Monthly Archives: February 2015

Depreciation Forecast Report

22 Sunday Feb 2015

Posted by in Fixed Assets

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Dynamics AX provides users of the fixed asset module the functionality to preview the future values of a fixed asset. This can be achieved by opening the fixed asset profile window that is available in the value models form of a fixed asset. EN_2-1EN_2-2Unfortunately, the fixed asset profile form only shows future fixed asset values for the very fixed asset that is currently analyzed. By default (most) users are not provided with a Dynamics AX form or report that allows analyzing the future values of all the fixed assets of a company. I used the term “most” because Dynamics AX users in Poland and the Czech Republic are provided with a standard fixed asset forecast report. This report can easily be made available for users in other countries by adding a company’s country code into the CountryRegionCode field of the output menu item “AssetDepreciationPlan” (see the following screenshot).EN_2-3As a result of this modification, a new “Depreciation plan” report can be identified in the report section of the fixed asset module. EN_2-4

ExampleEN_2-5Despite all the advantages of this standard report, it lacks a feature that allows users analyzing the data quickly and easily. That is mainly because the report simply lists the fixed assets one after the other. Yet, this disadvantage can easily be fixed through some minor adjustments to the standard report design in Visual Studio. The following screenshot shows a simple example. EN_2-6Overall it can be summarized that only some minor system modifications are required to make a depreciation forecast report available for all Dynamics AX users. Making those adjustments can be realized much faster and cost efficient compared to developing something completely new from scratch.

 

 

 

 

 

Beware ERP?

14 Saturday Feb 2015

Posted by in Miscellaneous

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While travelling in Asia I noticed a strange traffic sign. I was wondering about the meaning of this sign as I knew the acronym ERP only in regards to Enterprise Resource Systems. Luckily Wikipedia helped me closing this gap in my knowledge. If you also wonder about the meaning or want to use the sign in one of your presentations, check out the following Wikipedia site: Road Sign

P1060971

New Project Module Parameters

08 Sunday Feb 2015

Posted by in Project

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In Dynamics AX 2012 R2 two new project parameters have been implemented that might have an influence on your vouchers that Dynamics AX creates when posting purchase order related project transactions. Those parameters can be found in the general section of the project parameters form. Please see the following screenshot. EN_4-1If you deactivate both parameters, Dynamics AX behaves exactly as in previous versions. That is, the item costs hit the project at the very time the vendor invoice is posted (highlighted in yellow color in the following illustration). EN_4-2On the other hand, if you activate the newly introduced parameters, Dynamics AX automatically creates an item requirement at the time you create a purchase order for your project and item costs hit your project when the product receipt is posted. One advantage of this behavior is that you can directly invoice your customer for the item costs and do not have to wait until your vendor’s invoice is posted. Yet, if you take a close look at the voucher created you can find that Dynamics AX uses a different posting type for the inventory issue transaction. EN_4-5The following two screenshots illustrate the different posting types used depending on whether you activate the new parameters or leave them deactivated.

  • Main account used when parameters are deactivatedEN_4-3
  • Main account used when parameters are activatedEN_4-4

The change illustrated does not seem to be a major issue. Yet, it can quickly become one if you use different issue accounts for sales order postings and inventory postings. Also remember to consider those differences when you reconcile your inventory with your general ledger.

 

 

 

 

Preview Journal Transactions

01 Sunday Feb 2015

Posted by in General Ledger

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Dynamics AX 2012 offers users a feature that allows them previewing vouchers before transactions are posted. The feature is called “subledger journal” and is – among others – available in the vendor invoice posting form for purchase orders and the free text invoice form. Even though the subledger journal feature does only illustrate the subledger part of a voucher, it can help users identifying errors before they post transactions.

Unfortunately, the journals that are available in the General Ledger (GL), Accounts Payable (AP) and Accounts Receivable (AR) module do not have a similar preview functionality. A possible workaround is printing a journal report as illustrated in the following screenshots. Yet, this report does not show the complete voucher as sales tax transactions are excluded.EN_1ExampleEN_2

One possibility to overcome this shortcoming is using the preview transactions form that is available for selected countries in Eastern Europe. Making this form available for other countries and users requires the following three minor system modifications:

  1. Adjust the Display Menu Item „LedgerTransPreview_RU“
    Simply add your country code in the properties of the menu item.EN_3
  2. Adjust the table „TmpLedgerTransPreview_RU”
    As before, simply add your country code in the table properties.EN_4
  3. Adjust Labels
    If you are unhappy with the default English translation, adjust the following two labels: @GLS104587 and @GLS104588

As a result of those modifications users can now identify a third option denominated “preview journal transactions” when they open the GL journal form. EN_5Selecting this option opens the following window that allows a detailed preview of the vouchers included in the journal. EN_6Please note that the same preview functionality automatically becomes available in the AP invoice journals, the AP payment journal and AR payment journals.