Implementing microsoft dynamics 365 for finance and operations

Implementing Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and OperationsImplement methodology, integration, data migration, and more This book is based on Enterprise Edition Rahul Mohta Yogesh Kas

Implementing Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations

Implement methodology, integration, data migration, and more

This book is based on Enterprise Edition

Rahul Mohta

Yogesh Kasat

JJ Yadav

BIRMINGHAM - MUMBAI

Implementing Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations

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First published: September 2017

This book was prepared by each of author's personal capacity The opinions and recommendationsexpressed are the author's own and do not reflect the view of any of the organizations they areassociated with

About the Authors

Rahul Mohta is a cofounder of Real Dynamics and also works as an independent trainer for

Microsoft He has 16 years of experience in ERP, focusing on Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Financeand Operations, Enterprise edition (AX) and has worked for customers and partners worldwide Hisexperience spans multiple geographies (America, Europe, and Asia) across various domains, such asfinancials, supply chain and distribution, projects, manufacturing, warehousing, retail, and

professional services, where he works as a trusted advisor while undertaking diverse roles acrossvarious implementations and initiatives

He is an enthusiast of ensuring value creation while embracing Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Financeand Operations, Enterprise edition (AX), and he regularly shares his knowledge through blogs andtraining sessions delivered for Microsoft and other companies

I would like to thank several people who supported me directly as well as indirectly in my

knowledge on Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations, Enterprise edition (AX) and for motivating me to write this book I sincerely thank my parents, coauthors (Yogesh and JJ), partners in Real Dynamics, mentors, colleagues, and my near and dear ones in my family and circle of friends.

Yogesh Kasat is a founding partner of Real Dynamics, which is one of the first IV&Vs (Independent

Verification and Validation services provider) for Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and

Operations, Enterprise edition He has led several large Dynamics AX implementations and turnedthem into success stories with his unique blend of knowledge of financial and supply chain modules,technical architecture, and business process optimization

Yogesh brings over 15 years of experience in ERP Consulting and Audits to the team He has worked

as a solution architect and project lead on many enterprise engagements, and as an advisor with theMicrosoft Product team His global customer experience covers the USA, Canada, UK, Ireland,Japan, India, and Singapore

Yogesh is a returning author, and having previously written the book Microsoft Dynamics AX

Implementation Guide.

I would like to thank several people who provided me encouragement and valuable feedback on the previous My sincere thanks to customers, colleagues at Real Dynamics, mentors, and peers in the industry who helped me gain knowledge on Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and

Operations, Enterprise edition (AX) I thank my mom, sisters and brothers, wife and kids, and friends and family for their continued support while I was writing.

JJ Yadav has been working on Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations, Enterprise

edition for more than 13 years as a solutions architect, project manager, technical lead, and

developer He started working on Axapta 3.0 as a developer with Euro Info Systems in India (now

Tectura India) He has experience in leading and managing several Dynamics AX Global

implementations and upgrade projects His core technical expertise includes infrastructure planning,integration services, data migration, and workflow He has extensive functional experience in

financials, procurement, accounts payable, accounts receivable, inventory and warehouse

management, and the service modules of Dynamics AX

Currently, he works as a senior project manager with Hitachi Solutions, America in the central region

My sincere gratitude to my coauthors, Yogesh Kasat and Rahul Mohta, for putting in great

teamwork while writing this book I would like to thank all the reviewers and Packt for providing valuable feedback and comments during the creation of this book.

About the Reviewers

Nicolae Tarla is a Microsoft Dynamics 365 specialist with a focus on solution architecture and

technical presales He has worked on various mid-sized to enterprise-level Dynamics 365, Office

365, and SharePoint implementations for both private and public sectors He has been awarded theBusiness Solutions MVP designation for community contributions across several times

Nicolae has participated as a technical reviewer and author on several books, presented at severalevents and conferences He blogs at https://thecrmwiz.com/

Nicolae has also worked as a technical reviewer on the books: Microsoft Dynamics 365 Extensions

Cookbook and Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011: Dashboards Cookbook Moreover, he has

authored Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2016 Customizations, Microsoft Dynamics CRM

Customization Essentials, and Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 Scripting Cookbook by Packt.

I would like to thank the author and publisher for offering me the opportunity to partake in this review It was a great experience assisting on this project In addition, a big thanks goes to the Dynamics 365 community, for supporting the authors.

Sukrut Parab is senior solutions architect in Dynamics 365 for Operations (AX) He brings 11+

years of technology experience in industry and consulting, exclusively focused on Microsoft

Dynamics AX development and related technologies (.NET ,SQL) He has been part of the successfulupgrade from Ax 2012 RU 7 to Dynamics 365 for Operations He has been working on Dynamics AXsince Axapta 3.0 and has extensive experience in solution architecture, design, development,

integration, data migration, and version upgrade for Microsoft Dynamics AX ERP He has

successfully worked with global teams to implement ERP systems in a variety of industries (finance,trade and logistics, entertainment, retail, and so on) He has also worked extensively on various

Microsoft Dynamics AX modules, such as accounts payable, accounts receivable, inventory, productinformation management, general ledger, expense management, and HR Sukrut has a bachelor's

degree in electronics and telecommunication engineering and is a Microsoft Certified TechnologySpecialist (MCTS), Dynamics AX

Madhu Babu Rapolu has 17 years of industry experience, with over 11 years of experience working

on the various versions of Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations, Enterprise edition

He has extensive functional experience in the trade and logistics, financials, project management andaccounting, and production modules of Microsoft Dynamics AX He has played versatile roles duringhis tenure as a business analyst, functional lead, and project manager He is currently working as a

solution architect in the central region of the USA

Pankaj Sonawane is an accomplished, dedicated, and result-oriented Microsoft Certified Dynamics

365 Consultant He is a highly motivated Dynamics AX professional with solid track records in AXconsulting, solution designs, and the development and delivery of AX projects He has been workingfor more than 13 years in the AX space, with strong analytical and problem-solving skills, from

Axapta 3.0 to the latest Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations, Enterprise edition During hiscareer, he has played various roles in some of the world’s largest Dynamics AX implementations andupgrade projects, ranging from senior developer and technical consultant to technical architect, teamlead, and AX manager He has been continuously working in the Microsoft technology stack usingMorphX, X++, SQL, C#, ASP.Net, BizTalk, AIF, SSRS, SSAS, data warehousing, Power BI, VisualStudio, and so on He is also proficient in different AX-functional areas such as trade and logistics,

AR, AP, inventory, general ledger, and human resource He is also skilled in developing user

documentation, requirements specifications, technical documentation, and architectural designs He isthe most sought-after ERP expert with an in-depth knowledge of AX as a product

Recently, Pankaj has successfully completed an upgrade from Dynamics AX 2012 to Dynamics 365for Finance and Operations, Enterprise edition and has continued working on the same to integrateDynamics 365 with various SaaS systems

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Table of Contents

Preface

What this book covers

What you need for this book

Who this book is for

Piracy Questions

1 Introduction to Microsoft Dynamics 365

What is Microsoft Dynamics 365?

The benefits of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Microsoft Dynamics 365 salient features Microsoft Dynamics 365 apps

Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Sales Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Customer Service Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Field Service Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Project Service Automation Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations, Enterprise edition (AX) Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations, Business edition (NAV) Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Retail

Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Talent Human resources

Attract Onboard Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Marketing Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Customer insights Complimenting/supporting tools with Microsoft Dynamics 365

Power BI PowerApps Microsoft Flow Common Data Service (CDS) Microsoft AppSource Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations, Enterprise edition (AX)

What is Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations, Enterprise edition? History of Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations

Highlights of Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations Trial of Microsoft Dynamics 365

Buying Microsoft Dynamics 365

Summary

2 Implementation Methodology and Tools

Why select a methodology?

Methodologies relevant for embracing Dynamics 365 The Conference Room Pilot (CRP) methodology Planning

Execution Best practices in using CRP

An example of a CRP methodology The agile methodology

The waterfall methodology Comparative summary Lifecycle Services (LCS) implementation tools Foundation

Methodologies Projects Project users Organization users SharePoint online library Preview feature management Shared asset library Subscription estimator Asset library

Ongoing Business process modeler Cloud-hosted environments Code upgrade

Configuration and data manager Localization and translation Support

Issue search Support Work items System diagnostics Updates

Identity Data layer Platform Application Client

Browser client Mobile app Office 365 Lifecycle Services Development architecture Integration architecture Security architecture Deployment options

Cloud Cloud and Edge or hybrid deployment Local business data or on-premises Comparing deployment options Summary

4 Project Initiation and Kickoff

The need for a strong project start

Project team composition

The backbone of a project

Project charter Project plan FastTrack for Dynamics 365 Ground rules for day-to-day operations

Kickoff meeting

Project initiation and LCS

SharePoint online Project deliverables in the CRP methodology

The planning phase The business requirement definition phase The solution analysis phase

The solution design phase The configure/preview/prototype phase The development phase

The testing and acceptance phase The training phase

The Go Live phase The support phase Best practices in project initiation

Business process modeler

Visual Studio Team Services (VSTS)

BPM and VSTS sync Continuous reporting and VSTS Requirement gathering techniques

Listen Lead Negotiate Requirements Traceability Matrix (RTM)

Requirement segmentation and ownership

Analysis of requirements

Solution blueprint

Key decision log

Best practices in managing requirements

Summary

6 Configuration and Data Management

Strategies for managing configuration and data migration

Configuration management

Configuration planning The golden configuration environment Data migration management

Scoping Common data migration areas Planning

Execution Data management tools

The data management framework

Data management concepts The data management workspace Data entities

Configuration data templates Default data templates Configuration data project Data packages

LCS Project | Asset library | Data packages Configuration data packages

LCS configuration and data manager Process data packages

How these concepts come together Database operations

Cross-company data sharing

Data management scenarios

Initial configuration in a blank environment Data migration from legacy systems

Copy the company configuration within an existing environment Copy data between environments

Ad hoc data loading Best practices in managing configurations and data migration

7 Functional and Technical Design

Finding the right app for your business needs

Before choosing ISV solutions After selecting the partner Common pitfalls

Common features

Personalization Office integration Document management Workspaces

Electronic reporting Tax engine

Batch framework Workflows Database logging Mobile application Common Data Services, Microsoft Flow, and PowerApps The functional design document

The fit-gap review session Why write FDD?

Project management aspects of design Things to know before writing an FDD Feasibility analysis

Dos and don'ts The solution design document

Overview and objectives Guidelines for solution design documents The technical design document

Overview and objectives Guidelines for the technical design document Preparation

Execution Outcome Summary

8 Integration Planning and Design

Integration architecture

Basic integration concepts

RESTful APIs SOAP

SOAP versus REST JSON

OData OAuth Integration concepts in Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations, Enterprise edition Data entities

What is a data entity?

OData services Querying or browsing an OData endpoint Consuming OData services

Client application registration and setup Creating a project, adding libraries, and generating an OData service proxy Authentication and OData service call

Custom services Recurring integrations Integration tools, midleware, and scenarios

Dynamics 365 data integrator

Integration architecture Setting up data integration Connections

Connection sets Integration keys Projects

Schedules Integrating and monitoring Benefits of CDS data integration Scenarios focus

Integration planning

Integration scenarios Integration requirements Synchronous or asynchronous Integration design and development

Developing a high-level conceptual design Selecting the right integration technology Defining field mapping

Developing, configuring, and testing Best practices and recommendations

Summary

9 Building Customizations

Architecture and concepts

Programming language Compile exclusively in NET CIL Language enhancements

Unit of compilation Compiler and tooling Integrated development environment (IDE) Development IDE in Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations, Enterprise edition Development IDE in Dynamics AX 2012

Development environment architecture Programming concepts

Layer system Models Packages Packages and models on the disk

Models and packages in Visual Studio Overlayering

Extensions Model sealing and roadmap Development environment

The version control Branching strategies The development machines Cloud development environment Local development environment Application explorer

Application explorer views Filtering application explorer Working with elements

Tools addins for Visual Studio Creating a new model to start customization Extension capabilities

Project Create a new project Adding new or existing element in the project Import/export project

Development planning

Be agile Establishing the code review process Development process

Conceptualization Create or extends data model Create or extends business logic Create or extend user interface Navigation concepts Form patterns User interface extensibility Control extensibility

Reporting and analytics SQL server reporting services Power BI

Security Security for custom objects Auther unit tests

Learn and improve Build and continuous updates

Automated build Continuous updates Guidelines and best practices

Summary

10 Analytics, Business Intelligence, and Reporting

Information insights in Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations, Enterprise edition Platform enablement for analytics

Power BI

Power BI choices Pricing Data refresh Collaboration Cortana Intelligence Suite

Data insights leveraging Azure Modern reports and SSRS

Process/system testing Data migration testing Integration testing Performance/load testing User acceptance testing

End-to-end testing Automated testing strategies

Test automation features in Finance and Operations SysTest framework

Task recorder-based (coded UI) testing PerfSDK

Integrating test with build process Test planning guidelines and recommendations

Test planning and scenarios The UAT planning and execution Planning

UAT kickoff Execution Sign-off End-to-end test planning and execution Execution and real-life examples Training

The training and help system in Finance and Operations Modern clients and navigation concepts

In-product help The business process modeler The task recorder and task guides

Documentation website Planning and executing training

Training plan Training preparation The training environment Change management

Summary

12 Go Live

Production environment and responsibilities

Cloud deployment Local business data Cloud and Edge deployment

Go Live activities

The organization's readiness to Go Live

Sign offs The decision to Go Live Business contingency planning

Go Live planning and execution

Planning Executing a release The importance of communication Summary

13 Post Go Live Support

Resources for support

Support tools and LCS

Issue/support lifecycle

Issue discovered/encountered Issue tracking

Root cause analysis Escalation to Microsoft Production environment support with Microsoft

Support analytics using monitoring and diagnostics

Monitoring Diagnostics Analytics Best practices in post Go Live/support

Summary

14 Update, Upgrade, and Migration

Understanding update, upgrade, and migration

Updating to the latest Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operation version Updates to the latest platform

Updates to the latest application Upgrading your code

Upgrading your data Updates to a specific application hotfix Upgrading/migrating from Dynamics AX 2012 or AX 2009

When to upgrade or migrate Upgrading/migration planning

Business benefit

Business engagement

System

Upgrade versus reimplementation

Managing the scope

Managing customization (fit-gap)

ISV Solutions

Managing the data

Impact on integrations

Impact on Power BI and reporting

Cloud and digital

Validation and final cutover

Migrating from Dynamics AX 2009

Planning and code migration

Data migration

Best practices in upgrade and migration

Summary

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is a growth pillar in any organization, and this makes it a criticalaspect to be used effectively However, every business is unique, with a distinct business model,organizational culture, and value proposition, which also brings in tons of challenges in embracingand implementing an ERP system Thus, it is crucial for a businesses to adopt an ERP and for an ERP

to adapt to the business model Such a hybrid approach requires tailor fitting the ERP to various

business needs, and to achieve that, you need a solid foundation for all your digital and business

transformation initiatives

Microsoft Dynamics 365 is a business platform providing unified ERP and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) to deliver intelligent business applications The Dynamics 365 ERP solution,

Finance and Operations, Enterprise edition, is a modern, cloud-first and mobile-first platform,

suitable for medium and large enterprise customers

With the release of Microsoft Dynamics 365, Microsoft has not only changed the technology stack butalso how customers can select, evaluate, and implement these apps in their enterprise Recent

releases, rapid innovation from Microsoft, and the evolution of the cloud have created a need to

understand and master several tools and techniques in order to be effective and successful

The book starts with an introduction to Microsoft Dynamics 365 as a whole platform, describingdifferent apps and tools available under Microsoft Dynamics 365 It then goes through the variousphases of implementation of Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations, Enterprise edition

In a phased manner,the book introduces you to the basic concepts, new technology and architecture,tools and techniques, best practices, and recommendations

Using the book, you will find guidance and practical approaches to manage your entire

implementation lifecycle and extended knowledge to avoid common pitfalls with straightforwardtechniques and step-by-step instructions, thereby increasing your efficiency and effectiveness

What this book covers

Chapter 1, Introduction to Microsoft Dynamics 365, introduces you to Microsoft Dynamics 365 and

shares the details of various apps, solution elements, buying choices, and complimentary tools Youwill get an insight into the various tools, offerings, and options provided by Microsoft in Dynamics365

Chapter 2, Implementation Methodology and Tools, explores various implementation methodologies,

such as CRP, agile, and waterfall, with a comparative summary of the key attributes to evaluate thebest fitting methodology for your project This chapter also introduces Lifecycle services, varioustools for implementation, and the sustenance of Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations,Enterprise edition

Chapter 3, Architecture and Deployment, starts with introducing the conceptual architecture and

deployment architecture It then goes on to explain various application components and architectures,such as identity, data layer, platform, application, client, and so on This chapter also explains

different deployment choices: cloud, local business data (on-premise), and Cloud and Edge (Hybrid),with a detailed comparison to help you decide the best-suited deployment choice for your

implementation

Chapter 4, Project Initiation and Kickoff, covers the details and importance of solid project initiation

through various topics, such as project team composition, project plan, project charter, the kickoffmeeting, project initiation and LCS tools, project deliverables, and best practices in project

initiation

Chapter 5, Requirements, Business Process Analysis, and Traceability, explains requirements,

processes, and solution blueprints, emphasizing their needs and various other moving parts in

managing the scope for your project It also covers how to use the LCS business process modeler andVSTS to manage your requirement lifecycle throughout the project

Chapter 6, Configuration and Data Management, explores configuration management and data

migration through topics, such as strategies for managing configuration, data migration, configurationmanagement, data migration management, data management framework, data management scenarios,and best practices for managing configurations and data migration

Chapter 7, Functional and Technical Design, covers the solution design phase of the implementation

project, including finding the right app for your business needs It discusses common features that can

be leveraged as part of your custom solution and also discusses the planning and execution of a

functional and technical design

Chapter 8, Integration Planning and Design, covers integration planning, integration technologies, and

integration design/development It explores topics such as integration architecture, basic integrationconcepts, integration tools and scenarios, Dynamics 365 data integrator, integration design and

development, best practices and recommendations, and so on.

Chapter 9, Building Customization, explains the development process and tools in Dynamics 365 for

Finance and Operations, Enterprise edition It starts with introducing the development architecture,concepts, and development environment Then it goes on to cover development planning and process.The chapter also covers the automated build and testing process of Dynamics 365 for Finance andOperations, Enterprise edition

Chapter 10, Analytics, Business Intelligence, and Reporting, discusses the powerful reporting and

analytics features in Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations, Enterprise edition Thechapter covers various reporting and analytics topics, for example, Power BI, Cortana intelligence,Office integration, modern reports and SSRS, electronic reporting, and financial reporting

Chapter 11, Testing and Training, discusses what goes on during the testing and training phase of an

implementation project On testing, it covers various topics such as the importance of testing, types oftesting, automated testing strategies, and test planning guidelines and recommendations On training, itcovers topics such as the importance of training, training and the help system, planning and executingtraining, and change management

Chapter 12, Go Live, explains the Go Live phase of a project through topics such as production

environment and responsibilities, Go Live activities, organization readiness to Go Live, and Go Liveplanning and execution

Chapter 13, Post Go Live Support, covers post Go Live activities, spanning support, issue

identification, tracking, resolutions, and managing the support Lifecycle

Chapter 14, Update, Upgrade, and Migration, covers activities involving evaluation and processes to

get on the latest version from prior versions of Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations, Enterpriseedition This includes updating to the latest platform releases, applying hotfixes, and upgrading ormigrating from previous major versions, such as Dynamics AX 2012 and AX 2009

What you need for this book

To get the most out of this book, you need to have a basic understanding of the ERP implementationprocess, IT project management, and software development lifecycle In addition, you should haveaccess to the Lifecycle Services (LCS) portal and the development environment of

Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations, Enterprise edition

Who this book is for

This book is written from multiple perspectives, encompassing all the areas that any customer,

partner, learner, or industry can use to be more successful in the implementation and adoption ofDynamics 365 for Finance and Operations, Enterprise edition Solution architects, functional

consultants, technical consultants, subject matter experts (SMEs), super users, IT managers, projectstakeholders, and technology leaders who are in the process of buying, planning, or undergoing aMicrosoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations, Enterprise edition implementation are expected

to directly benefit with the insights in the book

For readers completely new to Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations, or who have worked onprior versions, such as Dynamics AX 2012, this book is a perfect start to learning Dynamics 365 forFinance and Operations, Enterprise edition The book helps you understand the basic concepts, tools,technologies, best practices, and recommendations The book will help you during every phase ofimplementation with what to expect, deliverables across phases, roles/skill set involvement, commonpitfalls to avoid, and some tips and tricks learned from our experiences

Every business has its unique business model and organizational culture, and this brings unique

challenges for ERP implementation While going through this book, you will encounter many

recommendations, guidelines, and experiences; however, you may need to fine-tune the

recommendations as per your specific needs, based on the particular project size, timeline, businessorganization structure, and industry

In this book, you will find a number of text styles that distinguish between different kinds of

information Here are some examples of these styles and an explanation of their meaning Code words

in text, database table names, folder names, filenames, file extensions, pathnames, dummy URLs, userinput, and Twitter handles are shown as follows: "The OData protocol supports many advance

filtering and querying options on entities such as $filter,

$count, $orderby, $skip, $top, $expand, and $select."

A block of code is set as follows:

New terms and important words are shown in bold Words that you see on the screen, for example,

in menus or dialog boxes, appear in the text like this: "Setup is available under System

administration | Setup | Azure Active Directory applications."

Warnings or important notes appear like this.

Tips and tricks appear like this.

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Introduction to Microsoft Dynamics 365

Organizations need a system of records to manage data, control it, and use it for their growth Thisoften leads to embracing business applications for managing their resources well and keep improving.Traditionally, this used to happen via software installed at the customer's location; it later evolved tohosting either internally or at the partner's premises Now, in this modern world, it has transformedinto leveraging the power and elasticity of the cloud

Dynamics 365 is a cloud service from Microsoft, combining several business needs into a single,scalable, and agile platform, allowing organizations to bring in the much-needed digital disruption

This chapter will introduce you to Microsoft Dynamics 365 and share the details of various apps,solution elements, buying choices, and complimentary tools We hope you will get an insight into thevarious tools, offerings, and options provided by Microsoft in Dynamics 365 This may help you

in your business transformation initiatives, and solution and platform evaluation, spanning Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), and Business

Intelligence (BI).

Let's explore the topics we are going to cover in this chapter:

What is Microsoft Dynamics 365?

Microsoft Dynamics 365 apps

Complimenting/supporting tools with Microsoft Dynamics 365

Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations, Enterprise edition (AX)

Trail and Buying Microsoft Dynamics 365