What's New: Developer and IT Pro Changes for Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 R2
Microsoft Dynamics NAV is a complete enterprise resource planning (ERP) software solution for mid-sized organizations that is fast to implement, easy to configure, and simple to use. Right from the start, simplicity has guided—and continues to guide—innovations in product design, development, implementation, and usability.
This document details new features and functionality that are available in Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 R2 and have been added to the product since Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 and since Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 R2. It also describes features that have been deprecated since Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 R2. See the follow sections:
What's New for Developers, Administrators, and IT Pros in Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 R2
What's New for Developers, Administrators, and IT Pros in Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013
Deprecated Developer and IT Pro Features in Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 R2
What's New for Developers, Administrators, and IT Pros in Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 R2
Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 R2 introduces changes to the upgrade, deployment, and development experiences compared to Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013.
Upgrade
Depending on your current Microsoft Dynamics NAV solution, you can upgrade directly to Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 R2, or you must upgrade to Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 first and then upgrade to Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 R2.
With Windows PowerShell cmdlets, you can automate the upgrade of your data to Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 R2, which reduces the time it takes to upgrade each database. You can use the Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 R2 sample scripts to automate all or part of the data upgrade process. If you support multiple deployments with the same application, you can prepare an upgrade pipeline and then run a single script for each customer. The Microsoft Dynamics NAV Windows PowerShell cmdlets and sample scripts include support for the Upgrade Toolkit.
For more information, see Upgrading to Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 R2.
Microsoft Dynamics NAV Web client
The Microsoft Dynamics NAV Web client enables users to access Microsoft Dynamics NAV data over the Internet. From an Internet browser, users can view and edit data from a user-friendly interface.
Accessibility
The accessibility functionality for the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Web client now includes support for high contrast mode in Internet Explorer if the user enables this in their Windows settings. Also, all user interface elements can be accessed from screen readers and from the keyboard using basic keyboard navigation.
For more information, see Accessibility Features of Microsoft Dynamics NAV Web Client.
Web Client Enhancements
The Microsoft Dynamics NAV Web client has been restyled to a modern style look and feel.
The ribbon can be hidden in just one double-click. Choose one of the ribbon headers, for example, Actions and double-click to hide the ribbon where you need more screen real-estate.
Parts of the navigation pane; Home, Posted Documents, and Search for Page or Report have moved to the top of the page as part of the new styling of the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Web client.
The Microsoft Dynamics NAV Web client now includes a disclaimer bar found at the bottom of the Role Center page and on the About Microsoft Dynamics NAV page. The disclaimer includes links to Terms of Use, Trademarks, Privacy & Cookies, and Accessibility.
It is now possible to create a new record from a lookup on the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Web client. When, for example, creating a new sales order and adding new lines, creating a new item record from the item look-up is possible.
Filtering on worksheets is now working in Microsoft Dynamics NAV Web client. When filtering on reports, for example the customer top 10 list, there are now look-ups available to help filter the result. Filtering with multiple filter lines in lists is now also possible in the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Web client.
In lists and worksheets with columns that have checkboxes, the user can now select and clear a checkbox with a single click.
The Microsoft Dynamics NAV Web client now shows tooltips for all fields, when you hover over a field. If you choose the tooltip, the Help for the field opens in a new browser tab for the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Help Server.
Error handling in Microsoft Dynamics NAV Web client is improved. The error message will stay at the top of the page, even if you scroll on the page.
It is now possible to attach a note or link to a specific record, such as a customer or an order using Record Links and Notes in the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Web client.
Extensibility for Microsoft Dynamics NAV Web client
Microsoft Dynamics NAV supports the framework for creating client control add-ins. A client control add-in enables you to add custom functionality to the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Windows client and Microsoft Dynamics NAV Web client by creating a control add-in that can run on both client platforms.
For more information, see Extending Any Microsoft Dynamics NAV Client Using Control Add-ins.
Embedding Microsoft Dynamics NAV Web Client Pages in other Websites
In Microsoft Dynamics NAV the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Web client can be deployed as an independent website. In some cases it is useful to embed parts of the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Web client in other websites and this is now possible by adding an iframe element on the embedding website.
For more information, see Embedding Microsoft Dynamics NAV Web Client Pages in Other Websites.
Microsoft Dynamics NAV Web Server Installation Supports Multiple Instances of the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Web client
The installation of the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Web Server components by Microsoft Dynamics NAV Setup has been improved to accommodate the addition of multiple web server instances. Previously, if you wanted to add an additional web server instance for the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Web client, for example, to connect to another company or database, then you had to manually add the instance on IIS. With the changes in Microsoft Dynamics NAV Setup, after you initially install the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Web Server components, you can add new web server instances by running the New-NAVWebServerInstance cmdlet.
For more information, see Installing Microsoft Dynamics NAV Web Server Components on IIS and How to: Set Up Multiple Web Server Instances for the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Web Client.
Database Schema Synchronization
In Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 R2, the changes you make to table objects in the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Development Environment, such as adding or deleting a field, are applied to the SQL Server database by the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Server instance. As in earlier versions of Microsoft Dynamics NAV, when the Prevent data loss from table changes field is set to Yes (the default value), a check is performed before the changes are applied. If the change includes removing a field, and that field contains data in the database, then an error occurs. Microsoft Dynamics NAV Server starts the database schema synchronization when a client accesses Microsoft Dynamics NAV, or when an administrator runs the Sync-NAVTenant Windows PowerShell cmdlet.
This change to the database schema synchronization makes multitenant deployments easier to maintain. For classic single-tenant deployments of Microsoft Dynamics NAV, the change is only noticeable if you set the Prevent data loss from table changes field to No.
Important
We recommend that you set the Prevent data loss from table changes field to Yes, which is the default value.
For more information, see Options.
Page Development
In Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 R2, enhancements have been added to page development.
Curr.Page Editable
The CurrPage.Editable system variable reflects the run-time value of the editable property, which can be changed at design time, programmatically, or by the user when switching view modes on a page.
For more information, see System-Defined Variables.
Report Development
You can choose to design the layout of your report objects in Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services Report Builder 3.0. With Report Builder, you can quickly change the layout of a report, such as adding or removing controls. The default editor for report layout is still Visual Studio Report Designer, but you can change this by changing the configuration in the Options window in the development environment. Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 R2 Setup installs Report Builder when you install the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Development Environment.
Note
Visual Studio Report Designer provides design functionality that SQL Server Report Builder does not support. For example, in Report Builder, you do not have a document outline view. Also, fields that you add to the table in the development environment are not added automatically to the report dataset in Report Builder. Report Builder functionality that requires access to a SQL Server Reporting Services server is not supported. This includes running the report from Report Builder, and adding Report Parts.
For more information, see Options.
XMLport Development
You can run XMLports directly from Object Designer. The XMLport runs on Microsoft Dynamics NAV Server.
Some XMLport properties can now be set programmatically in C/AL code. For example, if your XMLport can import or export different formats based on certain conditions, you can change these properties on the fly depending on the conditions. This applies to the FieldSeparator, RecordSeparator, TableSeparator, and TextEncoding properties.
A new property and a new function have been added to handle XMLports that must export files with an unknown number of columns per record. As a result, you can mark an element as unbound and then use the new BREAKUNBOUND function to return to the rest of the export.
In earlier versions of Microsoft Dynamics NAV, when importing or exporting data in text format, text was always encoded with MS-DOS encoding format. In Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 R2, you can specify whether to use MS-DOS, UTF-8, UTF-16, or Windows encoding format.
For more information, see XMLports.
Microsoft Dynamics NAV Administration
Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 R2 includes changes to the Microsoft Dynamics NAV administration.
Microsoft Dynamics NAV Administration Shell and Windows PowerShell
Windows PowerShell 3.0 cmdlets for administering Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 R2 are also available. Windows PowerShell 3.0 is included with Windows Server 2012 and Windows 8. For other versions operating systems, see Windows Management Framework 3.0 on the Microsoft Download Center.
To start a Windows PowerShell session for Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 R2 administration, choose Start, choose All Programs, and then choose Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 Administration Shell.
To get Help about syntax and options for a specific cmdlet, type the following command in the PowerShell session.
Get-Help <cmdlet name>
For example, type the following command for Help about the Get-NAVServerInstance command.
Get-Help Get-NAVServerInstance
For more information about the Microsoft Dynamics NAV cmdlets, see Administration Cmdlets for Microsoft Dynamics NAV. For more information about Windows PowerShell, see the Windows PowerShell Getting Started Guide in the MSDN Library.
New Microsoft Dynamics NAV Help Server
Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 R2 introduces a new way of deploying and accessing Help. In earlier versions of Microsoft Dynamics NAV, Help was deployed as CHM files, and it was integrated with the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Windows client through HH files on Microsoft Dynamics NAV Server that provided F1 lookups. There was no context-sensitive Help available for the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Web client. In Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 R2, Help deploys to a new Help Server, which is a web site that installs on the specified computer. You can install the Help Server locally or on a server.
The website includes Search and other navigation, and it provides context-sensitive Help for Microsoft Dynamics NAV Web client as well as Microsoft Dynamics NAV Windows client. You can add solution-specific and customer-specific Help, and you can add as many languages to the Help Server as your deployment requires. As in earlier versions of Microsoft Dynamics NAV, Help displays in the language that the current client uses. If that language is not available, the Help Server defaults to English.
For more information, see Microsoft Dynamics NAV Help Server.
Microsoft Dynamics NAV Server Monitoring Enhancements
New Performance Counters
Performance counters provide information about how well Microsoft Dynamics NAV Server is operating. In addition to the performance counters that were available with Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013, Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 R2 includes the following performance counters.
| Performance counter | Description |
|---|---|
# Active sessions |
Number of active sessions on the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Server instance. |
# Mounted tenants |
Number of tenants that are mounted on a Microsoft Dynamics NAV Server instance. |
Server operations/sec |
Number of operations that are running on a Microsoft Dynamics NAV Server instance per second. |
Server operation time (ms) |
Duration of operations a Microsoft Dynamics NAV Server instance in milliseconds. |
For more information, see Microsoft Dynamics NAV Performance Counters.
Microsoft Dynamics NAV Data Collector Set Template
A Data Collector Set organizes data collection points, such as performance counters, into a single collection for viewing in Windows Performance Monitor. Microsoft Dynamics NAV provides a Data Collector Set template that includes the Microsoft Dynamics NAV performance counters and additional performance counters for monitoring Microsoft Dynamics NAV other components including SQL Server and IIS. You use the template to create user-defined data collection sets.
For more information, see How to: Create a Data Collector Set From the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Template.
Event Tracing for Windows
Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 R2 uses Event Tracing for Windows (ETW) for recording events that occur on Microsoft Dynamics NAV Server. ETW is a subsystem of the Windows operating system that provides a tracing mechanism for events that are raised by an application. You can use event tracing to collect data on service calls, SQL traces, C/AL method calls, and Windows event log entries. ETW enables you to dynamically monitor and debug the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Server without having to restart the server or Microsoft Dynamics NAV clients. By using standard tools such as Windows Performance Monitor and PerfView, you can start and stop event tracing sessions, and view the trace event data in real-time or from a stored log file.
For more information, see Monitoring Microsoft Dynamics NAV Server Event Traces.
Enhanced Windows Event Logging
With the implementation of ETW, Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 R2 improves the Windows event logging for Microsoft Dynamics NAV Server. Events that are generated by Microsoft Dynamics NAV Server now include a unique event ID and task category. In Windows Event Viewer, you can use the ID and task category to filter on specific events.
For more information, see Monitoring Microsoft Dynamics NAV Server Events in the Windows Event Log.
Multitenant Deployment
Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 R2 supports deployments where several different companies access a centrally maintained Microsoft Dynamics NAV application. With this multitenancy support, you can add new customers to your solution easily, and you can roll out updates quickly with limited downtime for your customers.
To help you migrate your solution to a multitenant deployment, Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 R2 includes Windows PowerShell 3.0 cmdlets.
For more information, see Multitenant Deployment Architecture and Migrating to Multitenancy.
Microsoft Dynamics NAV Provisioning Tools for Windows Azure
The Microsoft Dynamics NAV Provisioning Tools for Windows Azure enable you to deploy Microsoft Dynamics NAV on the Windows Azure platform. The provisioning tools include Windows PowerShell cmdlets and scripts that automate the deployment of Microsoft Dynamics NAV on Windows Azure virtual machines. Although the tools are designed for deployment on Windows Azure, you can adapt the tools for deployment on other cloud services or on-premise installations.
The provisioning tools provide end-to-end example scripts that deploy a fully functional Microsoft Dynamics NAV environment that includes the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Web Server components, Microsoft Dynamics NAV Server, and Microsoft Dynamics NAV database components.
After deployment, end-users have access to Microsoft Dynamics NAV data by using the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Windows client from a ClickOnce site or the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Web client. The scripts illustrate the operations that are required for full deployment of Microsoft Dynamics NAV and can be modified to match the specific requirements for your installation.
For more information, see Deploying and Managing Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 R2 on Windows Azure.
New Development Environment Commands
You can now use the finsql.exe to perform the following tasks from a command prompt:
Create databases
Upgrade databases
For more information, see Development Environment Commands.
Remove UI Elements that Are Not Covered by the License
You can configure the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Server to remove UI elements that refer to objects that are not covered by the license. For more information, see How to: Remove Unlicensed UI Elements.
What's New for Developers, Administrators, and IT Pros in Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013
The following features and functionality for developers, administrators, and IT pros have been introduced since Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 R2.
Microsoft Dynamics NAV Installation
The Microsoft Dynamics NAV Setup program has been enhanced and redesigned. There are now four setup options instead of six. Classic Database Server is no longer available. For more information, see the sections under Deployment.
When you install Microsoft Dynamics NAV in a production environment, with the client, server, and database tiers each installed on a separate computer, you are no longer required to manually configure delegation or to manually create SPNs to enable the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Windows client to communicate with SQL Server. This change is due to the implementation of a new managed data access layer to handle communications between Microsoft Dynamics NAV and SQL Server. This new interface uses ADO.NET instead of ODBC and offers less resource consumption, improved performance, and simpler deployment.
Microsoft Dynamics NAV Server now only runs on 64-bit editions of Windows operating systems. For more information about supported operating systems, see the Requirements document that is provided with the Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 R2 download.
Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 R2 also now requires a 64-bit edition of SQL Server. If a supported version of SQL Server is not found on the computer, then Setup installs the 64-bit edition of SQL Server 2012 Express. For more information about supported versions of SQL Server, see the Requirements document that is provided with the Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 R2 download.
Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 R2 now requires Microsoft .NET Framework 4.0 as a prerequisite. If it is not found on the target computer, then Setup installs it.
Upgrade
Full upgrade from Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 is supported. Documentation for upgrade is now in the Help and on MSDN, instead of in a separate Upgrade Guide. For more information, see Upgrading to Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013.
Microsoft Dynamics NAV Web Client
The Microsoft Dynamics NAV Web client enables users to access Microsoft Dynamics NAV data over the Internet. From an Internet browser, users can view and edit data from a user-friendly interface, which resembles the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Windows client.
Deployment
Deployment with Microsoft Dynamics NAV Web client is made simple because you do not have to install or configure any components on user computers or devices. To install the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Web client, you only have to install Microsoft Dynamics NAV Web Server components on a web server that can be accessed by your users.
Development
Like the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Windows client, you develop solutions for the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Web client using the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Development Environment — designing Microsoft Dynamics NAV objects and implementing business logic as you do with the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Windows client. The same Microsoft Dynamics NAV object, such as a page or report that is displayed in the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Windows client can also be displayed in the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Web client.
Browser and Device Support
Microsoft Dynamics NAV Web client supports different Internet browsers, including Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, and Safari. Microsoft Dynamics NAV Web client supports browsers on various mobile devices, such as Windows Phone 7.5, Android, and iOS for iPhone and iPad.
For more information, see Microsoft Dynamics NAV Web Client.
ClickOnce
The ClickOnce deployment technology lets you deploy web applications by choosing a link on a webpage. ClickOnce is a component of the Microsoft .NET Framework. For more information, see Deploying Microsoft Dynamics NAV Using ClickOnce.
Development Environment
From Object Designer in the development environment, you can run any object. The object is run on the computer that is running Microsoft Dynamics NAV Server, not on a client computer.
To run an object from Object Designer, you must first open a company. If you do not have a company open, then the Run button is not available.
You can also run objects from hyperlinks. For more information, see Creating and Running Hyperlinks.
The following are new error handling functions:
The following are new commands that you can run with finsql.exe at a command prompt:
CompileObjects
DesignObject
ExportObjects
ImportObjects
UpgradeDatabase
For more information, see Development Environment Commands.
Debugging
Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 R2 includes a new debugger that you can use to inspect your code and verify your application. The debugger UI runs on the client. The debugger services run on the computer that is running Microsoft Dynamics NAV Server.
You can debug the following:
Microsoft Dynamics NAV Windows client sessions.
Microsoft Dynamics NAV Web client sessions.
OData web services sessions.
SOAP web services sessions.
NAS services sessions.
Background sessions that you start by using the STARTSESSION Function (Sessions).
You can set breakpoints either from the C/AL Editor in the development environment or from the Debugger client application. After you hit a breakpoint, you can do the following:
Step through lines of code.
Step over or out of functions.
Set additional breakpoints.
Specify conditions for breakpoints.
Inspect the values of variables.
Add variables to a watch list.
View the call stack.
Continue code execution.
For more information, see Debugging.
Page Testing
A new test feature is page testability. You use C/AL code on a test page object to simulate the following tasks that you can perform on a page:
View or modify the value of a field on a test page.
View the data on page parts.
View or modify the value of a field on a subpage.
Filter the data on a test page.
Perform any actions that are available on the page.
Navigate to different records.
For more information, see Testing Pages.
Page Development
In Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 R2, enhancements have been added to page development.
Page Field Arrangement in a Grid
With the new GridLayout page control, you can lay out fields in rows and columns. You use the GridLayout control to span a field over rows or columns and show or hide field labels.
For more information, see How to: Arrange Fields in Rows and Columns Using the GridLayout Control.
Page Preview in Page Designer
You can preview a page in Page Designer as you work without having to run the page in the client. The page preview is interactive and helps you identify which controls in Page Designer and Action Designer correspond to elements on the rendered page. When you select an element or action on the page in the preview, the corresponding control is highlighted in Page Designer or Action Designer. Also, when you select a control in Page Designer or Action Designer, the corresponding element is highlighted in the preview.
For more information, see How to: Preview Pages and Identify Page and Action Controls.
Standard Dialog Page Type
You can use the Standard Dialog page type to create a simple page for entering data. The Standard Dialog page does not include a ribbon, and you cannot customize this page in the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Windows client.
For more information, see Touring the RoleTailored Client Pages.
Page Wizard
You can use the page wizard to add FactBoxes that contain page, system, and chart parts. For more information, see How to: Create a Page.
Action and Activity Button Icon Selection
When you select an icon for an action or activity button, you can select from a list instead of manually entering the icon’s name. For more information, see How to: Set an Icon on an Action and How to: Set an Icon on an Activity Button.
Default Control Names and Captions
By default, the name and caption on a field control use the source field’s name in the database.
QuickEntry Property
The new QuickEntry property specifies if the page control should have input focus. You can apply the property to page controls that can be skipped for faster data entry. For more information, see QuickEntry Property.
Report Development
To create a client report definition (RDLC) report, you design the data model with the new Report Dataset Designer, and then you design the layout with Visual Studio. You must install Visual Studio 2012, including the Visual Web Developer feature, to be able to design report layouts.
You must upgrade your Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 R2 RDLC reports before you can run or modify them in Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 R2. You upgrade reports by using a simple, automated process.
Part of the upgrade process is to convert reports from RDLC 2008 format to RDLC 2010 format. RDLC 2010 format enables some new layout features that allow you to:
Add report pagination.
Calculate aggregates of aggregates.
Add enhanced expressions.
When you install Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 R2, Report Viewer 2012 is installed for displaying reports in the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Windows client.
Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 R2 includes the Save Reports as Excel XLSX, Word DOCX, or PDF Files in Print Previews or from a request page:
Microsoft Excel XLSX: The Excel export option in the Export dropdown now exports to the Office Open XML format and the file extension is XLSX. This format is compatible with Microsoft Excel 2007-2010 as well as Microsoft Excel 2003 with the Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint installed.
Microsoft Word DOCX: The Word format option in the Export dropdown now exports to the Office Open XML format and the file extension is DOCX. This format is compatible with Microsoft Word 2007-2010 as well as Microsoft Word 2003 with the Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint installed.
For more information, see Reports.
Query Development
You can create a query object that combines data from multiple database tables into a single dataset. You can use the resulting dataset as the basis for charts and KPIs, ad hoc reporting exposed through OData, PowerPivot, or SSRs reports. You can save the dataset as an XML or comma separated values (CSV) file that can be read by other systems or software.
You use Query Designer in the development environment to create a query, which you then use to access data from the Microsoft Dynamics NAV database. You can create queries that:
Link multiple tables. Microsoft Dynamics NAV supports several link types that correspond to SQL join types, including inner join, left outer join, right outer join, full join, and cross join.
Filter the resulting dataset. You can apply filters directly from Query Designer or dynamically from C/AL code.
Group data by specific fields.
Sort the order of rows in the dataset.
Use totaling methods on data such as sum, average, and count.
After you create a query, you can run the query and retrieve or modify its dataset from C/AL code.
For more information, see Queries.
XMLport Development
You can run XMLports directly from Object Designer. The XMLport runs on Microsoft Dynamics NAV Server.
When you import data from an XML file by using XMLports, you can insert new records or update existing records in the database. In earlier versions of Microsoft Dynamics NAV, you could insert new records, but not update existing records. You use the AutoSave Property, AutoReplace Property, and AutoUpdate Property to determine whether records are automatically inserted, replaced, or updated.
In earlier versions of Microsoft Dynamics NAV, when importing or exporting data in text format, text was always encoded with MS-DOS encoding format. In Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 R2, you can specify whether to use MS-DOS, UTF-8, or UTF-16 encoding format.
For more information, see XMLports.
Microsoft .NET Framework Interoperability
You can extend your Microsoft Dynamics NAV solution with the .NET Framework assemblies. You can reference assemblies and call types directly from C/AL code of Microsoft Dynamics NAV objects, such as pages and codeunits. Microsoft Dynamics NAV objects can also subscribe to events that are published by .NET Framework types.
For more information, see Extending Microsoft Dynamics NAV Using Microsoft .NET Framework Interoperability.
Enhancements in RoleTailored Client Control Add-ins
Control add-ins have been enhanced with the following features.
Additional Data Types are Supported with Database Binding
Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 R2 now supports data types, such as DateTime, Boolean, Char, Decimal, Int32, Int64, and Guid. For more information, see Binding a Windows Client Control Add-in to the Database. Data binding and firing of the OnControlAddIn C/AL trigger is enabled by implementing respective interfaces.
Exposing Methods and Properties to C/AL Code
To extend user interface controls on a page, you can expose methods and properties in a control add-in assembly so that they can be called by C/AL code on page triggers. For more information, see Exposing Methods and Properties in a Windows Client Control Add-in.
Sizing Control Add-ins
You can specify an area of a page that a control add-in occupies. You can also set specific width and height or set the control add-in to resize as the page window resizes in the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Windows client. For more information, see Sizing a Control Add-in on a Page.
Start ID Offset
You can specify a start ID for new objects so that elements on these new objects have IDs that are offset by the number that you specified. You can use the start ID to identify a set of elements in your application, for example, to identify the elements in a country/region version. When you merge changes from different country/region versions, having different start IDs lets you easily identify the country/region version for each element.
For more information, see How to: Specify the Start ID Offset of Elements on Objects.
Unicode
Unicode is supported for data that you store in the database and for the Text and Code data types. Therefore, you can store data in any language in the database. You can also import and export Unicode data by using XMLports. For more information about Unicode and XMLports, see TextEncoding Property (XMLports).
Database Changes
Several changes and performance improvements have been made. For more information, see Data Access.
Chart and KPI Enhancements
Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 R2 includes the following enhancements for displaying data in charts.
New Chart Types
Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 R2 supports several new chart types from the Microsoft chart library, including doughnut charts and bubble charts.
Analysis Display
You can display data as charts from list places on the Analysis Display. To open the Analysis Display, choose the Actions menu on a list place. The Analysis Display can contain multiple charts in FactBoxes for viewing data from different perspectives.
Adding FactBoxes that Contain Charts
On a page in the client, you can add FactBoxes that display charts.
Customizing Charts in the Client
From a menu on a chart, you can change the chart definition, the chart type, show the chart in three dimensions, flip the x-axis and y-axis, and more.
Chart Control Add-in
The Chart control add-in lets you create complex custom charts for displaying data. As an enhanced alternative to default chart capabilities in the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Windows client, the Chart control add-in is ideal for displaying data over multiple measures and data that is calculated on a page.
For more information about how to use charts, see the Business Intelligence and KPIs section of the "What's New: Application Changes for Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013" topic in the Application Help.
Microsoft Dynamics NAV Administration
Server Administration tool
Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 R2 includes a new Server Administration tool for administering Microsoft Dynamics NAV Server.
The Server Administration tool is a snap-in for the Microsoft Management Console. When you install the Server option, the Server Administration tool is a default feature. To run the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Server Administration tool, in the Search box on the Windows Start menu, enter Microsoft Dynamics NAV Administration, and then choose the related link.
For more information, see Microsoft Dynamics NAV Server Administration Tool.
Creating User and Permission Sets with the RoleTailored client
You now use the RoleTailored client to add users, to create and modify permission sets that determine access to specific object, and to associate each user who has one or more permission sets.
For more information, see Administration in RoleTailored Clients.
Microsoft Dynamics NAV Administration Shell
Windows PowerShell 2.0 cmdlets for administering Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 R2 are also available. Windows PowerShell 2.0 is included with Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows 7. For other versions of Windows, you can install it as part of the Windows Management Framework.
To start a Windows PowerShell session for Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 R2 administration, choose Start, choose All Programs, and then choose Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 Administration Shell.
To get help about syntax and options for a specific cmdlet, type the following command in the PowerShell session.
Get-Help <cmdlet name>
For example, type the following command for Help about the Get-NAVServerInstance command.
Get-Help Get-NAVServerInstance
For more information about the navnow cmdlets, see Administration Cmdlets for Microsoft Dynamics NAV.
For more information about Windows PowerShell, see the Windows PowerShell Getting Started Guide in the MSDN Library.
Users and Credential Types
Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 R2 supports four credential authorization mechanisms for Microsoft Dynamics NAV users. When you create a user, you provide different information depending on the credential type that you are using in the current Microsoft Dynamics NAV Server instance. You specify which credential type is used for a particular Microsoft Dynamics NAV Server instance by configuring the relevant RoleTailored client configuration file and Microsoft Dynamics NAV Server instance configuration. For more information, see Users and Credential Types.
OData Web Services
You can now publish Microsoft Dynamics NAV data as OData web services, in addition to SOAP web services. The OData protocol offers new and flexible opportunities for interacting with Microsoft Dynamics NAV data. For example, you can use OData web services to publish an updatable link to Microsoft Dynamics NAV data that can be displayed in Microsoft Excel with PowerPivot or in SharePoint. You can also modify Microsoft Dynamics NAV data through an OData web service.
For information about how to create and consume OData web services, see OData Web Services.
NAS Services
NAS represents Microsoft Dynamics NAV Application Server. If you have applications that used NAS with earlier versions of Microsoft Dynamics NAV, you can now use these applications together with Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 R2. You must modify applications that use COM because COM is no longer supported because not all COM components can run on 64-bit operating systems.
NAS services in Microsoft Dynamics NAV Server support applications such as Microsoft Dynamics NAV Job Queue. You configure NAS services together with the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Server Administration tool.
RoleTailored Client Personalization Control
With personalization, users can customize the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Windows client by hiding or showing elements such as actions, fields, FactBoxes, FastTabs, and more. You can disable personalization for users by modifying the profile that is assigned to the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Windows client. When you disable personalization for a profile, personalization is disabled in the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Windows client of all users who are assigned to the profile.
Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 Management Pack for System Center
The Microsoft Dynamics NAV Management Pack for System Center allows you to discover and monitor computers that are running Microsoft Dynamics NAV components and services.
With the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Management Pack for System Center, operators can use the System Center Operation Console to monitor the Microsoft Dynamics NAV environment, including Microsoft Dynamics NAV Server instances and websites that are running Microsoft Dynamics NAV Web Server components. The management pack enables operators to troubleshoot errors and optimize the performance and reliability of the system.
For more information about installing and using the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Management Pack, see Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 Management Pack for System Center on the Microsoft Download Center.
Deprecated Developer and IT Pro Features in Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 R2
The following table lists features that have been removed from Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 R2. In certain instances, a replacement technology is provided.
| Microsoft Dynamics NAV product area | Feature | Replacement |
|---|---|---|
Development |
||
Database features in Microsoft Dynamics NAV Development Environment:
|
||
Company features in Microsoft Dynamics NAV Development Environment:
|
You can perform these tasks from the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Windows client and Microsoft Dynamics NAV Web client. For more information, see How to: Create Companies, How to: Rename Companies, and How to: Delete Companies. You can also use the following Microsoft Dynamics NAV Administration cmdlets: New-NAVCompany, Rename-NAVCompany, and Remove-NAVCompany. For more information, see Administration Cmdlets for Microsoft Dynamics NAV. |
|
Performance Counters:
|
||
Microsoft Dynamics NAV Classic Client |
||
Microsoft Dynamics NAV Classic Database |
||
Microsoft Dynamics NAV Classic Application Server (NAS) |
Microsoft Dynamics NAV NAS Services For more information, see Configuring NAS Services. |
|
Software Development Kit
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Dataports |
XMLports. For more information, see XMLports. |
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Forms |
Pages. For more information, see Pages. |
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Server-side COM |
Microsoft .NET Framework Interoperability. For more information, see Extending Microsoft Dynamics NAV Using Microsoft .NET Framework Interoperability. |
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Client Monitor |
SQL Server Profiler. For more information, see ENABLESQLTRACE Function (Debugger). |
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Microsoft Dynamics NAV Portal for Windows SharePoint Services |
You can use the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Web client in an app for SharePoint. For more information, see Microsoft Dynamics NAV as an App for SharePoint |
Changes to C/AL Functions, Data Types, Properties, and Triggers
The SETCURRENTKEY and KEYINDEX functions are affected by the sort on any column option introduced with Microsoft Dynamics NAV. For more information, see SETCURRENTKEY Function (Record) and KEYINDEX Function (RecordRef).
For a list of changes to C/AL functions, data types, properties, and triggers, see Changes in C/AL Behavior and Support from Earlier Versions of Microsoft Dynamics NAV.