UPGRADING DYNAMICS GP 2016 WEB CLIENT

HELLO ALL!

With the release of Microsoft Dynamics GP 2016, you will want to think about the steps you will have to take when upgrading the Web Client.  One of the major changes you will see is that we will no longer be utilizing Silverlight as we are moving to an HTML 5 platform!!  This will allow you to access the Web Client from multiple browsers and multiple devices (e.g. Windows, iPad, Android)

One thing to take into consideration when upgrading the Web Client is that, you will want to verify whether you are in a single or multi server environment.  If you are running in a single server environment you will be upgrading the Session Central Service and Session Service on one server.  If you are running a multi-server environment you will want to be sure that you are installing the Session Central Service update on the Session Central Server/Web Server. The same goes for the Session Service/Session Host server.  Also, if you are running multiple Session Service Servers, make sure that you are upgrading all of them so that they are the same Web Client version.

You are going to notice that there is still the option to install Web Client and Web Components in the GP 2016 install media. For all intents and purposes, they will do the same thing.

Please note that you will have the option to install/upgrade Service Based Architecture (SBA) when installing Web Components. This part of the installation is not covered in this particular article, but I want you be aware that these options will be there. If you are not using SBA, you can right click on Service Based Architecture and SBA Session Manager and select ‘Not Available’.

You can find instructions on how to upgrade a single server environment and a multi-server environment in the Documentation\Manuals directory on the GP media.  I’d like you to note, there are special instructions if you happen to be running Tenant Services.  You would want to refer to the Install and Administration Guide.

Tenant Services Documentation: You can find the Tenant Services upgrade documentation on the install media if you go to Documentation\Manuals. The file is called TSInstallAdminGuide. Be sure you go in and Edit the Path information in the Tenant Manager Snap-In after you have upgraded your GP Client on the Session Host Machine(s).

GP Upgrade Documentation:

Click the following link for GP Client upgrade information: Upgrade Information

You should verify that the desktop client is working properly before you continue with the Microsoft Dynamics GP Web Client upgrade process. Resolve any issues before you continue.

Be sure that all of the users have signed out of the system before you start the web client upgrade

Installing the upgrade

To install an upgrade of the Microsoft Dynamics GP web client in the single machine configuration, complete the following procedure.

1. From the Microsoft Dynamics GP installation media, double-click the Setup.exe file to open the Microsoft Dynamics GP installation window.
   
   
2. Click Web Components and then click Install.
   
   
3. Select to upgrade your existing web client installation.
   
   
   
   
4. The installation wizard will default with the selections from the installation being upgraded. You can change settings as needed. The screenshot below is missing the Web Client Session Manager as it is below the Tenant Manager option. You can also install that feature if you choose to do so. You can install the Service Based Architecture components at this point.  
   
   
   
   
5. When the installation is complete, you will be prompt to run the Dynamics GP Web Components Configuration Wizard. You can also access this from the Start menu.
   
   
6. At the Welcome screen, click Next.
   
   
7. Click Exit.
   
   
8. The Microsoft Dynamics GP Web Client Help installer will be started. Click Install to complete the help installation process.
   
   
9. Click Finish to close the installer

Updating the online help

If a web client upgrade has updated help content, you should be prompt to install the updates at the end of the Web Client install. You can also use the following procedure to install the updated help content.

1. Open the Programs and Features control panel.

2. Select Microsoft Dynamics GP Web Client Help, and then click Change.

3. Click Remove to remove the existing web client help. The process may take a few minutes.

4. Click Finish.

5. Start the installer that is located on the install media (AdProd\WebComponents\Help) for the updated help content. The installer has the following name: Microsoft_DynamicsGP16_GPWebClientHelp.msi.

6. At the Welcome screen, click Install. The installation process may take a few minutes.

7. Click Finish.

Client machine update steps

To ensure that the updated Microsoft Dynamics GP web client is working properly, you should perform the following steps on each of the client machines that access the web client.

1. Clear the Internet Explorer browser cache. This helps to ensure that the updated Application and help files are being used for the web client. To clear the browser cache, open Internet Explorer. In the Tools menu, choose Internet options. In the Browsing history group, click Delete
   
   

2. In the Delete Browsing History window, be sure to remove the temporary Internet files. Click Delete.

3. After the browser cache has been cleared, click OK.

4. In Internet Explorer, go to the Microsoft Dynamics GP web client site. Sign in to the web client.

Preparing for the Scale out upgrade

The first step to performing the upgrade for a scale out installation is to upgrade for database and the desktop client components for Microsoft Dynamics GP. Use Dynamics GP Utilities to upgrade the system database and the company databases. Refer to the procedures described in the upgrade documentation for Microsoft Dynamics GP to complete this process.

You should verify that at least one desktop client installation is working properly before you continue with the Microsoft Dynamics GP web client upgrade. Resolve any issues before you continue.

Be sure that all of the users have signed out of the system before you start the web client upgrade process.

If you are using Tenant Services with your Microsoft Dynamics GP web client installation, you must apply the update to Tenant Services before you update the web client components.
Refer to the Tenant Services Installation and Administration Guide for information about updating Tenant Services. The Microsoft Dynamics GP upgrade can take place after the upgrade of the web client since older versions of the Microsoft Dynamics GP runtime can be used with the latest version of the web components.

Updating the web site and Session Central Service

To install the upgrade for the web site and the Session Central Service, complete the following procedure.

1. Log in to the machine that is running the web site and the Session Central Service for the Microsoft Dynamics GP web client installation.
   
   
2. From the Microsoft Dynamics GP installation media, double-click the Setup.exe file to open the Microsoft Dynamics GP installation window.
   
   
3. Click Web Components and then click Install.
   
   
4. Select to upgrade your existing web client installation.
   
   
   
   
5. The installation wizard will default with the selections from the installation being upgraded. You can change settings as needed. You can also select to add the service based architecture components to the installation.
   
   
6. When the installation is complete, the Dynamics GP Web Components Configuration Wizard will start automatically. If it doesn’t, you can access this from the Start menu.
   
   
7. At the Welcome screen, click Next.
   
   
8. Specify the type of authentication you want to use to connect to the SQL Server where the database for the Web Components is located. Click Next to continue.
   
   
9. Review the configuration actions that will be performed. Click Next to continue.
   
   
10. Click Exit.
    
    
11. The Microsoft Dynamics GP Web Client Help installer will be started. Click Install to complete the help installation process.
    
    
12. Click Finish to close the installer.

Updating session host machines

To install the upgrade for each session host machine in the scale out installation,
complete the following procedure.  This also goes for a single machine install, but you would update all services on one machine.

1. Log in to the session host machine.
   
   
2. If you haven’t already done so, perform the update for the Microsoft Dynamics GP desktop client components. Be sure that the desktop client on the session host machine is working properly before you continue this upgrade procedure.
   
   
3. From the Microsoft Dynamics GP installation media, double-click the Setup.exe file to open the Microsoft Dynamics GP installation window.
   
   
4. Click Web Components and then click Install.
   
   
5. Select to upgrade your existing web client installation.
   
   
6. The installation wizard will default with the selections from the installation being upgraded. You can change settings as needed. You can also select to add the service based architecture components to the installation. When asked for the web components database, provide the new database name selected when upgrading the web server.
   
   
7. When the installation is complete, the Dynamics GP Web Components Configuration Wizard will start automatically. If it doesn’t, you can access this from the Start menu.
8. At the Welcome screen, click Next.
   
   
9. Specify the type of authentication you want to use to connect to the SQL Server where the database for the Web Components is located. Click Next to continue.
   
   
10. Review the configuration actions that will be performed. Click Next to continue.
    
    
11. Click Exit.

Happy Upgrading!

Ross Balstad