Getting Started with Dynamics NAV 2013 Application Development: Using this tutorial will take you deeper into Dynamics NAV from a developer's viewpoint, and allow you to unlock its full potential. The book covers developing an application from start to finish in logical, illuminating steps.

After Dynamics NAV is installed, run the Visual Studio Web Developer 2010 Express installation. Again, this is needed for creating and modifying Dynamics NAV reports.

There's an additional component that you will need to install on your computer in order to properly modify Dynamics NAV reports using the Visual Studio Web Developer Express. You will need to install the free version of Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Shell (Integrated) Redistributable Package. The link is as follows:

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?displaylang=en&id=115

For this book, any additional contents on the installation files will not be needed. Running through the installation wizard will be more than enough for what we need to do.

Suppose you're a curious person like myself and you click on the Choose an installation option instead; you'll instead be presented with a list of the components that you can install.

Here's a quick rundown of the components that can be installed individually. If you click on an icon, you will get a description of what it is. I will go through these options in simple English.

The components you will see are as follows:

If any of the preceding components catch your eye and you would like additional information on them, Microsoft provides detailed explanations on each of the components and how to deploy them in your organization. This detailed information can be found at:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd301130(v=nav.70).aspx

If you want more information on these additional components and how they can benefit your business, I would highly recommend you contact your local Dynamics NAV partner and get them involved. Nothing is more frustrating than installing something and not knowing how it works.

The Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 Administration Shell allows you to run scripts implemented using PowerShell 2.0. There are predefined commands (called Cmdlet) that the user can use right away. The built-in Cmdlet allows the administrator to configure and troubleshoot permissions and connection problems on a local or remote computer. Also worth mentioning is that Cmdlet should always be run as an administrator.

This tool will come in very handy if you're deploying Dynamics NAV to remote locations or in your own private cloud.

As the name suggests, this is where NAV developers come to create all sorts of wonderful things for Dynamics NAV. This is the main environment where developers work; it is called the Client/Server Integrated Development Environment (C/SIDE). Within C/SIDE, you will be developing using a language called Client/server Application Language (C/AL).

All of the objects are contained within this environment and stored in the SQL Server database, so you do not have to go anywhere else to create or modify applications for the end users. Even the development of report layouts, which uses Visual Studio and not C/SIDE, is tightly integrated and is launched from within the development environment.

The development environment is also where the user can update the license either on the server or for their particular session.

When you start this application, it will look very empty. For Dynamics NAV developers, the majority of their time will be spent here, so having a nice clean space is a very good start.

Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 Windows Client is the actual client application that the end users will be using to transact their daily operations. As mentioned earlier, the client application is called the Role Tailored Client (RTC), or Windows Client.

By default, when you start the Windows Client, you will assume the role of a sales-order processor. This is okay, because you can still access any part of the system as long as you have permission to do so.

Any changes we've made in the development environment will be reflected in the client application through the middle tier. If you're using any other interface, such as a mobile interface or a web interface, the changes will be reflected there as well.

Do not confuse this with the previously mentioned Administration Shell. The Microsoft Dynamics NAV Administration program allows you to manage the Dynamics NAV services that are installed both on your local computer and on the server. You can also manage the services without using this program using the command prompt, but that wouldn't be very efficient, or fun.

There's a tool in the SQL Server 2012 folder called Import/Export Data. As a general rule, when working with Dynamics NAV or any ERP software out there, do not ever try to import data directly into the SQL tables in your ERP software. The reason is that these import/export programs do not validate against any business logic that's built in place. By doing these imports in an external program, you risk undermining the integrity of the data in your ERP software.

The SQL Server 2012 report builder is installed primarily for the API to upgrade RDLC 2005 for Dynamics NAV 2009 to RDLC 2008 in Dynamics NAV 2013.

Of course, you can use the report builder to create beautiful reports for Dynamics NAV if you do not wish to use the reporting tool within C/SIDE.

The reports that you will be modifying or creating in C/SIDE will automatically be linked to the appropriate objects. However, the reporting in C/SIDE will not be done using the Report Builder application.

When you install Dynamics NAV, the demonstration license is installed by default. The demonstration license allows you to access every module in Dynamics NAV. However, the areas you're able to develop are severely restricted. The demo license is intended for you to click around and test a few transactions with certain date ranges. It's not really meant for learning development, which is the reason why you're reading this book.

In case you're already familiar with Dynamics NAV object numbers, here are the properties of the Dynamics NAV 2013 demo license from the Microsoft website:

The database data restriction is as follows:

If you're looking for more development capability, you can also subscribe to MSDN to get a Dynamics NAV license with more capability than the out of the box demo license.

At the time of writing, Microsoft had not released the MSDN license for Dynamics NAV 2013. If you want the MSDN license, check the MSDN site regularly.

The MSDN license for Dynamics NAV is meant for you to learn development in Dynamics NAV; however, you will not be able to use this license to run your company. The license has the same restrictions as the demo license, in that you can only enter transactions in a certain date range.

If you're already familiar with Dynamics NAV object numbers, here are the properties of the MSDN licensing:

The restriction on the database data is as follows:

The pricing for an MSDN subscription and a full user license is comparable. In fact, buying a full Dynamics NAV user license is cheaper than an MSDN subscription.

If buying Dynamics NAV is what your company is going to do anyway, it may be better to purchase the Starter Pack without any additional users. This will allow you to use the license and the database that you will use when Dynamics NAV is implemented for your company. If you choose to buy the full license, you will be able to follow the majority of exercises in this book. However, without buying the developer license, you will not be able to modify the coding that's covered in the later chapters of the book.

You will also not get to use the more advanced modules, such as manufacturing or warehouse management. However, this book will not be getting into these advanced granules.

The On-Premise license will allow you to modify everything except the following:

In addition, the On-Premise license comes with the following:

In order to buy the On-Premise license, you will need to find your local Dynamics NAV Solution Provider. Thankfully, Microsoft provides a directory for partners that provide service and software, as follows:

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics/partner-information.aspx

Part of the big push with the release of Dynamics NAV 2013 is the ability to move the product into the cloud environment. There are a few companies that have cloud offerings.

The company that has graciously allowed us to use their environment for you to log in and follow along with the book is called Data Resolution, Inc. Coincidentally, they were named Hosting Partner of the Year by Microsoft in 2012.

You can get a 30-day free trial at http://navappdev.erpclouds.com/. Thirty days should be more than enough for you to follow through the chapters in this book. Unfortunately, Data Resolution does not offer a longer free trial.

The licensing available when you sign up would be the same as buying the On-Premise Dynamics NAV license with full development capabilities for your company.

Again, you will not get to use the more advanced modules, such as manufacturing or warehouse management. This book will not be getting into these advanced granules; if you're interested in these by the end of this book, you can ask your local Dynamics NAV solution provider to discuss using this solution for your company.

If you wish to continue following through the book and continue doing examples after the 30-day trial, you will need to sign up. So, use your time with this book wisely.