Case Studies

Custom Time Entry Application Integrates with Microsoft Dynamics AX

Posted in Digital Workplace Solutions, SharePoint

Summary

Quad Plus, Inc. provides turnkey industrial control systems, solutions, and services.  They are recognized in the field as a leader in AC & DC control systems by being an authorized service center for major manufacturers locally, nationally and internationally.

Like many businesses, the need for Quad Plus to track employee time spent on customer activities is critical to running a successful business. Quad Plus asked DMC to develop a custom time entry application that would make it easy for employees to enter their time into Microsoft Dynamics AX accounting system from within their SharePoint 2007 Enterprise portal.

Timesheet Entry Application

Solution

Quad Plus needed a new and improved entry system that was Web based and accessible to its employees who were mobile and needed the ability to enter time over an Internet connection via tablets and smartphones. They wanted a time entry application that would imitate the functionality of their previous system, but also have the capability to integrate directly with the new Dynamics AX system.

Once DMC and Quad Plus met to define the project scope for creating a Web-based Time Entry Application Project, DMC performed the following activities to create the solution:

DMC architected the technical design of the application, including data integration points, access methods, and the user interface

Design of application architecture, database schema, and technical integration points with the Microsoft Dynamics AX Accounting System

Created architectural components for integrating with Dynamics and other data sources

Developed the user interface and implemented business rules for the time entry application

The deployment of the web-based time entry application project had a dual benefit in making it easy for employees to enter their time into the accounting system, as well as helping employees get acclimated with using SharePoint. By making it easy to enter time, DMC helped reduce the lag time between time reporting and invoicing customers. The users at Quad Plus were also offered the convenience of entering time while working remotely from both smart phones and tablet devices like iPads.

Customer Benefits

  • A web based centralized location to report time activity within the company SharePoint portal
  • Creation and enforcement of time entry business rules
  • Automated data integration between Microsoft SharePoint and Dynamics AX Accounting System
  • Easy employee access via the Internet, supporting PC, laptop, tablet, and smartphone devices
  • Dramatic increase in compliance with time entry deadlines

Technologies

  • Microsoft Dynamics AX system
  • Telerik RAD Controls
  • .NET Framework 3.5
  • SharePoint Workflow
  • SharePoint 2007 Enterprise Edition
  • SQL Server 2008 R2
  • Windows Server 2008 R2