Extending the reach of your Dynamics AX 2012 application with Enterprise Portal

Anees AnsariProgram ManagerMicrosoft Corporation

BRK 306

Disclaimer© 2012 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft, Windows, Windows Vista and other product names are or may be registered trademarks and/or trademarks in the U.S. and/or other countries. Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.

Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2 is a pre-release product under development. The information herein is for informational purposes only and represents the current view of Microsoft Corporation as of the date of this presentation. Because Microsoft must respond to changing market conditions, it should not be interpreted to be a commitment on the part of Microsoft. Microsoft cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information provided after the date of this presentation. All product release dates and features specified are preliminary based on current expectations, and are subject to change without notice. Microsoft may make changes to specifications and product descriptions at any time, without notice.

Sample code included in this presentation is made available AS IS. THE ENTIRE RISK OF THE USE OR THE RESULTS FROM THE USE OF THIS CODE REMAINS WITH THE USER.

MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, AS TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS PRESENTATION. NO LICENSE, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, BY ESTOPPEL OR OTHERWISE, TO ANY INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS IS GRANTED BY THIS PRESENTATION. Microsoft products are not intended for use in medical, life saving, or life sustaining applications.

Session Focus

How to write less code to build and extend Enterprise Portal

How to share code and metadata between Enterprise Portal and Client

Kevin (End user)• Need for a simple user interface• Need to improve productivity

Isaac (Developer)• Customizing and extending business applications• Quickly responding to changing business needs

Chris (IT Engineer)• Need to simplify installation and deployment• Need to reduce time spent in administration

Challenges

UX Enhancements – List PageTop

Navigation

Action Pane

Quick Launch

FactBoxesQuick Filter

Preview Pane

Advanced Filter

Multi-selection

Links

UX Enhancements – Details Page

Modal Window

FastTabs

Two Column Layout

Summary Fields

Auto Buttons

End-to-end Development Demo

Model-driven list page development

Details page development

Connecting list and details pages

Enterprise Portal Architecture

Microsoft Dynamics AX Database

Application Object Server

(AOS) Query Service

Metadata Service

ASP.NET User Controls

.NET Business Connector

DataClient SDK

ASP.NET ControlsMicrosoft

Dynamics® AX Controls

Enterprise PortalData Access Layer

Proxies

Developer

Microsoft® SharePoint® Foundation / Server 2010

Microsoft SharePoint Database

Develop User Controls Internet Site

Anonymous

Vendor Portal

Vendor

Customer Portal

Customer

Integration Sites

Employee Portal

Employee

Define Business Objects, Relations and

Logic

Develop Pages

Microsoft SharePointWeb Parts

Web Part Connection

Session Management

Security

Microsoft Dynamics AX

Web Parts

Demo 1: Model-driven List Page DevelopmentPersona

Need to develop separately for Enterprise Portal and Client

ChallengesModel-driven development for list pages

FeaturesDevelopment time and cost savings

BenefitsIsaac

(Developer)

Demo 2: Details Page Development

PersonaDeveloping and deploying controls takes a long time

ChallengesMicrosoft Dynamics® AX framework and tools for Microsoft® Visual Studio®

FeaturesRapid development experience enabled via framework and tools enhancements

BenefitsIsaac

(Developer)

Demo 3: Connecting List and Details PagesPersona

Enabling common interaction patterns is difficult

ChallengesNew metadata settings

FeaturesQuickly set up a variety of interaction patterns

BenefitsIsaac

(Developer)

Top tips from this session

Use the new model-driven development approach to create list pages that are shared between Enterprise Portal and Client1

2

3

4

5

Use one-click deploy from the Display Menu Item to deploy model-driven list pages to Enterprise Portal

Use Info part in the preview pane to display extended information for the current record

Use Info/Form parts in FactBox area to display related information for the current record. Reuse these on the corresponding details page for consistency

Refresh Application Object Data (AOD) cache during development to instantly see metadata changes reflected for model-driven list pages in Enterprise Portal

Top tips from this sessionUse the EPWebApplication project template and the EPUserControl templates to jump-start details page creation using Visual Studio

6

7

8

9

10

Use the Application Explorer in Visual Studio to add existing controls to the EP Web Application project and work on them

Use one-click deploy from the Web Managed Content Item to deploy the corresponding Web Control to a new page in Enterprise Portal

Use the WindowMode and WindowSize property on the Web URL Menu Item to display the details page in a modal dialog

To connect the list page to the details page, set the HyperlinkMenuItem property of a field in the grid to the Display Menu Item that points to the Web URL Menu Item of the details page

Enterprise Portal Features

• Prerequisite checker• Summary report• Granular and remote

updates using AxUpdatePortal• Multi-box Role Center

setup without Kerberos• Support for

Windows Server® AppFabric• Pluggable authentication• AD Group support• Performance and scalability

Development Administration UX

• Quick Filter• Advanced Filter• Custom Filter• Search• Preview Pane• Fact Boxes• Action Pane• Links in the list• Multi-selection• Modal window• Fast tabs• Auto buttons• Two-column layout• Themes

• Model-driven list pages• New Visual Studio Tools

and Framework• Application Explorer in

Visual Studio • New metadata settings

(DisplayTarget, others)• One-click deploy to

Enterprise Portal• Automatic deployment of

controls from Visual Studio• Easier proxy generation• Cross reference• Code diff• Single-box and Developer

install

Enterprise Portal Application Functionality

Customer Self-Service

Vendor Self-Service

Employee Self-Service

Employee Professional

Enterprise Portal in Microsoft Dynamics

AX 3.0 and 4.0

SalesProject Viewing

Time EntryQuestionnaire

Shop Floor Control

Customer Self-Service

Enterprise Portal in Microsoft Dynamics

AX 2009

Sales/ServiceProject Viewing

CRMPurchase Requisitions

Compliance Center

Vendor ProfileOrdersItems

Price Agreements

Time EntryQuestionnaire

Shop Floor ControlExpense Management

Customer Self-Service

Enterprise Portal in Microsoft Dynamics

AX 2012

Sales/ServiceProject Viewing

CRMPurchase Requisitions

Compliance CenterProject SchedulingCase Management

Global Address BookTime Entry

QuestionnaireShop Floor Control

Expense ManagementCatalog

Employee Shopping Site

Approvals Cross Company Charging Travel

Requisitions Vendor Request

Vendor ProfileOrdersItems

Price AgreementsVendor Invoicing

Online RFQ Collaboration

Category RequestContact ManagementSelf Administration

Customer Self-ServiceEnhanced Sign-Up

Process

https://informationsource.dynamics.com

CORE CONCEPTS• Business Value• How To• Design Insights• Implementation Considerations

RFP Q&A

SERVICES

Information Source

© 2012 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft, Windows, and other product names are or may be registered trademarks and/or trademarks in the U.S. and/or other countries.The information herein is for informational purposes only and represents the current view of Microsoft Corporation as of the date of this presentation. Because Microsoft must respond to changing market conditions, it should not be interpreted to be a commitment on the part of Microsoft, and Microsoft cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information provided after the date of this presentation. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, AS TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS PRESENTATION.