Microsoft Dynamics GP – October 2021 launch error for Australian Customers

A couple of Australian partner consultants have contacted me today and yesterday about an issue with the Microsoft Dynamics GP Version 18.4 release.

After installing with selecting the country of Australia, it will fail to launch GP application generating an “An error occurred while loading or initializing an addin” Error.

[Edit] There is a new related issue with missing functionality with the March 2022 hotfix release, see

• #MSDynGP Microsoft Dynamics GP 18.4 hotfix breaks features for Australian Customers
  

The Problem

The problem shows with the following error when launching GP. This error occurs when the Visual Studio Tools for Microsoft Dynamics GP Addin DLL files are loaded and initialized and there is a version error or a reference to another DLL or Dexterity dictionary resource that is missing.

An error occurred while loading or initializing an addin. Ask your
administrator to check the Windows event log for more details.
Dynamics will now close.

Looking at the event viewer gives:

The description for Event ID 0 from source Microsoft Dexterity cannot be found. Either the component that raises this event is not installed on your local computer or the installation is corrupted. You can install or repair the component on the local computer.

If the event originated on another computer, the display information had to be saved with the event.

The following information was included with the event:

An exception occurred while trying to load or initialize the addin located at BAS_ABNLookup_AddIn.

Exception Details:
System.IO.FileLoadException: Could not load file or assembly 'Application.BusinessActivityStatement, Version=18.3.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=f6e574e5a604b2e1' or one of its dependencies. The located assembly's manifest definition does not match the assembly reference. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80131040)
File name: 'Application.BusinessActivityStatement, Version=18.3.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=f6e574e5a604b2e1' ---> System.IO.FileLoadException: The located assembly's manifest definition does not match the assembly reference. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80131040)
   at BAS_ABNLookup_AddIn.GPAddIn.Initialize()
   at Microsoft.Dexterity.Bridge.AddinManager.LoadAddin(String name, Type type, Boolean checkPlatformAttribute, Int32 currentDexPlatform)

The Solution

Microsoft is aware of the issue and is working to have a solution in the November Year End Update due mid November.

In the meantime, below is a workaround solution that will get your system running.

1. Locate the Dynamics.exe.config file and make a backup copy of the file.
2. Start Notepad.exe using Run As Administrator. (Elevated Permissions are needed to write to Program Files folders).
3. Press Ctrl-F and search for “BAS”.
4. You will find references to the BAS_ABNLookup_Addin in two locations (for Desktop and Web Clients)
5. Comment out both of the entire sections starting with <addin and ending with /> (see below) using <!– and –> before and after the line.
6. Save and Exit.

Change the XML from:

<addin name="BAS_ABNLookup_AddIn" type="BAS_ABNLookup_AddIn.GPAddIn,BAS_ABNLookup_AddIn,Version=18.0.0.0,Culture=neutral,PublicKeyToken=f6e574e5a604b2e1"/>

To:

<!-- 
<addin name="BAS_ABNLookup_AddIn" type="BAS_ABNLookup_AddIn.GPAddIn,BAS_ABNLookup_AddIn,Version=18.0.0.0,Culture=neutral,PublicKeyToken=f6e574e5a604b2e1"/> 
-->

This will stop the Addin DLL from being loaded and allow you to launch Microsoft Dynamics GP, however the ABN (Australian Business Number) lookup to the ABR (Australian Business Registry) will not work. To get the lookup functionality working using the web page rather than the full Web Service functionality, add the following Dex.ini setting:

• BAS_ABRDisableWebService=TRUE

Note: Don’t forget to reverse these changes once the official fix is released.

More Information

For more information see the following articles:

• Microsoft Dynamics GP – October 2021 has released
• Microsoft Dynamics GP 2013 Service Pack 1 updates ABN Lookup Feature
• #MSDynGP Microsoft Dynamics GP 18.4 hotfix breaks features for Australian Customers

Thanks to Robert Dei Rossi and Craig Verster for letting me know about the issue and Terry Heley from Microsoft for being quick to get onto it and get work started on a fix.

Hope this is helpful.

David

10-Mar-2022: Updated to comment out problem section in the Dynamics.exe.config file rather than removing entirely.
10-Mar-2022: Added Link to new article discussing follow on issue with March 2022 hotfix.

This article was originally posted on http://www.winthropdc.com/blog.