Microsoft Dynamics 365 Blog

Tag: Export to excel

  • Dynamics AX Tip: Interact with Dynamics AX Data using Microsoft Excel Online (Office 365)

    Dynamics AX Tip: Interact with Dynamics AX Data using Microsoft Excel Online (Office 365)

    In AX 2012 release, the Excel Add-in feature introduced additional productivity options and made it easy for end users to interact with Dynamics AX data from within Excel. This feature worked great in many scenarios, but it did not provide that seamless productivity experience for the user, as they had to launch the Excel On Premise app (Win32 app) and then had to connect to the AOS to select tables and data fields to be able to interact with the data. This required the end users to have certain knowledge of the tables/database to complete data exchange tasks with Dynamics.

    With the New Dynamics AX (AX 7), the Office Integration framework introduced significant changes in the underlying framework by launching the new ” Excel Data Connector App”. The Excel Data connector app interacts with your Excel workbooks with Dynamics AX OData Services (For publicly Exposed Data Entities) and this made it possible for Excel to become a seamless part of the user experience in Dynamics AX.

    Most of us probably know by now how the “Open in Excel” experience works in the new Dynamics AX, where you can launch your data (For example a journal entry) into an Excel On Premise app (Win32 app) with just one click. Once the excel app launches, you can sync data, make updates, add or delete data. The screenshot below shows this experience in the new Dynamics AX.

    Open in Excel

    Excel Launched

    In the New Dynamics AX, it is also possible to open the Dynamics AX data in the Excel ONLINE version (Office 365) in case you do not have the Excel On premise(win32) app installed. The only thing you have to do differently is as follows.

    After you click the Office Integration icon > Open in Excel, select Save To > SharePoint.

    Save to sharepoint

    Then select the SharePoint location (Document library) and Mark the Open file after save option and click Save button.

    Save to sharepoint Open

    Notice that the Journal entry will now open in Microsoft Excel Online and the Excel data connector app will run in an embedded experience within your browser(Built using Office web add-in framework).

    Opened in Excel Online

    From here on you still have the same user experience as you would see when dong it in an Excel On premise app. This will come handy in cases where you are away from your desk and using a device that does not have the native Excel on premise app installed. You still have full power of Excel and exchange data with Dynamics AX.

    That’s it for today’s quick tip.

    Regards,

    Sandeep

  • The Export to excel feature in Project Management and Accounting module of Microsoft Dynamics AX

    Friends,

    Here is a quick post about another simple yet powerful functionality of Microsoft dynamics AX for service industries.

    Microsoft Dynamics AX-Powerfully Simple

    Most of us must be aware but I just thought I will bring it on here for those who may not be knowing this yet.

    The Export to excel feature allows project managers and other stakeholders of the project to export the project P&L and WIP statements into a pivot excel format without having the need of any manual intervention. This also allows to select data/fields from a range of various options to be presented in the excel workbook.

    Let us take an example project 10004 in the CONTOSO data and analyze.

    Project Statements Screen

    Choose from several data  field options to be presented in the excel workbook. Also arrange the column sequence by moving up or down the fields.

    Export to Excel

    Click Ok button and that’s it !!

    System makes it all for you. This is greatly different than the regular export to excel feature of AX as it directly presents the user all the data well formatted and arranged in pivot format. Please take a look at the excel workbook below which is generated by the system.

    Project P&L AX 2012

    Now you can utilize this workbook to prepare any kind of pie charts or bar graphs to analyze and present your project performances.

    Simple in few clicks !!!! Smile

    Till next time…….Keep DAXING..