Hi I’m quite new to Navision but heavily interested in specializing myself in this product. I think I already found out that to obtain a developer SDK you need to be a Microsoft Partner/Finish a number of exams/Pay +/- 30.000 eur. (is this correct?). Now I am interested in the options for a customer to extend its own product. My questions are as follows : - What development modules are there for customers (ie. formbuilder,db designer,reportbuilder, modules to code your own functions etc) - What do they cost (approx) - Are there any good courses ? - Once bought, which functionality is only available when you have the full SDK, so when does the customer still need to call a solution center. Thank you very much in advance. I really tried to find this all out myself but I found it very hard to find concrete information. If someone can point out this information it’s also appreciated.
This is actually a question which can not be answered in a few lines. Anyway I will try: For a customer to develop his own functionality without the need for calling a solution center would imply two different ways: The customer could try to become a real Solution Center. The customer purchases the granule “Solution Developer” for 70.000 c/Shells (should be 25158 Euros for the Netherlands, based on 2003 exchange rates) and can do (as far as I know) all modifications to the source code himself. Anyway the necessary trainings and certificates can be taken at Microsoft or training centers suggested by Microsoft. If you are planning to go for this, you should contact Microsoft Business Solutions in Shiphol-Rijk (020-5001500) directly and discuss your issues with them.
Thank you very much. And I understood that there were also some basic modules that a customer can buy like the form designer. Are they somewhat cheaper ? Or are they basically useless if you want to do more complex things ? Anyway I will call MBS.
The Form and Table Designers will only let you change properties and add controls or fields. You will not be able to see nor change any code. The Report and Dataport Designer will let you change/add code as well. Anyway, without seeing the code it is hard to understand what Navision does.
Hi Julian, Basically the End USer license is quite different from the Developers license. With an End User license you must buy each set of objects seperately. So with a developer license you can edit and create all objects in the range 50,000…99,999, in an end user licnese, even if you purchase the devlopment tools, you still muist purchase the Object ranges that you will use. The developement tools are: Report & Dataport Designer 7,110 Form Designer 7,120 Table Designer 7,130 Many end users purchase these three immediately witht he purchas eof Navision. the report designer also allows you acces to Code within a report object. So if you need to create form with code you can do so using the request window. [;)] The form and Table designers allow you access tomuch of the system, but not all of it. Most specifically no access to variables and code. Application Builder 7,200 The allows you access to Code (F9) though out th esystem, so if you purchse Table designer and Applicaiton Builder, then you can access code in tables as well as accessing codeunits. Solution Developer 7,300 This granule offers very little, in fact all it allows is for you at write data to prtected tables. But without access to those tables (G/L entry, Item Ledger Entry etc.) you then can’t modify the associated code units batch reports etc. The whole lot will cost you about $60,000 but not sure of the exact number. with out the last one, its about $15,000. My recommendation is to purchase : Report & Dataport Designer 7,110 Form Designer 7,120 Table Designer 7,130 Application Builder 7,200 and when you need to modify protected tables get your NSC to do it. This is not just to save money on the developemtn tools, but more importantly so that before you go making a mistake in the GL, your NSC can put their years of experience behind it, and make sure its done correctly. You will find that you can do 95% of everything you need with the first four. PS you wont be able to do an upgrade without the Application Builder, but then I would never recommend an end user to try that with out help anyway. If this is not too clear, let me know and when I have more time, I will give you more detail. David.
In between there is also the “Application Builder”, which costs 20000 C/Shells. Explanation (From the NAV_ExplanationPriceList.doc from Microsoft): You use this granule to change the business rules and special calculations that work behind the scenes. These business rules and special calculations are defined in a language we call C/AL (C/SIDE Application Language). While Application Builder includes access to C/AL, it does not allow access to existing C/AL code that updates write-protected tables (postings for instance). Application Builder lets you create entirely new areas of functionality for your application, enabling you to tailor Navision to fit your entire organization. This tool also enables you to create 100 Codeunit objects (numbered from 50,000 to 50,099). The Application Builder granule enables you to take advantage of the functionality included for developers in the Navigation Pane Designer. This means, for example, that you can create new menu items. Requirements: Report & Dataport Designer, Form Designer, Table Designer and XML Port Designer
I think i’m seeing the light at the end of the tunnel now ! Thank you very much… This forum is a life saver!
No problems Julian. Also don’t get confussed by Daniels post, he is bascially saying the same thing, and I am guessing posted about the same time as me and didn’t see my post.
Yes, that’s right David, you beat me to it, and of course your answer is much nicer.
Never too much information. But since its the Beginers forum, I just wanted to clarify to Julian that we are both on the same track. I normally assume that any posts within 20 minutes of one another were posted at the same time, but new members may not realize that.