Data Types and Fields | Programming Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central

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Programming Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central - Sixth Edition

By : Marije Brummel, David Studebaker, Christopher D. Studebaker

3.4 (5)

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Programming Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central

3.4 (5)

By: Marije Brummel, David Studebaker, Christopher D. Studebaker

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Overview of this book

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is a full ERP business solution suite with a robust set of development tools to support customization and enhancement. These tools can be used to tailor Business Central's in-built applications to support complete management functions for finance, supply chain, manufacturing, and operations. Using a case study approach, this book will introduce you to Dynamics 365 Business Central and Visual Studio Code development tools to help you become a productive Business Central developer. You'll also learn how to evaluate a product's development capabilities and manage Business Central-based development and implementation. You'll explore application structure, the construction of and uses for each object type, and how it all fits together to build apps that meet special business requirements. By the end of this book, you'll understand how to design and develop high-quality software using the Visual Studio Code development environment, the AL language paired with the improved editor, patterns, and features.

Preface

A brief history of Business Central

The beginning

Single-user PC Plus

Multi-user Navigator

Navision Financials for Windows

Growth and mergers

Continuous enhancement

AL's roots

Who this book is for

What this book covers

To get the most out of this book

Downloading the example code files

Downloading the color images

Conventions used

Get in touch

Reviews

Free Chapter

Introduction to Business Central

Business Central – an ERP system

Financial management

Manufacturing

Supply chain management

Business intelligence and reporting

Relationship management

Human resource management

Project management

A developer's overview of Business Central

Business Central object types

The Visual Studio Code integrated development environment

Visual Studio Code icons

Explorer

Source control

Debugger

Extensions

AL programming language

Business Central object and system elements

Business Central functional terminology

User interface

Hands-on development in Business Central

Business Central development exercise scenario

Getting started with application design

Folder structure

launch.json

app.json

Symbol files

Application tables

Designing a simple table

Creating a simple table

Pages

Standard elements of pages

List pages

Card pages

Document pages

Journal/worksheet pages

Creating a list page

Creating a card page

Creating some sample data

Creating a list report

Generating the layout

Designing the layout

Other Business Central object types

TableExtension and PageExtension

Codeunits

Queries

XMLports

Control add-ins

Development backups and documentation

Summary

Questions

Tables

An overview of tables

Components of a table

Naming tables

Table numbering

Table properties

Table triggers

Keys

SumIndexFields

Field groups

Bricks

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

Secondary keys and SumIndexFields

Table relations

Modifying an original Business Central table

Types of table

Fully modifiable tables

Master data

Journal

Template

Entry tables

Subsidiary (supplementary) tables

Posted document

Singleton

Temporary

Content modifiable tables

System table

Read-only tables

Virtual

Summary

Questions

Data Types and Fields

Basic definitions in Business Central

Fields

Field properties

Field triggers

Field events

Data structure examples

Field numbering

Field and variable naming

Data types

Fundamental data types

Numeric data

String data

Date/Time data

Complex data types

Data structure

Objects

Web services

DotNet

Input/output

DateFormula

References and other data types

Data type usage

FieldClass property options

FieldClass – Normal

FieldClass – FlowField

FieldClass – FlowFilter

FlowFields and FlowFilter for our application

Filtering

Experimenting with filters

Accessing filter controls

Summary

Questions

Pages - The Interactive Interface

Page design and structure overview

Page design guidelines

Business Central page structure

Types of pages

Role Center page

HeadlinePart page

List page

Card page

Document page

FastTabs

List Plus page

Worksheet (journal) page

ConfirmationDialog page

StandardDialog page

Navigate page

Navigate function

Request page

Page parts

FactBox area

Card Parts and List Parts

Charts

Page names

In-client designer

Designer

Page components

Page triggers

Page properties

Inheritance

WDTU page enhancement – part 1

Page controls

Control types

Container controls

group controls

Field controls

Page part controls

Page control triggers

Bound and unbound pages

WDTU page enhancement – part 2

Page actions

Page action types and subtypes

Action groups

Navigation pane button actions

Actions summary

Learning more

Patterns and creative plagiarism

Experimenting on your own

Experimentation

Summary

Questions

Queries and Reports

Queries

Building a simple query

Query and query component properties

Query properties

DataItem properties

Column properties

Reports

What is a report?

Four Business Central report designers

Business Central report types

Report types summarized

Report naming

Report components – overview

Report structure

Report data overview

Report layout overview

Report data flow

Report components – detail

Report properties

Microsoft Word – report properties

Report triggers

Request page properties

Request page triggers

DataItem properties

DataItem triggers

Creating a report in Business Central

Learn by experimentation

Report building – phase 1

Report building – phase 2

Report building – phase 3

Modifying an existing report with Report Designer or Word

Request page

Adding a request page option

Processing-only reports

Creative report plagiarism and patterns

Summary

Questions

Introduction to AL

Understanding Visual Studio Code

Explorer

Starting a new object

Object designer navigation

Some AL naming conventions

Variables

AL Globals

AL Locals

Special working storage variables

AL programming

Non-modifiable procedures

Modifiable procedures

Custom procedures

Creating a procedure

AL syntax

Assignment and punctuation

Expressions

Operators

Arithmetic operators and procedures

Boolean operators

Relational operators and procedures

Precedence of operators

Frequently used AL procedures

The MESSAGE procedure

The ERROR procedure

The CONFIRM procedure

The STRMENU procedure

Record procedures

The SETCURRENTKEY procedure

The SETRANGE procedure

The SETFILTER procedure

The GET procedure

FIND procedures

FIND ([Which]) options and the SQL Server alternatives

Conditional statements

The BEGIN-END compound statement

IF-THEN-ELSE statement

Indenting code

Some simple coding modifications

Adding field validation to a table

Adding code to a report

Laying out the new Report Heading

Saving and testing

Lookup-related table data

Laying out the new report Body

Saving and testing

Handling user entered report options

Defining the Request Page

Finishing the processing code

Testing the completed report

Summary

Questions

Intermediate AL

IntelliSense

Internal documentation

Source code management

Validation functions

TESTFIELD

FIELDERROR

INIT

VALIDATE

Date and time functions

TODAY, TIME, and CURRENTDATETIME

WORKDATE

DATE2DMY function

DATE2DWY function

DMY2DATE and DWY2DATE functions

CALCDATE

Data conversion and formatting functions

ROUND

FORMAT function

EVALUATE function

FlowField and SumIndexField functions

CALCFIELDS function

SETAUTOCALCFIELDS function

CALCSUMS function

Comparing CALCFIELDS and CALCSUMS

Flow control functions

REPEAT-UNTIL

WHILE-DO

FOR-TO or FOR-DOWNTO

CASE-ELSE statement

WITH-DO statement

QUIT, BREAK, EXIT, and SKIP functions

QUIT function

BREAK function

EXIT function

SKIP function

Input and output functions

NEXT function with FIND or FINDSET

INSERT function

MODIFY function

Rec and xRec

DELETE function

MODIFYALL function

DELETEALL function

Filtering

The SETFILTER function

The COPYFILTER and COPYFILTERS functions

The GETFILTER and GETFILTERS functions

The FILTERGROUP function

The MARK function

CLEARMARKS function

The MARKEDONLY function

The RESET function

InterObject communication

Communicating through data

Communicating through function parameters

Communication via object calls

Enhancing the WDTU application

Modifying table fields

Adding validation logic

Playlist Header validation

Creating the Playlist subpage

Playlist Line validations

Creating a function for our FactBox

Creating a FactBox page

Summary

Questions

Advanced AL Development Tools

Business Central process flow

Initial setup and data preparation

Transaction entry

Testing and posting the Journal batch

Utilizing and maintaining the data

Data maintenance

Role Center pages

Role Center structure

Role Center headlines page

Role Center activities page

Cue groups and cues

System part

Page parts

Page parts not visible

Page parts for user data

Navigation pane and action menus

Action Designer

Creating a WDTU Role Center ribbon

XMLports

XMLport components

XMLport properties

XMLport triggers

XMLport data lines

The XMLport line properties

SourceType as text

SourceType as table

SourceType as field

Element or attribute

NodeType element data item

NodeType attribute data item

XMLport line triggers

DataType as text

DataType as Table

DataType as Field

XMLport Request Pages

Web services

Exposing a web service

Publishing a web service

Enabling web services

Determining what was published

XMLport – web services integration example for WDTU

Summary

Questions

Successful Conclusions

Creating new AL routines

Callable functions

Codeunit 358 – DateFilterCalc

Codeunit 359 – Period Form Management

FindDate function

NextDate function

CreatePeriodFormat function

Codeunit 365 – Format Address

Codeunit 396 – NoSeriesManagement

Function models to review and use

Management codeunits

Multi-language system

Multi-currency system

Navigate

Modifying for Navigate

Debugging in Business Central

Dialog function debugging techniques

Debugging with MESSAGE and CONFIRM

Debugging with DIALOG

Debugging with text output

Debugging with ERROR

The Business Central debugger

Activating the debugger

Creating break events

The debugger window

Visual Studio Code test-driven development

Other interfaces

Client Add-ins

Client Add-in comments

Business Central development projects – general guidance

Knowledge is key

Data-focused design

Defining the required data views

Designing the data tables

Designing the user data access interface

Designing the data validation

Data design review and revision

Designing the Posting processes

Designing the supporting processes

Double-check everything

Designing for efficiency

Disk I/O

Locking

Updating and upgrading

Design for updating

Customization project recommendations

One change at a time

Testing

Database testing approaches

Testing in production

Using a testing database

Testing techniques

Deliverables

Finishing the project

Plan for upgrading

Benefits of upgrading

Coding considerations

Low-impact coding

Supporting material

Summary

Questions

Assessments

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

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Programming Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central - Sixth Edition

By : Marije Brummel, David Studebaker, Christopher D. Studebaker

Programming Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central

By: Marije Brummel, David Studebaker, Christopher D. Studebaker

Overview of this book

Data Types and Table Fields

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