#GPPT Adding Multi Factor Authentication to the Microsoft Dynamics GP application

Microsoft Dynamics GP has added support for Multi Factor Authentication (MFA) to the emailing functionality inside Dynamics GP to allow it to connect to Microsoft Exchange, now that simple authentication is no longer supported.

However, there is no MFA functionality for logging into the Microsoft Dynamics GP application itself… until now.

Using GP Power Tools Developer Tools module, with a single after login trigger, it is possible to force the request to connect to Microsoft Exchange and close GP if the connection is not authenticated.

#GPPT Automatic Logout Not Identifying Activity and Logging Out

We get reports every now and then of a user being logged out of Microsoft Dynamics GP by the GP Power Tools Automatic Logout feature even though they have been active on GP within the timeout period.

This happens because there is no way to track “Inactivity” in Microsoft Dynamics GP, so instead we attempt to track “Activity” by triggering on common events/scripts within GP and resetting the last active time and date.

However, there are times when a user could be active in GP and manages to avoid invoking any of the actions that would be identified as “Activity”. When this happens, they can be logged out incorrectly.

#GPPT Automating Printing and Emailing of Sales Order Processing Documents

Microsoft Dynamics GP has the ability to output Sales Order Processing transactions to a printer so the documents can be sent via “snail” mail, or you can send the documents via email. You can even send documents both to email and the printer.

However, two issues have been found which make the functionality less than perfect. This sample project for GP Power Tools resolves these issues and restores the perfection.

#GPPT Ensuring Custom Triggers Cannot Be Disabled

If you are using GP Power Tools in your Microsoft Dynamics GP system and have the Developer Tools module registered you can use the custom trigger in this article to ensure that GP Power Tools triggers cannot be disabled using the Customization Status window.

This will protect mission critical customizations written using GP Power Tools with triggers from being disabled manually.

#Dexterity Script Editor Undocumented Features: Snippets and Auto Close

A recent Microsoft Dynamics GP forum post reminded me to create an article about a couple of cool, undocumented features available for the Dexterity Script Editor.

The request was for an easy method of inserting a script header comment block into new scripts. I have seen some developers modify/hack the DEX.DIC with Dexterity to produce similar custom functionality, but there is built in functionality you can enable instead.

#SummitNA Winthrop Development Consultants at Community Summit Orlando 2022

This Friday, I will start my flights to the USA to get to Community Summit 2022 in Orlando. I will be flying to Singapore first and then getting on the world’s longest flight: Singapore Airlines from Singapore to New York with a flight time of 18 hours and 25 minutes.

For the first week I will be staying at the Caribe Royale hotel while I am running a 5-day Dexterity Fundamentals Bootcamp training course. Then during the Community Summit 2022 Conference being held on October 10-13, 2022, I will be at the Gaylord Palms Resort, Kissimmee, Orlando, Florida, USA.

My friend, Tim Wappat from the UK, will be helping me out at the Winthrop Development Consultants booth in the Expo Hall. Please come see us at Booth 829. Read on for more information on the two training classes and six sessions I am presenting.

#SummitNA Don’t miss out on the Training Opportunities at Community Summit 2022

David Musgrave MVP is coming to Community Summit 2022 in Orlando and will be running two training courses for GP users, administrators, consultants and developers.

The first is a 5 day Dexterity bootcamp, before the conference, which will teach you how to get started with Dexterity, the development tool used to create Microsoft Dynamics GP.

The second is a single day class on GP Power Tools, covering all modules of the product.

#GPPT Automating Applying of Payables and Receivables Documents

This is another one of those articles that I have been planning to write for a long time. A while ago I created some prototype scripts with GP Power Tools to show how it would be possible to “drive” the user interface to automate applying of both Payables and Receivables documents.

I have had a few people contact me about this functionality, usually because my friend and fellow MVP, Steve Endow, has told them about these scripts.

Winthrop Development Consultants Newsletter – August 2022

It has been a long time between Newsletters, but that does not mean nothing’s been happening. On the contrary, we have been really busy working hard to improve our software products with the aim of making your lives better.

This newsletter contains important information about price changes, and new releases of all our software (including a critical security update). Please forward this newsletter to anyone in your organization who would find this information useful. They can subscribe to future newsletters using the link below:

• Winthrop Development Consultants Subscribe

#GPPT Using the Clipboard to copy from Excel into Microsoft Dynamics GP

Today, we are covering an exciting new sample customization that is now possible due to Clipboard and Parsing Data Helper Functions added to recently released Build 29 of GP Power Tools.

The customization shows how any data in a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet can be copied via the Clipboard into any window of Microsoft Dynamics GP.

#GPPT Linking to Document Management Systems

This sample is something that I have already helped customers achieve with GP Power Tools in the past but it had not been posted as a sample on the blog. The ability to link with a document management system by opening a URL with data from any window in Microsoft Dynamics GP is really easy to do.

This sample project allows scanned payables invoices to be opened in a web browser from the Payables Transaction Inquiry – Vendor and Payables Transaction Inquiry – Document windows as well as the Payables Transaction Entry Zoom window.

#GPPT Automating or Customizing the Report Destination Window Revisited

Today we are revisiting the article #GPPT Automating or Customizing the Report Destination Window. In this article we show how Build 29 of GP Power Tools can improve on the methods used previously.

When automating Microsoft Dynamics GP, if a Report Destination modal dialog window opens, it needs to be dismissed so that the rest of the automation code can continue. This article contains a demonstration project that shows how to dismiss the 3 different dialogs used.

#GPPT Protecting Mission Critical Custom Code

GP Power Tools is a subscription based product. This means it needs current, valid Registration Keys to stay operational.

If you have written Mission Critical Custom Code using GP Power Tools – Developer Tools module, you will want to ensure that those triggers and scripts stay active at all times and if the registration fails for any reason that you are notified immediately.

#GPPT Creating Additional .Net Dialog Windows using Scripts

One of the current limitations for GP Power Tools is that it cannot create new Dexterity windows. Usually, it is possible to avoid this requirement by:

• Using Modifier to add extra fields to an existing window;
• Using the SQL Results window to display data with SQL Gotos to perform actions on that data;
• Using Dexterity modal dialogs (ask() and getstring() for example) to get information needed;
• Using Modifier even adding a complete “sub window” onto an existing window (example below).

This article provides another method leveraging the .Net Framework functionality to create a dynamic form using code.

#GPPT Tracking changes to Item Cards Version 2

After the publishing of the GP Power Tools projects for tracking changes to Customer and Vendor Cards, there are been requests for the same functionality for Item Cards.

Starting with the framework updated in the version 2 of the Customer and Vendor tracking projects:

• #GPPT Tracking changes to Customer and Vendor Cards Version 2

I have created the same functionality for Item Cards. It is labelled as Version 2 so it stays in sync with the other trackers. Even though this is actually the first release, it is based on the Version 2 code.

#GPPT Tracking changes to Customer and Vendor Cards Version 2

This is an update to the previous version of the change tracking projects for Customer and Vendor cards:

• #GPPT Tracking changes to Customer and Vendor Cards

Based on the original projects, they have been enhanced to add some more fields into the default fields tracked, add support for array fields, and add support for tracking Modifier Added fields.

#Dexterity Announcing Dexterity Training before Community Summit 2022 in Orlando, FL, USA

I have had quite a few requests for Dexterity Training recently. So once I decided to go to Community Summit in Orlando, Florida, USA in October, I planned to run a 5 day Dexterity Fundamentals Bootcamp in the week beforehand. Please register your interest as soon as possible to ensure the course goes ahead.

Dexterity is the development environment that Microsoft Dynamics GP is built on and the best tool to use for any customization to the user interface of the product. Knowledge of Dexterity is vital for anyone customizing Dynamics GP even when using other development tools such as GP Power Tools – Developer Tools module, Visual Studio Tools (C# or VB .Net) or “End of Life” VBA (Visual Basic for Application).

#MySummitNA Great News: I am coming to Community Summit 2022 in Orlando

After two years of uncertainty, I am finally heading back to the United States for the Community Summit conference in Orlando, Florida, USA in 10^th to 13^th of October 2022.

I will be running Dexterity and GP Power Tools training, presenting a number of conference sessions and manning an Expo booth.

#GPPT Importing CSV Data using GP Power Tools

I have been asked many times about integrating data using GP Power Tools. While this is not what GP Power Tools – Developer Tools module was originally designed to do, it can be used to integrate data (for both adding and updating records).

The main reason for writing this article and creating the updated project was because a friend asking for a quick method for updating Item List Price information because their suppliers are providing new pricing information on a weekly (or less) basis.

The IMPORT_EXAMPLE Project take an original example script and massively improves on its capabilities to make it really simple method to integrate data for Accounts, Customers, Vendors and Items from a CSV (Comma Separated Values) text file. The file can be edited with Excel or your favourite text editor.

#GPPT Obscuring Bank Account Numbers in Microsoft Dynamics GP

This article covers the latest “Must Have” free sample project for the GP Power Tools – Developer Tools module (requires Build 28 or later).

Back in 2012, I created code to obscure customer credit card details (see more information below). Using the same concepts, I have now created a project to obscure Bank Account Numbers for Checkbooks, Customers, Vendors and Employees.

Whether you have a requirement (see NACHA Security Requirements article) or not, best practice would be to make sure that Bank Account Numbers in your system are not human readable while stored in the database.