What's new: Tools and services that support Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012

Important

This content is archived and is not being updated. For the latest documentation, see Microsoft Dynamics 365 product documentation. For the latest release plans, see Dynamics 365 and Microsoft Power Platform release plans.

Applies To: Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R3

There are a number of tools and services that support Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012. You can find tools and services on Microsoft.comMicrosoft.com, Microsoft Dynamics InformationSource, Lifecycle Services, PartnerSource, and CustomerSource. This topic provides an overview of the topics that support Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012.

Tools and services for Microsoft Dynamics AX

Tool

Location

Description

AxBuild utility

AxBuild.exe is available with the download for Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R3 or cumulative update 7 or later for AX 2012 R2.

The AxBuild.exe utility program enables you to accomplish a full compile of all the X++ code on your system much faster than you can with the MorphX client. AxBuild.exe is run at a command prompt on a computer that hosts the Application Object Server (AOS). This approach eliminates the burden of transferring metadata between the AOS and the client. Also, AxBuild.exe starts several parallel processes and divides pieces of the full compile among them.

For more information, see

Code Upgrade Service for Microsoft Dynamics AX

InformationSource

The Code Upgrade Tool for Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 (Beta) is designed to help Microsoft Dynamics AX developers upgrade their X++ code to AX 2012. The tool analyzes X++ code patterns. The tool then automatically fixes some patterns, provides suggestions for how to fix other patterns, and categorizes upgrade tasks. Developers can also add their own patterns for analysis.

For more information, see:

Combine XPO Tool for Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012

InformationSource

The Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Combine XPO Tool, Beta 1, is a command line program that combines a set of interdependent XPO files into a single XPO. For example, if a team of developers is making code changes to different aspects of an application, they can use this tool to merge those changed files into one XPO file.

For more information, see:

Data Import/Export Framework for Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012

InformationSource

Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Data Import/Export Framework is an extension that helps you export data and import it into Microsoft Dynamics AX. Examples of the data that you can import include master data, open stock, and balances.

For more information, see:

Intelligent Data Management Framework for Microsoft Dynamics AX

InformationSource

The Intelligent Data Management Framework for Microsoft Dynamics AX, or the Data Management Framework, lets system administrators optimize the performance of Microsoft Dynamics AX installations. The Data Management Framework assesses the health of the Microsoft Dynamics AX application, analyzes current usage patterns, and helps reduce database size.

For more information, see:

Microsoft Dynamics Lifecycle Services

Lifecycle Services

Lifecycle Services provides a cloud-based collaborative workspace that customers and their partners can use to manage Microsoft Dynamics AX projects from pre-sales to implementation and operations. Based on the phase of your project and the industry you are working in, the site provides checklists and tools that help you manage the project. It also provides a dashboard so that you have a single place to get up-to-date project information.

For more information, see:

Management Packs

System Center Marketplace

System Center Operations Manager management packs are available for both Microsoft Dynamics AX and Microsoft Dynamics AX Retail. The System Center Management Pack for Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 has been updated to work with Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R3, and is cumulative for all versions of Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012. The System Center Management Pack for Microsoft Dynamics AX Retail 2012 R3 works only with Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R3.

For more information, see What's new: System Center Operations Manager Management Packs for Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012.

Management Reporter for Microsoft Dynamics

CustomerSource

Management Reporter for Microsoft Dynamics ERP is designed to help you create financial reports that can be tailored to meet the needs of any company. Designed by accountants for accountants, Management Reporter empowers finance professionals to create high-volume, presentation-quality reports in minutes. The report wizard makes it easy for you to design, store, and generate reports from reusable building blocks that contain row, column, and tree definitions, which eliminates the need to re-create common scenarios each reporting period.

For more information, see:

Microsoft Dynamics ERP RapidStart Services

RapidStart Services is available from Microsoft Dynamics Lifecycle Services, or with help from a partner, on the Online services for Microsoft Dynamics ERP website.

Microsoft Dynamics ERP RapidStart Services lets partners and customers configure an installation of Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 by using a cloud-based, interview-style questionnaire. The questionnaire uses general terminology about business processes instead of terms that are specific to Microsoft Dynamics AX. Partners, independent software vendors (ISVs), and customers can create, maintain, and reuse configurations that reflect their custom solutions. Partners can also create additional groups of questions to enlarge the scope of a configuration.

For more information, see Microsoft Dynamics ERP RapidStart Services.

Performance Benchmark Software Development Toolkit (SDK) for Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012

InformationSource

The Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Performance Benchmark Software Development Toolkit (SDK) provides partners and customers with extensible features to develop benchmarks that closely mimic their custom implementation. The Benchmark SDK lets partners and customers quickly develop managed tests that simulate multiple-user activity on Microsoft Dynamics AX. The Benchmark SDK is developed by using Microsoft Visual Studio 2010; therefore, you can use the Load Test functionality to run stress and performance tests for Microsoft Dynamics AX. This lets you set benchmarks for any Microsoft Dynamics AX scenario more easily, because you can collect test results from the Benchmark SDK.

For more information, see:

Security Development Tool for Microsoft Dynamics AX

InformationSource

The Security Development Tool for Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 is intended to help you more easily create and maintain security artifacts such as roles, duties, and privileges. The tool displays entry point permissions for a given role, duty, or privilege. Additional tools guide you through updates of the access levels for entry points. You can also use the tool to test a newly created or modified security role, duty, or privilege from the same interface, without using a different test user account. Additionally, you can use the tool to record business process flows and identify the entry points that are used.

For more information, see:

Security Upgrade Advisor Tool for Microsoft Dynamics AX

InformationSource

The Security Upgrade Advisor Tool compares entry points and permissions between systems, and generates a list of matching privileges that can be used for a particular role. The role-to-privilege mapping is based on the user group–to–access right mapping in earlier versions of Microsoft Dynamics AX systems. The tool is designed as an aid for upgrading security settings and is not a one-click solution. Developers are advised to review each suggestion carefully before making any changes.

For more information, see:

Test Data Transfer Tool (beta) for Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012

InformationSource

The Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Test Data Transfer Tool (beta) (DP.exe) is a command-line tool that exports data from a Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 business database in a production or non-production environment. The tool also imports data into a Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 business database in a non-production environment. The non-production environment can be either a development or test environment.

For more information, see: