David Simon JMT Senior Associate, Information Systems

When I want to filter on a field that is blank (aka empty or null), there does not appear to be an option with the current list of filter operators (is exactly, is not, contains, does not contain, begins with, is one of, after, before, matches).  How can I see records that "are blank" (aka empty or null)?  I don't think it is currently an option.  I would like to suggest that an IS BLANK option be added.

Within Data management's - Execution details - View staging details...there is no ability to SELECT ALL.  When correcting errors, you might want to:

1. filter on lines you want to update (ex:  Transfer Status of Errors)

2. then you want to SELECT ALL

3. then finally Bulk update

However, currently you cannot SELECT ALL.  You are forced to select one line at a time.  This is often not feasible when many lines to update. :-(

Sometimes we need to bulk delete records and using data management would be a very convenient utility for this.  Another application I've worked with had an additional column that could be added to the import file (e.g. CSV, etc) that was called DELETE.  If the column had a certain value (e.g. !DELETE!), then it was a cue to the import utility that this line/record should be deleted.  Simple and very effective. :-)

Project-centric organizations like ours budget project fees down to the activity level and have actual fee transactions down to the activity level as well.  The project WBS screen allows fees to be added to activities, but it doesn't currently go past the WBS.  Any project budget or actuals is without an activity reference.  To overcome this shortcoming... we have had to customize the system.  It seems that it would be minimal effort to extend activities to fee transactions.  Any project-based professional services organization would appreciate this added detail for sure. 

There is a Delete button in the Beginning Balances Journal for Projects, but it is not functional.  (Technically, it is functional but only if you remove every single line from the Journal 1 by 1.)  But...even though there is a select all option, when you select more than 2 lines the Remove lines button is greyed out.  So if you have a journal with 1,000's of lines, you'd have to remove each line 1 by 1.  And then (and only then) you can use the delete button.

I filed a support ticket and the response is that it is not a bug because it didn't work in the former version of AX / Operations either. LOL.  Please help us delete journals that we want don't want to post.

In the article below we learn that we have to "jump through hoops" to print documents with custom margins (such as checks).  We find this to be unacceptable.  Please enhance the document routing agent so that it can handle documents with custom margins (just like any other document).

ARTICLE

Documents that require custom margins

When the Document Routing Agent runs as a Windows service, document reports, such as checks, that require custom margins can't be printed directly to network printers. Instead, the Document Routing Agent automatically routes those document to a target folder. New configuration properties in the application's Settings dialog box let you define the target location for document reports that require custom margins.

When the Document Routing Agent runs as a desktop application, it continues to take advantage of Adobe Reader to spool the document to the shared printer device that is selected in Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations, Enterprise edition. To handle scenarios where documents that have custom margins must be printed, we recommend that you install the Document Routing Agent in multiple locations. Then install the printers that will handle those documents only on the Document Routing Agents that will run in desktop application mode. Alternatively, use a post-execution process to pick up the files in the target directory and direct them in the appropriate manner.

Source:  Run the Document Routing Agent as a Windows service (as of 9/13/2017)

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/unified-operations/dev-itpro/analytics/run-document-routing-agent-as-windows-service#documents-that-require-custom-margins

RE: Accounts Payable For years and years, AX organizations will occasionally have open AP transactions erroneously get "stuck" as "marked for settlement" when they really should not be. Organizations have been forced to do a SQL update (database surgery) on the database table SpecTrans to fix the issue. I'd like to see Microsoft fix this issue (or provide some sort of solution (cleansing process/utility) to allow organizations to correct the situation without having to do database surgery!) Source 1: https://community.dynamics.com/ax/f/33/t/26765 Source 2: https://community.dynamics.com/ax/f/33/t/231951 We know first-hand because we used the above 2 references to do this database surgery on the SpecTrans table. It isn't right, and should be corrected. Here is what we had to do this week: select * from spectrans where REFRECID = '5637407885' --REFRECID = RECID from vendtransopen delete from spectrans where REFRECID = '5637407885' --REFRECID = RECID from vendtransopen --1 row updated

Create a Category under this Ideas site for "Accounts Payable". Please clean up the Categories under this Ideas site for Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations. 1. There is no Category for "Accounts Payable". There is one for Accounts Receivable, Procurement and sourcing, etc - but none for "Accounts Payable". 2. Put the drop-down list in A-Z (alphabetical) order. Would make finding the right selection much easier.

As of F&O version 10.0.30, the timesheet approval process is clunky when I'm a manager of several employee-resources and need to review-approve, review-approve, review-approve, review-reject, review-approve, etc, etc.

It is clunky because after you click into a timesheet work item to review and use the workflow menu within the document and approve (or reject) you are left having to click (close) additional screens, pick the next work item and open that item. It can be up to 5 extra clicks per timesheet reviewed! If you have 20 timesheets to review, that is 100 extra clicks!

Repro:

1. Go to Common > Common > Work items > Work items assigned to me
2. Select an item to review --> note: "click into the hyperlink" to open up that document (e.g. timesheet)
3. Use menu: Workflow, Approve
4. Click Approve to confirm approval
5. EXTRA CLICK 1: Close (X) screen 'Timesheets for my review'
6. EXTRA CLICK 2: Close (X) screen 'Timesheet' (that we just approved!)
7. EXTRA CLICK 3: Click Refresh (Shift + F5) to refresh screen and clear the document you just approved!
8. EXTRA CLICK 4: Have to repeat step #1 above
9. EXTRA CLICK 5: Have to repeat step #2 above

Suggestions:

1. Suggestion 1a: Eliminate CLICKS 1-3 (at a minimum) these are confusing and provide no-value to end users
2. Suggestion 1b: Eliminate CLICKS 4-5 (bonus) making process even more efficient

1. The system user field labeled "Email" should be renamed "Universal principal name"
2. Go to System administration > Users > Users
3. The field "Email" is actually the field for the UPN and users cannot login without this being the UPN
4. Many organizations have UPNs that are NOT the same as their Email. Adding emails to this will NOT work.
5. ( When this is reported to Microsoft as a "design flaw" (bug), support (a) can't provide any justification as to why it would be referred to as "Email", and (b) refers you to the the idea portal to have users waste time voting on fixing a problem that is clearly a problem. :) )