DimensionPath provides powerful extended functionality for Dynamics NAV dimensions. With the product added to a NAV database, dimensions can do more than ever before, and are more easily accessed and analyzed. Data entry is better controlled to ensure integrity and eliminate time spent reallocating and adjusting. The key features of the product are:
- 8 Global Dimensions
- DimensionPath bring all 8 shortcut dimensions up to a global level for filtering and drill-downs on the financial side. Filter your chart of accounts by any of the 8 dimensions without the need to use analysis views or tools.
- Dimension Synchronization for master tables
- Simply create a dimension code and turn on synchronization for any of a number of key tables to have dimension values automatically created and linked through Default Dimensions. A simple 2-minute setup now gets data flowing to the G/L broken down by Customer, Item, Item Category, Product Group, etc. No more manual entry and users missing the setup for a linked dimension value, and no cost for customizations that are frequently done in this area. Simply define it.
- Dimension subsets
- Limit the dimension values available to users for one dimension based on the selection of another dimension. With this setup, data entry and lookups are restricted accordingly throughout the ENTIRE application. Users will simply not see or be able to key in values that are invalid based on other transaction settings. Examples of how this can be used:
- With an EXPCAT (Expense Category) and EXPCODE (Expense Code) dimension structure, limit the options available for Expense Code once a category is selected. So, if the user selects a COMPHARDWARE expense category code, only enable them to see and select the appropriate Expense Code options (LAPTOP, MONITOR, etc.).
- If dimensions are used to track simple project costs with a phase breakdown (so, a PROJECT dimension and a PHASE dimension), limit the phase options by project. If phase codes are defined for SALES, PLANNING, DEVELOPMENT, TRAINING and SUPPORT, and a given project will only involve TRAINING and SUPPORT, limit the phase options so users are only given those choices once the project is selected on a transaction.
- Along with dimension synchronization, limit the dimension values that can be posted to a given G/L account. Synchronize the G/L account table with a dimension (eg. GLACCOUNT) and then define subset values for other dimension codes based on the GLACCOUNT dimension selected.
- Limit the dimension values available to users for one dimension based on the selection of another dimension. With this setup, data entry and lookups are restricted accordingly throughout the ENTIRE application. Users will simply not see or be able to key in values that are invalid based on other transaction settings. Examples of how this can be used:
- Dimension relationships
- While dimension subsets limit options from a top-down hierarchy perspective, dimension relationships work in the other direction. Using relationships, a given dimension value can have a relation defined to a value for another dimension. These relationships can be firm (the user can’t change or violate them) or flexible (a default that is brought in, that the user can change if desired). The benefits here are data entry speed (specify one dimension value, and have other dimension values populate automatically) and data integrity (ensure that a given dimension value always maps to the expected other dimension values).
- As one example, using the EXPCAT/EXPCODE scenario above, and assuming each Expense Category can further map up to a DEPARTMENT dimension:
- A relationship can be defined for the “LAPTOP” expense code to map it to Expense Category “COMPHARDWARE”.
- A relationship can then be defined from Expense Category COMPHARDWARE to map it to Department “IT”.
- Once this is done, the user can simple enter the LAPTOP expense code on a transaction to immediately have the Expense Category dimension fill in as COMPHARDWARE and the Department dimension fill in as IT.
- Multiple legal entities in a single NAV company
- DimensionPath will accommodate scenarios where multiple operating companies need to be set up in a single NAV company to make full transactional detail and financial results visible across all entities at all times.
- Global Dimension 1 is used to segregate entity data. DimensionPath enforces G/L balancing by Global Dimension 1 at all times.
- Extensive additional functionality around this is provided:
- Prevention of item transfers across entities. Items must be sold and bought between entities using standard NAV documents.
- Prevention of cash receipt and payment applications across entities to prevent imbalances between subledgers and the G/L.
- Prevention of sales/purchase document applications to open entries under other entities (again, to ensure subledger balancing).
- Automatic creation of a linked purchase order for an inter-entity sales order.
- Inter-entity due-to and due-from posting setups and generated entries.
- The ability to process purchase documents and allocate lines across entities, automatically booking the due-to / due-from entries.
- Suggest vendor payments modified to suggest separate payments out of each entity for shared vendors.