Dynamics GP and Microsoft Word Templates Introduction Level Notes

Why would you be interested in Word Templates?  There are several reasons.  First of all, Sales Invoice or Purchase Order with your company graphical logo should look much nicer in Word, comparing to something like printed SOP Blank Invoice Form, modified via Report Writer.  Second reason, in version 2010 MBS introduced emailing functionality, specifically for the purpose to email Invoice or Purchase Order directly from Dynamics.  And Word document is perfect media to be emailed (of course, PDF is more reliable, as some or the majority of consultants believe).  Let’s take a look on enabling Word Templates:

1. Prerequisites.  You should have MS Word 2007 or later, Open XML SDK 2.0 for MS Office or newer.  Also if you plan to modify templates, you need GP add-in for MS Word and .NET Framework 3.5 or newer.  If you are installing GP 2010 user workstation – first two requirements are loaded automatically

2. Deploying.  This is done in Template Configuration Manager: Reports -> Template Configuration, here you can Enable All Templates for all companies, alternatively expand the box below and make selection on the companies, Series (currently only Sales and Purchasing), and documents themselves.  This is not it, yet

3. Open Reports -> Template Maintenance, here pick SOP Blank Invoice Original, as very popular example, highlight Blank Invoice Form Template and click on Assign icon: to the whole company, or individual customers.  We here assume that your user ID is assigned to print not modified form of this report, as Word Template versions are participating in the same security model as Report Writer report

4. Print Report.  Now, pull SOP Invoice, click Print, and depending on where it prints: screen printer or file – actual source will be Word Template, and if you print the whole batch of invoices to the file it will create separate file per invoice and also one consolidated file, where Invoices are separated by page break (this is for printing convenience)

5. Logo.  Go back to Template Configuration Manager, expand all companies, and highlight your company.  Click on Images icon above and pick your company logo file (JPG, BMP and few other formats are supported).  Now go back to SOP Transaction, pull the same invoice and print – the logo should appear in the left upper corner.  If you do not want to go into MS Visual Studio report modification, you may play with your logo, resizing it (we recommend you to have Adobe Illustrator version of the logo handy, as resizing BMP file or another end graphic format usually compromises the quality of the graphics)

6. Alternative way of Printing Invoices, some cool features of 2010 and 10.0 versions.  Traditionally you do it this way, open menu: Transactions -> Sales -> Sales Transaction Entry, then pull your invoice via lookup or navigation buttons.  Try this way: on your home page on the left bark, click on Sales series.  Sales Series links will move up on the left bar.  Click on Sales Order Transactions, wait until the list is built in the central pane.  Here you can select the documents for printing (please, they do not have to be all in the same batch).  Now go up to so called Action Pane, click on Print and work through the dialog – and here you go – documents are printed.  This is not all – from the Action Pane you can do other actions: Post, Fulfill/Allocate, Transfer (order or quote to invoice, for example), Send in Email, Apply Hold, Print Packing Slip or Packing Ticket and other actions

7. Upgrading to GP 2010.  We are writing these lines in February 2011, and now version 2010/11.0 has Service Pack One released by Microsoft.  We recommend at this point version update to 2010.  Such new features as numerous Word Templates, Emailing, Microsoft Management Reporter (as replacement to FRx), advanced set of Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services, available in Metrics or for normal report printout, simplified way of copying Task, Roles and User Security – this version deserves applauses!

8. Support domestically in the USA, Canada, Mexico and internationally.  This option is possible via Web Sessions, Skype or Phone conferences and direct visits onsite (in the case of the large scale project).  Our consulting team speaks English, Chinese, Portuguese, Spanish, Russian, Filipino.  Feel free to call us 1-866-304-3265, 1-269-605-4904, or email help@efaru.com