.

2. Click Save to continue. This will create the XML export file with the customizations.

3. Switch companies in Dynamics GP. Click the Company Name on the Status bar and select the company where you would like to import the customizations into from the Company drop-down list. Click the OK button to continue.

4. Open Extender’s Import window. Go to Microsoft Dynamics GP > Tools > Extender > Import.

a) Click on the Folder button and select the file previously exported in steps 1 and 2.

b) Click on the Import button to continue. This action will read the XML file and build the customizations in your target company database.

---

Method 2: Support Debugging Tool

That’s right! You can also use Support Debugging Tools’ XML Table Export and XML Table Import capabilities. With the aid of the sampling scripts presented in my previous post you should be well on your way to identify the tables that contain data. Once you have identified them, you can now use Support Debugging Tool to extract the data into an XML file from your source company database.

1. Open Support Debugging Tool’s XML Table Export window. Click on the Options button, then select XML Table Export.

2. In the Export window, select the tables to be exported.

3. Switch companies in Dynamics GP. Click the Company Name on the Status bar and select the company where you would like to import the customizations into from the Company drop-down list. Click the OK button to continue.

4. Open Support Debugging Tool’s XML Table Import window. Click on the Options button, then select XML Table Import.

5. In the Import window, select the file to be imported.

Now, click on the import button and you are done!

Extender allows users to perform easy customizations in their Dynamics GP system with just a few clicks or with minimum assistance from a developer. It’s time to harness the power of the tool. I will continue to explore other functions available to Extender user throughout the coming days.

Until next post!

MG.-
Mariano Gomez, MVP
Maximum Global Business, LLC
http://www.maximumglobalbusiness.com/

Congratulations to MVP Mark Polino on his 1000th post

“One thousand is a lot of posts on one subject
and all of them came in less than 4 years…”

If you thought for one instance that I could spit out articles for my blog like crazy, try this: MVP Mark Polino’s DynamicAccounting.net has hit 1000 posts! You have to give this guy credit… he has done a lot for the Microsoft Dynamics GP community and is certainly the reason why I started doing this too.

Congratulations Mark! Hope to read the next 1000 posts.

Until next post!

MG.-
Mariano Gomez, MIS, PMP
Maximum Global Business, LLC
http://www.maximumglobalbusiness.com/

Congratulations to MVP Mark Polino on his 1000th post

“One thousand is a lot of posts on one subject
and all of them came in less than 4 years…”

If you thought for one instance that I could spit out articles for my blog like crazy, try this: MVP Mark Polino’s DynamicAccounting.net has hit 1000 posts! You have to give this guy credit… he has done a lot for the Microsoft Dynamics GP community and is certainly the reason why I started doing this too.

Congratulations Mark! Hope to read the next 1000 posts.

Until next post!

MG.-
Mariano Gomez, MIS, PMP
Maximum Global Business, LLC
http://www.maximumglobalbusiness.com/

Congratulations to MVP Mark Polino on his 1000th post

“One thousand is a lot of posts on one subject
and all of them came in less than 4 years…”

If you thought for one instance that I could spit out articles for my blog like crazy, try this: MVP Mark Polino’s DynamicAccounting.net has hit 1000 posts! You have to give this guy credit… he has done a lot for the Microsoft Dynamics GP community and is certainly the reason why I started doing this too.

Congratulations Mark! Hope to read the next 1000 posts.

Until next post!

MG.-
Mariano Gomez, MIS, PMP
Maximum Global Business, LLC
http://www.maximumglobalbusiness.com/

Sampling data from Extender tables

Lets be honest! One of the most confusing aspects of working with Extender is being able to tell where things get stored. Even though all table names are pretty clear and need not too much explanation, the bottom line is people still get confused when trying to figure out what is stored where.

I for once, have spent some time working on a T-SQL script that will show all the data stored in Extender tables. I constantly use this method, because I can clearly see where things are when I need to look around for some way data got stored, without having to go executing SELECT statements one by one on each table.

The method is broken down into two steps: the script that retrieves all the extender tables, producing a formatted SELECT statement, and the script (a result of the former script) which actually displays the data in each table.

GetExtenderTables.sql

-- Created by Mariano Gomez, MVP-- Code is "AS IS". No warranties expressed or implied and conferes no rightsSELECT '/* ' + RTRIM(TABLE_NAME)   + '*/ SELECT ''' + RTRIM(TABLE_NAME) + ''' AS Extender_Table, * FROM '   + RTRIM(TABLE_NAME) FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLES WHERE TABLE_NAME LIKE 'EXT%'

NOTE: This query is only supported on Microsoft SQL Server 2005 and 2008.

When executed, the above query will produce the following results:

RetrieveExtenderData.sql

-- Created by Mariano Gomez, MVP-- Code is "AS IS". No warranties expressed or implied and conferes no rights/* EXT00100*/ SELECT 'EXT00100' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT00100/* EXT00101*/ SELECT 'EXT00101' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT00101/* EXT00102*/ SELECT 'EXT00102' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT00102/* EXT00103*/ SELECT 'EXT00103' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT00103/* EXT00104*/ SELECT 'EXT00104' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT00104/* EXT00150*/ SELECT 'EXT00150' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT00150/* EXT00151*/ SELECT 'EXT00151' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT00151/* EXT00180*/ SELECT 'EXT00180' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT00180/* EXT00181*/ SELECT 'EXT00181' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT00181/* EXT00182*/ SELECT 'EXT00182' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT00182/* EXT00183*/ SELECT 'EXT00183' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT00183/* EXT00184*/ SELECT 'EXT00184' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT00184/* EXT00185*/ SELECT 'EXT00185' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT00185/* EXT00900*/ SELECT 'EXT00900' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT00900/* EXT10200*/ SELECT 'EXT10200' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT10200/* EXT30200*/ SELECT 'EXT30200' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT30200/* EXT40010*/ SELECT 'EXT40010' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT40010/* EXT40011*/ SELECT 'EXT40011' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT40011/* EXT40012*/ SELECT 'EXT40012' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT40012/* EXT40013*/ SELECT 'EXT40013' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT40013/* EXT40040*/ SELECT 'EXT40040' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT40040/* EXT40100*/ SELECT 'EXT40100' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT40100/* EXT40101*/ SELECT 'EXT40101' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT40101/* EXT40102*/ SELECT 'EXT40102' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT40102/* EXT40103*/ SELECT 'EXT40103' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT40103/* EXT40104*/ SELECT 'EXT40104' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT40104/* EXT40105*/ SELECT 'EXT40105' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT40105/* EXT40106*/ SELECT 'EXT40106' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT40106/* EXT40107*/ SELECT 'EXT40107' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT40107/* EXT40108*/ SELECT 'EXT40108' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT40108/* EXT40109*/ SELECT 'EXT40109' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT40109/* EXT40110*/ SELECT 'EXT40110' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT40110/* EXT40111*/ SELECT 'EXT40111' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT40111/* EXT40117*/ SELECT 'EXT40117' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT40117/* EXT40150*/ SELECT 'EXT40150' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT40150/* EXT40151*/ SELECT 'EXT40151' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT40151/* EXT40152*/ SELECT 'EXT40152' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT40152/* EXT40153*/ SELECT 'EXT40153' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT40153/* EXT40154*/ SELECT 'EXT40154' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT40154/* EXT40157*/ SELECT 'EXT40157' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT40157/* EXT40160*/ SELECT 'EXT40160' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT40160/* EXT40162*/ SELECT 'EXT40162' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT40162/* EXT40163*/ SELECT 'EXT40163' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT40163/* EXT40164*/ SELECT 'EXT40164' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT40164/* EXT40170*/ SELECT 'EXT40170' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT40170/* EXT40200*/ SELECT 'EXT40200' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT40200/* EXT40201*/ SELECT 'EXT40201' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT40201/* EXT40400*/ SELECT 'EXT40400' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT40400/* EXT40600*/ SELECT 'EXT40600' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT40600/* EXT40601*/ SELECT 'EXT40601' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT40601/* EXT40602*/ SELECT 'EXT40602' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT40602/* EXT40700*/ SELECT 'EXT40700' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT40700/* EXT40701*/ SELECT 'EXT40701' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT40701/* EXT40702*/ SELECT 'EXT40702' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT40702/* EXT40703*/ SELECT 'EXT40703' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT40703/* EXT40900*/ SELECT 'EXT40900' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT40900/* EXT40901*/ SELECT 'EXT40901' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT40901/* EXT43200*/ SELECT 'EXT43200' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT43200/* EXT43201*/ SELECT 'EXT43201' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT43201/* EXT43202*/ SELECT 'EXT43202' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT43202/* EXT43204*/ SELECT 'EXT43204' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT43204/* EXT43205*/ SELECT 'EXT43205' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT43205/* EXT43400*/ SELECT 'EXT43400' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT43400/* EXT43900*/ SELECT 'EXT43900' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT43900/* EXT43901*/ SELECT 'EXT43901' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT43901/* EXT43902*/ SELECT 'EXT43902' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT43902/* EXT44100*/ SELECT 'EXT44100' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT44100/* EXT44200*/ SELECT 'EXT44200' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT44200/* EXT44300*/ SELECT 'EXT44300' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT44300/* EXT45000*/ SELECT 'EXT45000' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT45000/* EXT50100*/ SELECT 'EXT50100' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT50100/* EXT60100*/ SELECT 'EXT60100' as Extender_Table, * FROM EXT60100

Now, you can now copy and paste the above results in a new query window and once again execute against your company database. Now you should be able to see how the data is stored. What I appreciate about this query (and not because I wrote it ) is the fact that it displays the table name as part of the result set. This allows you to know directly where a row came from.

If your goal is to produce a SQL Server view that will link this data, then check David Musgrave’s article Creating SQL Views of Extender Data for more information. However, if you are seeking to do this via Extender itself, then you need to check MVP Victoria Yudin’s post on Creating Extender Views.

Until next post!

MG.-
Mariano Gomez, MVP
Maximum Global Business, LLC
http://www.maximumglobalbusiness.com/

Microsoft Dynamics GP roadmap

For those of you who did not attend Convergence 2009 and have been asking about release dates of service packs and new versions of Dynamics GP, the following shows the anticipated product roadmap. Keep in mind that release dates and product features may change on a dime and by no means can be considered absolute Microsoft commitments.

One things is very sure: Microsoft Dynamics GP 10.0 Service Pack 4 is just right around the corner and with it comes a revamped Extender product. For those of you wondering about the feature of the customization tools, David Musgrave has some reflections on that subject. Click here to read what he has to say. Plus I have the following to add: if you are a Microsoft Dexterity developer or a Visual Basic for Applications guy, Extender is still not the panacea for complex business requirements. Yes, you will be able to add new windows, yes you will have the ability to create transaction workflows. However, there is only so much Extender can do as it still operates within a set framework defined by its programming logic and that’s where you come in as a developer.

Until next post!

MG.-
Mariano Gomez, MIS
Maximum Global Business, LLC
http://www.maximumglobalbusiness.com/

Microsoft Dynamics GP roadmap

For those of you who did not attend Convergence 2009 and have been asking about release dates of service packs and new versions of Dynamics GP, the following shows the anticipated product roadmap. Keep in mind that release dates and product features may change on a dime and by no means can be considered absolute Microsoft commitments.

One things is very sure: Microsoft Dynamics GP 10.0 Service Pack 4 is just right around the corner and with it comes a revamped Extender product. For those of you wondering about the feature of the customization tools, David Musgrave has some reflections on that subject. Click here to read what he has to say. Plus I have the following to add: if you are a Microsoft Dexterity developer or a Visual Basic for Applications guy, Extender is still not the panacea for complex business requirements. Yes, you will be able to add new windows, yes you will have the ability to create transaction workflows. However, there is only so much Extender can do as it still operates within a set framework defined by its programming logic and that’s where you come in as a developer.

Until next post!

MG.-
Mariano Gomez, MIS
Maximum Global Business, LLC
http://www.maximumglobalbusiness.com/

Microsoft Dynamics GP roadmap

For those of you who did not attend Convergence 2009 and have been asking about release dates of service packs and new versions of Dynamics GP, the following shows the anticipated product roadmap. Keep in mind that release dates and product features may change on a dime and by no means can be considered absolute Microsoft commitments.

One things is very sure: Microsoft Dynamics GP 10.0 Service Pack 4 is just right around the corner and with it comes a revamped Extender product. For those of you wondering about the feature of the customization tools, David Musgrave has some reflections on that subject. Click here to read what he has to say. Plus I have the following to add: if you are a Microsoft Dexterity developer or a Visual Basic for Applications guy, Extender is still not the panacea for complex business requirements. Yes, you will be able to add new windows, yes you will have the ability to create transaction workflows. However, there is only so much Extender can do as it still operates within a set framework defined by its programming logic and that’s where you come in as a developer.

Until next post!

MG.-
Mariano Gomez, MIS
Maximum Global Business, LLC
http://www.maximumglobalbusiness.com/