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Microsoft Dynamics SL (Archived)

Auto Started Allocator - Error & Unallocated Transaction Identification

Posted on by 420

Hi Folks,

Were looking to activate the Auto Allocator option with SL 7.0, but I'm having trouble finding the correct way to identify if a item hit an error during the allocation process.

I'm looking for help in identifying a flag that can be used consistently for identifying which transactions fail to allocate or get kicked out due to error. I'd like to isolate the transactions that haven't yet been allocated (if auto is turned on, I guess it could be for any reason).

Currently the communicator note spits out a fail notice, but it looks like it stops at a single transaction within a given batch (IE, I baited a timesheet with a bunch of fail entries, but it only gives me the first project). Consequently, I now have a number of items that didn't allocate, but only a notice for the first project in the listing.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your time,

Justin

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  • Verified answer
    JustinOP Profile Picture
    JustinOP 420 on at
    RE: Auto Started Allocator - Error & Unallocated Transaction Identification

    Hi Folks – with the help of the Dynamics User Group forum and MS SL User group forum, we have been able to successfully turn on Auto Allocator at the professional services firm I work for. This is something a lot of companies probably already have in place, but a few groups may be contemplating the switch and looking for information in regards.

    Below are a few key items to think about and tips in relation when making the switch, based on my experiences:

    1. Auto-allocator is much more time efficient process than running manual allocator

    • It is also a key process to enable real-time project reporting as transactions hit the project as soon as posted (in prior practice we used to allocate in bulk manually a few times a week. A ~20 min exercise * the # of entities)

    2. Turning on auto-allocator means only “Recalc” mode is available for selection within Allocation Processor

    • Recalcs are a much more batch or project/task/date range specific exercise than allocating for all projects

    3. Errors are captured in PJTRANWK table, which can be read using the add on report from the SL user group section

    • If a single transaction in a batch encounters an error, all transactions are held up until it’s been fixed. It’s not as bad as it sounds…

    • Install default SL Report PA450C: KB 933082 to view unposted transactions (Location in SL: Project> Allocator> Alloc.Proc/GL Posting Audit (PA.450.00)> Reort Format: Unposted Allocations

    • We wrote a basic query to better read the table across multiple instance which will then be turned into an SSRS report and/or alert updates to notify the project accountants of errors that occur for troubleshooting

    • When troubleshooting a batch, recalc the specific batch in Allocation Processor

    • Select the Fiscal Period, System Code, and Batch Number

    • If you have many transactions within the error batch, run a general Recalc against the batch, and you will be given a traditional “event log” highlighting the details of the encountered error, which you can then troubleshoot in detail

    • When this table is clear, there are no errors to troubleshoot

    4. All project transactions auto-allocate as soon as the batches are posted; think about existing project reports that might not be period sensitive

    • Some of our own internal reports were based on transactions posted, not necessarily the period, so it forced us to revisit some older reports for updating

    Activating this feature helped us push ahead with creating more advanced real-time project reporting tools and saving a lot of processing time by removing the need for manual allocation runs. It’s hard to imagine looking back even after only one month of use.

    Thanks again everyone for the help and if you have any questions let me know!

    Best,

    Justin

  • Verified answer
    RE: Auto Started Allocator - Error & Unallocated Transaction Identification

    Dear Justin,

    It should write to the event log in the Administration module, There should also be the allocation processor messages report. And as you have already mentioned a communicator email...I'll look at that by the way, as it sounds like it should be sending more information. You can always go into allocator and process By Batch mode, put in the fiscal period, Module (System code) TM and F3 for a batch number. Then run it in Final mode, if there is a problem , it will give you a preview and an error. If there is nothing to allocate it will tell you and then it will delete the batch (in final mode)

    The records are all held in a table called pjtranwk.  We have a KB that you can visit and download the report.

    937224

    SYMPTOMS

    When you try to close the period or the year in Project Controller in Microsoft Dynamics SL, you receive the following error message:

    Unposted Allocations in Current or Prior Period

    CAUSE

    This problem occurs because batches of allocations that must be processed exist in the PJTranWk table.

    RESOLUTION

    To resolve this problem, determine the batches of allocations that must be processed, and then manually process the batches of allocations. To do this, follow these steps: 1.  Download the PA450C.rpt custom report that will show the unposted allocation batches. The following file is available for download from the Microsoft Dynamics File Exchange Server:

    KB937224 pa450cReport.zip

    Release Date: May 24, 2007

    Microsoft scanned this file for viruses. Microsoft used the most current virus-detection software that was available on the date that the file was posted. The file is stored on security-enhanced servers that help prevent any unauthorized changes to the file.  

    2.  Extract the compressed file.  

    3.  Copy the PA450C.rpt file to the USR_RPTS folder in the Microsoft Dynamics SL Program Files folder.  

    4.  On the Parent bar, click Report Control Maintenance (98.300.00) under Utility .  

    5.  In the Report Number field, type PA450 .  

    6.  In the first empty row under Report Format Name , type Unposted Allocations .  

    7.  In the first empty Report Format field, type PA450C .  

    8.  In the Report Control Maintenance (98.300.00) screen, click Save , and then click Close .  

    9.  In the modules list, click Allocator .  

    10.  Open the Alloc. Proc./GL Posting Audit (PA.450.00) report.  

    11.  Click the Report tab.  

    12.  In the Report Format field, click Unposted Allocations .  

    13.  Click Print . The resulting report shows all the batches of allocations that must be processed.  

    14.  Enable the Selection by Batch functionality in Project Controller. To do this, follow these steps: a.  In the module list, click Project Controller .  

    b.  In the Project Controller pane, click Project Controller Setup (PA.SET.00) .  

    c.  In the Project Controller Setup screen, click the PC Options and Setup tab.  

    d.  On the PC Options and Setup tab, click to select the Selection by Batch check box.  

    e.  In the Project Controller Setup (PA.SET.00) screen, click Save , and then click Exit .  

    15.  Process the allocation batches. To do this, follow these steps: a.  In the module list, click Allocator .  

    b.  In the Allocator pane, click Allocation Processor .  

    c.  Click in the Transaction Date field, and then press F7.  

    d.  In the Selection/Posting Period field, type the period number from the PA450C report.  

    e.  In the System Code field, type the system code from the PA450C report.  

    f.  In the Batch Number field, type the batch number from the PA450C report.  

    g.  Click Allocate Company .  

    h.  Repeat steps 15c through 15g for each row of results in the PA450C report.  

    i.  Close the Allocation Processor (PA.PRO.00) screen.  

  • Verified answer
    Mark Asmus Profile Picture
    Mark Asmus on at
    RE: Auto Started Allocator - Error & Unallocated Transaction Identification

    Justin,

    One thing that may help is a custom report that you can download from KB 933082:

    mbs2.microsoft.com/.../KBDisplay.aspx;en-us;933082

    It does a nice job of displaying what is in the PJTRANWK table without needing to go into SQL.   That table is a work table, so once everything is properly allocated, the table should be empty.  

    So in your auto-allocator issue question... you should be able to reprocess by batch.   You need to specify the "fiscal period", "system code", AND "batch number" in the bottom left of the allocation processor screen.  (the above report will give you these three pieces of info).   Once that is run, it will process the records and move them out of the pjtranwk table.

    One other thing to note... when auto-allocator is turned on, all new PJTRAN records get copied into PJTRAWK even if they are for account categories that aren't in your allocation method.   Then allocator will look at the pjtranwk records, compare them to the project's alloc method, to determine which (if any) actually need allocated.   It will then process them from there.

  • JustinOP Profile Picture
    JustinOP 420 on at
    RE: Auto Started Allocator - Error & Unallocated Transaction Identification

    Thanks, Mark. I had stumbled across the PJTranWk table just this week but need some help clarifying a few things if you have experience on the topic:

    Traditional Allocator (non-auto)

    1. Issue - Rates are our big "error" trigger, mainly since we have multiple rate tables to hold grandfathered or old projects, and a new employee might hit one of those projects and cause the error. This happens ~3-4 times a week.
    2. Our Fix Using Regular Allocator - the hours w/o a rate on the table get identified and added to the table. We individually re-run allocator for the impacted project and its all set.

    Using Auto-Allocator - in my test DB

    1. Error is caught against a 'batch' via communicator table.
    2. Add employee to table (insert a rate)
    3. Re-run a "recalc" against the project for the given range.
    • Issue: all items in a given batch did not go through allocator (but seem to be flagged as such), the whole batch needs to be recalc'ed (only recalc mode is available), but I can't seem to use the Allocation Processor module to recalc a given batch (unless it is unposted) - so it looks like we would have to do this project by project for the batch.
    • PjTranWk question - displays the items within the batch I'm looking for (which is great!); but do they start clearing out of this table as they are corrected? If not, I'm having a hard time confirming if something is unallocated after everything is said and done.

    I apologize for the length of this post, but I truly appreciate any input on the topic. Were trying to get our firm allocating at a near real time basis and its been a challenge!

    All the best,

    Justin

  • Mark Asmus Profile Picture
    Mark Asmus on at
    RE: Auto Started Allocator - Error & Unallocated Transaction Identification

    Justin,

    You are correct in that the communicator messages just give you the first error in a given batch.   using that information though, you can then look at the PJTRANWK table to see all the items that didn't allocate.   For example, I had a three line project charge entry batch that received the following error in communicator:

    Source Batch Nbr = 199901 PA 0000020014, Allocation Batch Nbr = 0000030017 : Rate not found for Source Project/Task CO123000/0000000 in Method/Step: TM/ 100.  

    I can use the batch number of 0000020014 to query the pjtranwk table to see all the lines that failed:

    select * from PJTranWk where batch_id='0000020014'

    Hope this helps.

    Thanks,

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