We recently had a customer that was having an issue printing credit memos in Microsoft Dynamics GP. We wanted to test the printing issue, but didn’t want to input test credit memos into a live production company. How could we safely troubleshoot issues without compromising the customer’s live data?
Solution:
Make a copy of the production data and move it to a test company to allow us to test transactions without impacting the live company.
To accomplish this, we went into SQL server, did a backup of the production company and copied it to a test company. Because all of our data (GL accounts, customers, vendors, items) and settings look like production, any test conducted in this test environment will mirror the production environment.
When else would this come in handy?
- If the customer has a modification (of a report or window) they want to test
- If a modified window or report is not working
- If a customer wants to try a new module or function in Dynamics GP
- Troubleshooting/testing a bug or bug fix
In our case, we were able to replicate the issue with credit memos not being applied correctly. We then developed a fix and were able to test the fix in the test company before migrating it to production.
Steps to create a test company for safe troubleshooting:
The steps to accomplish this are quite simple. Anyone with a basic knowledge of SQL server could do this in a relatively short period of time. In order to copy a production company to a test company, you will backup the production database and restore it to a test database. Make sure all users are logged out of Dynamics GP before beginning this process.
1. Log into Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS).
2. Select the production database for the company you want to copy.
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3. Right click on the database and choose Tasks>Backup.
4. Make sure Disk is selected, then click on Add.
5. Choose a location for the backup. Be sure to note the location, you will need it again soon.
6. After the location is chosen, click OK to begin backing up the database
7. When it is complete, go back to Object Explorer and choose the Test company database.
8. Right-click on the Test company database, and choose Restore.
9. Select Database.
10. For Source, choose the Production database you backed up earlier. For Destination, choose the Test company database.
11. Click on Options and:
- Check the box to Overwrite the existing database
- Check the box to Close existing connections to destination database
- Be sure to point to the file you created earlier
12. Click on Files and check that the modified File name is using the database for the Test company.
13. When ready, click OK to begin the Restore.
When the Restore is completed, there are still a few more steps to go. If you don’t complete the following steps, when you try to log into the Test company, you will receive an error message.
14. Create a new query.
15. Run the following SQL statement—select * from sy01500—using the Dynamics database.
This will list all companies and the Company ID (CMPANYID) for each. Since the Production database was copied to Test, the Company ID was also copied over and needs to be changed back to the Test Company ID. Note the Company ID for the Test database.
16. Run the following SQL statement—select * from sy00100—using the Test database.
17. To update the Company ID, run the following SQL statement—update sy00100 set CMPANYID=’xx’—where xx is the ID of the Test database.
When all of these steps are completed, you will be able to log into the Test company and it will contain an exact copy of the Production data.
And there you have it! Just like that, you too can safely troubleshoot issues in Microsoft Dynamics GP. Of course, if you’d like some more professional guidance on how to best extend and leverage Dynamics Great Plains, we’re here and ready to help. Please feel free to contact us or schedule a consultation.
Need to make the move from Dynamics GP? Learn more about your options migrating from Dynamics GP.
As a Dynamics GP user, it is important that you understand GP End of Life. It is not just a distant event; it carries substantial implications that every business must be aware of. To learn more, please watch our on-demand webinar, Microsoft Dynamics GP End of Life – What’s Next, to:
- Gain a firm grasp of the critical dates that will shape your decision-making process.
- Decode the terminology to understand how it will directly affect your day-to-day operations & future of your org.
- Delve into the security & business continuity risks that may jeopardize your organization.
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