Module 1: Customization Manager Overview, Getting Started with Customizations, Customizing Screen Appearance and Flow

This chapter discusses the types of customizations that can be completed using the Customization Manger module of Microsoft Dynamics SL, identifies how the Customization Manager module customizes a Microsoft Dynamics SL window, describes the main components of the Customization Manager module and other optional customization software tools, explains the functional scope of both the Customization Manager and Microsoft Dynamics SL Visual Basic for Application (VBA) modules, and illustrates how to tell a customized Microsoft Dynamics SL window from a standard Microsoft Dynamics SL window. This chapter also explains how to plan for customizations, defines Customization Manager Terminology and concepts, discusses the different customization level available, illustrates how to start and stop Customization Manager, and demonstrates how to select and identify window objects. It also covers how to modify screen terminology, move and size objects, change colors and fonts, set customization options, and save customizations.

Lessons

• Introducing Customization Manager
• How Customization Manager Functions
• Customization Manager Components
• Other Optional Customization Tools
• Understanding the Scope of Customization Manager
• Identifying a Customized Solomon Window
• Planning the Customization
• Understanding the Basic Terminology
• Customize Menu Options
• Selecting the Customization Level
• Procedures to Set up a Customization Group
• Procedures to Select the Customization Level
• Starting Customize Mode
• Procedures to Start Customize Mode
• Saving Customizations
• Procedures to Save a Customization
• Stopping Customization Manager
• Procedures to Stop Customization Mode
• Selecting Objects and the Properties Window
• Procedures to Open the Properties Screen
• Selecting the Object to Modify
• Procedures to Select an Object to Modify
• Procedures to Select a Different Object While in Properties
• Identifying the Object in Focus
• Procedures to Identify an Object
• Identifying the Current Value of an Object
• Procedures to Open the Customization Property Browser
• Modifying Screen Terminology
• Procedures to Move Objects
• Resizing Objects
• Procedures to Resize Windows and Objects
• Properties of Moved and Resized Objects
• Setting Customization Options
• Changing Colors
• Procedures to Change the BackColor or ForeColor
• Changing Fonts
• Procedures to Change the Font
• Changing the Alignment of Text
• Procedures to Change the Alignment
• Modifying Cursor Movement in a Window
• Procedures to Change the Tabbing

Lab: Selecting Customization Tools

• In this exercise, students determine the Microsoft Dynamics SL customization tools that are needed to complete the customizations required for each scenario.

Lab: Selecting the Level, Starting Customization Mode

• In this exercise, students learn to start and stop Customization Mode, as well as practice selecting different objects in a Microsoft Dynamics SL window.

Lab: Selecting and Viewing Objects

• In this exercise, students review the identification properties associated with certain objects in a Microsoft Dynamics SL window.

Lab: Changing Captions and Headings

• In this exercise, students change the name of a data object in form and grid view.

Lab: Moving Window Objects

• In this exercise, students move and align objects in a Microsoft Dynamics SL window.

Lab: Change Colors and Fonts

• In this exercise, students change the color and font properties associated with an object.

Lab: Change Tab Stops

• In this exercise, students change the tab stop order of objects in a Microsoft Dynamics SL window.

Lab: Change Tab Order

• In this exercise, students change the tab order of a Microsoft Dynamics SL window.

After completing this chapter, students will be able to:

Module 2: Masks, Security and Values, Lookups, Tab Objects, New Objects

This chapter discusses how to change the display mask of data, field level security, securing customizations, setting default values for data fields, and setting minimum and maximum values. It also covers how to work with lookups, how to work with tab objects, and inserting new objects into Microsoft Dynamics SL windows.

Lessons

• Changing the Display Mask of Data
• Procedures to Define a Custom Mask
• Establishing Security
• Application Field-Level Security
• Procedures to Set an Object's Visibility
• Procedures to Enable or Disable an Object's Accessibility
• Procedures to Secure an Object's Customization
• Customization-Level Security
• Procedures to Set Customization-Level Security
• Changing Default Object Values
• Procedures to Change an Object's Default Value
• Changing Values and Ranges
• On and Off Values for Checkboxes
• Procedures to Set an Object's On and Off Values
• True Text Values for Option Buttons
• Procedures to Define an Object's True Text Values
• Minimum and Maximum Values
• Procedures to Set an Object's Min/Max Values
• Working with Lookups
• Procedures to Modify a Value List for a Combo Box
• Procedures to Define a Value List for a New Object
• Working With Tab Objects
• Procedures to Add a Tab to a Tab Object
• Inserting New Objects Into Windows
• Procedures to Insert an Additional Object

Lab: Changing Masks

• In this exercise, students change the mask of an object to only permit numbers and upper case letters.

Lab: Setting Field-Level Security

• In this exercise, students review how to set field-level security.

Lab: Changing Combo Box Default Values

• In this exercise, students change the default value of a Combo Box object.

Lab: Changing Text Box Default Values

• In this exercise, students change the default value of a Text Box object.

Lab: Simplifying Data Entry Screens

• In this exercise, students remove objects associated with a Microsoft Dynamics SL window in order to simplify data entry into the window.

Lab: Restricting Value Ranges

• In this exercise, students set a maximum value for a data object.

Lab: Limiting Selections in a Combo Box

• In this exercise, students remove one of the value options of a data object in order to enforce a review policy of data.

Lab: Adding Possible Value Lists to Text Boxes

• In this exercise, students add a possible values list to a data object to enforce standard data entry types.

Lab: Add a New Tab

• In this exercise, students add a tab to a current tab object in a Microsoft Dynamics SL window.

Lab: Inserting New Objects

• In this exercise, students add and format objects to the new tab of a Microsoft Dynamics SL window.

After completing this chapter, students will be able to:

Module 3: Managing Customizations, Customizing Events Using Visual Basic for Applications

This chapter discusses the basics of Microsoft Dynamics SL customization management, how to export customizations for use in other Microsoft Dynamics SL databases, how to import customizations into Microsoft Dynamics SL databases, and how to remove customizations from screens in objects. This chapter also covers the Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) module operating theory, how to access the VBA module through the Customization Manager module, and how to associate VBA custom event code to Microsoft Dynamics SL window objects.

Lessons

• Exporting Customizations to Other Databases
• Procedures to Export Customizations
• Viewing and Editing Export Files
• Procedures to View the Contents of Export Files
• Importing Customizations from Other Databases
• Procedures to Import Customizations into a Database
• Removing Customizations
• Procedures to Remove Object Changes or an Object
• Procedures to Remove Screen Changes or a Subform
• Understanding the Concept
• Defining Custom Event Code
• Procedures to Develop Custom Event Code With VBA

Lab: Exporting and Viewing Customizations

• In this exercise, students export customizations and review the customization export file.

Lab: Removing a Customization

• In this exercise, students remove the customizations associated with a Microsoft Dynamics SL window.

Lab: Documenting a Customization

• In this exercise, students document a customization using a print screen and a short description of the customization.

Lab: Attaching Custom Event Code to Require a Password

• In this exercise, students disable access to a data object, and use VBA code to add a dialog box to prompt the user for a password to change the value of the data object.

Lab: Attaching Custom Event Code to Objects

• In this exercise, students use VBA code to add a Quick Print button to one of the Solomon windows to print information displayed in the window.

After completing this chapter, students will be able to:

Module 4: Appendix: Properties of Window Objects

This appendix reviews the properties associated with objects in the Properties window.

Lessons

• Properties of Window Objects.