Earlier this February, STAEDEAN released several enhancements for Business Integration Solutions for Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 R2. We improved the performance of large-scale information processing in NAV, created a close integration with Microsoft SQL Server, and made it easier to access help content. Our objective was to make working with the Business Integration Solutions easier and more efficient for the customers and partners who rely on them to optimize their ERP environment.
These enhancements are present in each of the solutions—Connectivity Studio, EDI Studio, Notification Management, and Replication Management. Here are the highlights of the new capabilities:
Performance optimization for mapping. In the earlier builds of the solutions, some customers ran into issues and errors when they needed to process large data sets, for example, several tens of thousands of sales orders or other records. This typically happens when companies move to a new ERP system, make an acquisition, or update their data tables in NAV for another reason. New adjustments in the data mapping enabled us to streamline the way Microsoft Dynamics NAV processes information. As a result, performance even with extremely large data volumes is now rapid, reliable, and free from errors.
Seamless integration with Microsoft SQL Server. You can now export and import data directly to or from Microsoft Dynamics NAV to and from SQL Server without requiring a file system as an intermediary. We created a new subtype for an external document to enable successful SQL Server integration. You would use this subtype to connect to the SQL Server database and define the external document based on the tables and fields in the database. After defining internal and external documents, you complete the integration by adding a SQL Reader Endpoint or SQL Writer Endpoint. You use the SQL Reader Endpoint for importing into the ERP system. The Endpoint reads data from the SQL Server database, imports it into the NAV pipeline, and from there brings it into the NAV database. You can choose between two import modes:
- Automatic reads data from SQL Server in XML format
- Custom reads data from a stored procedure extension point in SQL Server in XML format
To export ERP data to the SQL Server database, you use the SQL Writer Endpoint, which writes to the database the data generated and mapped by the Business Integration Solutions pipeline elements. When you perform exports, you can also pick your preferred mode:
- Automatic writes XML data generated by NAV to SQL Server in XML format before processing it into SQL tables.
- Custom writes the data to a procedure extension point in XML format and processes them into SQL tables from there.
Help content immediately available. In earlier versions of the Business Integration Solutions, we provided documentation as a set of PDF files called Application Help, Installation & Configuration, Demo Manual, and Software Development Kit. With this update, this content is available on the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Help Server. Pushing F1 will bring up both the Microsoft-authored help content for NAV as well as our Business Integration Solutions help documentation. Users no longer need to review several PDF files when they require assistance.
We also addressed several software bugs. You find these fixes listed in the ReadMe file for the Business Integration Solutions, which also includes all new features.
Partners can download these enhancements from the STAEDEAN Partner Portal. Please get in touch if you have questions or feedback regarding our Business Integration Solutions or these enhancements specifically.
James Smith
