Common Tips and Issues when Troubleshooting and Testing Integrations in Integration Manager

Common Tips and Issues when Troubleshooting and Testing Integrations in Integration Manager

Here are some common tips and issues when troubleshooting and testing integrations in Integration Manager:

Make sure you are on the latest version of Integration Manager, click HERE.

Manual Entry:

• Verify you can manually enter the transaction or master record in Microsoft Dynamics GP first exactly the way that it is being integrated using the exact same data. Verify all third party products are disabled in the dynamics.set file:

• • See IMUsersGuide.pdf (Here is the default location for Integration Manager 12.0: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Dynamics\Integration Manager 12\Help\Documentation) page 18: Data can only be imported into the standard Microsoft Dynamics GP windows. Integration manager cannot import data into any modified windows or third party products.
  • Here is a list of KBs as well:
  • • KB 851504  Integration Manager and Human Resources: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/851504/en-US 
    • KB 850319  Error message when you run a customer integration in Integration Manager: "Are you sure you want to delete this customer?" http://support.microsoft.com/kb/850319/en-US
    • KB 861421  Steps to Remove a Third Party Product to Enable the Ability to Integrate Data With Either Integration Manager or Integration Assistant for Excel https://mbs.microsoft.com/knowledgebase/KBDisplay.aspx?scid=kb;en-US;861421
    • KB 855575  Terms Discount Taken Can't Be More Than The Remaining Document Total http://support.microsoft.com/kb/855575/en-US

Custom Triggers:

• Contact support to get a script to disable custom triggers on tables.  There is a script to enable them afterwards. Otherwise, you can View/Disable/Enable individual triggers on the SQL table in Microsoft SQL Management Studio by expanding the Database>>Tables>>Expand the specific table > Expand the Triggers folder. Then right click on the trigger and select Disable.

GP Crashing:

• If GP is crashing, watching the integration run may help find exactly what field is the problem or if a window is not closing.  Change the following settings in the Microsoft.Dynamics.GP.IntegrationManager.ini file.

• • ShowDynamics=True
  • DoUIRedraw=True

Damaged IMD File:

• Create a Blank IMD file import in the integration with the issue to see if you can recreate the issue or not.  You can also send the Blank.IMD file with the integration imported into it into support to help troubleshoot the issue. To create a Blank IMD file, please follow these steps:

1. 1. In Integration Manager, click Tools, and then click Create Database.
   2. In the Create New Database window, click the Browse button and browse to a location (for example, your C: drive) to save the Blank IMD file.
   3. In the Save As window, enter Blank for the File name, select IM files (*.imd) as the Save as type, and then click Save.
   4. In the Create New Database window, click Create.
   5. In the Integration Manager window, click OK to the message, Empty Database C:\Blank.imd Created.
   6. Close Integration Manager.
   7. In Windows Explorer, browse to your Blank.imd file, and then double click it to open Integration Manager.
   8. In Integration Manager, click File, and then click Import Integrations.
   9. Browse to your *.IMD file (for example, C:\Program Files\Microsoft Dynamics\Integration Manager 12\Samples), select it, and then click Open.
   10. In the Import Integrations window, select the Integration you want to import, and then click Import. 
   11. In Integration Manager, click Open Integration, click the Integration you want to open, and then click Open.
   12. Close Integration Manager.
   13. Browse to the Blank.imd file and double click on it to open it and test out the integration.

Converting an IMD File:

• Receive one of the following error messages:

• • “The provider could not determine the Object value. For example, the row was just created, the default for the Object column was not available, and the consumer had not yet set a new Object value.”
  • "Unable to cast object of type 'System.String' to type 'System.Byte[]' The first step in trying to resolve the error message is to compact and repair the Integration Manager Database file using Microsoft Access.  If this doesn’t work, you may need to convert the Integration Manager Database using the following steps:
  1. 1. Open Integration Manager using their old IMD file.
     2. Click Tools > Convert Database
     3. Click the Convert Database Button, this will run the process.
     4. You will then have a new, converted IM Database named Converted_XXXX.IMD (XXXX is the original name of their old IM Database).
     5. The converted IM Database will be saved in the same location as the old IM Database.
     6. There will also be a Converted_XXXX.IMD.log file in the same location that will have more details regarding what converted. If the Conversion Result is “Invalid Format”, most likely that integration will need to be deleted, recreated or edited.

Sources:

• Add a filter to your source file(s) to look at one transaction or master record. This can help you speed up testing the integration and/or narrow down to a specific record causing the issue.
• You might need to update source file to match your records in GP, or add records in GP, or use constants in mapping to match your records in GP. 
• Verify mapping to source file is correct.
• If you are using a Simple ODBC Source File and you’re using an .xls file type, enter a named range. In the .xls file, select the data range, including column headings, right-click and then click Define Name…. Type the new Name for the reference and click OK.

Mapping:

• Distributions: Verify if you are only mapping one distribution that you are defaulting non-imported dist.

• • KB 858885  Integrating the sales account so that the Accounts Receivable account will default from the Posting Set Up window http://support.microsoft.com/kb/858885/en-US  
  • If the Default Non-Imported option is NOT available for the adapter you are using to integrate, then you will need to either integrate all distributions or integrate none letting the system default in the distributions.
  • If you are using "UseOptimizedFiltering=False" the expected behavior is that your transaction will be integrated in the same order that the data is listed in the source file.  If you have a Group By set up as well, this may cause issues with your distributions and should be removed or change your filter setting.

• Options:

• • If you have mapped any fields and you have selected Use Default in the Options tab, all the fields you have mapped will be ignored.  Instead, you should select Use Source Recordset and then select the source file you are mapping the fields from.

Creating XML Data Files:

• KB 953211 How to configure the Microsoft.Dynamics.GP.IntegrationManager.ini file so that Integration Manager for Microsoft Dynamics GP 10.0 creates .XML data files for the new eConnect destination adapters https://mbs.microsoft.com/knowledgebase/KBDisplay.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;953211 

• • The XML data files can be used to help you troubleshoot integrations that use the new eConnect Destination adapters. The file created by the setting “DumpIMXMLObjectTo” displays the data that is read by the source query. The file created by the setting “DumpeConnectXMLTo” displays the Serialized .XML data after it has been prepared for use by eConnect.
  • Send the XML data files into support for further troubleshooting.

Creating a Trace file for GP Standard Adapter Integrations:

• If you want a better error message, the IMTraceLog can help.  This can also let you know which record in your integration is causing the issue or if you don’t have permissions to a window.
• KB 970224  How to create an IMTraceLog.txt file for Integration Manager for Microsoft Dynamics GP http://support.microsoft.com/kb/970224/en-US

Security Issues or Non-specific Errors:

• ProcMon to help identify User Security issues. downloading and installing Process Monitor to take a look at what the IM.EXE process is doing, leading up to the error. You can download ProcMon from: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896645.aspx
• Notes:

• • Please do not restrict the ProcMon to only the “Microsoft.Dynamics.GP.IntegrationManager.exe” event.  There could be Access Denied messages from other processes that are related to the running of the integration that can cause a problem (svchost.exe is one example).  There should not be any Access Denied messages in the procmon trace.
  • You will want to look at results of the “Microsoft.Dynamics.GP.IntegrationManager.exe” event where the status is not SUCCESS, and in particular those lines that have ACCESS DENIED results. This should let you know if the problem is permissions related or otherwise.

Registry Key Issues:

• KB 851148 How to set up permissions for client computers that will run Integration Manager or Integration Assistant for Excel in a Terminal Server or Citrix environment http://support.microsoft.com/kb/851148/en-US
• KB 915463 You receive an error message when you open Integration Manager or when you run an integration in Integration Manager http://support.microsoft.com/kb/915463/en-US   

• • When you run an integration in Integration Manager, you receive one of the following error messages
  • • Error message 1: The destination could not be initialized due to the following problem: ActiveX component can't create object
    • Error message 2: Automation Error Library not registered
  • When you open Integration Manager, you receive the following error message
    • Automation Error: The object invoked has been disconnected from its clients.

• KB 2012471 Error message in Integration Manager for Microsoft Dynamics GP: "Input string was not in a correct format" https://vkbexternal.partners.extranet.microsoft.com/VKBWebService/ViewContent.aspx?scid=B;en-US;2012471 

Scripting Guidelines:

• KB 850201 Guidelines that Microsoft support professionals use to determine when a support case becomes a consulting engagement for Report Writer, SSRS, Word Templates, SmartList Builder, SQL scripts, Business Alerts, VB Script, Modifier/VBA and Configurator Files http://support.microsoft.com/kb/850201/en-US 

More KB Articles:

KB 939370  Packages that are available for Integration Manager for Microsoft Dynamics GP 10.0
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-US;939370

KB 953217  How to set the location of the .imd or .mdb file by using the Microsoft.Dynamics.GP.IntegrationManager.ini file in Integration Manager in Microsoft Dynamics GP 10.0
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-US;953217

KB 947929  Information about the new location of the product registration keys for Integration Manager for Microsoft Dynamics GP 10.0
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-US;947929

KB 953217  How to set the location of the .imd or .mdb file by using the Microsoft.Dynamics.GP.IntegrationManager.ini file in Integration Manager in Microsoft Dynamics GP 10.0
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-US;953217

KB 942750  Error messages when you run an integration in Integration Manager for Microsoft Dynamics GP 10.0
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-US;942750

KB 939372  How to convert the IM.mdb file from an earlier version of Integration Manager to Integration Manager for Microsoft Dynamics GP 10.0
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-US;939372

KB 924857  Integrated records are not sorted in the same order in which the records are sorted in the source file in Microsoft Dynamics GP 9.0
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-US;924857

KB 970225  Transaction line information is not imported when you use a Microsoft SQL Server table as an Integration source in Integration Manager for Microsoft Dynamics GP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-US;970225

KB 943948  Error message when you run an integration in Integration Manager for Microsoft Dynamics GP 10.0: "RPC Server is unavailable"
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-US;943948

KB 857732  Query to Roll Up Like Distributions Into One Record that Excludes $0.00 Records
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-US;857732

KB 857732  Query to Roll Up Like Distributions Into One Record that Excludes $0.00 Records
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-US;857732

KB 837850  Error message when you click Explorer View in a document library in Windows SharePoint Services 2.0 or in SharePoint Team Services: "This page contains both secure and nonsecure items"
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;837850

KB 855677  How to create a macro to log into a company in Great Plains
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-US;855677

KB 856496  How to use macros and Scheduled Tasks to automatically start the program and to perform other tasks in Microsoft Dynamics GP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-US;856496

KB 921345  Error message when you run a "SQL Opt Inventory Transaction" integration in Integration Manager: "DOC1 Error: Either BOF or EOF is true or the current record has been deleted. Requested operation requires the current record"
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-US;921345

KB 923384  Error message when you run a transaction integration in Integration Manager in Microsoft Dynamics GP 9.0: "Distribution account does not have a default"
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-US;923384

KB 867174  Compacting IM.MDB after purging the log file
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-US;867174

KB 939372  How to convert the IM.mdb file from an earlier version of Integration Manager to Integration Manager for Microsoft Dynamics GP 10.0
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-US;939372

KB 939371  Information about the new connection object in Integration Manager for Microsoft Dynamics GP 10.0
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-US;939371

KB 947930  How to configure the new Microsoft.Dynamics.GP.IntegrationManager.exe.config file so that Integration Manager for Microsoft Dynamics GP 10.0 creates the IMTraceLog.txt file
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-US;947930

KB 967741  Error message when an integration is run in Integration Manager for Microsoft Dynamics GP 10.0: "Bad Cursor Position"
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-US;967741

Blogs:

GL Integration with AA requires Journal Entry to be mapped:
http://dynamicsgpblogster.blogspot.com/2010/11/integration-manager-integrating-journal.html

Autodim:  Cannot use Windows Task Scheduler with Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008:
http://dynamicsgpblogster.blogspot.com/2011/04/how-to-schedule-dynamics-gp-to.html

Enjoy!