System Overview
- Dynamic Budgets is a 30Mb .Net connected client application.
- Typically the application is installed to a single share folder, and users launch the application from shortcuts placed on their desktops.
- Alternatively many customers will use Citrix, Terminal Server, or TSPlus to run the application from a virtual desktop or as a remote published app.
- The client communicates directly with SQL server (there is no middleware application server).
- No data warehousing – GP financials are kept in GP and queried as needed, in real-time.
- The budgeting database is typically installed on the same server as the GP company databases but also supports SQL linked server for installation on a secondary SQL server.
Requirements
- Client and installation utility require .Net 4.5.
- Database size is expected to be about 150MB per budget round for an organization of less than 1,000 departments.
- Application supports Active Directory for single sign-on like experience.
- Unlimited application users / does not require GP end user licensing.
- Dual authentication process – end user will login to the app, and the app will perform an authentication handshake with the SQL server. The application authentication with SQL server is typically set to a single service level account but can optionally be set to individual SQL logins (windows or SQL server authentication).
Installation Overview
SQL installation (5-10 mins)
- Run server configuration utility from the SQL server to create the DynamicBudgets database.
- Create a service level account [dynbud] for the application authentication with SQL server.
- Grant [dynbud] access to the databases.
- db_datareader (Dynamics and GP Company databases).
- db_owner (Dynamic Budgets).
- Grant db_datareader to (DynamicBudgets, and GP Company databases) for business owners (windows authentication SQL server logins) if they wish to work with refreshable excel reports.
Client Application Placement (5 mins)
- Store DynamicBudgets-App folder from the network share folder, Citrix server, or Terminal server.
- Grant Read/Execute access to [DynamicBudgets-App].
- Grant Read/Write access to [DynamicBudgets-App/SearchProfiles].
Application Configuration (60-90 mins)
- Launch and configure client application.
- Configure company(s) chart of accounts.
- Specify LDAP connection string.
- Create security access for trial users.
- Create test budget and/or forecasts.
- Link to GP financials.
- Deploy sample custom report templates.
- Test financial reporting and drill down to GP transaction details.
(note that multiple companies can be configured simultaneously. We do not need to work in serial) - Schedule walk-through with the business owner.
Simple Backout Procedure (if necessary)
- Delete the DynamicBudgets-App folder from the network share folder, Citrix server or Terminal server.
- Delete the SQL database [DynamicBudgets].
- Delete the SQL user [dynbud].