The Entry Pattern
by Mark Brummel, Christopher Studebaker, David Studebaker, David Roys, Vjekoslav Ba
Microsoft Dynamics NAV
- Microsoft Dynamics NAV
- Table of Contents
- Microsoft Dynamics NAV
- Microsoft Dynamics NAV
- Credits
- Preface
- 1. Module 1
- 1. Exploring Microsoft Dynamics NAV – An Introduction
- Understanding Microsoft Dynamics NAV
- The functional areas within Dynamics NAV
- History of Dynamics NAV
- Functional areas
- Accessing Dynamics NAV
- Summary
- 2. What's New in NAV 2016?
- Application changes
- Improvements for the application users
- Tablet client
- New application features
- Automatic payment and bank reconciliation
- Signing up for the Bank Data Conversion Service
- Reconciling payments automatically
- Reconciling bank statements automatically
- Social Listening
- Power Business Intelligence
- RapidStart services
- Schedule reports
- E-mailing documents
- Document exchange service (OCR Services)
- Exchange rates update
- Native integration with Dynamics CRM
- Universal app
- Workflow management
- Posting Preview
- Deferrals
- Development changes
- IT changes
- Summary
- Application changes
- 3. Dynamics NAV – General Considerations
- 4. The Implementation Process – From the Reseller
- 5. The Implementation Process on the Customer Side
- 6. Migrating Data
- Tools to migrate data
- RapidStart Services
- Using XMLports to migrate data
- Writing your own tools
- Converting data from the old system to Dynamics NAV's needs
- Master data
- Open entries
- Historical data
- Open documents
- Choosing a go-live date
- Summary
- Tools to migrate data
- 7. Upgrading Microsoft Dynamics NAV
- Upgrading philosophy
- Upgrades prior to Dynamics NAV 2013
- Upgrades from Dynamics NAV 2013 forward
- Upgrading process checklist
- Upgrading steps to NAV 2013
- Upgrading tools
- Summary
- 8. Development Considerations
- 9. Functional Changes on Existing Implementations
- 10. Data Analysis and Reporting
- 11. Debugging
- 12. Popular Reporting Options with Microsoft Dynamics NAV
- 1. Exploring Microsoft Dynamics NAV – An Introduction
- 2. Module 2
- 1. An Introduction to NAV 2015
- NAV 2015 – an ERP system
- Significant changes in NAV 2015
- A developer's overview of NAV 2015
- Hands-on development in NAV 2015
- Summary
- Review questions
- 2. Tables
- An overview of tables
- Enhancing our sample application
- Creating and modifying tables
- Assigning a Table Relation property
- Assigning an InitValue property
- Adding a few activity-tracking tables
- New tables for our WDTU project
- New list pages for our WDTU project
- Keys, SumIndexFields, and table relations in our examples
- Modifying a standard table
- Version list documentation
- Types of tables
- Summary
- Review questions
- 3. Data Types and Fields
- 4. Pages – The Interactive Interface
- Page design and structure overview
- Types of pages
- Page Designer
- Page components
- WDTU Page Enhancement – part 1
- Page controls
- WDTU Page Enhancement – part 2
- Page Actions
- Learning more
- Summary
- Review questions
- 5. Queries and Reports
- Queries
- Reports
- Report components – overview
- Report data flow
- Report components – detail
- Creating a Report in NAV 2015
- Summary
- Review questions
- 6. Introduction to C/SIDE and C/AL
- 7. Intermediate C/AL
- 8. Advanced NAV Development Tools
- NAV process flow
- Role Center pages
- XMLports
- Web services
- Summary
- Review questions
- 9. Successful Conclusions
- Creating new C/AL routines
- Multi-language system
- Multi-currency system
- Navigate
- Debugging in NAV 2015
- C/SIDE Test-driven development
- Other Interfaces
- NAV Application Server (NAS)
- Client Add-ins
- Customizing Help
- NAV development projects – general guidance
- Design for efficiency
- Updating and upgrading
- Supporting material
- Summary
- Review questions
- 1. An Introduction to NAV 2015
- 3. Module 3
- 1. Introducing Dynamics NAV Patterns and Software Architecture
- What do we mean by 'patterns'?
- Microsoft Dynamics NAV Design Patterns
- Patterns elements and hierarchy
- Building blocks
- Metadata
- Base application
- Summary
- 2. Architectural Patterns
- 3. Design Patterns
- 4. Building an Example Application Using Patterns
- 5. Coding Best Practices
- 6. Anti-patterns and Handling Legacy Code
- 7. Building Solutions Using Patterns
- 1. Introducing Dynamics NAV Patterns and Software Architecture
- Bibliography
- Index
Most EARP systems are data cemeteries. A lot of data comes in, nothing much ever comes out. To store data in Microsoft Dynamics NAV, the Entry Pattern is most popular with over 75 implementations in the standard product.
Although there are many variations, all entry tables have the same technical structure that can be expanded upon the functional requirements.
The Primary Key for all the entry tables is a field called Entry No. of the type Integer. The value of the field is determined using either the AutoIncrement property, or a code algorithm as the following:
IF NextEntryNo = 0 THEN BEGIN
ExLedgEntry.LOCKTABLE;
IF ExLedgEntry.FINDLAST THEN
NextEntryNo := ExLedgEntry."Entry No.";
NextEntryNo := NextEntryNo + 1;
END;
WITH ExLedgEntry DO
"Entry No." := NextEntryNo;The following diagram explains how to implement the Entry Pattern:
Entry tables contain reference fields to other tables, often Master Data or Documents, for which they determine things such as balances.
In Microsoft Dynamics NAV, we differentiate between the historical and temporary entries.
Historical entries are created using Journals, and are tightly connected to registers. If they can be deleted, such as the reservation entries, they are managed using a clean-up algorithm that ensures balances. We can find Historical Entries using the Navigate API, as they are typically related to Master Data and Documents.
There are a number of ways to get temporary entries in the system. One of them is using the flow field metadata, as discussed in Chapter 1, Introduction to Patterns and Software Architecture. Flow fields are designed to calculate totals, based on the table fields and flow filters. However, this process can also be reversed.
When we validate a flow field a delta entry is created, based on the filter values to ensure that the totals match the new total value.
This is used in the Budgeting pages that we can find with the following diagram:
When the business case requires the possibility of deleting entries, we can make the auditability less strict. We still need code to create the entries, but if they are not used for accounting purposes, users have the option of deleting them again, or changing the contents.
An example of this can be found in Relationship Management, in the following diagram:
In some cases, we need tables to track data during the existence of a Document or Process in the system. We can use Entry Pattern for this in combination with a set of Codeunits that ensure data integrity, and ensure having contracts to the application areas where the data is required.
An example of implementing entries can be found in the application area Reservation Entries. Each application area, such as Sales or Purchase has a Codeunit entry for the Reservation Engine. The Reservation Engine consists of three Codeunits. The following diagram explains the structure:
There are over 75 implementations of Entry Pattern, varying from the accounting areas like General Ledger and Inventory, to the Flow Field implementations in Budgeting.
Other examples are Job Queue Entries, and Change Log Entries.
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