Enhance Your Dynamics GP: Customize the SOP Picking Ticket Order Report

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Microsoft Dynamics GP is a robust Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution widely used for managing various business operations, including sales, finance, and inventory. A critical component of its functionality lies in its reporting capabilities, which allow businesses to generate detailed documents essential for daily operations. Among these, the Sales Order Processing (SOP) Blank Picking Ticket Order Entered report is frequently used to provide warehouse staff with the necessary information to fulfill customer orders efficiently.

While Dynamics GP offers extensive out-of-the-box reporting, specific business needs often necessitate customization. One common requirement is to display more than the standard four lines of line item comments on the SOP Blank Picking Ticket Order Entered report. This article provides a comprehensive, step-by-step guide on how to modify this particular report to include extended comment details, enhancing clarity and operational efficiency. The instructions are applicable to Microsoft Dynamics GP 10.0, Microsoft Dynamics GP 9.0, and Microsoft Business Solutions - Great Plains 8.0, addressing the evolution of the report name and features over different versions.

Understanding the Need for Report Customization¶

The SOP Blank Picking Ticket Order Entered report serves as a vital document in the order fulfillment process, guiding warehouse personnel on which items to pick for an order. While the standard report effectively lists products and quantities, the limitation of displaying only four lines of line item comments can be restrictive for businesses with complex products, specific handling instructions, or detailed customer requirements. When critical information exceeds this limit, it can lead to misunderstandings, picking errors, and delays, impacting customer satisfaction and operational costs.

Customizing this report allows organizations to present all necessary details directly on the picking ticket. This eliminates the need for warehouse staff to cross-reference with other systems or documents, streamlining the picking process and reducing potential errors. The modification involves creating a new table relationship within Report Writer, adding the comment field to the report layout, saving the changes, and finally, granting appropriate security permissions to ensure users can access the updated report. This structured approach ensures that the customization is performed correctly and integrated seamlessly into the Dynamics GP environment.

Prerequisites and Best Practices for Customization¶

Before embarking on any report modification within Microsoft Dynamics GP, it is crucial to understand the prerequisites and adhere to best practices. Users attempting these modifications should possess administrative rights within Dynamics GP and have a foundational understanding of the system’s architecture, particularly the Sales Order Processing module and its associated tables. Familiarity with the Report Writer tool, which is Dynamics GP’s integrated report design environment, is also essential for navigating the modification process effectively.

Best practices for report customization include:
* Thorough Planning: Clearly define the customization requirements and expected outcomes before starting.
* Documentation: Maintain detailed records of all modifications made, including steps, dates, and reasons for changes. This proves invaluable for troubleshooting, future updates, and knowledge transfer.
* Testing: Always test modified reports extensively in a non-production or test environment before deploying them to live users. This ensures the report functions as expected and does not introduce unforeseen issues.
* Phased Rollout: Consider a phased rollout to a small group of users before making the report available to the entire organization. This allows for feedback and minor adjustments without widespread disruption.

Adhering to these guidelines helps mitigate risks and ensures that customizations enhance, rather than hinder, business operations.

Step 1: Back up the Reports.dic file¶

Before initiating any modifications to reports in Microsoft Dynamics GP, the most crucial preliminary step is to create a backup of your Reports.dic file. This file stores all modified reports within your Dynamics GP installation. Overlooking this step can lead to irreversible loss of existing customizations if an error occurs during the modification process or if you need to revert to a previous version of a report. The Reports.dic file is central to your reporting environment, and a valid backup acts as a safety net, protecting your investment in custom reporting.

To effectively back up this critical file, follow these detailed instructions, tailored for different versions of Microsoft Dynamics GP:

1. Accessing the Launch File:
   • For Microsoft Dynamics GP 10.0: Navigate to the Microsoft Dynamics GP menu, point to Tools, then Setup, then System, and finally click Edit Launch File.
   • For Microsoft Dynamics GP 9.0 and Microsoft Business Solutions - Great Plains 8.0: From the Tools menu, point to Setup, then System, and click Edit Launch File.
2. System Password Prompt: If your system is configured with a password for administrative functions, you will be prompted to enter the system password. Provide the correct password to proceed.
3. Locating the Reports.dic Path: In the Edit Launch File window, you will see a list of installed products. Click on Microsoft Dynamics GP (or “Great Plains” in older versions). The file path to your Reports.dic will be displayed in the designated Reports box. Make a note of this path.
4. Performing the Backup: Using Windows Explorer or your preferred file management tool, navigate to the path noted in the previous step. Locate the Reports.dic file and copy it to a secure, separate location. It is advisable to include a date in the backup file name (e.g., Reports_Backup_YYYYMMDD.dic) for easy version control.

This backup ensures that you can restore all your custom reports to their original state should any issues arise during the modification of the SOP Blank Picking Ticket Order Entered report.

Step 2: Open the Report in Report Writer¶

Report Writer is the integrated tool within Microsoft Dynamics GP designed for creating and modifying reports. It provides a graphical interface for defining report layouts, connecting to database tables, and manipulating data presentation. To begin the customization process, you must first open the SOP Blank Picking Ticket Order Entered report within Report Writer and move it to the modified reports list. This action creates a copy of the original report that you can safely modify without affecting the standard, unmodified version.

Follow these steps to access and prepare the report for modification:

1. Launch Report Writer:
   • Ensure you are logged into Microsoft Dynamics GP.
   • Navigate to Microsoft Dynamics GP menu (or Tools menu in older versions), point to Tools, then Customize, and click Report Writer.
   • If prompted, select the company you wish to work with.
2. Select the Report: In the Report Writer main window, click the Reports button on the toolbar. This opens the Reports window, which displays two lists: Original Reports and Modified Reports.
3. Insert into Modified Reports:
   • In the Original Reports list, scroll down and click on the SOP Blank Picking Ticket Order Entered report to select it.
   • Click the Insert button located between the two lists. This action moves a copy of the selected report from the Original Reports list to the Modified Reports list. Working with a copy ensures that the original report definition remains intact, providing a fallback option if needed.
4. Open the Modified Report:
   • Now, in the Modified Reports list, click on the SOP Blank Picking Ticket Order Entered report.
   • Click the Open button. This action opens the Report Definition dialog box, which is the central hub for configuring the report’s properties, tables, and layout.

With the report open in the Report Definition window, you are ready to proceed with establishing the necessary data relationships to pull in the extended comment information.

Step 3: Create a Report Table Relationship¶

To display more than four lines of line item comments, the report needs access to the detailed comment data stored in a specific Dynamics GP table. By default, the SOP Blank Picking Ticket Order Entered report may not have a direct relationship with the table that holds all lines of comments for sales order items. Therefore, a new table relationship must be established between the existing Sales Transaction Amounts Work table (which is typically linked to the report) and the Sales Line Comment Work and History table. This relationship acts as a bridge, allowing the report to query and display the complete comment text associated with each sales line item.

Understanding the underlying data structure is key here. The Sales Transaction Amounts Work table contains summary information about sales transactions, while the Sales Line Comment Work and History table stores the detailed, multi-line comments for individual sales order lines. Creating a link between these two tables, based on common identifiers like the document number and line item sequence, enables the report to retrieve the extensive comment text.

Follow these detailed steps to create this crucial relationship:

1. Access Report Table Relationships: In the Report Definition dialog box, click the Tables button. This action opens the Report Table Relationships dialog box, which lists all tables currently linked to the report.
2. Initiate a New Relationship: In the Report Table Relations list, locate and click on 04.-Sales Transaction Amounts Work. This table typically serves as a foundational data source for sales reports. With it selected, click the New button. This will open the Table Relationship dialog box.
3. Select the Related Table: In the Table Relationship dialog box, you will see a list of available tables. Scroll through the Tables list and select Sales Line Comment Work and History. This is the table containing the full comment text that you wish to include on your report.
4. Confirm the Relationship: After selecting the Sales Line Comment Work and History table, click OK. Report Writer will automatically attempt to establish a default relationship based on common fields (e.g., SOP Type, SOP Number, Line Item Sequence Number). Verify that the primary and secondary keys are correctly mapped. If not, you may need to manually adjust the relationships to ensure data integrity.
5. Close Dialogs: Click Close to exit the Report Table Relationships dialog box. Then click OK in the Report Definition dialog box if prompted, to save the table relationship changes.

By successfully establishing this link, the Sales Line Comment Work and History table’s fields, including the comprehensive comment text, will now be available for placement on your report layout.

Step 4: Add the Comment Text Field to the Report Layout¶

With the necessary table relationship established, the next step involves modifying the report’s visual layout to display the extended comment text. The Report Layout window is a visual design surface within Report Writer where you can drag and drop fields, add text, and arrange elements to create the desired report appearance. For picking tickets, comments are typically associated with individual line items, meaning they should appear within the detail section of the report. The ‘B’ section, often referred to as the Body or detail section, is the appropriate place for such dynamic, line-specific information.

Careful consideration of the field size and placement is crucial to ensure that comments are fully visible without obscuring other important data or creating excessive white space.

Follow these steps to add the Comment Text field:

1. Open Report Layout: In the Report Definition dialog box, click the Layout button. This opens the Report Layout window, which displays the visual design of your report.
2. Access Toolbox and Resources: On the left side of the Report Layout window, you will find the Toolbox. Click on the Layout tab within the toolbox. Below this, there is a Resources list.
3. Select the New Table: In the Resources list, click on Sales Line Comment Work and History. This action populates the field list with all available fields from that table, including the desired “Comment Text.”
4. Prepare the Layout:
   • Before dragging the field, visually assess the B section of your report layout. You may notice existing fields like item descriptions, quantities, or unit prices.
   • To accommodate the new, potentially multi-line comment field, you might need to resize the ‘B’ section by dragging its bottom border downwards. This creates more vertical space.
   • Alternatively, you might need to move other fields within the ‘B’ section to make room. Select existing fields and drag them to new positions or resize them to be narrower.
5. Drag and Drop the Field: From the field list under Sales Line Comment Work and History, locate Comment Text. Click and drag this field directly into the B section of the report layout.
6. Adjust Field Properties:
   • After placing the Comment Text field, you will need to adjust its size. Select the field and drag its corners or edges to make it wide enough to display full lines of text and tall enough to accommodate the maximum number of comment lines you anticipate.
   • Important Note on White Space: The Comment Text field must be sized large enough to hold the longest possible comment you expect to print. If an item has a shorter comment or no comment at all, the unused space within the field will remain white. This means items without comments will have significant white space beneath them, which can affect the report’s overall appearance and length. Design the field size judiciously, balancing the need for complete comments with aesthetic considerations. You might consider placing it strategically or adding conditional formatting (advanced Report Writer feature) to minimize empty space if appropriate.

By carefully placing and sizing the Comment Text field, you ensure that all relevant line item comments are clearly displayed on the picking ticket, significantly enhancing its utility.

Step 5: Save Your Changes and Quit Report Writer¶

Once you have successfully modified the report layout to include the Comment Text field and made any necessary adjustments, the next critical step is to save your changes and exit Report Writer. Saving ensures that all the modifications you’ve meticulously performed are permanently stored in the Reports.dic file. Failing to save your work would result in the loss of all your customizations, requiring you to repeat the entire process. Dynamics GP’s Report Writer will typically prompt you multiple times to confirm your intention to save changes, acting as a safeguard against accidental data loss.

Follow these steps carefully to ensure all modifications are saved correctly:

1. Initiate Save and Exit:
   • For Microsoft Dynamics GP 10.0: Click on File in the Report Writer menu, then click Microsoft Dynamics GP.
   • For Microsoft Dynamics GP 9.0 and Microsoft Business Solutions - Great Plains 8.0: Click on File in the Report Writer menu, then click Microsoft Business Solutions-Great Plains.
   • This action signals to Report Writer that you are finished with the modification session and intend to return to the main Dynamics GP application.
2. Confirm Layout Changes: You will likely receive the following prompt: “Do you want to save changes to this report layout?” It is imperative to click Save at this point. This saves the visual layout modifications you made, including the addition and positioning of the Comment Text field, as well as any resizing of sections.
3. Confirm Report Changes: Immediately after saving the layout, you will typically receive a second prompt: “Do you want to save changes to this report?” This prompt refers to the overall report definition, including the table relationships you created in an earlier step. Again, click Save to commit all structural and definitional changes to the report.
4. Exit Report Writer: After confirming both sets of changes, Report Writer will close, and you will be returned to the main Microsoft Dynamics GP application window.

Your modified report is now saved within the Reports.dic file. However, for users to actually see and print the customized report, security permissions must be granted, which is the focus of the next step.

Step 6: Grant Security to the Report¶

Even after successfully modifying and saving a report, users will not be able to access the customized version until appropriate security permissions are granted within Microsoft Dynamics GP. Dynamics GP employs a robust security system to control user access to various forms, reports, and windows. This step ensures that only authorized users or specific user groups can utilize the modified SOP Blank Picking Ticket Order Entered report, maintaining control and data integrity. The method for granting security varies depending on the version of Microsoft Dynamics GP you are using, reflecting changes in the security architecture over time.

It is vital to understand the difference between the security tools:
* Alternate/Modified Forms and Reports (GP 10.0 and later): This feature allows administrators to define which modified forms or reports users will see, based on an assigned Alternate/Modified Forms and Reports ID.
* Advanced Security (pre-GP 10.0): Offers granular control over security settings for individual users or companies, specifically for modified reports.
* Standard Security (pre-GP 10.0): A more basic security tool for assigning access to modified reports by user ID and series.

Carefully follow the instructions for the version of Dynamics GP you are using.

Method 1: Use Security in Microsoft Dynamics GP 10.0 and Later¶

For Microsoft Dynamics GP 10.0 and subsequent versions, the security configuration is managed through the Alternate/Modified Forms and Reports and User Security windows. This method provides a flexible way to assign customized reports to specific users or groups without affecting others.

1. Configure Alternate/Modified Forms and Reports:
   • On the Microsoft Dynamics GP menu, point to Tools, then Setup, then System, and click Alternate/Modified Forms and Reports.
   • In the ID box, type or select an existing Alternate/Modified Forms and Reports ID. This ID is a logical grouping that will be associated with users who should see this modified report. If you don’t have one, you can create a new one.
   • In the Product list, select Microsoft Dynamics GP.
   • In the Type list, select Reports.
   • Expand the Sales series.
   • Expand SOP Blank Picking Ticket Order Entered.
   • You will see options like “Microsoft Dynamics GP (Original)” and “Microsoft Dynamics GP (Modified)”. Click to select Microsoft Dynamics GP (Modified). This tells the system that for this ID, the modified version of the report should be used.
   • Click Save.
2. Assign Alternate/Modified Forms and Reports ID to Users:
   • On the Microsoft Dynamics GP menu, point to Tools, then Setup, then System, and click User Security.
   • In the User list, select the user ID who needs access to the modified report.
   • In the Company list, select the company for which the user will run the report.
   • In the Alternate/Modified Forms and Reports ID list, select the ID you configured in step 1 of this method.
   • Click Save or ensure the changes are saved.

By following these steps, the selected user, when logged into the specified company, will now see and print the modified version of the SOP Blank Picking Ticket Order Entered report.

Method 2: Use the Advanced Security Tool (Earlier than GP 10.0)¶

For versions prior to Microsoft Dynamics GP 10.0, the Advanced Security tool offers a powerful way to manage security for modified reports. This tool provides a tree-view interface to navigate through different forms, reports, and windows.

1. Launch Advanced Security:
   • On the Tools menu, point to Setup, then System, and click Advanced Security.
   • If prompted, enter the system password in the Please Enter Password box and click OK.
2. View by Alternate, Modified and Custom: In the Advanced Security window, click View, and then click By Alternate, Modified and Custom. This view helps in easily identifying modified components.
3. Navigate to the Report:
   • Expand the product tree:
     • In Microsoft Dynamics GP 9.0, expand Microsoft Dynamics GP.
     • In Microsoft Business Solutions - Great Plains 8.0, expand Great Plains.
   • Expand Reports, then Sales, and then SOP Blank Picking Ticket Order Entered.
4. Select the Modified Report:
   • Under the expanded report entry, select the modified version:
     • In Microsoft Dynamics GP 9.0, click Microsoft Dynamics GP (Modified).
     • In Microsoft Business Solutions - Great Plains 8.0, click Great Plains (Modified).
5. Apply Changes: Click Apply to save the security settings, and then click OK to close the Advanced Security window.

Note: By default, the Advanced Security tool applies changes to the current user and current company. You can select other users in the Users area and other companies in the Company Name area of the Advanced Security window to apply these changes more broadly.

Method 3: Use the Standard Security Tool (Earlier than GP 10.0)¶

The Standard Security tool, also for versions earlier than GP 10.0, provides a simpler, list-based approach to grant access to modified reports. This method is often used for straightforward security assignments.

1. Launch Standard Security:
   • On the Tools menu, point to Setup, then System, and click Security.
   • If prompted, enter the system password in the Please Enter Password box and click OK.
2. Select User and Report Type:
   • In the User ID list, select the ID of the user who needs access to the modified report.
   • In the Type list, select Modified Reports.
   • In the Series list, select Sales.
3. Grant Access: In the Access List box, you will see a list of available reports. Double-click on SOP Blank Picking Ticket Order Entered to move it from the “Available” to the “Selected” column (or ensure it’s checked/highlighted depending on the interface).
4. Confirm Changes: Click OK to save the security changes and close the Security window.

Once security is granted using one of these methods, users will be able to run the modified SOP Blank Picking Ticket Order Entered report and view the extended line item comments, thereby enhancing their operational efficiency.

Conclusion and Future Considerations¶

Customizing the SOP Blank Picking Ticket Order Entered report in Microsoft Dynamics GP to display more than four lines of line item comments is a significant enhancement for businesses requiring detailed picking instructions or product specifications. By carefully following the steps outlined in this guide – from backing up critical files and establishing table relationships to modifying the report layout and granting security – organizations can tailor their Dynamics GP environment to better suit their unique operational demands. This customization not only improves the accuracy of order fulfillment but also streamlines warehouse processes by providing comprehensive information directly on the picking ticket.

As with any system modification, ongoing maintenance and strategic planning are vital. Businesses should document all changes thoroughly, test them in non-production environments, and consider the implications of future Dynamics GP upgrades. Regular backups of the Reports.dic file should become standard practice to protect your custom report investments. Empowering your team with accurate and comprehensive reports is a key driver for efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Do you have other Dynamics GP reports you’ve customized? Share your experiences and any tips you’ve found helpful in managing your Dynamics GP customizations in the comments below!