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Microsoft Dynamics GP (Archived)

Modifying Word Templates doesn't show fields

Posted on by Microsoft Employee

I've installed the MVSTO and the GP Word Add-in from the install media.  I wanted to try modifying a report template but I don't see any available fields.  I have selected SOP Blank Invoice Form as the XML Resource, but no fields ever show up.  The Word Template prints fine and I have Com Add-Ins checked.  Is there anything else that needs to be done in order to get a list of the fields?

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  • Mick Egan Profile Picture
    Mick Egan 3,557 on at
    RE: Modifying Word Templates doesn't show fields

    Just to add some more information to the XXXXXX appearing as data, using Multi Entity Management from Binary Stream, you setup the logos with a Shared Path in MEM, if the Path isn't available to the User, then Word Template Report Data appears as XXXXXXX.

  • Community Member Profile Picture
    Community Member Microsoft Employee on at
    RE: Modifying Word Templates doesn't show fields

    We had a similar issue with too many dashes in the logo name, which resulted in XXXXX being returned in the word template. Thanks Josh for your post (a long time ago now)- helped resolved a painful issue very quickly.

  • Verified answer
    Community Member Profile Picture
    Community Member Microsoft Employee on at
    Re: Modifying Word Templates doesn't show fields

    Hi Dale,

    I figured it out and I'll relay my experiences here, but I don't suspect many others will come across this problem.  Also, it is a pretty deep dive and I'm a developer so this may get a bit too techie for some.

    I had been through that video you posted before and no matter what I did, whenever I would go to add a data source, it would show up in the drop down of available data sources but no fields would ever be present.  I also noticed that the button 'Remove source' would be greyed out for the data sources I was adding.  Putting two and two together, I started to realize there was something wrong with the XML that was coming from GP. 

    I started by removing all primary XML elements and then adding the document to a Word template as a data source.  Sure enough, fields started showing up.  So I continued to add / remove fields to determine which fields the XML was bombing on.   After many saves, I narrowed in on the line that was causing all the problems.  For some reason, the following line (which is an image) makes the entire data source bomb:

    <ReportPicture XMLNAME="979" BackColor="White" DisplayOptions="Visible" Picture=".WCER Logo" PositionLeft="21" PositionTop="276" SizeHeight="56" SizeWidth="122" ZOrder="129"></ReportPicture>

    Our primary customersource partner for Dynamics products recommended long ago that if we add any customized images to the GP dictionary, that we prefix them with a '.' so that they appear at the top of the list in Report Writer.  This is how we named our logo.  Removing the period from the name of the picture makes everything work fine. 

    Let this be a lesson to anyone with the old school thinking of putting periods in an image name for quick searches in Report Writer.  It ends up screwing things up many years later.

  • Suggested answer
    Dale Coulthard Profile Picture
    Dale Coulthard 3,055 on at
    Re: Modifying Word Templates doesn't show fields

    I have never experienced that issue.  The fields always appeared (so far) in Word related to our modified reports, so I'm not sure what is causing the issue.  You may still be able though to get the fields to appears.  Watch this video as it helped me sync one of my Word Templates after I made a change to a field on the Report Writer side.  This may enable you to see the fields by exporting the modified report out via XML then in Word chosing the Add Resource button under the Devleoper tab and selecting the XML file.  If you already attempted this, then I'm sorry that I couldn't offer any worth while suggestions.

    Good luck.

    Best regards,

    Dale

  • Community Member Profile Picture
    Community Member Microsoft Employee on at
    Re: Modifying Word Templates doesn't show fields

    Hi Dale,

    Yes, I've done both 1 and 2 (we are on 2010).  I'll try to clarify a little bit more.  I can create Word template documents and associate the templates with reports.  The problem comes when I go to modify those templates in Word (2010).  I see the Word template layout with all the XXX's.  My problem is that I cannot see any of the Report Sections or Fields when I select an XML Resource from the dropdown on the left.  I see SOP Blank Invoice Form but when I select it, nothing happens. 

    As an aside, this functionality works fine with original report templates from GP.  Trying this with one of our modified reports doesn't seem to work.  If I use the original SOP Blank Invoice template, I can see the Report Sections and Fields in the Word Template after select an XML Resource.  If I use the modified report, it doesn't work.  I went into Report Writer and verified the report and nothing is wrong there.  This modified report is what we've been using for a few years and there aren't any drastic changes (some things are removed, some text added, but no major restructuring or linking of data). 

    So it seems that the modified report, when viewed in Word templates, doesn't seem to pull the XML data properly so that I can select fields to add to the report. 

  • Suggested answer
    Dale Coulthard Profile Picture
    Dale Coulthard 3,055 on at
    Re: Modifying Word Templates doesn't show fields

    Josh,

    Sorry that I don't understand completely.

    Are you in GP10 or 2010?  We operate in 2010, so I apologize if my path is not the same, but

    1) Have you enabled the templates?  In GP, you would go to Reports>Template Configuration.

              a) If none of the boxes are checked, you will need to check the appropriate boxes for your organization.

             b) If the boxes are checked, then

    2) In GP, when you go to Reports>Template Maintenance, what steps are you taking?  Sorry if you already know the following, but in the field Report Name, when you drop down and choose More Reports, a new window will appear (Reports). You select the Product as Microsoft Dynamics GP with the Series as Sales or Purchasing (I assume you want to modify the POP or SOP forms) and the Status of either Original (if you use the original Report Writer report) or Modified (if you use the modified form).  This will list all the reports that are available in Report Writer, but not all those reports are necessarily available as a Word Template.  If you chose the SOP Blank Invoice Form, you will be taken back to the Report Template Maintenance screen, but at first, it will seem blank.  You then have to hit the "New" icon in the top left of the screen which will open up the New Template window.  You can then hit the radial button From Existing Template and click on the Template name.  At the bottom of the New Template window is a field called New Template Name.  Be sure to change this and use a name you can easily associate with the word template.  Now, hit the Create button in the bottom right of the screen.  This will create the template and take you back to the Report Template Maintenance window.  You now need to assign the template to the company.  Click on the button Assign at the top of the screen and choose Company which will open the screen Company Assignment and you then click on the company you want it assigned to, then click the Save button at the bottom right.  After that, you can begin to modify this Word Template by clicking on the Modify button at the top which will then open the template up in Word, but in Word, you should now have a tab at the top called "Developer".  Once you click on this tab, the new ribbon should have on the right side a section called Microsoft Dynamics GP Templates and there should be a icon called Field List.  

    Have you done all of 1 & 2?  If yes, then at what point are you not getting the template or seeing parts described above?

    Best regards,

    Dale

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