Dynamics GP – User Troubleshooting 101

“My Dynamics GP doesn’t work ….”

“None of my reports will print ….”

“We got some SQL error when we posted a batch last Tuesday”

“No one can log in …..”

Often I am asked to assist with an issue a client has reported. For the most part there are enough details and screen shots accompanying the request – and – with a few direct questions and some focused troubleshooting and research we can get to the source of the issue and resolve it.

Occasionally, however, a request comes in that indicates that “everything is broken” and “nothing works” and there is little supporting information and few clues offered to assist us to pinpoint the cause of the errors.

I received a call once for assistance where a customer was reporting that “None of our reports work”. I was expecting that in fact what they reported was accurate – “not one GP user could generate any report from any company at all”.   After several pointed questions (and getting a better understanding of the issue) it turned out that all of the reports actually worked fine and the issue was with generating one specific Modified Version of a report (that all other GP users could generate but just not this specific GP User). Had the customer known, they could have  done some initial troubleshooting and actually been able to solve the issue themselves before logging a support call.

Even though we can usually get to the root of the issue in these cases, there’s typically some minor troubleshooting that a user can initiate and background information that can be gathered in advance of reporting the issue that may in fact solve the issue.

If you receive an error screen or experience some “crash” or malfunction with your systems; if this occurs either with Dynamics GP, Management Reporter or other computer applications (perhaps MS Word or Excel); or you get a SQL error message when trying to process some data in Dynamics GP or perform a SQL Function (i.e. like trying to restore a Database);

Employing some basic troubleshooting techniques can go a long way to either solving the issue yourself or helping you provide critical background information to your support professional.

There are unlimited approaches to troubleshooting certain issues and problems; and providing a comprehensive detailed technique to cover all situations is nearly impossible.  However, this blog outlines a few techniques and methods to research information, and to help pinpoint why your error occurred and possibly guide you towards the most efficient and least costly solution.  As well, there are many useful articles already available that you can reference to assist you in troubleshooting specific issues – and a simple internet search will help you locate them.

Keep in mind, the issues or errors you may be experiencing could be due to any number of possible reasons – some or all of which may need to be considered when troubleshooting…

• Data corruption or inconsistencies (missing or bad data), data coming from other systems or integrations
• Process errors or errors in software routines
• Your Dynamics GP application (the actual screens and Dynamics GP code itself) has errors
• Add-On Features or Customizations have errors
• Incorrect definitions of Specific Reports or Configurations or Setup Values
• User input or generated errors
• Insufficient, outdated or malfunctioning Workstation Operating systems configurations (RAM, Processor, Hard Drives) or conflicting software/versions
• Insufficient, outdated or malfunctioning Server Operating systems configurations (RAM, Processor, Hard Drives) or conflicting software/versions
• Network infrastructure (Network speed, cabling, network interfaces, routers, wireless devices)
• Possible Virus’s or Malware

Consider these approaches to help narrow down the circumstances under which the issue occurs…

Is the error a system generated Warning message, or an actual error or crash type message?
Some Dynamics GP Messages are simply warnings or informational and do not necessarily indicate an underlying failure or data corruption.

• Certain errors may not only be related to or specifically occurring only in Dynamics GP.
  If for example you are unable to print to a printer from your Dynamics GP session – have you tried printing to that printer from another application like NotePad or Microsoft Word?
• Are there other applications or customizations in use as add-on or integrated features to your Dynamics GP application?
• Is the issue happening all the time every time under the exact same sequence of steps?  Or does this issue seem to occur intermittently?  What sequence of steps did you take to get to the point where the error occurred?
  i.e.  Can you recreate this issue or did it seem to be a onetime occurrence?
• Is the issue happening to every report or process or just a specific one?
  For example, if it is a batch posting error – is it occurring when you post any batch or it only happens with an A/P batch?  And only with one specific A/P batch?
• Is the issue occurring in every company Database or just one?
  Are you able to successfully complete this task or report in other company databases or does this issue occur no matter what company you are logged into?
• Try to determine if the issue is specific to a particular Dynamics GP User, a particular Windows logged in account, or even from one particular user’s workstation (or Remote Desktop Services server).  And keep track of who specifically first reported the issue.
  
  Is the issue occurring for every uniquely logged in Dynamics GP User account or just one? (regardless of what Windows account they are using)
  Is the issue occurring for every uniquely logged in Windows User or just one (regardless of what Dynamics GP application account they are using)
  Is the issue occurring from every user’s workstation (or Remote Desktop Services server) or just one in particular
  
  
• If the error or issue seems to be ‘data’ related, has the data in question been entered manually; or has it come into Dynamics GP by way of another Integration Process or some Customized integration or Import utility?
• If applicable, consider what time of day or day of week this error occurs.  Or consider when the error first started to occur.
  i.e. Does this same error occur on the same day at noon every week?  Is it possible some other unrelated process happens at that same time every week and has some effect on your specific process?
• Have there been any recent software updates (i.e. Windows Updates?) or changes to any of your Dynamics GP related components or your workstation or server?  Have there been any recent Hardware changes or updates.  Have there been any recent Network or System Outages or Power issues?
  As simple as it sounds, have you restarted your Computer and/or Applications lately?

You may need to collect some background data and logs to send to your support professional to assist in troubleshooting the issue…

• Provide copies of input files, data and/or copies of your DYNAMICS.SET and DEX.INI configuration files.  Take screen shots of the steps taken and resulting error screens or resulting errors in data presented.
  Use ALT + PrtScn buttons on your computer keyboard to capture the active screen/error message on your display, or use some other screen capture tool like Snagit
• Create a DEXSQL.LOG of the steps taken up to and including the error – this is a running list of data calls and executed steps that can be captured in a file and reviewed for further analysis.
  How To Create a DEXSQL.LOG File
• Generate a SQL Trace of the process taken up to and including the error – this is a more detailed technical running list of various data calls and executed SQL steps.
  How To Create A Sql Server Profiler Trace
• Turn on “Debug” mode for your session of Dynamics GP
  The Support Debugging Tool is a custom built tool to provide additional capabilities to troubleshoot issues and is not part of the standard Microsoft Dynamics GP released application. Technical support for this tool is not handled via the standard support systems and instead is provided via the public Microsoft Dynamics GP Community Forum.  Support Debugging Tool Portal
• Determine the exact version/build of Dynamics GP, SQL Server, Operating Systems or related products specific to the issue occurring (i.e. if the issues is in Management Reporter – then the exact Build of Management Reporter is helpful, or if a Mekorma product is involved, then the exact Build of the Mekorma product is helpful)
  
  Can see this in Help >> About Microsoft Dynamics GP

Other means and methods to solve or report the issue are…

Note: CustomerSource has now been retired, please read this blog about the change. 

• Discuss with your fellow workers or Primary On Site Support Contact to see if any of them have experienced this error before or are they also currently receiving the same issue?
• Consult your company’s documentation of past issues/resolutions or Systems Log to see if you may already have a solution recorded for this issue.
• Consult your Product documentation to confirm you have the system set up correctly and are using it in the recommended fashion for the task being performed.
• Investigate the error message in Microsoft Customer Source Knowledge Base (requires  Customer Source login ID)
  
• Investigate the error message via Online Community Forums,  Google other IE Search
• email CARE@EncoreBusiness.Com and start a support case or for phone support, please call: 888-898-4330
• Contact Microsoft Support via your Customer Source login and start a support case. (requires Customer Source login ID)