Log File

Does anyone know if Navision Attain has a log file that tracks users’ all activities? If no, can anyone suggest how a log file can be generated in Navision Attain? Thanks in advance.

Hi Navision does not have any log files as such but the registers show who posted journals, Invoices, movement of stock etc. Is this the sort of thing you require or do you want something more detailed. Paul Baxter

That’s right, Paul. I’m wondering if I’ll be able to know who created, modified, deleted a customer record at what time. Sort of like a complete logging file of users’ activities. In SQL Server, I’m able to use Trigger feature with a little coding to log all insertion, modification and deletion action by users. However, what can I do with Navision Database? Has anyone out there done something similar? Thanks in advance.

It would be easy to create such a system, you just need a table to hold the information, and some code on the oninsert and OnModify triggers of the tables you are interested in. You soon find that you want to store information about what was changed, and that is where trouble begins. In one customers insterlation we have a shadow Item table with an index added to the primary key, and when ever an item is modified the old entry is copied to this as well as information on who and when the change was made. It gets harder if you are interested knowing what was changed in more than one table. The realy problem is the lack/cost of using tables in Navision you have to limit what you mirror. Paul Baxter

If you choose to follow Paul’s suggestion to modify the OnInsert and OnModify triggers, don’t forget that these triggers are not run by default when called from code. They are run only if the programs uses INSERT(TRUE) or MODIFY(TRUE). You have to find where INSERT or MODIFY are called without the TRUE parameter and change the call; this may have some unfortunate side effects because any particular situation may require bypassing the OnInsert or OnModify code.

I have created a system to do this for Purchase Quotes/Orders/Invoices/CM You can follow the life from Insert through posting. I would be happy to share the objects with you. I also have the “hooks” for the sales side but, it is not implemented. Bill Benefiel Manager of Information Systems Overhead Door Company billb@ohdindy.com (317) 842-7444 ext 117

Thank you very much to all of you for contributing your ideas and they have been invaluable to me. :smiley:

Not making to much advertising, but check out this add on http://www.simcrest.com/simcrest1/SimCrestproducttemplate1.asp?ProductID=NaviLog

A feature very similar (maybe exactly the same) to what you’re looking for has been announced for release 3.10 of Attain. In some parts of the world, I believe this has already been released (but not in the US). Dave Studebaker das@libertyforever.com Liberty Grove Software A Navision Services Partner

Hi all, I was wondering if anybody has an idea on how to realize this user activity logging easier… Can’t there be a method that doesn’t require to change every single object that needs to be tracked. Looking at the solution developed by simcrest, they can include any table in a setup table and log insert/modify/delete for these tables. I don’t think that they changed every single table to trigger the log record creation, especially regarding updates this would not be very convenient… Perhaps I am missing out something that is stored in the system tables (ID 2000000001 to 2000000203)… any ideas around??? By the way, we are still working with Financials 2.60, any news if this will be included in Attain 3.10 ??? Thanks & saludos Nils

What I did for one customer was setup a new log table and then add code to teh OnModify of selected tables so that when they changed anything they were presented with a dialogue where they could type a short sentence about what they had done. This was stored with the user name and then periodically they ran a report to see what had been going on. Users who entered rubbish like “jkjlkjkl” or left the field blank were then questioned at length. The users very quickly got used to typing in a sensible comment. Not foolproof by any means but it was cheap, easy and reasonably effective. The problem with logging is that the files get so huge so quick that it then becomes too much effort to actually work out what went on and so people do not bother and so you have to ask yourself, “what is the point?” Cheers, John

Hi. The genereic logging feature will be avaliable in 3.60 later this year //Lars

Hi Lars, Are you sure that we’re having version 3.60 this year where now we have 3.10 ? That’s a pretty fast version released…

I have only referenced what Navision said on the Tech Briefing. Lars Strøm Valsted ------------------------- Why can’t programmers tell the difference between Christmas and Halloween? Because OCT(31) = DEC(25)

There is also Lanham and Associates history manager - and while it DOES change many of the underlying tables - the installation is pretty simple - and works with customized databases - I installed on a heavily customized database in 15 minutes - The functionality is pretty cool - and it doesn’t seem to slow Navision down. Daniel Day Developer Elliott Davis Technology Solutions http://www.edtsolutions.com

Well… if starting with publicity… also we’ve a mod in Western Computer (California) that not only keeps logs of the selected tables, but also allows locking fields to certain users and advanced granule security allowing to setup the controls to be shown to each user in all the forms you want. Regards, Alfonso Pertierra (Spain)apertierra@teleline.es