Retailers look to Mobile

Mobile retail technology is essential for retailers to successfully increase basket size. Almost all the retailers say the purpose of their mobile strategy is to drive shoppers to the store.

Task Recorder functionality in Dynamics AX 2012 R3 Retail POS

Dynamics AX 2012 R3 has a very good task recorder function which will record the user actions performed in AX client to create as a word document or recording video. The resulting document or video in the Recording file path can be used a manual or troubleshooting guide by the users. From my experience I literally use the Task recorder to create custom user guides which can be readily used by the customers. Dynamics AX 2012 has introduced a process oriented or simply to say "structured" way of doing a task recorder by bringing in the concepts of Framework, Industry and Hierarchy levels. These are completely definable by the author as in a way it is deemed necessary of arranging the document artifacts. Also the Framework and Industry helps to create a matrix which you can use to create multiple nodes based on the hierarchy levels. Let me now get back to this post where I want to just focus on the Task recorder of the Retail POS. Yes you heard it right, the Task recorder is extended and available in Retail POS also with the same Framework and Industry. The Rich client task recorder is pretty much straight forward as you can create some nodes and add the Recording path and straight away start doing the Task recording. 

There is pretty much NIL documentation(At least until the publication of this post) if you need to know anything on the Task recording for Retail POS and how to get it working as expected like the Rich client. 

There are some steps that you would need to do to make sure the Task recorder start button is enabled for Retail. 

First step is using the AX client make sure you have a Hierarchy and Industry created or available, and make sure for the Retail POS the Recording mode is selected as Basic. 

From AX Client >File>Tools> Task Recorder > Create a New Node "Retail" and Go to >Settings

 

 Settings> Framework 

Choose your Framework and Industry, the New node should be enabled. Add the new node until the level where allow artifacts is enabled as shown in the Hierarchy levels below. 

Settings> Hierarchy Levels 

Under the Hierarchy levels create the sequences for atleast 3 levels, may be you can provide the Levels such as Process Group, Process, Task, etc. For reference you can check the Contoso demo data. Make sure you have enabled the Allow artifacts from Sequence 3 onwards, this is the feature that enables to link the document recordings to the Nodes.

 Make sure to check the recording path in the Parameters are "Setup.

 

 

Retail> Periodic > Data Distribution> Distribution Schedule

Then make sure to run the Data distribution job 1170 to sync these values to the Channel database. 

Open Retail POS using manager privilege and open the Task Recorder. If the operation is not available you can choose any button and add the operation from the button properties if Design change on POS is allowed.

 

Create> New Task

 

Now do your start recording just as you would on the AX Client, after done stop and your document should be prepared with all the screenshots and steps just the way you want it.

The recording will be available in the assigned folders.

Until next time Cheers!