Enable UAT database over OneBox DevTest environment using JIT

 Dear Friends,

In this Article I will show you how to enable UAT database access for Development machine using just-in-time (JIT). Many times when something is not working as expected case in a Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Operation environment and it would helpful to look at the underlying data that may not be visible on a form or report etc. Here are the detailed steps of How  to enabling Just-In-Time(JIT) Database Access over Development Machine?

•  Go to the LCS and select project -> Full detail menu of Standard acceptance test section from right sidebar.

• Go to Maintain Dropdown and select Enable access for using mentioned pc access only.

• Add for access of those network public IP because of firewall rules. 

• Select AzureSQL Source and mention Name for access purpose. Google your public IP address and add in Source address prefix.

•  Now little Scroll down and add Database Account. Select Performance tuning for AX (write to AX) for read and write access of UAT database. Mention detail purpose for access of database. Submit Request Access.

• Copy SQL Server\Database Name, Username, Password.

• Open SSMS and setup all details as per notepad like Server name Login username and password in Login Tab. Add Database in Connection Properties Tab.

• If you want also to connect your UAT database with your Dynamics 365 Finance and Operation. Go to K:/Service Volume ->AosService ->WebRoot. First backup copies your default Web.config file. Open Web.config file as a administrator to make save changes.

•  Ctrl F and then find DataAccess.SqlPwd. Then find four line for changing the data access. Change Database, DbServer, SqlUser and SqlPwd as per notepad. 

• Restart your World Wide Web Service from Services and reload your dynamics 365 Finance and Operation you have loaded all data as per UAT. Now you can easy to debug your customization with UAT data.

For more details refer: Microsoft Documentation

Happy DAXing ... 😀

Copilot Customization with Plugins

 Dear Friends,

As, we know Microsoft Copilot helps as a personal assistant for work, helping with various tasks such as writing, summarizing, researching, and more. To retrieve and process new and real-time information, especially data that's specific to organization and workflows, Copilot requires plugins.

 

We can develop plugins that use the OpenAI schema to add custom functionality to Microsoft Copilot experiences, by connecting our own application data to Microsoft Copilot. Microsoft Copilot is unable to retrieve real-time information from third-party services. Plugins can extend the capabilities of Microsoft Copilot by retrieving real-time information, to allow users to interact with the information in a natural way.

 

Microsoft Copilot uses the following process flow when the user starts conversation with query and Copilot answers the query by searching for and extracts info from plugin:

 

 

Benefits

• Plugins can retrieve information or perform tasks on behalf of a user.
• Plugins enhance the user experience by providing additional features and functionalities. Users can interact with plugins directly within the chat interface, making it a seamless part of their workflow.
• Copilot plugins can call connected services, perform actions, and provide answers without complex conversation flows. By enabling the Microsoft 365 Copilot setting in the Power Platform admin center, we can seamlessly connect tenant and Power Platform environment.
• The plugin ecosystem encourages community contributions. Developers can create and share plugins, fostering collaboration and innovation.

In summary, plugins empower Copilot to do more, enhance user interactions, and provide real-time insights. They’re a valuable addition to the Copilot ecosystem!

 

Future

Microsoft is working on extensibility options of Copilot for Microsoft 365 cloud. This extensibility also requires different licenses. For e.g., Copilot development with Copilot Studio is part of the Microsoft Copilot license. If the plugin uses Power Platform Connectors, users require a Power Platform license to use them.

In future, we can expect that Copilot analyzes input prompts, leverages machine learning techniques to generate content, and utilizes relevant data to fill in plugin parameters for executing commands.

 For more details refer: Microsoft Documentation

Happy DAXing ... 😀

How to hide "Page" and "Filter" while embedding a Power BI report in PowerApp

 Dear Friends,

Power platform is becoming a essential part of any Dynamics implementation. You might have observed that when you will embed a Power BI report in PowerApp or any other  web page using an iframe, it will show page name and side right filter with the report in the PowerApp/web page. It doesn't look good but how can we hide both page name and filter from the report? 

Solution is very simple. You need to add embedURL + "&filterPaneEnabled=false&navContentPaneEnabled=false" to hide both page name and filter bar from the report. Please remove highlighted text from URL if you want to see the both section in your embed PowerBI report.

Happy DAXing....😊

Different ways to deploy SSRS Reports in Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations

 Dear Friends,

There are two ways to deploy the SSRS reports in D365 for finance and operation. 

1. The first choice should be to deploy the report directly from Visual Studio
• Open the Build menu, click Deploy. Alternatively, in Solution Explorer, right-click the report project and then click Deploy.
• In Solution Explorer, right-click the report and then click Deploy
2. Lastly, we can deploy the reports using PowerShell.
• Open Windows PowerShell in Admin mode and execute the below commands as per requirement.
• For deploying all SSRS reports

K:\AosService\PackagesLocalDirectory\Plugins\AxReportVmRoleStartupTask\DeployAllReportsToSSRS.ps1 -PackageInstallLocation “K:\AosService\PackagesLocalDirectory”

• For deploying the specific report

K:\AosService\PackagesLocalDirectory\Plugins\AxReportVmRoleStartupTask\DeployAllReportsToSSRS.ps1 -Module ApplicationSuite -ReportName <ReportName> -PackageInstallLocation “K:\AosService\PackagesLocalDirectory”

• (Replace <ReportName> with required report name such as RetailLabel.Report or *Retail* – this will deploy all reports containing ‘Retail’ in report name)

Happy DAXing....😊

Cloud offering details for Dynamics 365 Finance and operations

 Dear Friends,

Every cloud implementation of D365 Finance and operations offers three types of environments.

Tier-1 environment: Tier 1 environments include Develop and test boxes. As a standard MS provides one develop/test instance for the duration of the subscription. This instance is a non-production single-box instance and can be used for Development OR Unit testing OR an automated build environments. Customer can purchase additional develop/test instances separately as an optional add-on. Provisioning for Tier-1 occurs When the Design phase starts. The provisioning process requires that Microsoft Azure DevOps be configured.

Tier-2 environment: Tier 2 environments includes a Standard Acceptance Testing (SAT) Or User acceptance testing (UAT). As subscription plan One Standard Acceptance Testing (UAT) instance is provided for the duration of the subscription. This instance is a non-production multi-box instance which  can be use for UAT, integration testing, and training. Customer can purchase additional sandbox/staging instances separately as an optional add-on. Provisioning for Tier-2 occurs During on-boarding with the Microsoft FastTrack team.

Production environment– One production instance is provided per tenant. The production multi-box instance includes disaster recovery and high availability. It will be provisioned when the implementation approaches the operate phase, after the required activities in the LCS methodology and a successful go-live assessment are completed. There is no option to buy another environment this category. Provisioning for production environments occurs at the time of production system readiness phase. A production deployment request must be submitted in LCS. Deployment is done through the Dynamics Service Engineering (DSE) team within two business days.

Additionally, the following file storage and database storage are included:

File storage - Every customer receives 100 GB of file/Azure blob cloud storage for files and binary data. Additional file/blob storage can be purchased.

Database storage - Every Finance and Operations apps subscription includes 10 GB of Azure SQL Database storage per customer at no additional charge. Additional storage capacity is provided at no charge as an organization increases the number of user and device service licenses.

Difference between Tier-1 vs. Tier-2 and higher

Tier-1	Tier-2 and higher
Single-box environment	Multi-box environment
All components are installed on the same server, a Virtual Machine. These components include Application Object Server (AOS), the database, Dynamics 365 Retail, and Management Reporter. These components include Application Object Server (AOS), the database, Dynamics 365 Retail, and Management Reporter.	Components are installed on multiple cloud services, and typically include more than one Application Object Server (AOS).
Microsoft SQL Server is used.	Azure SQL Database is used.
The architecture differs from the architecture of the production environment to maximize efficiency and cost of the development team.	The architecture is the same as the architecture of the production environment, even though this type of environment has a different sizing and isn't enabled for disaster recovery.
The environment can be deployed in various ways. For example, it can be deployed as an add-on, it can be cloud-hosted, or it can be deployed as an environment image (VHD).	The environment can be deployed only as a standard environment or an add-on environment. It can't be cloud-hosted.
The environment isn't suitable for UAT or performance testing.	The environment is suitable for UAT and performance testing.

Happy DAXing....😊

Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations on the cloud Why????

Dear Friends,

Cloud based instances of Dynamics 365 are hosted on Azure (Microsoft’s web services platform) rather than on the user's own servers, and are accessed through a web browser. Microsoft is primarily responsible for maintaining the software infrastructure, including handling security measures, issuing updates, and performing data backups

PROS

• No infrastructure to maintain
• Access to Business intelligence and machine learning
• High availability and disaster recovery
• Data backups
• Tight integration with other cloud products
• Access to add-ons through AppSource
• Fast implementation
• Scalability
• Always up to date
• Futureproof

CONS

• Internet-reliant
• Data regulation restrictions
• Storage costs

Happy DAXing....😊

Dynamics 365 FO on-premises deployments - Features does not implemented

Dear Friends

Microsoft offers on-premises deployment for Dynamics 365 FO. Many of us want to know what options we will not get while on-premises deployment. So here are the following features which have not been implemented in on-premises deployments as of now. These features have not been deprecated. If these features are critical to your on-premises deployment,Microsoft might added them in future release.

• Task recorder
• Support pane
• PowerBI.com integration
• Microsoft Office integration
• Electronic reporting (ER) integration with LCS
• ER integration with SharePoint
• Author Power BI reports using OData
• Retail
• Purchase requisitions: Punch-out from external catalogs
• SSRS scale out
• Telemetry

Happy DAXing....😊