e-Con 4.0 Domains issue

If you ever have to 'move' from one isntance of DAX 4.02, IEM 2.3 / e-COn 4.0 to a new instance, say DAX 4.02, IEM 2.3.1, e-COn 4.0 you might run into some issues.

One of the issues I ran into, was being able to create domains in the new instance. Since this instance was not 'setup' during a normal setup process, like you would in a new instance, there had to be some 'smart' setups done.

The reason is, once we had the new instance up, we could not get all the domains to import over. So we wanted to re-create them. In doing so, we went to the domains menu item:



And the right clicked in the now empty space for where domains are contained, and the left clicked on new domain. When doing this we got the flowing error:


(Object reference not set to an instance of an object.)

So this made me scratch my head a little bit. After thinking this through, and recalling that we did not run through a typical setup, that lead me to the e-Con setup form.

On this e-Con setup form, inside Dynamics AX, there are four tabs. The last tab named 'Repository' is where I went in this form. From there I noticed that there was nothing listed in the Metadata domain model & Metadata model fields. After seing this, I compared to my old instance, and saw that the values: 'MDDOMAINS' & 'MDMODEL' where in these fields.

From here I proceeded to the EConGenericModel table and exported these models. I then imported these models, with expected errors. These errors (so far) are not true errors as they do not stop this process.

Once these models where in the new instance,I then set the field values to these models, pushed 'Crtl+S' to save the record setup, and then went back into the e-COn Studio. At this point I could create a domain.



So, in hopes of helping others (and possibly myself) in the future of dealing with this possible issue, I posted this.

Check back soon for more!

Product Management ( PDM / PLM ) with Dynamics AX

Would it not be very nice, if you could take an update complex product descriptions, maintain product specifications, along with images, and relations to other products, items, and underlying variants?

And then, have this all within Dynamics AX, maintained and viewed in that fashion --- Plus, have this web based and viewable by your intranet and public internet web site?

You can! And the answer is Dynamics AX + IEM from Sunrise Technologies, Inc.

With IEM for Dynamics AX, you can use a module called Product Center to manage catalogs of your different product lines and products. Have this all managed from within Dynamics AX, and made useful from within your normal ERP business processes. As well as, have this information viewable and accessable over the web to your current and possible customers. All maintained with Dynamics AX, in one place and viewable from multiple places.

For compaines that make advanced products, that have sometimes complex bom's, configuration processes, etc. this is the perfect match for allowing their Engineering and Customer Support staffs to mind-merge on products and product management.

And because this is within Dynamics AX, the full ERP can come into play, from Quote Management, to Project Management, to CAD Integration, through Sales Orders, MRP, Production Orders, delivery, and through to payment. All with a single integrated
platform, called Dynamics AX.

If you interested in finding out more, contact Sunrise here: Contact Us!

Check back soon!

Need CAD with your ERP?

One of the topics of interest for a lot of companies is Product Lifecycle Management or PLM. In this topic of interest exist a hard topic, of what use to be a hard topic. That topic is CAD, and specifically CAD integration into ERP. Well the ERP platform of focus, and number one in my eyes, is Dynamics AX.

So when talking about CAD integration, and Dynamics AX, one needs to ask where best this would go? Well you would need a connection to Dynamics AX for BOM and BOM version management. Also a module for tracking changes to your products. For that matter a version system for products that bridges the gap between product and item basis. So where would you look for this? Sunrise Technologies, Inc. [Sunrise Website] implementing Dynamics AX and To-Increase's IEM vertical add on solution! Go to Sunrise and lookup the information for the IEM vertical offerings. [IEM offerings link from Sunrise website]

With this Sunrise can make CAD integration a part of your business workflows, along with having the needed modules for Engineering Change Management, Product Catalogs, and Product Verstions. Sub-products and variants that span multiple possible Item Master Items and BOMs. BOM configurations based on CAD drawings, and designed from within the CAD application itself. Integration with top CAD software packages, including AutoCAD.

This is one of the things that a lot of Project Based Manufacturing clients need. It's something that Sunrise Technoliges, can offer to you through Dynamics AX, IEM and SOA designed web services. Take a look, and make sure to fill out the contact us forms for more information!

Check back soon!


Find a job at: www.DynamicsAXJobs.com

Hidden ARP Jewel for Dynamics AX?

I came across a press release with To-Increase and SoftEnigma, Inc. [Softenigma's Homepage] parterning to where To-Increase will offer SoftEnigma's ARP module through their IEM offerings. At first I wonder what this means, and so I dug a little deeper, and this ARP module from SoftEnigma really takes the project management moduel to a higher level, one where a lot of people expect, similar to what Microsoft Project offers.

For project based manufacturing clients that make use of the IEM solution from To-Increase this is really a great new offering. Here is a link to the top ten reason's for using SoftEnigma's ARP module: 10 Reasons link

And here is the link to the Press release from To-Increase:
Press release from To-Increase

Sunirse Technologies, [Sunrise Website] is a Gold level partner with both Microsoft and To-Increase. I would love to see how this new ARP module can help our current IEM customers, and future one's, and hope to work with it very soon!

SoftEnigma was founded by Daniel Bevort, a former Damgaurd employee and also fellow assoicate of mine through Sunrise.

Well Check back soon!

Find a job at: www.DynamicsAXJobs.com

To-Increase Project Center

Alright one of the neat things I personally like from a functional stand point about To-Increases IEM solution for Dynamics AX is the Project work they have done. This does mostly go with the Technical Quotes peice, but I wanted to more talk a little bit about Project Center. See this is Much more than what is offered through the standard project module in Dynamics AX. The Project Center is truly tailored towards Project Based Manufacturing for offering Bid like structuring for management of projects for a given IEM slated vertical customer.

With Project Center, you also get a tightly integrated view into the Technical Quotes for copying over that structure directly into a new technical quote with hardly any work. I also like the ability for the project structure in tracking out each of the levels and sub levels of a given project, throughout the life span of a project for a customer.

Here is some information that is more To Increase's web site [To Increase web site link]:

"Project Center
Supports project content management and documentation
Project Center is designed as a stand-alone application to support the latest project management and product development methodologies, including the Rational Unified Process and ISO 9001ccertified processes."

And here is the IEM Solution roadmap:



You can see that at each section, or functional area the Project Center would come into play. Mostly though in the Quote Bid and Source Engineering area's.

From this you can also see there is actually a lot offered through the IEM solution that is targeted towards project based manufacturing clients. Well check back soon as I continue to explore the Dynamics world around us!

Find a job at: www.DynamicsAXJobs.com