Convert old classic Reports to RTC (RDLC) - Tools? NAV 2013

nav_student

Hi guys,

i´m newbie to RTC environment and NAV 2013, and i want to convert a lot of reports from the classic cliente (4.0SP3) to new format on NAV 2009 R2 and 2013.
I can acomplish that? Is there any tool?

Thanks for your answers.

Best Regards.

nav_student

I found this

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh167208%28v=nav.70%29.aspx
You may also have a report from a version of Microsoft Dynamics NAV before Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009, which does not contain an RDLC layout or a request page. To upgrade reports that do not contain an RDLC layout, you upgrade the customized report as is by using the standard upgrade procedures. A layout is suggested automatically during upgrade. After you upgrade, you must manually fix any issues with the layout.

My question know is when i do that , upgrade to NAV 2013 the format is RDLC 2008.

Can i read this Report on Dynamics NAV 2009 (RDLC 2005)?

Best Regards.

mdPartnerNL

Any luck with this?

ievasimplanova

for converting automatically Classic NAV reports to RDLC you can use Simplanova Report Converter

Slawek_Guzek

We are using ForNav. It it really brilliant tool, but not free. And it does not convert classic reports into RDLC but it is a complete reporting tool on its own, fuly integrated with NAV. Much like bringing in the good old report desinger experiernce into the RTC world, but with an easy access to all bells and whistles that modern reporting tools usual have

taig

Another vote for ForNAV here. We are a Partner and use it for our customers. Great tool.

swpolo

Service for auto report transformation (ART) is at navisionupgrade.com.
Standard classic to RDLC report transformation. This is recommended way of report conversion by Microsoft. No external dlls, no license fees.

RockWithNAV

In NAV 2009 R2, you will find in tools - Create Suggested Layout. This will convert your NAV 2009 Classic report with some RDLC designer. This will be helpful just 5 to 10% but will obviously give you an idea and to redesign your Report.

swpolo

RockWithNAV,
Agree with you that standard way gives not very good quality of transformed reports and need a lot of manual dev work to get desired result.
That is why new external NAV tools for report generation appear on the market like ForNAV, idyn. They based on old approach of report generation like Classic NAV. So they save time on layout convertion but still require to adjust reports to new functionality.(for example dimensions, Excel)
Another tools for simplifying, speed up and automate manual development work on report convertion like ART service on navisionupgrade.com. Custom reports layout and behavior as standard NAV.

Companies should choose apropriate way of how to transform reports while upgrading.
Now they have a choice.

Slawek_Guzek

@swpolo quite understandably you are argumenting for and advertising here for your own solution. But please at least learn what your competition, namely ForNAV, can do.

And if you could spare us the marketing b...it like "based on old approach of report generation like Classic NAV.." etc, please. Apparently you have not seen ForNAV in action, how qiick it is, how accurate the result of conversion is (NO need to any adjustments you've mentioned), and how quick and easy reports can be created from scratch, or amended when necessary.

swpolo

Slawek_Guzek wrote:

@swpolo quite understandably you are argumenting for and advertising here for your own solution. But please at least learn what your competition, namely ForNAV, can do.

I would say I am advertising approach of report transformation. It seems you also ForNAV seller ).
As i said before here is 2 approaches:
1) External integrated to NAV reporting system with monthly license payments, with own specific report format and designer to edit reports. External DLLs to make it possible to run.
And what in future?
What if customer wants to change partner? How to handle development if new partner do not have licence for DLL?

If customer require convert from froNAV to RDLC, so they pay twice for report transformation.


But on the same way this solution is quite cheap to make reports convertion from Calssic to NAV2018 because layout is old classic format. No need to refactor code on sections.

2) Standard NAV way. Not quite easy but finally customer have
Open code and layout. Fixed price and no monthly payments.
Supported by MS. Easy update CUs.

Slawek_Guzek wrote:

And if you could spare us the marketing b...it like "based on old approach of report generation like Classic NAV.." etc, please

This is not marketing b..it. This is fact that structure of report is based on old Classic format with TransferHeader/Footer, ability to write code on sections, and so on which is not supported in RDLC reports.

Slawek_Guzek wrote:

Apparently you have not seen ForNAV in action, how qiick it is, how accurate the result of conversion is (NO need to any adjustments you've mentioned), and how quick and easy reports can be created from scratch, or amended when necessary.

Adjustments are always needed since new report is working on new NAV environment with new table and field structure, new dimentions approach, excel buffer is rewritten. All this stuff should be refactored and it is independed of tool customer uses. It depends on NAV version change. And sometimes it reqires additional 8-16h of dev work on report.

I'm not argue that forNAV is quick and easy.
I just want to say that this is third party application. Custom reports run with forNAV engine, Standard reports run with NAV RDLC engine. Customized standard reports should be reviced and find what engine will run report. Sometimes it is not an issue. But additional risks added.

Cost of standard report transformation was quite big, but with new auto report transformation tools it is not very high. Now it is almost the same if compare with forNAV.

So customer have choice.