Was Microsoft lazy with Job Module

DynamicsSol

Goodevening,

Is there anyone around here who knows a lot about the Job module and especially why changes have been made?
These are some of the issues/ questions I have:
- Why is it not possible out of the box to make a change to the invoice line that was created from planning lines? Why didn't microsoft simply add code so the planning line would have been modified in case I change certain fields in the sales line?? If I would like to invoice 5 hours in stead of 10, why do I need to go back to the planning line and then create the invoice again ??? Makes no sense to me..

- Why are planning lines created from postings in the job journal when the Job Usage Link is checked?? I always thought that scheduled lines act like budget and Contract act as fixed price parts. What is the key usage of that new field and why can it not be changed once a posting has been done???
- I know the following has been changed some time ago, but why did Ms change the basics on invoicing from job ? It used to be based on the "usage "from the job ledger with field that had a check in "invoicable" ( or something) . I could imagine that they would add the contract lines and that is it.. Why only the lines from planning lines???

- In general where can I get some more in depth info on "why" things have been implemented the way they are instead of very basic info on what field claim to be doing??

Thanks in advance.

Greets

mdPartnerNL

Don't now the answers but hope a consultant can help. Come on guys..! I know you are watching this forum. When are you going to share some knowledge.

davmac1

You have some options with job journals.
They can directly post to job ledger and job planning lines.
You can leave the type blank and then create planning lines from selected ledger lines. (You might want a mod that shows which ledger lines have been used this. Out of the box you can create new planning lines over and over from the same job ledger lines.)
You could program it to write in summary to the job planning lines.
You could buy an add on like Cost Control Job Manager for extended billing options.

The sales invoice lines created from the job are directly linked to each planning line (contract), so it is better to sumnmarize the planning lines the way you want the sales invoice to look.

Miklos_Hollender

This is not the first time they forget to add necessary flexibility. You still cannot undo a warehouse shipment like 11 years after this feature was introduced. I think this may have something to do with them having a process that a detailed use case must be written for everything they develop, like "Alice wants to invoice Rob x" etc. etc. and it approved etc. it is bureaucratic. So they do not have a simple process like a domain expert sitting down and making a simple list of common-sense must-haves for a given application area.

I would also say that since they were integrated into Microsoft and people come and go they adopted a feature-based thinking, not a process based one. I mean by feature based thinking is that if you develop an app like Windows Media player, stuff like paying say .ogg music files is a feature. You have it, great. You don't, then people just use WM for say their mp3's and some other for their .ogg's no big deal. A process based thinking is that an ERP software "mirrors" a real life process, so if at any point of the process you simply cannot finish your work, the whole thing becomes useless until it is customized.

DynamicsSol

Thanks guys ( so far)

I think you are right about the feature remark and that is a potential risk for the product .

I am not sure about you guys but when changes are being made which I can not explain or understand, I start doubting myself so still it would be great if the big picture behind functional/ technical decisions are provided as well..

Would be still great if more functional folks would be able to comment .

thanks

mdPartnerNL

Miklos Hollender wrote:

This is not the first time they forget to add necessary flexibility. You still cannot undo a warehouse shipment like 11 years after this feature was introduced. I think this may have something to do with them having a process that a detailed use case must be written for everything they develop, like "Alice wants to invoice Rob x" etc. etc. and it approved etc. it is bureaucratic. So they do not have a simple process like a domain expert sitting down and making a simple list of common-sense must-haves for a given application area.

I would also say that since they were integrated into Microsoft and people come and go they adopted a feature-based thinking, not a process based one. I mean by feature based thinking is that if you develop an app like Windows Media player, stuff like paying say .ogg music files is a feature. You have it, great. You don't, then people just use WM for say their mp3's and some other for their .ogg's no big deal. A process based thinking is that an ERP software "mirrors" a real life process, so if at any point of the process you simply cannot finish your work, the whole thing becomes useless until it is customized.

I notice you are seeing a pattern and think you are correct. Another example is the following: Setting filters on 3 fields in a list form in Classic is easy. Try doing the same in RTC (it will take you a minimum of 30 seconds). Duh, so it takes a developer an hour to make it easy again but I think he/she is gone. And the customer is angry and me too. (sorry to go off-topic)

Kowa

DynamicsSol wrote:

- In general where can I get some more in depth info on "why" things have been implemented the way they are instead of very basic info on what field claim to be doing??

The White Paper for Version 5 explains the redesign by comparing it to the different approach in Version 4.
http://www.profile.co.uk/microsoft/pdf- ... ePaper.pdf