In previous blogs I have talked about the more powerful reporting tools available with Dynamics GP (SSRS and Crystal Reports) and the process you should go through to properly plan a custom report.  So let’s assume you are ready to take the leap and develop some sorely needed custom reports;  and you are taking my advice and diving into SSRS.  The following is what you can expect:

First of all, Microsoft has developed a course to help you with developing Dynamics GP reports in SQL Server Reporting Services.  Course 8917 – “Using Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services with Microsoft Dynamics GP 10.0”.  So if you are an existing Dynamics GP customer, you can look to your local Certified Partner in Learning Solutions (CPLS) for classroom training that may help.  But alternatively, if you are current on your annual software maintenance support plan, you can download the electronic version of this Microsoft Official Curriculum from CustomerSource.    Some of the points I am making here come from this training kit.

Your report design environment is actually Microsoft Visual Studio, which is delivered as part of SQL Server as the Business Intelligence Development Studio (BIDS).  For first time visitors to Visual Studio, this can be somewhat intimidating.  But once you get a little comfortable with the navigation, you find your progress increasing rapidly.

Microsoft, in their deployment of SSRS for GP, has provided a number of aids to help you get started.  There is a Report Wizard that is available from the BIDS environment to develop a basic tabular or matrix report.  Report Builder is a client based tool that allows you to create reports based on Report Models.  Report Models present the Dynamics GP data in a simplified structure based on a more business focus that gives you a drag-and-drop environment to develop your reports.

So these various tools will allow you to get started.  And no matter how you develop your SSRS report, the result is an RDL files (XML based) that can be then modified further within the full Visual Studio / BIDS report designer.  And once you have some familiarity with the SSRS development environment you will be making changes to existing reports and creating new ones in time.

And if you are considering Dynamics GP as a new ERP solution, know that there is a big commitment to SSRS as the tool of choice for robust report design, and you’ll have the tools to get your users productive in this environment.

Feel free to contact me with any questions you may have: Rick Feterick, Crestwood Associates LLC, 847-394-8820 x48 or rfeterick@crestwood.com

Submitted by Crestwood Associates LLC– an Indiana Microsoft Dynamics GP Partner.

April 5, 2010 by Crestwood Associates

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