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Retail in Brick and Mortar Stores: Installation and Configuration for Microsoft Dynamics AX R2 (80537)

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About this Course

Microsoft Dynamic AX for Retail is an integrated solution that is designed for Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 which can be used to manage a retail business from the head office to the stores.  Microsoft Dynamics AX for Retail POS is a fully customizable point of sale (POS) component of Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 for Retail. You use Retail POS to process sales, operate the cash drawer, scan bar codes or print customer receipts, among other business tasks. This course on Microsoft Dynamics for Retail Brick and Mortar Stores: Installation and Configuration provides lessons and labs on how to install and configure the Microsoft Dynamics AX for Retail Point-of-Sale (POS) from a technical perspective including the setup required for AX Headquarters and Commerce Data Exchange components. Additionally, this course also provides information on Checklists for Installation and Configuration, CDX Services and Scheduler Jobs.  Students will also review the labs provided in the course to get hands on experience on how to install the Microsoft Dynamics AX for Retail POS using a scenario of a new store setup on the Demo VM.       

Audience Profile

This course is intended for Microsoft Dynamics AX Partners who will be involved in implementation of Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2 for Retail  and those who want to learn the installation of the  Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2 for Retail solution.

At Course Completion

After completing this course, students will be able to:
  • Identify the components that are involved in Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 for Retail Brick-and-Mortar stores.
  • Review the Pre-Installation Checklist for Retail Headquarters
  • Describe Requirements for Service Accounts
  • Describe Accounts for SQL Server services
  • Create a shared directory for installation
  • Describe the inclusion of service packs and updates in a new installation (slipstreaming)
  • Deploy topologies for Retail
  • Install Retail Headquarters
  • Configure Retail Headquarters
  • Install AOS instance(s)
  • Use Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 server configuration utility
  • Install and Confgure eCommerce and Exchange: Synch Service
  • Install the Real-Time Service
  • Add the SSL certificate to the Windows server
  • Find the certificate thumbprint and common name
  • Create the Real-time Service Web Service
  • Test the Real-time Service Web service
  • Configure the Real-time Service in Retail Headquarters
  • Installing the Retail Store Database Utility.
  • Creating a store database or an offline database.
  • Setting up a store database profile.
  • Work through the pre-installation checklist for Retail POS
  • Describe the requirements for service and user accounts 
  • Describe the POS user group
  • Describe the SQL server logon for POS users
  • Install Retail POS
  • Deploy Retail POS
  • Install Commerce Data Exchange: Synch Service
  • Install the retail store database utility
  • Create a store database or an offline database server
  • Distribute initial data to store database
  • Create a POS register that has an offline database
  • Synchronize data between the store and offline databases
  • Configure jobs and subjobs
  • Initialize predefined jobs and subjobs
  • Create of modify a subjob
  • Create of modify a job
  • Set Up upload options for Synch Service
  • Configure Synch Service profile
  • Configure Synch Service logging
  • View Synch Services messages
  • View data packages
  • Troubleshoot common issues with data packages
  • Set Up upload options for Synch Service
  • Configure Synch Service profile
  • Configure Synch Service logging
  • View Synch Services messages
  • View data packages
  • Troubleshoot common issues with data packages
  • Set up permissions and operations
  • Set up staff members
  • Set up a retail job
  • Set up a position
  • Set up a retail worker
  • Import and assign users to the retail user profiles
  • Assign stores to the users for each retail user profile.
  • Configure or bypass IPsec
  • Configure IPsec (no VPN)
  • Disable IPsec (no VPN)
  • Open the firewall for Synch Service
  • Set up hardware profiles
  • Assign a hardware profile to a register
  • Set up and activate payment services in Partner Portal
  • Set up merchant account with a payment provider
  • Test payment processing
  • Set up Accounts receivable retail stores, and online stores for Payment Services in Microsoft Dynamics AX

Prerequisites

Before attending this course, students must have:
  • An understanding of implementation in Retail Industries
  • Functional overview of Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2 for Retail
  • Installation and Configuration of AX 2012 R2

Course Outline

Module 1: Technical Overview of Brick and Mortar stores

Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 for Retail supports multiple retail channels. Retail channels include online stores, online marketplaces, and brick-and-mortar stores. In Retail, a brick-and-mortar store is called a retail store.
 
There are several components involved in Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 for Retail for brick-and-mortar stores.

Lessons

  • Technical Overview
  • Retail Headquarters
  • Point of Sale
  • Integrated Services
  • Hardware Configuration
After completing this module, students will be able to:
  • Identify the components that are involved in Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 for Retail Brick-and-Mortar stores.

Module 2: Checklist Install and Configure Microsoft Dynamics AX Retail Headquarters

This module lists the prerequisites for installing and configuring Microsoft Dynamics AX Retail Headquarters. For information about the hardware and software requirements for Microsoft Dynamics AX, see the system requirements.

Lessons

  • Checklist – Before You Install Retail Headquarters
  • Service Accounts
  • Create a Shared Directory for Installation
  • Include Service Packs and Updates in a New Installation (Slipstreaming)
  • Verify That You Have the Required Permissions for Installation
After completing this module, students will be able to:

  • Review the Pre-Installation Checklist for Retail Headquarters
  • Describe Requirements for Service Accounts
  • Describe Accounts for SQL Server services
  • Create a shared directory for installation
  • Describe the inclusion of service packs and updates in a new installation (slipstreaming)

Module 3: Install and Configure Retail Headquarters

Retail Headquarters is a module for Microsoft Dynamics AX that retailers use to manage a chain of stores as one enterprise. It controls daily operations and tracks sales information for every store in the chain. Retail Headquarters includes Retail Scheduler, a feature that coordinates communication between the head office and the stores. Retail Headquarters can be used with any POS system that can receive and transmit the necessary data from Microsoft Dynamics AX.

Lessons

  • Deployment Topologies
  • Checking Requirements and Installing Retail Headquarters
After completing this module, students will be able to:
  • Deploy topologies for Retail
  • Install Retail Headquarters
  • Configure Retail Headquarters

Module 4: Configuration of Application Object Server (AOS) Instances

An Application Object Server (AOS) is a Microsoft Windows service that controls communications among Microsoft Dynamics AX clients, databases, and applications. You can configure AOS for Retail deployments.  We encourage you to go through Course 80221A, Installation and Configuration in Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012, before beginning this module.

Lessons

  • Microsoft Dynamics AX Roles
  • Installing Application Object Server (AOS) Instances
After completing this module, students will be able to:
  • Install AOS instance(s)
  • Use Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 server configuration utility

Module 5: Installation and Configuration of Commerce Data Exchange: Synch Service

Lessons

  • Install Commerce Data Exchange: Synch Service
  • Configure Settings for Synch Service
After completing this module, students will be able to:
  • Install and Confgure eCommerce and Exchange: Synch Service

Module 6: Installation and Configuration of Commerce Data Exchange: Real-time Service

Retail Transaction Service is now Commerce Data Exchange: Real-time Service in Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2. Along with the name change there is architectural change, Real-time Service has fundamentally changed from a Windows service to an IIS Web Service. The service itself really does not do a whole lot functionally: it acts as a traffic handler between the POS and the Headquarters to share real-time information. All actual logic is written in X++ code hosted in the AOS via the .Net Business Connector. 
 
This architecture change means that installation and configuration has changed quite a bit. This module describes the steps to launch the new Real-time Service.

Lessons

  • Commerce Data Exchange: Real-time Service
After completing this module, students will be able to:

  • Install the Real-Time Service
  • Add the SSL certificate to the Windows server
  • Find the certificate thumbprint and common name
  • Create the Real-time Service Web Service
  • Test the Real-time Service Web service
  • Configure the Real-time Service in Retail Headquarters

Module 7: Configuration of Database Instances

When you implement Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 for Retail, you create a database for each store location. This database is called the store database. You can connect multiple point-of-sale (POS) computers to the same store database to read and write data. This helps ensure that the same master data is available to all POS computers.
A store database typically resides on a shared server that is connected to all of the POS computers in the store. You can also create offline databases on POS computers. An offline database helps ensure that the store’s operations can continue even if the connection to the shared database server is lost. If the connection to the shared database server is lost, the POS computers switch to offline databases. The shared database and the offline databases are kept in sync by Microsoft Dynamics AX for Retail Offline Sync Service.
 
This module provides guidance only for setting up Microsoft SQL Server in a Retail implementation.

Lessons

  • Configuration of Database Instances
After completing this module, students will be able to:

  • Installing the Retail Store Database Utility.
  • Creating a store database or an offline database.
  • Setting up a store database profile.

Module 8: Checklist – installation AND Configuration of AX Retail Store POS

This module lists the prerequisites for installing and configuring AX Retail POS.
To view deployment topologies, see the “Retail Headquarters Setup and Requirements” module of this course.

Lessons

  • Checklist – Before You Begin Installing Retail POS
After completing this module, students will be able to:
  • Work through the pre-installation checklist for Retail POS
  • Describe the requirements for service and user accounts 
  • Describe the POS user group
  • Describe the SQL server logon for POS users

Module 9: Checklist – Before You Begin Installing Retail POS

Retail POS is a component that is required for the day-to-day operation of Retail at a store. Retail POS is built on the Microsoft .NET Framework. The easy-to-use graphical user interface can be set up to meet the needs of many industries.
This module provides information about how to set up the Microsoft Dynamics AX Retail Store.

Lessons

  • Installation of Retail POS (Point of Sale)
  • Deploy Retail POS
  • Install Commerce Data Exchange: Synch Service
  • Install the Retail Store Database Utility
  • Create a Store Database or an Offline Database
After completing this module, students will be able to:
  • Install Retail POS
  • Deploy Retail POS
  • Install Commerce Data Exchange: Synch Service
  • Install the retail store database utility
  • Create a store database or an offline database server
  • Distribute initial data to store database
  • Create a POS register that has an offline database
  • Synchronize data between the store and offline databases

Module 10: Table Distribution

Table distribution is used to specify how changes that are made to data are distributed from the Microsoft Dynamics AX database to Retail Stores. To use A jobs correctly, Table distribution must be configured correctly.

Lessons

  • Table Distribution
After completing this module, students will be able to:
  • List the distribution types
  • Describe parent/child relationships in table distribution
  • Create a new distribution
  • Insert a default table distribution
  • Describe how table links work
  • Set up table links

Module 11: Retail Scheduler jobs

Retail Scheduler manages communications between Microsoft Dynamics AX and stores. Use the parameters form to turn on data distribution through Retail Scheduler. In addition, some parameters can be used to tune the performance of the system.

Lessons

  • Configure Jobs and Subjobs in Retail Scheduler
After completing this module, students will be able to:
  • Configure jobs and subjobs
  • Initialize predefined jobs and subjobs
  • Create of modify a subjob
  • Create of modify a job

Module 12: Action Jobs (A-Jobs)

Action jobs or A-jobs send data that has changed from Microsoft Dynamics AX to channel databases. This data is tracked as actions. Action filters track modifications to records. The distribution settings for the records that changed or their parent records determine the locations that receive the jobs.

Lessons

  • Action jobs A-jobs
After completing this module, students will be able to:
  • Create action jobs
  • Setup action filters
  • Convert pre-actions to actions

Module 13: Monitor Synch Service

Commerce Data Exchange: Real-Time Service is used by Commerce Data Exchange: Synch Service to upload status messages to Microsoft Dynamics AX. You control whether this upload occurs, and how often it occurs, by selecting a set of upload options for each Synch Service profile. This module provides an overview of the configuration required to monitor the status messages and debug potential issues.

Lessons

  • Configure Commerce Data Exchange: Synch Service Upload Options & Synch Service Profile
After completing this module, students will be able to:
  • Set Up upload options for Synch Service
  • Configure Synch Service profile
  • Configure Synch Service logging
  • View Synch Services messages
  • View data packages
  • Troubleshoot common issues with data packages

Module 14: Retail Roles Management and Security

Before a worker can perform job duties in a retail store, you must set up the worker in Microsoft Dynamics AX. You must also assign the worker appropriate privileges, so that the worker can log on and perform tasks by using the Microsoft Dynamics AX for Retail POS system

Lessons

  • Set up Retail Staff
  • Set up Enterprise Portal profiles and Users
After completing this module, students will be able to:
  • Set up permissions and operations
  • Set up staff members
  • Set up a retail job
  • Set up a position
  • Set up a retail worker
  • Import and assign users to the retail user profiles
  • Assign stores to the users for each retail user profile.

Module 15: Configure Stores in Workgroup

You can configure secure communications between Microsoft Dynamics AX (at the head office) and retail channels when the computers for the retail channel are not on the same secure network as the server where Microsoft Dynamics AX is installed.

Lessons

  • Configure Stores in Workgroup
After completing this module, students will be able to:
  • Configure or bypass IPsec
  • Configure IPsec (no VPN)
  • Disable IPsec (no VPN)
  • Open the firewall for Synch Service

Module 16: Configure Stores in Workgroup

To enable the peripheral devices like scanners, printers, displays, cash drawers, keyboards, and electronic funds transfer (EFT) hardware to communicate with the Retail point-of-sale register, the hardware profiles need be configured to set preferences and properties for a register, and for the peripheral devices that are connected to the register. This module provides an overview of the hardware profile configuration.

Lessons

  • Configure Hardware Profiles and Peripherals
After completing this module, students will be able to:
  • Set up hardware profiles
  • Assign a hardware profile to a register

Module 17: Configure Payment Processing (Optional for US)

Microsoft Dynamics AX can be configured with Payment Services for Microsoft Dynamics ERP to process credit card transactions at retail point-of-sale (POS) registers, in online stores, and in the Accounts receivable module in Microsoft Dynamics AX. Payment data is captured once and flows securely from POS registers, online stores, and Accounts receivable through your business processes in Microsoft Dynamics AX.

Lessons

  • Payment Services
After completing this module, students will be able to:
  • Set up and activate payment services in Partner Portal
  • Set up merchant account with a payment provider
  • Test payment processing
  • Set up Accounts receivable retail stores, and online stores for Payment Services in Microsoft Dynamics AX

Module 18: Lab

Lab exercise – Opening a new retail brick and mortar store. The VM to be used for this lab exercise is the demo VM AX2012R2A and the demo company used is Contoso Retail USA (USRT).

Lab: Opening of a new Brick and Mortar Store

  • Add a new store
After completing this module, students will be able to:
  • Understand how a new store is added to the AX Headquarters, and the set up required for enabling the communication between the store and AX Headquarters
  • Understand the configuration needed for Retail POS to connect to the new store