create new or update existing Dynamics GP or Dynamics CRM records from records contained within a SmartList or external data connection.
SmartConnect uses eConnect for Dynamics GP and Dynamics CRM web services to create or update records, so all of the Dynamics business logic is adhered to. Before you put SmartConnect to work for you, take a few moments to review the information presented here. Understanding the organization can provide you with the proper approach to the
SmartConnect documentation. This introduction is divided into the following sections:
This introduction is divided into the following sections:
• What’s in this manual SmartConnect and updating SmartConnect from previous versions.
• Part 2, Using SmartConnect, shows you how to start using SmartConnect.
Symbols and Conventions
The warning symbol indicates situations you should be aware of when completing tasks. Typically, this includes cautions about performing steps in their proper order, or important reminders about how other information in Great Plains may be affected.
Convention Description
Part 4, Data Entry Bold type indicates a part name
Chapter 8, “Windows” Quotation marks indicate a chapter name SMARTCONNECT.EXE Words in uppercase indicate a file name
TAB or CTRL+M Small capital letters indicate a key or key sequence.
I N S T A L L A T I O N
Part 1: Installation
This portion of the manual describes the installation and registration of SmartConnect.
The information is divided into the following chapters:
• Chapter 1, “Installing SmartConnect”, describes how to install, set up and register SmartConnect
• Chapter 2, “Setup”, describes the process of setting up SmartConnect for use.
Chapter 1: Installing SmartConnect
This chapter describes how to install SmartConnect. The installation process is the same regardless of whether you are integrating to Dynamics CRM or not. This information is divided into the following sections:
• Prerequisites
• Installation
Prerequisites
The following applications are required to be installed on the client computer before SmartConnect can be installed:
Dynamics GP version 9:-
• Dynamics GP 9 Service Pack 2 or higher
• Microsoft .Net framework 3
Please note that the Dynamics GP service pack installation wizard must be run. An installation folder already containing Dynamics GP 9 service pack 1 or higher cannot be just be copied into the installation directory.
Dynamics GP version 10:-
• Microsoft .Net framework 3
Installation
To install SmartConnect:
1. Run the setup executable, SMARTCONNECT INSTALLER.EXE, which will start the SmartConnect installation.
The prerequisites wizard will not run if all the required software has already been installed. VS tools runtime will not be present in the list with SmartConnect version 10.
2. Click on the Next button to continue.
3. Select the next button to start installing the prerequisites listed in the prerequisites window.
4. Click on the Next button to begin the installation of the visual studio tools runtime.
5. Accept the license agreement and click next to continue.
6. Make sure that the location displayed is the path to your Dynamics GP installation. The default is “C:\Program Files\Microsoft Dynamics\GP”. Select next to continue.
7. Select install to install the Visual Studio Tools for Dynamics GP Runtime
8. Select finish continuing with the SmartConnect Installation. If eConnect has not been installed the eConnect installer will now run.
9. Select next to install eConnect.
10. Accept the license agreement and click next.
11. Select next to continue with the installation.
12. Enter your user name and Organization and click next (The user name and organization are not required to install eConnect.).
13. Select the custom option and click next.
14. Click next to install eConnect.
The business objects need only be installed once per SQL server. If the business objects have already been installed on the SQL server deselect the business objects option as per the screen shot above.
15. Use the ellipses button to select your SQL server where Microsoft Dynamics GP has been installed. Click next.
16. Click Install to continue with the installation.
17. Enter the domain and user name of user account under which eConnect will run.
The account must have access to the SQL Server where the business objects have been installed and be part of the SQL security group DYNGRP.
18. Select the finish button to continue.
19. Select the next button to continue.
20. Select the features you require. Please refer to the table below for more information regarding the different options.
Where Required
Client (Dynamics GP).
* You do not need the SmartConnect Web services to run the SmartConnect UI inside of GP or to integrate to CRM or GP.
SmartConnect
IIS Server hosting Dynamics CRM Server and SmartConnect Web service or IIS server hosting just the SmartConnect Web services.
* You will only require the SmartConnect web services if you intend to use real time integration between CRM and GP or the Excel Add in.
SmartConnect Web Service
IIS Server hosting just the Dynamics CRM Server SmartConnect for CRM Support Files
21. If you are installing the web services, enter the connection details of your SQL server
22. Browse to your Microsoft Dynamics GP installation or select the default. Click Next.
If you are just installing either the Dynamics CRM Support files or the web service you may ignore this portion.
23. Accept the license agreement and click next.
The installer will create a new website and virtual directory if you selected to install the web services.
25. Select finish then open Microsoft Dynamics GP.
26. Select yes to include the SmartConnect chunk file. Login into GP as sa.
27. Click OK to install the SQL objects needed to run SmartConnect.
28. Click OK to complete the installation
If SmartConnect has previously been installed the preceding dialogue boxes will not be shown.
To register SmartConnect:
1. Click tools >> SmartConnect >> Map. If the product hasn’t been installed you will be prompted for registration keys.
2. Enter your supplied Registration Key.
3. Click on the Save button.
If the registration window is not displayed you can add this window to your explorer bar and register the product from there.
Chapter 2: Installing SmartConnect Excel Add in
This chapter describes how to install SmartConnect Excel Add in. This information is divided into the following sections:
• Prerequisites
• Installation
Prerequisites
The following applications are required to be installed on the client computer before SmartConnect Excel Add in can be installed:
Microsoft Office Excel 2003 or 2007
The following is a list of prerequisites that are installed by the SETUP.EXE and may require an active internet connection.
• .Net Framework version 2.
• Visual Studio tools runtime second edition.
• KB908002
• Office 200x primary interop assemblies.
The Add in uses the SmartConnect web services.
Installation
To install SmartConnect Excel Add in:
1. Extract the file named SmartConnectExcelAddinOffice2007.zip.
2. Double click the SETUP.EXE file.
3. Click Install, accept the license agreements.
4. Click Next.
5. Click Next
6. Select the install path and click next.
7. Click close to complete the installation. Browse to the install folder.
8. Open the file named eOne.SmartConnect.Office2007.ExcelAddin.dll.config with notepad.
9. Change the highlighted web address to your address for the SmartConnect Web service. Save the file and close notepad.
Chapter 3: Setup SmartConnect
To make SmartConnect easier to use, SmartConnect provides a mapping between the nodes and parameters in eConnect to the real names that are used in Dynamics GP.
These SmartConnect nodes and parameters are automatically defaulted when SmartConnect is installed. If you have added nodes or parameters to any of the
eConnect schema, you may need to change this setup to enable your nodes to be used.
The list of Dynamics CRM entities are pulled from the Dynamics CRM Meta data service and are not stored locally by SmartConnect. SmartConnect uses the setting from the Dynamics CRM setup screen to connect to the Dynamics CRM server.
This information is divided into the following sections:
• General Setup
• Dynamics CRM Setup
• Dynamics GP Setup
General Setup
SmartConnect Setup screen
Select Tools>>SmartConnect>>Setup
This screen allows you to enter setup options for SmartConnect. The following table describes the purpose of each section.
Message Queue Defaults
eConnect Error Log Server
Enter the name of the server where the eConnect event viewer is located.
SmartConnect reads the eConnect event messages from this server’s instance
Queue Name
This will be the default Microsoft message queue name used for maps directed to the message queue. This queue name will default in the map window but will allow the user to change it.
Schedule Settings
Schedule ServerThis is the name of the server where the windows scheduled tasks will be created when scheduling SmartConnect Maps. If this option is left empty all tasks will be scheduled on the local machine.
Schedule working folder
This is the working folder to the eOne.SmartConnect.Scheduler.exe file on the schedule server. This exe is located in the GP installation folder on the schedule server. This path must be the local path on the server e.g. “C:\Program
Files\Microsoft Dynamics\GP\”. Where “C:\” is the c: drive on the schedule server not the local client’s c drive.
Schedule EXE Path
This is the full path to the eOne.SmartConnect.Scheduler.exe file itself on the schedule server.
Connection string
This connection string is used by the server to connect to SQL and read information regarding the map it will run. The database name MUST always be DYNAMICS. This setting is encrypted in the config file on the local machine.
SmartConnect Web service URL
Web service URLThis is the path to the SmartConnect web service for this installation of SmartConnect. This option is used by the SmartConnect Plug-in that handles real time integrations between Dynamics CRM and Dynamics GP.
E-Mail Settings
SMTP ServerThis is the name of the SMTP server that will be used to send email from map email tasks.
Management Console
Error Files PathThis is the folder where the information about the map logging will be stored.
When you select any of the logging options in the map setup window the files are stored in this directory and are read by the Management Console.
Real time
Show progress bar checkbox
When this option is selected the SmartConnect progress bar will be shown when integrating real time between Dynamics GP and Dynamics CRM.
Dynamics CRM Setup
Dynamics CRM Setup screen
Select Tools>>SmartConnect>>Setup>>Dynamics CRM button.
CRM Server and Port
This is the URL to your Dynamics CRM Server. This URL will be used for all interactions by SmartConnect with Dynamics CRM.
Security
Credentials Check box
When this option is selected all interaction with Dynamics CRM will be done using the settings specified in this section. If you would like SmartConnect to connect to your Dynamics CRM server using the currently logged in active directory user do not use this option.
User name
The active directory user name to use to connect to your Dynamics CRM server.
Password
The active directory password to use to connect to your Dynamics CRM server.
Domain
The active directory domain to use to connect to your Dynamics CRM server.
Please note that the credentials specified above are not stored in the database but are stored locally in an encrypted config file in the Dynamics GP folder and are for this installation only.
Authentication Type Active Directory
When this option is selected the connection to Dynamics CRM will be made using active directory and the username, password and domain fields above will be used.
Passport
When this option is selected the connection to Dynamics CRM will be made using a Microsoft Windows Live Passport. This option should be used when connecting to Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online. Only the User name and password fields are used when this option is selected. The user name will be in the format of [email protected], as you would enter it when logging into Dynamics CRM Online.
Internet facing deployment
When this option is selected the connection to Dynamics CRM will be made using active directory and the username, password and domain fields above will be used. Only the connection method is different from using standard active directory.
Dynamics GP Setup Groups
Groups are used to arrange node types into functional groups. All of the standard groups have been defined within eConnect. You would only use this window if you are wanting to redefine the groups or add a custom group. For example, if you are an ISV that has built a number of Custom eConnect nodes you could create a specific group for your nodes.
To add a group:
1. Open the Node Maintenance window.
2. Click on the prompt for the Group list to drill down to the Group Maintenance window.
3. Enter a new group name into the group list.
4. Click on the OK button.
To remove a group:
2. Click on the prompt for the Group list to drill down to the Group Maintenance window. Select the Group that you want to delete from the group list.
3. Select Edit >> Delete Row.
4. Click on the OK button.
Node Types
Node types are a collection of nodes. SmartConnect will default the node types for all the core eConnect nodes. You would only use this window to group together custom nodes or add a custom node into an existing node group/type.
To add a node type:
1. Open the Node Maintenance window (Tools >> SmartConnect >> Node Maintenance).
2. Enter the name of the Node Type. This is the name that is used by eConnect to identify the node type.
3. Enter the Display Name of the node type.
4. Select the Group for the node type.
5. Add nodes to the node type.
6. Click on the Save button.
To edit an existing node type:
1. Open the Node Maintenance window (Tools >> SmartConnect >> Node Maintenance).
2. Enter or select the node type that you want to delete.
3. Click on the Delete button.
Nodes
Nodes are objects in eConnect that are used to create, update or delete Dynamics GP transactions.
To add a node:
1. Open the Node Maintenance window (Tools >> SmartConnect >> Node Maintenance).
2. Enter or select the Node Type that you want to add a node to.
3. Click on the Add Node button.
4. Enter the name of the Node. This is the name used by eConnect to identify the node.
5. Enter the Display Name of the node.
6. Enter the details of the parameters of the node.
7. Click on the Save button.
To edit a node:
1. Open the Node Maintenance window (Tools >> SmartConnect >> Node Maintenance).
2. Enter or select the Node Type that contains the node that you want to edit.
3. Select the Node that you want to edit from the Nodes list.
4. Click on the Edit Node button.
To remove a node:
1. Open the Node Maintenance window (Tools >> SmartConnect >> Node Maintenance).
2. Enter or select the Node Type that contains the node that you want to remove.
3. Select the Node that you want to remove from the Nodes list.
4. Click on the Remove Node button.
U S I N G S M A R T C O N N E C T
Part 2: Using SmartConnect
This portion of the manual will describe how to create and update Dynamics GP and Dynamics CRM records using SmartConnect.
The information is divided into the following chapters: