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Connecting Dynamics GP to Microsoft Office 2010 : Skipping the exports by using Prebuilt Excel Reports

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11/20/2012 5:48:11 PM
The connections we’ve looked at so far between Dynamics GP and Excel have been one way and static. Data was moved from Dynamics GP to Excel. Once in Excel users could analyze and manipulate data, but when information in Dynamics GP changed, the user would need to re-export the data and re-run any analysis.

Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010 provides a new set of Excel based reports. These reports use the new Office Data Connection (ODC) to provide a live connection into Dynamics GP. Unlike exports, when data changes in Dynamics GP, these Excel reports can be easily refreshed to include the new data.

In this recipe, we look at how to deploy and use Excel reports in Microsoft Dynamics GP.

Getting ready

Prior to using Excel reports, they need to be deployed. This can be done to a simple shared file location on the company’s network or to Microsoft Office SharePoint Server (MOSS). We’ll look at deploying Excel reports to a shared file location:

  1. 1. Create or select two file locations; one to hold the reports and one for the connections. Separating the connections from the reports makes it easier for users to run the Excel reports directly with less confusion. For our sample, ensure that locations c:\xlreports and c:\xlconn exist.

  2. 2. Select Administration from the Navigation Pane on the left. On the Administration Area Page select Reporting Tools Setup under Setup. Enter the system password if prompted.

  3. 3. Select the Data Connections tab and enter c:\xlconn in each field. Select the Enable data connection deployment and Deploy data connections for all existing companies checkboxes. Click on Run Deployment.

    For our example, we are deploying System and User Level Data Connections to the same place for simplicity. Also, selecting the Deploy data connections for all existing companies checkbox is optional but it creates the data connectors for all of the GP company databases at once saving steps and potential deployment conflicts down the road.

  1. 4. Click on Yes to view the Deployment Report, select the Screen checkbox, and click on OK.

  2. 5. Validate that the Deployment Status shows Successful:

  1. 6. Select the Reports Library tab and enter c:\xlreports in each field. Select the Enable Excel report deployment and Deploy Excel reports for all existing companies checkboxes. Click on Run Deployment.

    As with the data connection deployment, these instructions deploy system and user level reports to the same place.

  1. 7. Click on Yes to view the Deployment Report, select the Screen checkbox, and click on OK

  2. 8. Validate that the Deployment Status shows Successful.

  3. 9. Click on OK when finished.

This process has now deployed both the Excel reports and the appropriate data connections. Now let’s look at how to use them.

How to do it...

There are two options to run Excel reports. They can be run from within Dynamics GP or from Excel. Let’s see how to do both.

To start an Excel report from within Dynamics GP:

  1. 1. Select Financial from the Navigation Pane. In the top section of the Navigation Pane select Excel Reports.

    If Excel Reports does not appear after deploying the reports restart Dynamics GP.

  2. 2. Double-click on the Account Summary report. (It will be preceded by the company identifier. For the sample company it’s TWO AccountSummary):

  1. 3. Excel will open. Click on Enable if a security warning opens in Excel.

  2. 4. The Excel report will open with filter arrows already in place for filtering columns.

  3. 5. Right-click on one of the headings and select Refresh to force the report to bring in updated information from Dynamics GP.

To start an Excel report directly:

  1. 1. Open up Windows Explorer and navigate to the location where the reports were deployed. Drill into the appropriate company and module. In our example, this was c:\xlreports\TWO\Financial.

  2. 2. Double-click on the file named TWO AccountSummary Default.

  3. 3. Excel will open. If a Security Warning displays, select Options | Enable this content and click on OK:

  1. 4. The Excel report will open with filter arrows already in place for filtering columns.

  2. 5. Right-click on one of the headings and select Refresh to force the report to bring in updated information from Dynamics GP.

How it works...

Excel reports leverage Microsoft’s new Office Data Connection to provide easily accessible, updateable reports. With the older style Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) connections, users had to have the connection set up on their machine. The portability of the new connectors makes sharing Excel reports based on live data much easier.

Additionally, these reports are much faster than SmartList exports. The data returns almost instantly and is presented with some basic formatting already intact.

For users who want to modify Excel reports, or build their own, these reports are still based on Excel at their core. Users can add calculations, move columns, and more, then save the reports with a new name. In most cases, the reports will maintain their connection to Dynamics GP.

There’s more...

For users who want to build custom Excel reports, Microsoft offers Excel Report Builder as a part of SmartList Builder. Experienced database administrators will find a lot to like in the new Office Data Connectors and there is an easy way to avoid those security prompts.

Excel Report Builder

As part of the SmartList Builder add-on, Microsoft offers an Excel Report Builder that allows the user to select fields, order columns, add calculations, and limit records to create a unique Excel report. The process works just like SmartList Builder and the Excel Report Builder screen is almost identical to SmartList Builder. The end result, however, is a refreshable Excel report.

SQL and ODC Connections

For experienced administrators the Excel files can be modified directly by selecting Data | Connections | Properties from within Excel and selecting the Definition tab. This allows the manipulation of the underlying SQL query letting administrators add, remove, or reorder fields and, in general, manipulate the report in almost any way possible.

Once completed the changes can be saved to a new Excel file, to the original Excel file, or saved back as part of the ODC file making the changes available to all reports based on that connector.

This is not for the inexperienced, but knowledgeable database administrators will find tremendous power in the ability to manipulate the underlying SQL code.

Trust and Security

When opening Excel reports, Excel will return a Security Warning because there is a live connection back to a database. To prevent these warnings from showing:

  1. 1. Select the round main menu button in Excel and select Excel Options.

  2. 2. Click on Trust Center and then on Trust Center Settings:

  1. 3. Click on Trusted Locations on the left and then on Add new location:

  1. 4. Add the location of the Excel Connections. In our example, this was c:\xlconn\:

  1. 5. Select the Subfolders of this location are also trusted checkbox and click on OK.

  2. 6. Repeat this process and add the Excel Reports location, c:\xlreports, as well.

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