The steps below are based on a combination of guidance provided by Microsoft, as well as, my own experience.
An interesting statistic is that in a recent organizations migration from FRx to MR, 80% of the reports migrated properly with very little manual intervention. A further 10% required moderate intervention and the last 10% required re-design due to the fact that row linking was used in FRx.
Pre-Migration Clean Up in FRx
- Backup your Sysdata folder
- Backup your Specification Set(s)
- Decide which FRx reports and associated building blocks you wish to migrate to MR
- Prepare your FRx data for migration
- Remove/rename any building blocks with 'spaces' at the beginning of its ID
- Delete any unneeded reports and building blocks
- Delete any companies not in use, including the sample companies
- Associate any building blocks not being used with a Report Catalogue (otherwise, it will not be migrated to MR)
- Ensure that any rows currently used with a row linking design in FRx are attached to a Report Catalogue, as they may not convert properly based on my experience. (Note: Any reports with Reporting Trees that are referencing multiple rows will not be migrated properly as row linking is not currently supported. Having said that, it is possible to reference multiple dimensions using the row links in a single row format, but I have seen some issues with this design migrating properly.)
- Remove any .G32 files not required
- Compact the FRx database
- Set each FRx company as default
- Ensure all GP2010 companies have the same segment names. This step is only required if you have a multi-company installation and you have the same or similar segments/dimensions in each company's chart of accounts. FRx' segment approach did not look at the actual names of the segment (i.e. Account, Department) but rather its position/length. MR does look at this information and a typo or segment identified as 'Segment 1' could botch your entire migration!
Run MR Migration Wizard
- The documentation on this is readily available and quite good.
Review & Clean Up Reports in MR
Remember, running the MR wizard is generally a one-time event, as each time you run it, it will remove all the MR building blocks.
Cautions:
- Rather than muddying your production FRx environment, I would recommend a separate FRx installation, preferably pointing at your GP2010 data as this comes in handy for validating that reports are working properly.
- Remember to review the current MR readme information for information on what does not migrate (i.e. security) as well as to understand the functionality differences between FRx/MR (i.e. row linking, account sets)
Good luck!
Microsoft Management Reporter Feature Pack 2 can currently be expected in the latter half of 2011, which means it will be here in time for Christmas!
Many of the new features will be related to a distribution theme, such as:
• Sharepoint integration (Note: This likely will not be an MR Viewer experience within Sharepoint, but rather a listing of reports in Sharepoint that users can launch the MR Viewer on and view with the MR Reports Library where they are securely stored.)
• Emailing
• Scheduling (Note: Command link scheduling is available now.)
• Show accounts without dimension codes on reports (Note: Currently account segments also display the full dimension names, which many people have wanted changed.)
• Some type of Drill down to GP
Obviously the above is not a full list and it is subject to change. Please contact your Microsoft Dynamics Partner for more information.
With Microsoft's recent release of the Forecaster Data Transfer Tool, a 'missing link' in the Microsoft CPM solution has been delivered.
This is excellent news and means that we no longer have to rely on a manual Excel based method to feed Forecaster data into Dynamics GP. Instead, this process can now be automated.
It also allows Management Reporter to report on Forecaster data via Dynamics GP versus directly as can be done in FRx.
Best of all, this tool is free!
For more information, visit the Microsoft Dynamics CPM blog or CustomerSource.
Note: The tool is compliant with GP2010.
When it comes to how to get your information out of Microsoft Dynamics GP, there are so many alternatives!
One distinction that I formally made between SmartLists (whether the out-of-the-box SmartLists or the custom SmartList Builder lists) and Reports (whether SRS Reports or Crystal Reports) is that reports typically have grouping and totalling of data to facilitate analysis and decision making. Well, that distinction between 'lists' and 'reports' has been blown away with the introduction of SmartView for Dynamics GP! This is a 'must-see' and 'must-have' tool for any and all GP users.
SmartView is like GP’s SmartLists; however, it is a whole lot better! SmartView is a fast, flexible and easy to use Excel-like tool for analysis that works with all existing SmartLists, including those built using SmartList Builder.
SmartView features include:
• Faster retrieval of data than the SmartLists they are based on.
• Unlimited & Advanced Filters to isolate just the data that you want to see.
• Grouping & Subtotals to dynamically group your data by dragging and dropping.
The Evolution of SmartLists to SmartListBuider to SmartView looks something like this:
Click here to watch a SmartView demo: SmartView Demo (Make sure you select the Windows Media File version.)
For more information on SmartView for Dynamics GP contact your partner.
Microsoft was just in time for Christmas with the release of FP1 for Management Reporter.
This feature pack technically applies to the previously released Service Pack 1 (SP1) release.
The notable new features in this release are:
- Currency Translations
- Integration to Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009
There are, of course, a number of bug fixes.
I am hopeful that the promised Forecaster integration will be released in January 2011. Lets wait and see!
Wishing you all happy holidays this year!
This blog is the condensed material to be presented in a webinar tomorrow:
- Familiar User Interface (MR is both like MS Office and FRx)
- Simplified Reporting Tools (i.e. Undo, Associations, Hide/Unhide, Exporting/Importing Selected Building Blocks, etc..)
- Powerful Analysis & Personalization Capabilities (Logos, Custom Page Numbering, Custom Page Breaks, Complex Filtering, etc...)
- Superior Performance & Security (SQL based solution, Enhanced Security, Server-side processing, Supports 64 bit, Windows Authentication, etc...)
- Migrating from FRx to MR is Easy! (Well.. for the most part!)
- MR is the Future! (MS has made a significant investment in MR as the CPM platform for Dynamics GP)
- You Want to! (MR is only compatible with GP2010 and higher. FRx SP11 is also compatible with GP2010.)
Another really nice new feature in MR (vs FRx) is the ability to import specific building blocks versus the entire exported building block group backup file.
The screen shots below show that even while I am not importing the catalogue, I can still import one of the building blocks (i.e. the row) associated with it.
Catalogue Not Seleted
Row Definition Selected
This is a great convenience for heavy report designers who like to make a full backup of their building blocks by exporting them prior to an all day (or more likely all night) report design session!
It is also a great feature for consultants to make use of when creating a reporting package solution or to troubleshoot report design.
Sleep well!
