Infor Masterpiece & The
Software Development Kit
February, 2014
Tom Fox – Business Development Manager
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The ‘new’ Masterpiece Look using SDK
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Agenda
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What is the Masterpiece Software Development Kit (SDK)?
Challenges facing companies today
Examples of SDK applications
Why would you use the SDK?
SDK Architecture
What is an SDK Wizard (Courtesy of NTG)
What’s in it for you?
Questions
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Infor Masterpiece 4.0 & Beyond
User Experience
Role-based Dashboards
|
Extended Business
Solutions
EPAK
Formtrap
Expense Management
Version One
Approva
EAM
CRM
Reports
|
Alerts |
Personalized Tasks
|
Seamless User Interface
Financial
Management
Common Services
Master Security
General Ledger
Accounts Payable
Accounts Receivable
Purchasing
Smartlink
Performance Management
Fixed Assets
Project Accounting
Inventory
Fund Accounting
Labour Distribution
AP/AR Draft Services
Banklink
Infor
Ad-hoc Query & Analysis (Q&A)
Business Intelligence (BI)
•BI Operational Analytics & Reports
•BI Financial Reporting & Analysis
•BI Budgeting
•BI Forecasting
•BI Consolidations
non-Infor
Integration & Technology Platform
Integration/SDK | Workflow & Process Automation | Event Management | Master Data Management | Security
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What is an SDK?
SDK is an abbreviation for Software Development Kit
It is a programming language with a set of "built in smarts” and pre-defined
functions that allow users and developers to perform upload capabilities and
extensive data validations outside the standard validation rules within FM
It will generate solutions to satisfy specific requirements, normally around
Masterpiece and can validate/integrate/upload data from feeder systems
Runs on different platforms and will integrate with existing applications
Can operate and interact with applications such as Masterpiece, Basware,
Chris21 Payroll or any other product in your environment
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Today’s Challenges
• Integration
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Software Packages
Clients’ In-House Data and Applications
Quick adjustments to changes
E-Commerce Solutions and Services
Mobile Connection
• Site extensions
• Incorporate specific validations or business rules
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Why do you need SDK?
• Information Gathering and Delivery
• Centralised vs Decentralised
• End user expectations higher than ever
• Little or no training
• Integration
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Web Services
Workflow
Portals
Business Intelligence
• Automation/Streamline Processes
• Repetitive tasks
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SDK Examples
• PO Requisition Authorisation
• Business Problem
• Too many screens
• Not enough information for decision making
• AR Invoice Entry
• Business Problem
• Too many screens
• Hard to use
• AP Supplier Information
• Business Problem
• All information available on one screen not required
• Difficult to Sort and filter
• Self service application required for some suppliers
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SDK Other examples
• Web Services for Validation
• GL Account Number
• Supplier Id
• External data load where no batch feed exists
• Vendor Parts
• GL Account Processing Tables
• Remote job scheduling
• XML Transactions
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SDK Example - AP Vendor Inquiry/Maintenance
•Vendor Details Panel
•The first screen to appear after
logging into the SDK within AP is
the ‘Vendor Details’ screen.
•This screen enables the user to
enquire on vendor records using
a variety of different search
criteria.
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MP Screens Replaced
AP131
AP145
AP135
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The Infor Financial Management SDK Solution
A tool to be used within the Microsoft .net desktop programming
environment to access Masterpiece plus other products
• Exposes Masterpiece Business Logic
• Panels
• Database
• Application Programming Interfaces (Services)
• Safe Programming Environment
• All processing rules enforced
• All security honored
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Recommended do’s and don’ts for SDK?
• IT IS:
• Powerful access to all Masterpiece functionality
• Powerful access to functionality within other products
• Quick and easy programming tool
• What it’s NOT:
• A new GUI to maintain
• A Database manager
• End-user tool
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Pre-requisites for the SDK
• For MP4.0, as of KB 1015026, we support .NET 4.0
and 64 bit OS
• We no longer have a dependency on J# (which has
been depreciated by Microsoft and never brought
forward to 64 bit)
• 400Mhz Pentium II with 256Mb memory
• Windows 98 or higher
• To the extent that apps can be contained to browserbased there may be some hope of running under a
browser (Firefox, Chrome, Safari) that can run on a
mobile device, but this is not available today
• Our new Masterpiece web UI, for instance, will run
on iPads, etc. as it runs on those other browsers.
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SDK Application Potential
• Shareable Business Objects
• Web Services
• Supports All .NET Programming Languages
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Contents of the SDK
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Predefined Masterpiece controls for developing desktop and web applications
‘Explorer’ tools
Detailed on-line documentation
Sample applications
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The development environment
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‘Explorer’ Tools
• Panel explorer
• Database explorer
• Search or Prompt explorer
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‘Explorer’ Tools – panel explorer
View data as a
panel
View data as a
record
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‘Explorer’ Tools – database explorer
Retrieve records from the USR table in the database
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‘Explorer’ Tools – search explorer
Find all users whose name
starts with ‘A’
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On-Line documentation
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Sample desktop application:
Load currency rates from web into Masterpiece
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Sample desktop application:
monitor and graph Masterpiece utilization
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SDK application – web example
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SDK application – web example
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Sample Web Application: Display Customer Balances
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NTG Shared Services SDK Development
DCIS was established in 1998/99 to provide Shared Services to the NT Public Service
•Drivers were:
•Reduction in back office expenses
•Agencies competing for the same resources
•NTPS already had centralised HR and Finance systems and IT infrastructure
•Additional $$ for Nurses, Teachers and Police
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NTG Shared Services
Financial Services Provided:
• Purchasing
• Accounts Payable
• Accounts Receivable
• Asset Accounting
• General Ledger
• Financial Reporting
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Masterpiece Wizards (NTG)
• What are they?
• What are they being used for?
• Wizard Technical Infrastructure
• Examples of use
• Benefits of using Wizards rather than standard Masterpiece user interface
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What are the Wizards ?
• Customised user front end for Masterpiece application
• Windows Forms applications
• Built on the Microsoft .net framework
• Use Infor’s Masterpiece SDK
• Deployed on a web server
• Do not directly process transactions
• Allow integration with non-Masterpiece data i.e. Masterpiece data warehouse
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Wizard Applications
• Accounts Payable
• Vendor Enquiry
• Voucher Enquiry
• APPO Payment Processing
• Purchase Order
• PO Maintenance
• Accounts Receivable
• Invoice Requisitioning
• Receipts Processing System
• Fixed Assets
• Maintenance, Costing & Retirement
• Ledger Transfer Facility
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Wizard Technical Infrastructure
Database Host
Client PC
SQL Server
Wizard / SDK
Drives
Panels
Application
Upload
MP Web
Masterpiece
Application Server
NTG Mainframe
MP Web Server
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Accessing the NTG Wizards
•The NTG Wizards are web-based
and can only be viewed through an
Internet browser
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AP Enquiry
•Enquiry details panel
•Enquiries can be performed on
Voucher or Payment information.
•Click Enquiry and choose the
desired enquiry.
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AP Voucher Enquiry
•The Voucher inquiry
screens is made up
of six panels which
relate to specific
masterpiece web
panels.
•The first, fourth and
sixth boxes extract
information from the
AP321 to AP324
panels.
•The second panel
extracts Vendor
information from the
AP131 screen.
1 Search Criteria
4 Search Results
5 Payment Details
2 Vendor Information
•The third panel
extracts information
from AP301A, which
feeds from the first
panel.
•The fifth panel
extracts information
from the AP651
panel.
6 Distribution Information
3 Voucher Information
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MP Screens Replaced
AP 321, 322, 323
or 324
AP 301
AP 510
AP 651
AP 131
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AP Wizard Tax Compliancy Screen
The ability to check for tax compliancy is not available in MP
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AP Wizard Invoice Details Screen
The due date is automatically calculated as 25 days from the Invoice Date when 30 days
Payment Terms is selected.
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Benefits of the AP Wizard
• User friendly and easy to learn for new users
• Displays all information regarding Vendor, Voucher and Payment details on one screen
• Built in Tax Compliancy check for invoices when processing payments
• Automatic calculation of payment due date to meet the 30 day NTG Payment Policy
• Integrated user guide and help system
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AP Vendor Wizard
Vendor Creation and Maintenance Allows for Vendor Searching by Name as well as by ABN and
BSB/Account Numbers
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MP Screens Replaced
AP131
AP140
AP132
AP135
AP145
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Benefits of the AP Vendor Wizard
•
User friendly and easy to learn for new users
• • User
friendly and
easy
to learnfor
forVendors
new users
Additional
ability
to search
by ABN or BSB and Bank Account numbers
• • Displays
information
regarding
Voucher and
Payment
details on one screen
Vendorallrecords
can be
createdVendor,
and maintained
all on
one screen
Only
the Compliancy
fields that require
data
to be entered
are displayed
on screen
• • Built
in Tax
check for
invoices
when processing
payments
The wizard
forces newly
created
beday
checked
by a second
operator
• • Automatic
calculation
of payment
dueVendor
date torecords
meet theto30
NTG Payment
Policy
before activation to ensure accuracy of data input
• Integrated user guide and help system
• Integrated user guide and help system
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Purchase Order Wizard
•Purchase Order Creation and Maintenance
•Allows for entry and/or maintenance of all Purchase Order types
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MP Screens Replaced
PO401
PO414C
PO402
PO402
PO414A
PO433
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Benefits of the PO Wizard
• User friendly and easy to learn for new users
• Search for Vendor by using either Vendor ID, Full Name or Australian Business Number (ABN).
• Comprehensive Help System and User Guide available through a drop down help menu.
• Two panels for PO Header and Lines replace 13 Green-screens
• Microsoft Word Templates and Windows print functionality to print Purchase Order forms.
• One drop down menu to perform all PO Status maintenance.
• Business rules can be added e.g. Users must use a valid contract number from the dropdown list which is
updated regularly.
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AR Invoice Requisition Wizard
Invoice header information including Customer ID, Description and Invoice Amount
clearly displayed
• Most of the fields on this screen post to
AR411E and F screens
• Special instructions post to Line 0 on
AR411G Panel
• Total and Tax amounts are calculated
by the wizard
• The second description line, arranged
as it appears on the invoice, posts to
AR525F
• This line total is a sum of all invoice
lines, GST Inc
• The line total must equal the Invoice
Amount (from the Invoice Amount on
the header) before the wizard will let the
user continue
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Benefits of the AR Wizard
• User-friendly and easy to learn for new users
• The fields are laid out similar to the layout of the invoice
• Wizard includes a Preview option which launches MS Word so users can see how their
invoice will be formatted when sent to customer
• As with the Green-screens, the AR Wizard calculates Tax and Total line/invoice amounts
• Displays all information about the invoice line in one panel, rather than separated over
three panels
• Added Functionality: Users can attach electronic supporting documentation to the invoice,
and the NTG AR group will send this attachment to the client with the invoice
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Ledger Transfer Facility Wizard
The LTF Wizard allows two internal agencies to issue and pay invoices in one system, and auto
generates the journals required to effect the Ledger Transfer.
• Vendor and Customer
names/details all clearly
displayed
• Four-stage approval
process – 2 steps on
each side of the
transaction.
• Supporting/source
documentation can be
added to the invoice as
an attachment
• Total and Tax amounts
are calculated by the
wizard
• Layout and functionality
is very similar to the AR
Wizard which users
were already familiar
with
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Benefits of the LTF Wizard
• User-friendly and easy to learn for new users
• Invoice information all available in one screen
• Initiated from receivables request
• Electronic/online invoice so no paper invoice required – however does include the option to
print out the invoice
• Wizard includes a Preview option so users can see how their data will be formatted when
sent to customer/client
• Tracking and Workflow built into the system to prevent unpaid/old invoices building up
• Journals posted on day of approval
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What’s in it for you?
It will make your life easier
• “Look and feel” tailored to client needs
• Enforce client specific validations, polices and business rules
• Integrate/interface other applications (via ODBC connection)
• Deploy as desktop or Web based
• User does not require detailed knowledge of Masterpiece tables and business rules
• No change to “ANY” Masterpiece programs
• Deployed as a complete solution for specific requirements
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SDK Summary
• Programming Environment and Tool
• Custom Controls for Masterpiece and other modules
• Additional Components Included
• ‘Explorer’ tools
• Detailed on-line documentation
• Sample applications
• Generally available for all platforms, plus can interact with the Mobile community on
phones, iPADS and Tablets
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FM SDK Typical Project
• Scoping Exercise
• Determine business requirements
• Create functional specification
 Development
 Testing/Feedback
 Final Development
 Sign Off
 Go Live
Scope
Dev
Test
Changes
Sign Off
Go Live
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“SDK” deliverables options
• Option 1 - Purchase SDK Package
• Purchase full SDK development license
• ICS can provide training and assistance with initial project(s)
• ICS is available for ongoing Quality Assurance and assistance as needed
• Option 2 – SDK Service Days
• Client provides requirements
• ICS delivers “executable” solution
• License for SDK “runtime” only
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Q &A
What will SDK provide to SA Government?
• Assist in streamlining processes?
• Comply with business rules and policies?
• Provide additional and specific validation rules?
• Provide better Search and Filter capabilities?
• Integrate with existing applications?
What other opportunities does it provide?
What challenges do you face each day?
Where do you see a need for SDK in your role?
Other Questions?
Contact: Tom Fox
- Business Development Manager
- Mob: 0412 575 154
- Email: thomas.fox@infor.com
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