Setting up the Hierarchy feature

Before you can begin using hierarchy functionality, the following setup steps must be completed after installation:

Granting security access to Hierarchy windows

To grant users access to hierarchy functionality, including view-only windows, you must edit security tasks to include the new Hierarchy windows. When hierarchy operations are added to a task, any user who is assigned a role that includes that task will be granted access to those operations.

1. Select Microsoft Dynamics GP > Tools > Setup > System > Security Tasks.
2. Select the Task ID that you want to edit.
3. To display the list of hierarchy windows, select the following sort criteria from the drop-down menus:
   • Product
     Signature Equipment Management
   • Type
     .NET windows
   • Series
     Hierarchy
4. In the Access List scrolling window, mark the checkbox next to any hierarchy operation that someone performing this task must access. You can also Mark All or Unmark All.
5. Select Save when you are done.
6. Repeat steps 2 through 5 for every task that requires access to hierarchy windows.

If you want to view the users that have access to an operation, select the window on the Access List and select Print Operations Access.

Adding the Hierarchy tab

Complete the following steps to add the new Hierarchy tab to the Equipment Manager window:

Step 1: Update tabs

You must update tabs to display the new Hierarchy tab, which, by default, does not appear on the Equipment Manager or on the Tab Setup window.

All users must be out of Equipment Management before you open the Tab Setup window. Users trying to use the system while the Tab Setup window is open will receive a warning message.

1. Select Microsoft Dynamics GP > Tools > Setup > Equipment > System > Tabs.
2. Select Update Tabs to add the Hierarchy tab to the scrolling window. When prompted Are you sure you want to add new tabs? select Yes. The Hierarchy tab appears in the scrolling window. Adding the Hierarchy tab does not affect any customizations made to the order of the tabs; only the Initialize Tabs button restores the default tab order.
3. Mark the Visible checkbox to display the Hierarchy tab on the Equipment Manager. You can use the Top, Up, Down, and Bottom buttons to rearrange the Hierarchy tab from its default position.
4. Select OK.

Step 2: Update tab classes

A tab class is a subset of tabs; you assign a piece of equipment to a tab class to display only tabs relevant to that equipment. For example, rental equipment could be assigned a tab class including all rental tabs, while non-rental equipment could be assigned a tab class excluding rental tabs. Because any equipment can be part of a hierarchy, you may want the hierarchy tab to be visible for all tab classes.

All users must be out of Equipment Management before you open the Tab Class Setup window. Users trying to use the system while the Tab Class Setup window is open will receive a warning message.

1. Select Microsoft Dynamics GP > Tools > Setup > Equipment > System > Tab Classes.
2. Select the Class ID for which you want the tab to appear.
3. Locate the Hierarchy tab on the scrolling window, and mark the Visible checkbox.
4. Select Save. Repeat steps 2 through 4 for additional Class IDs.

Step 3: Update tab security

You can determine, either by individual user or by user class, which users have authority to make changes to the information on the Hierarchy tab. If you do not want a user to be able to edit the information, you can assign view-only permission. All users must be out of Equipment Management before you open the Tab Security Setup window. Users trying to use the system while the Tab Security Setup window is open will receive a warning message.

1. Select Microsoft Dynamics GP > Tools > Setup > Equipment > System > Tab Security.
2. Select a Security Mode; you can set up Default security settings or customize security based on User Class or individual User.
3. Locate the Hierarchy tab and mark the appropriate checkbox to allow Edit or View permissions for the selected user(s).
4. Close the window to save your changes.

Setting up Site IDs (optional)

Site IDs allow you to track the physical location of equipment inventory items so that your on-hand quantities are accurate. For example, when equipment is placed on rent, an inventory transfer is automatically created to track the movement of the equipment from the warehouse site to the rental site. Likewise, when you add an equipment inventory item to another equipment inventory item as a component, an inventory transfer takes place. The component is transferred to the component site of the top-level parent in the hierarchy group. See About hierarchical relationships for more information. If you are using site IDs, complete the following steps to set up a Home Site ID and a Component Site ID for your existing equipment records. In the future, you can set up sites upon purchasing new equipment or creating a new equipment record.

Step 1: Assign Component Site IDs

Before assigning home sites to equipment, assign component sites to home sites. You can only link one component site to each home site.

1. Select Microsoft Dynamics GP > Tools > Setup > Equipment > Equipment > Hierarchy Site Maintenance.
2. Complete the following:
   • Home Site ID: Select a site; the home site will be assigned to an equipment record.

   • Component Site ID: Select a site to associate with the Home Site ID. The component site will be used by any component of equipment assigned this home site. 

     

     You can use existing inventory site IDs, but you may want to create new site IDs specifically to describe the location of equipment and the location of equipment components. Zooming on either field opens the Site Maintenance window, where new Site IDs can be set up.

3. Select Save. Repeat for as many home sites as you want to set up.

Step 2: Assign Home Site IDs

Complete the following steps to set up a Home Site ID for an equipment inventory item. Equipment that is used for rental must have a Home Site ID set up to be transferred to the rental site.

1. Select Cards > Equipment > Equipment Manager.
2. Select an Equipment ID, and select the Hierarchy tab.

3. Use the lookup to select a Home Site ID. Your selection defaults as the Site ID for this equipment (view on the Inventory tab). If a component is added to this equipment, the component will be transferred to the component site that is linked to the selected home site. 

   

   This field is disabled if the equipment is already a component of another record; the Site ID is set to the component site of the top-level parent, and the Home Site ID cannot be edited.

4. Select Save.

Configuring hierarchy terminology (optional)

Your company may refer to equipment as "assets," or use containers to represent physical "kits" that you wish to refer to as such. You can customize the terminology used on the hierarchy windows by editing the following XML file:

Signature.Dynamics.GP.EquipmentManagement.Hierarchy.Language0.xml

This file is in the Signature AddIns folder of your Microsoft Dynamics GP directory, for example:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Dynamics\GP2015\AddIns\Signature

After editing the file, we recommend making a copy so you can keep track of the customizations that you make. When Signature Equipment Management is updated, the .xml file will be overwritten, and your customizations must be made again.

Editing the configuration file

1. Open the file Signature.Dynamics.GP.EquipmentManagement. Hierarchy.Language0.xml in any text editor.
2. Locate the tag you wish to edit. For example, to change the name used to refer to a container, you would need to edit every tag with the word "container" in it.
   <item key="AddContainer">Add Container</item>
3. Replace the existing entry with the new value, for example:
   <item key="AddContainer">Add Kit</item>
4. When you are done editing the entries that you wish to change, save, and close the file. 
5. Your changes will take effect the next time you launch Microsoft Dynamics GP.