With the release of Microsoft Dynamics SL 2011 in April 2011, FRx will be offically replaced by Management Reporter. Existing customers may continue to use FRx but there will be no future updates to FRx. Existing customers may also elect to migrate to Management Reporter and convert their existing reports using the migration wizard.
How does Management Reporter improve upon FRx?
Management Reporter uses the same approach to report design that exists in FRx 6.7, and combines this with a robust architecture and an improved user interface that is familiar and more consistent with other Microsoft applications. You’ll appreciate the performance, stability, and new features that Management Reporter delivers. Here are some of the key enhancements:
New Code Base and Architecture with 64-bit Support
Many companies are upgrading their systems to 64-bit. Management Reporter was built using 64-bit environments. This means that the IT department won’t need to maintain a separate machine just for Management Reporter as they may need to do for FRx.
Enhanced Stability
Management Reporter takes advantage of the powerful Microsoft .NET Platform and a new C# codebase to provide superior application stability.
Improved Performance
Processing takes place on the server, not the client. This frees up the client to continue designing reports instead of locking it up until the report has finished generating.
SQL Server
Management Reporter uses SQL Server for data storage, where FRx used Microsoft Access for data storage. With Management Reporter, you can expect an increase in performance, stability, and multi-user capabilities.
Improved Multi-user Environment
With the switch to IIS and SQL Server, there is no need to create shares for the SysData and IO_Data folders. All of the building blocks, company information, and generated reports are in a SQL database. Administrators can see all reports that are being generated at any given time because all processing is done on the server.
Active Directory
After users are added to Management Reporter, any changes made to passwords and other settings are automatically rolled forward. There is no need to “manage” users in Management Reporter unless a user needs to be disabled or given a new security role. This also means that the only log-in screen users see is the company log-in screen for their Microsoft Dynamics GL.
Report Library
The Report Library, with its ability to create folders and upload external files, can be used to group items. This creates a centralized location for report distribution and collaboration that places all of the information you need in one place. Also, by creating folders in the Report Library, reports can be found easily and put into folders that make sense to everyone in the organization. Security can also be applied to these folders to make sure only those individuals who should have access to certain folders or items have access. Also, any supporting documents to the financials can be added to the Report Library.
Report Viewer
When viewing report data, the same great drill-down functionality is available to get the information you need, but you can either use a tree to navigate, or drill through as with FRx. And, it doesn’t open a new view each time you drill; you can see where you are in the report and easily get back to summary information.
Undo
This much-requested feature improves the report creation process by allowing your end users to undo recent changes to their reports.
Dimension Flexibility
Dimension flexibility allows for more flexibility when creating reports. The structured rules of regarding segments in FRx are no longer a limitation. By allowing larger and variable-length masks, Management Reporter scales better to larger customers.
Formatting
Creating boardroom-quality reports is a given, and by adding logos/images to headers and footers, reports become even more customized. By allowing for page breaks to be specified in columns, you can control what data is displayed on what page. If the columns contain departments, you can specify which departments you want printed on each page by using the column page breaks.
Organization
By creating folders, users can organize and easily find the building blocks they are looking for, which makes Management Reporter easier to use and increases productivity.
XBRL
Management Reporter supports XBRL 2.1 and Dimension 1.0 specifications. Tagging of financial data is done during design, which allows the tagging to be re-used. A new instance document can be created by simply changing the report date. This is unique in the field as most XBRL applications tag financial information in Excel after the report has been generated.
Click here to download the Management Reporter Overview for FRx Customers.
If you have questions about Management Reporter or would like to start planning your migration, please contact us at acumaticasupport@swktech.com.
