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

AR Write-off process and settings

Customer invoice write-off journal can be created directly from the general journal (in General Ledger module). This journal, if manually created will have debit entry to ‘Customer’ (so that the entry passes through the sub-ledger / memorandum ledger) and the credit entry to ledger code which is created for write-offs.

There is one more standard out of the box way to create the write-off journal in AX. For this the user should navigate to the collections module and select the particular invoice which he/she needs to write-off. Click on the write-off button and then click 'Ok' on the next screen that appears.

After the processing a message window appears informing the user that the (write-off) General journal (with the number)  is created and is ready to be posted.

  

This journal also has the customer (personal account) on the debit side (in-effect affecting the control / summary account .i.e. Account receivables) and the ledger code for write-off on the credit side. This means that the ledger and sales sub-ledger are both updated at the same time. The selection of customer on the debit side is obvious as the write-off button was clicked from the invoice belonging to that customer. But where from the credit side of the journal .i.e. the write-off ledger code is selected??

This is selected from the setup done at the ‘Customer posting profile’ form.

The debit side account associated with the customer also comes from the customer posting profile.

The general journal can then be posted or submitted for approval if the workflow for general journal approval is created and activated for it.

Once the journal is posted, following are accounts that are affected.

Thanks

Sarang

'Ledger posting setup' and 'Project/group line properties'

Below mentioned are the steps that needs to be followed for configuring the ledger setup and line property setup against the project group and categories / category group.

Ledger posting setup

1.      Define the project group

a.      Assumption:

                                                    i.     Ledger posting search direction – Project

                                                   ii.     Line property search direction - Project

2.      Define the ledger codes on the project group, if you are certain.

(This will create following rules in ‘Ledger posting setup’:

-        “Group-Project group-All-BLANK -> Ledger code” rule)

       

3.      Get the list of categories

4.      Get the Chart of Accounts and analyse it well

5.      Define the basic rules of posting against the categories and category groups

(Configure the ledger codes against the categories. This will create following rule in ‘Ledger posting setup’:

-        “All-BLANK-Table-Category -> Ledger Code” rule AND

-        “All-BLANK-Group-Category group -> Ledger Code”)

6.      Define the override rules against the project group

(This will create following rule in ‘Ledger posting setup’:

-        “Group-Project group-Table-Category -> Ledger code” rule AND

-        “Group-Project group-Group-Category group -> Ledger code”)

 Project / group line properties

1.      Define the basic line properties initially, like ‘Billable’ and ‘Non-billable’.

-        Billable -> Chargeable, Accrue revenue and Capitalise cost = CHECKED

-        Non-Billable -> Chargeable, Accrue revenue and Capitalise cost = UN-CHECKED

2.      For all the overrides create new line properties and define the specific rules in the matrix, keeping in mind the search priority.

3.      Line property (Default line property) defined on the ‘Category’ and ‘Category group’ will create following entries in the ‘Project / group line properties’:

  

4.      Line property (Default line property) defined on the ‘Project group’ will create following entry in the ‘Project / group line properties’:

5.      Line property overrides will be defined directly in the ‘Project / group line properties’. This will give rise to following entries in ‘Project / group line properties’:

General points

1.      For the expense transactions specifically, ‘Default offset account for expenses’ needs to be setup.

2.      With all the steps above, the heart of project module, the ledger posting setup combined with line property could be setup. Make use of the ‘Line property’ setup (Capitalise cost checkbox) to maximise the use of the category, instead of creating specific categories for posting into P&L and BS.

3.      While following all the steps above make sure that the entire posting tie down to the solution that is crafted. Play the solution (accounting entries) in mind while configuring this setup in an excel sheet.

4.      Do not assume that the ‘Ledger posting setup’ will work as designed. Sometimes the setup does not work as expected and hence test each and every scenario in standard AX in your own VPC.

This post will be updated as and when some new insights are experienced while doing this setup in any future projects / assignments.

Thanks

Sarang

Project Adjustment feature - Research & Findings

1. Project adjustment functionality has two main aspects: a. to allow the users to select the new values for the attributes of the transactions to be adjusted. b. to allow the users to select the default values for the attributes of the transactions to be adjusted.

2. The screen that appears after clicking the 'Adjust' button, will give the option for the user to change to 'New' attributes for all the transactions selected for adjustment OR to pull the default values of the attributes from the setup for all the transactions selected for adjustment.

3. Once clicked OK, all the transactions selected for for adjustment will be affected / changed / edited, however they will be displayed individually in the lower pane of the adjustment form based on the transaction selected in the upper pane of the adjustment form. (That means the lower pane of the adjustment journal will always display one transaction, unless it is splitted.) << -- THIS IS CHANGED IN THE VERSION 10. THIS WAS THE BEHAVIOUR TILL VERSION 8.1.NOW LOWER PANE CAN DISPLAY THE ALL THE TRANSACTIONS FOR MULTIPLE TRANSACTIONS SELECTED IN THE UPPER PANE -->>

4. If you click the 'Post' button now, the adjustment will be posted ONLY for the transaction seen in the lower pane of the adjustment form. So if there are three transactions in the upper pane adjustment form, you will have to click the post button thrice and not once, as anyone would think. << -- THIS IS NOT THE CASE. MULTIPLE TRANSACTIONS CAN BE ADJUSTED ALL AT ONCE TOGETHER. I LOST A BET ON THIS WITH MY COLLEAGUE NAMED NICK RICHMOND. HE DEMONSTRATED THAT ADJUSTMENTS CAN BE MADE ON MULTIPLE TRANSACTIONS TOGETHER-->>

5. However if you have three transactions in the lower pane of the adjustment form on account of a split, then you will have to click the post button once ONLY and all the three lines in the lower pane of the adjustment pane will disappear from the form. The post button will always post one transaction  from the upper pane, at any given point in time. This one transaction in the upper pane can be linked to more than one transaction in the lower pane of the adjustment form.

6. Once the transactions are pulled up on the adjustment form and if the user has NOT done / selected anything on the intermediate form which asks the user to 'Split' OR change to new values OR select the default values, AND if the user wishes to now change the value of the attribute on the transaction, he can still do so by changing it manually in the lower pane of the adjustment form. After changing all the values, if the user feels like pulling it back from the default values, then user can make use of the 'Update' drop down and select what he wishes to do. The option selected in the 'Update' drop down will pull the default values for the selected attribute for that transaction.

7. If the user has forgotten to split the line from the intermediate form which asks the user to 'Split' (this form appears after the user clicks the 'Adjust' button') and if he now wishes to split it, then after the transactions are appearing in the adjustment form, user can select the transaction he wises to split in the lower pane and click 'File > New' and this will create a new line in the lower pane of the adjustment form, in which user can then fill / select the attributes.

This is the complete investigation and research findings of the adjustment feature in detail.

Thanks
Sarang