Customization Manager in Microsoft Dynamics SL 6.5

Course 8546: One day; Instructor-Led

Introduction
This one-day course is designed to give individuals a comprehensive and practical overview of how to use the Microsoft DynamicsT SL Customization Manager to modify standard Microsoft Dynamics SL application windows. This class teaches students how to give a custom look to Microsoft Dynamics SL windows, meet specific system processing or security requirements, accommodate individual user needs, as well as provide a basic understanding related to the theory, tools, and functions of the Customization Manager and Visual Basic for Application modules. This course also provides definitions for terminology related to the Customization Manager such as objects, events, captions, and headings.

Audience
This course is intended for individuals who need to know how to modify the appearance and operation of standard Microsoft Dynamics SL windows for specific operator requirements.

At Course Completion
After completing this course, students should understand:

• How to rearrange the fields in data entry windows to more closely resemble source document formats or to make room for new or additional window fields

• How to change the tab order the cursor moves through the fields in each window

• How to change the default values of Solomon window fields

• How to modify the way data fields display values like telephone and social security numbers

• How to hide fields for all users, specific users, or specific groups

• How to make fields display only

• How to add new items to windows such as data object fields, labels, buttons, frames, and tabs

• How to write Microsoft® Visual Basic® for Application (VBA) code and associate the VBA code with a Microsoft Dynamics SL window or object

Prerequisites
Before attending this course, students must have:

• A working knowledge of Microsoft® Windows® and your specific network operating system, Microsoft Windows NT, Microsoft Windows 2000 Server, etc.

• A fundamental knowledge of Microsoft Dynamics SL system operation and maintenance

• Some experience or knowledge of Microsoft® SQL Server® and Structured Query Language (SQL)

Microsoft Certified Professional Exams
No Microsoft Certified Professional exams are associated with this course currently.

Course Materials
The student training manual includes a comprehensive workbook.

Course Outline
Chapter 1: Customization Manager Overview

This lesson discusses the types of customizations that can be completed using the Customization Manger module of Microsoft Dynamics SL, identifies how the Customization Manager module customizes a Microsoft Dynamics SL window, describes the main components of the Customization Manager module and other optional customization software tools, explains the functional scope of both the Customization Manager and Microsoft Dynamics SL Visual Basic for Application (VBA) modules, and illustrates how to tell a customized Microsoft Dynamics SL window from a standard Microsoft Dynamics SL window.

Lessons

• Introducing Customization Manager

• How Customization Manager Functions

• Customization Manager Components

• Other Optional Customization Tools

• Understanding the Scope of Customization Manager

• Identifying a Customized Solomon Window

Lab 1.1: Selecting Customization Tools

• In this exercise, students determine the Microsoft Dynamics SL customization tools that are needed to complete the customizations required for each scenario.

After completing this lesson, students should be able to:

• Identify the types of customizations that can be completed using the Customization Manger module.

• Understand how the Customization Manager module customizes a Microsoft Dynamics SL window.

• Recognize how the Customization Manager module customizes a Microsoft Dynamics SL window.

• Understand the functional scope of both the Customization Manager and Microsoft Dynamics SL Visual Basic for Application (VBA) modules.

• Identify how to tell a customized Microsoft Dynamics SL window from a standard Microsoft Dynamics SL window.

Chapter 2: Getting Started with Customizations

This lesson explains how to plan for customizations, defines Customization Manager Terminology and concepts, discusses the different customization level available, illustrates how to start and stop Customization Manager, and demonstrates how to select and identify window objects.

Lessons

• Planning the Customization

• Understanding the Basic Terminology

• Customize Menu Options

• Selecting the Customization Level

• Procedures to Set up a Customization Group

• Procedures to Select the Customization Level

• Starting Customize Mode

• Procedures to Start Customize Mode

• Saving Customizations

• Procedures to Save a Customization

• Stopping Customization Manager

• Procedures to Stop Customization Mode

• Selecting Objects and the Properties Window

• Procedures to Open the Properties Screen

• Selecting the Object to Modify

• Procedures to Select an Object to Modify

• Procedures to Select a Different Object While in Properties

• Identifying the Object in Focus

• Procedures to Identify an Object

• Identifying the Current Value of an Object

• Procedures to Open the Customization Property Browser

Lab 2.1: Selecting the Level, Starting Customization Mode

• In this exercise, students learn to start and stop Customization Mode, as well as practice selecting different objects in a Microsoft Dynamics SL window.

Lab 2.2: Selecting and Viewing Objects

• In this exercise, students review the identification properties associated with certain objects in a Microsoft Dynamics SL window.

After completing this lesson, students should be able to:

• Identify the considerations for planning customizations.

• Understand Customization Manager Terminology and concepts.

• Understand the different customizations levels.

• Establish customization groups.

• Start and stop the Customization Manager.

• Select and identify window objects.

Chapter 3: Customizing Screen Appearance and Flow

This lesson explains how to modify screen terminology, move and size objects, change colors and fonts, set customization options, and save customizations.

Lessons

• Modifying Screen Terminology

• Procedures to Move Objects

• Resizing Objects

• Procedures to Resize Windows and Objects

• Properties of Moved and Resized Objects

• Setting Customization Options

• Changing Colors

• Procedures to Change the BackColor or ForeColor

• Changing Fonts

• Procedures to Change the Font

• Changing the Alignment of Text

• Procedures to Change the Alignment

• Modifying Cursor Movement in a Window

• Procedures to Change the Tabbing

Lab 3.1: Changing Captions and Headings

• In this exercise, students change the name of a data object in form and grid view.

Lab 3.2: Moving Window Objects

• In this exercise, students move and align objects in a Microsoft Dynamics SL window.

Lab 3.3: Change Colors and Fonts

• In this exercise, students change the color and font properties associated with an object.

Lab 3.4: Change Tab Stops

• In this exercise, students change the tab stop order of objects in a Microsoft Dynamics SL window.

Lab 3.5: Change Tab Order

• In this exercise, students change the tab order of a Microsoft Dynamics SL window.

After completing this lesson, students should be able to:

• Modify screen terminology.

• Move and size objects.

• Change colors and fonts.

• Set customization options.

• Save customizations.

Chapter 4: Masks, Security and Values

This lesson discusses how to change the display mask of data, field level security, securing customizations, setting default values for data fields, and setting minimum and maximum values.

Lessons

• Changing the Display Mask of Data

• Procedures to Define a Custom Mask

• Establishing Security

• Application Field-Level Security

• Procedures to Set an Object's Visibility

• Procedures to Enable or Disable an Object's Accessibility

• Procedures to Secure an Object's Customization

• Customization-Level Security

• Procedures to Set Customization-Level Security

• Changing Default Object Values

• Procedures to Change an Object's Default Value

• Changing Values and Ranges

• On and Off Values for Checkboxes

• Procedures to Set an Object's On and Off Values

• True Text Values for Option Buttons

• Procedures to Define an Object's True Text Values

• Minimum and Maximum Values

• Procedures to Set an Object's Min/Max Values

Lab 4.1: Changing Masks

• In this exercise, students change the mask of an object to only permit numbers and upper case letters.

Lab 4.2: Setting Field-Level Security

• In this exercise, students review how to set field-level security.

Lab 4.3: Changing Combo Box Default Values

• In this exercise, students change the default value of a Combo Box object.

Lab 4.4: Changing Text Box Default Values

• In this exercise, students change the default value of a Text Box object.

Lab 4.5: Simplifying Data Entry Screens

• In this exercise, students remove objects associated with a Microsoft Dynamics SL window in order to simplify data entry into the window.

Lab 4.6: Restricting Value Ranges

• In this exercise, students set a maximum value for a data object.

After completing this lesson, students should be able to:

• Change the display mask of data.

• Understand field level security.

• Secure customizations.

• Set default values.

• Set minimum and maximum values.

Chapter 5: Lookups, Tab Objects, New Objects

This lesson discusses how to work with lookups, how to work with tab objects, and inserting new objects into Microsoft Dynamics SL windows.

Lessons

• Working with Lookups

• Procedures to Modify a Value List for a Combo Box

• Procedures to Define a Value List for a New Object

• Working With Tab Objects

• Procedures to Add a Tab to a Tab Object

• Inserting New Objects Into Windows

• Procedures to Insert an Additional Object

Lab 5.1: Limiting Selections in a Combo Box

• In this exercise, students remove one of the value options of a data object in order to enforce a review policy of data.

Lab 5.2: Adding Possible Value Lists to Text Boxes

• In this exercise, students add a possible values list to a data object to enforce standard data entry types.

Lab 5.3: Add a New Tab

• In this exercise, students add a tab to a current tab object in a Microsoft Dynamics SL window.

Lab 5.4: Inserting New Objects

• In this exercise, students add and format objects to the new tab of a Microsoft Dynamics SL window.

After completing this lesson, students should be able to:

• Work with lookups.

• Work with tab objects.

• Insert new objects.

Chapter 6: Managing Customizations

This lesson discusses the basics of Microsoft Dynamics SL customization management, how to export customizations for use in other Microsoft Dynamics SL databases, how to import customizations into Microsoft Dynamics SL databases, and how to remove customizations from screens in objects.

Lessons

• Exporting Customizations to Other Databases

• Procedures to Export Customizations

• Viewing and Editing Export Files

• Procedures to View the Contents of Export Files

• Importing Customizations from Other Databases

• Procedures to Import Customizations into a Database

• Removing Customizations

• Procedures to Remove Object Changes or an Object

• Procedures to Remove Screen Changes or a Subform

Lab 6.1: Exporting and Viewing Customizations

• In this exercise, students export customizations and review the customization export file.

Lab 6.2: Removing a Customization

• In this exercise, students remove the customizations associated with a Microsoft Dynamics SL window.

Lab 6.3: Documenting a Customization

• In this exercise, students document a customization using a print screen and a short description of the customization.

After completing this lesson, students should be able to:

• Understand the basics of Microsoft Dynamics SL customization management.

• Export customizations for use in other Microsoft Dynamics SL databases.

• Import customizations into Microsoft Dynamics SL databases.

• Remove customizations from screens in objects.

Chapter 7: Customizing Events Using Visual Basic for Applications

This lesson discusses the Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) module operating theory, how to access the VBA module through the Customization Manager module, and how to associate VBA custom event code to Microsoft Dynamics SL window objects.

Lessons

• Understanding the Concept

• Defining Custom Event Code

• Procedures to Develop Custom Event Code With VBA

Lab 7.1: Attaching Custom Event Code to Require a Password

• In this exercise, students disable access to a data object, and use VBA code to add a dialog box to prompt the user for a password to change the value of the data object.

Lab 7.2: Attaching Custom Event Code to Objects

• In this exercise, students use VBA code to add a Quick Print button to one of the Solomon windows to print information displayed in the window.

After completing this lesson, students should be able to:

• Understand Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) module operating theory.

• Access the VBA module through the Customization Manager module.

• Associate VBA custom event code to Microsoft Dynamics SL window objects.

Appendix A: Properties of Window Objects

This appendix reviews the properties associated with objects in the Properties window.

Lessons

• Properties of Window Objects.

After completing this lesson, students should be able to:

• Understand the properties associated with objects in the Properties window.

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