When working with Dynamics-GP we often go to format an invoice and realize that the return document or the order document are essentially the same format. We don’t want to have to spend the same time manually formatting the other documents when it would be easier to just copy the formats.
It isn’t as easy as just renaming the word template and importing it into GP; but it isn’t that hard as well. Below, I have documented the steps in the scenario of creating the SOP Blank Return from an already formatted SOP Blank Invoice word template.
1. First make backup copies of everything you have in case a mistake is made.
2. Launch Dynamics-GP and log into your company
3. Launch the report writer by going to Microsoft Dynamics GP->Tools->Customize->Report Writer
4. Click on Reports
5. Scroll Down until you find a SOP Blank Return Form. Click on it and click on the insert button
6. Go back to Dynamics-GP
7. We now need to export the packages for both the SOP Blank Invoice Form and SOP Blank Return form to do this go to Microsoft Dynamics-GP->Tools->Customize->Customization Maintenance
8. One at a time, click on each format SOP Blank Invoice Form and SOP Blank Return form and export them to separate files.
9. Once they are exported, you will open each file with Notepad.
10. With the files open you will want to copy the top line of the SOP Blank Return Form package to the SOP Blank Invoice Form packs. The below example is what you would copy
You will be replacing the top line in the SOP Blank Invoice Form package you exported.
11. Save the changes to the file
12. Import the package back into Dynamics-GP. It should ask you to overwrite your SOP Blank Return Form. If it doesn’t, you may have done something wrong. Go back and repeat the steps.
13. Now, we can copy the SOP Blank Invoice Form word template.
14. First, make sure you gave yourself access to the modified SOP Blank Return Form.
15. Copy the Invoice Word Template as a new file name.
16. Launch Dynamics-GP and go to Sales Transaction Entry.
17. Pick a return document.
18. Print the return document, but we need to generate the XML file the word template needs.
The XML Data File output is what you will import into the word template for the fields and layout. You need to map to the return.
19. Open your SOP Blank Return word template that you copied from your SOP Blank Invoice template.
20. Make sure the developer tab is active under options. This is where the word template component is for Dynamics.
21. Click on the Developer tab and to the right you will see the Dynamics-GP fields.
22. Click on the Field List and a window will pup on the left. We need to remove the current XML source.
24. Click on the Remove source on the developer tab ribbon bar to the right.
25. Now we need to add the XML Sources for the return. Click the ‘Add Source’ button on the developer tab ribbon bar to the right. You will be prompted to select the XML file, so pick the file you just created when you printed the return to the XML data file in step 18.
26. Save your SOP Return Template.
27. Now add the SOP Return Template by launching Dynamics-GP and go to Reports->Report Template Maintenance
28. If you click on the Report Name button and you don’t see the Modified SOP Blank Return form select More reports, Product = Microsoft Dynamics GP, Series = Sales, Status = Modified. The report should appear. Double click on the report.
29. Once you select the report, click the plus sign on the ‘Available Templates’ to select your new SOP Blank Return tempate to add it to the system. Once you add it, right mouse click on the report and select Company and make sure the company you are using this report is selected correctly.
Questions about copying word template formats? Contact our consultants at 301.360.0001.
TIMOTHY (TIM) LALLY, CPA | President/CEO
Tim is the founder and president of KTL Solutions, Inc. He provides high-level guidance to our clients in order to help them better use technology within their organizations. He has an ability to understand the issue and provide a solution that best fits the client’s needs. When implementing solutions, his focus is to utilize off the shelf solutions first and customizations second.
Tim is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and has over 17 years of Microsoft Business Solutions software implementation and development experience. He started implementing Dynamics in 1987 in the early years of Great Plains on the Apple Macintosh. His responsibilities include mentoring new developers, teaching accounting principles and processes to developers, and leading the development and design of custom solutions. Tim oversees KTL’s Microsoft Business Solutions vertical market business.
