OLAP cubes

How To Automate Reporting From Dynamics GP?

Global Data 365
March 26, 2021

If you do not fully understand the complex underlying data structure of over 1300+ tables and 22500+ fields, then automate reporting from Dynamics GP can prove to be a problem. Recently, Microsoft Dynamics ERP software has evolved to Dynamics 365 Business Central cloud, and it brings versatility and easy access for small businesses throughout the world. Reporting challenges are bound to arise due to the complex nature of the data structure field. All ERP solutions are made of back-ends that are hard to operate for anyone who is not a specialized expert or administrator.

ERP solutions, like Dynamics GP, are designed to optimize business processes and data storage. Its main focus is on storing data, not extracting it. Microsoft Dynamics GP has advanced and evolved in the ways users receive their reports. Management Reporter has advanced to the new setting providing an Excel-integrated tool known as Jet Basics; Smart List has for a long time provided the export-to-spreadsheet option, and Power BI is coming out as a great tool for data visualization. Similar to other Microsoft Dynamics solutions, Dynamics GP is evolving when it comes to providing built-in and extra tools for users to get data visualization.

According to the feedback received from thousands of users from across the globe, users complain about the reporting and analytics in Dynamics GP, as it fails to meet functional reporting requirements outside of financial reporting. The reason behind this could be the complex GP data structure or the unavailability of specialized experts. In any way, depending on these tools is costing users their time and money. Companies are forced to recruit Dynamics GP experts because of the lack of access to one organized, instant visualization of the data.

If you face limitations in your financial systems while regularly using Dynamics GP to optimize processes, then the main challenges that you may be facing in operational reporting are:

Challenges in reporting from Dynamics GP

The four main challenges faced by businesses in reporting from Dynamics GP are:

– SSRS Programming:
Programming in SSRS is costly and slow due to a large amount of data, intricate linking tools, and the programming skill needed to form a report.

– Managing Unorganized Data in Excel:
In a company, every person has their own spreadsheets, which can result in unreliable data and security risks. As every department has different approach in completing its operations.

– Power BI Views:
Power BI can be difficult to navigate for someone who is not a technical expert due to the compilation of data that results in a single view and the rewriting needed to change the views.

– Constructing OLAP Data Cubes:
Constructing OLAP data cubes can be hard and time-consuming as it requires a specialized expert who is familiar with both SSAS data cubes and Dynamics GP.

Keeping these challenges in mind, Global Data 365 has a solution to overcome your Dynamics GP users’ time, money, and effort, all the while creating better reports. It begins with Jet Analytics, the fundamental Dynamics GP data solution.

How Global Data 365 helps with Reporting in Dynamics GP?

Global Data 365 provides better services and implementation to address the obstacles using dynamics that lead your business to success. Without the need for developers and costly experts, Jet Analytics is a complete business intelligence solution designed to obtain quick, customizable reports and dashboards in Excel. And it is possible to do it yourself. Jet Analytics puts all the Dynamics GP data into one and organized it in one location using a pre-built data warehouse, OLAP data cubes, and dashboards to automate reporting in Dynamics GP.

If it is paired with a user-based front-end reporting tool, it makes it possible for users to view, assemble, and prepare the data, so you can benefit from the robust data visualization tools of Power BI and be more effective with operational reporting and analysis. The Jet Data Manager is used as a back-end tool by Jet Analytics to configure turnkey data warehouses and OLAP cubes to assist you monitor and organize your Dynamics GP data.

Jet Analytics provides users to use Excel for all your reporting requirements with one operating location for your reporting, but it offers one source and data management system to handle the delivery, security, business measures, calculations, and run-time of such reports. So, do not let your existing obstacles in operational reporting keep you from receiving immediate insight into your data. Companies can now improve the visibility of real-time data to help automate reporting from Dynamics GP users turn efficient and enjoy Jet Analytics full capabilities.

We, at Global Data 365, offers free one month license of Jet Analytics for you to test it with your Dynamics GP database and see the value it brings into your reporting process. Contact Us to order your trial license now.

Get 30 days free upgrade to Jet Reports.

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Global Data 365 is composed of highly skilled professionals who specialize in streamlining the data and automate the reporting process through the utilization of various business intelligence tools.

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Reporting Challenges in Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012

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Reporting Challenges in Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012

Global Data 365
March 26, 2021

Introducing a new ERP system requires a huge amount of resources; time, money, and the company’s overall energy. Most times, the business’s essential day-to-day operational needs, such as monitoring and general data, are fulfilled by the legacy ERP system, which has developed with years. Despite these challenges, businesses can opt to replace legacy ERP systems with a more modern, versatile ERP system to adapt to evolving business needs, take advantage of technological advances, and help propel the company forward.

Similarly, Reporting in Dynamics AX can be difficult, particularly after the release of AX 2012 introduced a more complex underlying data structure, increasing the table count from an average of 1800 to 6400. The feedback gathered from hundreds of implementing partners and users around the world about reporting and analytics in Dynamics AX 2012 is that it takes time, money, and unreliability at best. SSRS is the most popular native tool for reporting from Dynamics AX 2012. As the reset tool, all regular out-of-the-box operational reports need the use of a technical resource who is familiar with Visual Studio, SSRS, report design, and the Dynamics AX database structure. If you’ve been using Dynamics AX 2012 for some period of time in your daily operations activities, you’re probably familiar with the process of generating and exchanging reports. If you’ve been using Dynamics AX 2012 for some period of time in your daily operations activities, you’re probably familiar with the process of generating and exchanging reports.

You may have noticed that your organization is not getting all of the information it requires when it comes to reporting. So what challenges arise when it comes to Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 implementation?

Complex underlying AX 2012 data.
No skilled AX developers.
Dependency on consultants and cost of facilities.
No simple way to integrate additional data sources.
Inability to get a single, accurate, real-time view of your data.
Lack of available out-of-the-box cubes.

These challenges lead to business leaders thinking about whether they need a new reporting solution, a huge ERP upgrade, but an ERP system upgrade won’t fix the reporting and data visibility obstacles. Listed below are the four main areas in Dynamics AX 2012 reporting and analytics that take time, money, and effort. We will start by breaking down the problems and then presenting a solution to help save Dynamics AX users’ time and money.

SSRS Programming

The problem in programming in the SSRS setting is that it is slow and expensive. Because of the large volume of data in the system and the requisite linking properties, conventional programming (SSRS) can be slow, bottlenecked, and costly when it comes to reporting in Dynamics AX 2012.

So what is the solution? With an easy-to-use, faster front-end reporting platform designed for Dynamics AX, data is better organized. A data warehouse that automates and optimizes data from Dynamics AX along with a user-based front-end reporting tool, such as Jet Analytics from Global Data 365, enables non-technical users to generate and distribute reports and dashboards quickly and easily.

Building OLAP Cubes

The problem is time consuming and expensive. Because of the complex tools and resources needed to use them, generating or changing data cubes in Dynamics AX 2012 is time-consuming and costly. You can’t write a new query if you lack resources to understand both SSAS data cubes and Dynamics AX 2012.

So what is the solution? Easy backend cube management system. The Jet Data Manager, which automates the building of SQL code and data movement monitoring for you, makes handling cubes in Dynamics AX 2012 much simpler and faster. Any database administrator on your team can change data cubes using Jet Analytics’ drag-and-drop or point-and-click features, enabling you to be more effective in getting the data you need, whenever you need it, without the need for costly experts or delays.

Managing Ungoverned Data in Excel

The problem is fragmented and inaccurate data. Microsoft Excel is the most common and widely used reporting tool, but it is not regulated or safe. Without hold over Microsoft Excel, each employee in a company has their own spreadsheets, each of which has been compiled with data in their own specific way and only resides on their PC; as a result, everyone has their own version of the facts.

So what is the solution? Controlling Microsoft Excel. Implementation of MDM and a data warehouse to organize your data will secure it and act as one operational place for your reporting needs. Jet Analytics helps you to use Excel for all of your reporting needs while still handling the delivery, security, and run-time of these reports through a single source and data management framework.

Single Source View in Power BI

The problem is that it is hard to use and organize. Power BI is a common visualization tool, but it’s difficult to use and maintain in Dynamics AX 2012 without the correct underlying data solution. Because of all the data, combining and mapping needed to construct a single view, putting together views is difficult. It also does not allow data segmentation.

So what is the solution? Implementation of an underlying data solution. Jet Analytics provides the right framework to reap the benefits of Power BI‘s powerful visualization tools by planning the data first with easy-to-access, structured data cubes. It eliminates the need for joins or locks by storing all of your data in one location and instead relies on links. With Jet Analytics, a process that would usually take two days takes just half an hour, and any regular user can do it.

Takeaway

With a reporting and analytics platform built for ease and reliability, you can help the Dynamics AX users become more self-sufficient. Implementing Jet Reports for Dynamics AX is a simple, versatile self-service reporting tool that allows any employee in your company to generate and exchange financial and operational reports directly from inside Excel.