Role Center 9006 customization

daves

I've been experimenting with NAV 2013 RTM, Role Center Page 9006, actions. This RC is one of the three that are described in the Help as "fully configured". This one has three categories in the Ribbon Actions tab (Price, Navigate, Reports) that I expected to find defined in the Page property "PromotedActionCategoriesML". They are not.
Item 1: Any idea how these mystery (to me) categories are defined in the out-of-the-box product?

After much experimentation, I've come to the tentative conclusion that they were defined via a special Page Customization which is not visible and not directly modifiable. My conclusions are based on the following:
a. Exporting the object to text and studing the code
b. Adding test actions to the page to see where and how they appeared
c. Resetting the Page to its Default status and having these three special categories remain
d. Cloning Page 9006 to Page 50020 and having the special categories not appear, thereby seeming to be tied specifically to Page 9006.

After quite a bit of experimentation over a period of multiple days, these three mystery categories suddenly disappeared from the Page 9006 ribbon in my system (I had just added a new action to the ribbon as "yet another test"). At the same time, the Page 9006 Role Center caption in the RTC now displays "Role Center - Sales Order Processor - Non-configured - Microsoft Dynamics NAV".

I have checked the Page Caption property - it is "Sales Order Processor". I have reloaded a backup copy of Page 9006 - I still get the "...Non-configured..." caption and a ribbon missing the Price, Navigate and Reports categories from the Actions tab. I assume I have triggered some buried testing message and perhaps created an internal conflict through my experimentations. I also assume this is related to some metadata but I have't found it so far.

Item 2: Any suggestions for recovering the normal status of Page 9006 other than reloading my database?
As you would guess, that would be a big pain.

Thanks much!
Dave

Philippe_Jacobsen

Hello Dave,
The page 9006 (Susan’s role center) in the demodata company has been configured.
The default profile is a configured one.
You can access the profiles at:
CRONUS Canada, Inc./Departments/Administration/Application Setup/RoleTailored Client/Profiles
In fact in 2013 RTM all profiles has been configured except RapidStart and the Susan NC (Non Configured) – the non-configured is kept as a back door in case an user really don’t want to use the configured profiles and also to be able to quickly demo the non-configured pages.
The configurations represents the final touch on the role tailoring – as you are able not only to include page on role center (basic roletailoring of 2009) but also to promote or exclude actions depending on which role will be using the page.
You can get an idea of what we have done by playing around with sales order for various profiles, or items. My favorite is the sales order for the warehouse manager page 9000 (try to find the post button ).
I am currently working on a presentation on this topic for Directions , so you can learn more at CS103, 28th October, 14:30 to 16:00.
You enter the configuration mode by adding –configure on the DOS prompt. I create separate short-cuts on my desktop, example:
"C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Dynamics NAV\70\RoleTailored Client\Microsoft.Dynamics.Nav.Client.exe" "-Profile: ACCOUNTING MANAGER" –Configure

Hope this help
Best regards

Philippe Jacobsen
Senior Program Manager
Microsoft Dynamics NAV
Microsoft Development Center Copenhagen
cell +45 29229336
email: philippe.jacobsen@microsoft.com

daves

Hi Phillippe,

Thank you for your feedback. I had continued my experimentation after my earlier posting and was pleased that your response confirmed the conclusions I had developed.

I didn't mention this earlier, but the reason for my investigation is in support of development of our new PACKT book, "Programming Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013", currently scheduled for publication in January, co-authored by my son Christopher Studebaker.

I think it's a very good idea for you to have provided a range of sample Role Center configurations in the RTM demo database. Based on my investigative work with NAV 2013 RTM and prior experience (including providing much of the Role Tailored enhancement last year for Sure Step), I think there are some significant information gaps at the moment.

1. It appears a lot of people don't really understand that Role Centers should be created very specifically for each customer implementation; I believe use of the demo Role Centers off-the-shelf is not a good idea - but this opinion directly conflicts with the heavily promoted goal of providing quick (and low cost) implementations.
2. Because there are multiple tools to use to implement Role Center layout features (e.g. PromotedActionCategoriesML, ActionGroups, the Configuration toolset, etc.), it is very easy to be confused as when to use which tool. I think these tools may sometimes operate at cross purposes (in my ignorance and experimentation, I was able to lock up NAV 2013 so I could not run the RTC due to a Role Center action set I defined for the default RC).
3. It feels like the intended approach to designing Role Centers has evolved significantly from NAV 2009 but that isn't clear from the information available
4.I don't think the RTM Help material provides enough Role Center design/implementation best practice guidance. I didn't find any mention of the fact that all the RTM profiles had been configured, let alone why that would be done. I am hopeful this will improve over time. This is not a criticism of the Help team - I think they have done a terrific job of improving the NAV Help. In general, the NAV 2013 Help is dramatically expanded and improved over the NAV 2009 Help.

I look forward to the information you will be presenting at Directions in a couple of weeks. I would enjoy a chance to meet you there and exchange ideas about Role Center design, development and maintenance.

Thanks again for the information and assistance.

Best regards,
Dave

Philippe_Jacobsen

Hello Dave,

It sounds good with a new book!
We do not have a crisp recommendation of how to implement Role centers and profiles.
To have one role center for the whole company and a specific profile for each role is one end of the spectrum and to create a role center and a profile for each role is the other end. To make something in between is probably the right approach.
The profiles, even if configured, do not prevent users through personalization to access functionality that has been configured away. Therefore, it might be an idea to have for similar functional area two levels of role centers. An advanced role center with advanced reports on the role center, and all functionality within the area – and leave the configuration to make it attractive for the advanced user. And another role center where only the basic functionality of the area is included for users with focus on execution.
For Microsoft Dynamics 2013, a lot of work has been done to provide an out-of-the-box experience with the configurations. Please read the following blog entry on the NAV team blog where the processes used to get to the released profiles are described.

Thank you and best regards.
Philippe
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/nav/archive/201 ... -2013.aspx

davmac1

Hi Dave,
Look forward to buying your new book.
Will the ebook be available before the paperback?

daves

Thanks for your interest in our new book on NAV 2013. All the publication / production decisions are made at PACKT. I have two pieces of not very helpful information: a) PACKT said January on their web site b) We're not quite finished with the writing yet.

Keep an eye on the PACKT web site - http://www.packtpub.com/programming-microsoft-dynamics-nav-2013/book

One more piece of info - it looks like they are offering a good discount for pre-orders. Chris and I will be offering a few autographed copies after it's published. Send me an email at das189@tigereye.com to ask about that if you're interested (FYI: we can't discount ).

Dave

davmac1

I placed a pre-order.
I believe in supporting books about NAV.
8)

DenSter

I can attest that it's going to be a good one

daves

Thanks Daniel! Coming from you that means a lot - especially since your technical reviewing is helping make it better!!
Dave