Friday, May 20, 2016

DIXF in a nutshell

The steps to follow for importing the data into AX from an external file (like excel, csv) is as follows:

1. Configure the 'Shared working directory' in the DIXF parameters form and validate it.
2. Create the 'Source data formats'. There are three data formats that can be used: File, AX, ODBC. File is used when you wish to import the data from external file into AX. AX is used when you wish to export the data from AX into external file.
3.Create a 'Processing group' and click on 'Entities'
4. Clicking on 'Entities' icon, the 'Select entities for processing group' screen opens up.
5. Select the entity from the entity drop down.
6.Select the 'Source data format' from the drop down. Select the value created in point number 2.
7. The moment the value in the 'Source data format' is selected, the 'Generate source file' icon on the window gets active.
8. Click the 'Generate source file' icon and a wizard opens up.
9. On the 'Display data' page of the wizard, select the data fields you wish the input data file should have. For the data fields that are mandatory for the selected entity, 'Mandatory' check-box will be checked by default and user will not be able to un-check it.
10. After all the desired data fields are selected, click on the 'Generate sample file' to generate the sample file. The system will generate the sample file based on the 'Source data format' selected for that entity. This can be excel, CSV etc.
11. Save the sample file in the location on the pc.
12. Click 'Finish' on the wizard and the wizard window disappears.
13. Click on the 'Generate source mapping'. The AX will automatically generate the mapping and a message will appear that the mapping is done.
14. If you wish to check and modify the mapping done by the system, click on 'Modify source mapping'.
15. After the user clicks on 'Modify source mapping', a new window appears in which you can see the mapping and modify it. Once the desired edits in the mapping are done, click ok.
16. Load the data on the sample file saved in point 11.
17. On the 'Select entities for processing group' form click on the 'Preview source file'. Once the user clicks on the 'Preview source file' is clicked the data in the file is displayed in the lower pane of the form.
18.Once everything is verified, close the 'Select entities for processing group' form.
19. On processing group form, click on 'Get staging data' icon. System will load the data in the staging table and once successful, a message will be displayed.
20. Click on the 'Execution history' to check for errors.
21. Finally click on 'Copy data to target' and the data will be written into the AX tables. Once done a success message will be displayed on the screen.
22. Similarly the data can be exported out of AX, however for that the 'Source data format' should be AX and not File.
23. 'Export to AX' will create a DAT file on the selected location.
24. 'Export to file' will load the file with the data from AX.
25. There are two more important features in DIXF module and they are: Comparison of data between legal entities in AX and Copying data from one entity to another entity. Those if run are wizards and self explanatory.

For more details on DIXF, please refer to following links:

https://ax.help.dynamics.com/en/wiki/migrating-data-using-the-data-importexport-framework-dixf-dmf/
https://ax.help.dynamics.com/en/wiki/copying-and-comparing-entity-data-between-companies-dixf-dmf/

Thanks
Sarang


No comments:

Post a Comment