Copying Business Setup Data to a new instance

Question

Re: AX 2012 R2 Service Pack 2 I am looking for options in copying Business Setup data (eg Companies, Chart of Accounts, Location, etc) from one AX instance to another instance. The instances are currently in development so we don't have to worry about wiping out data. As of now one single instance has a master copy of all Business Setup information. What I want to do is copy that data to multiple development instances.

I can refresh the Model Store and Business Data with no problem. But the Business Setup data is a different beast entirely. In AX 2009, there was a feature to copy this information, but it has since been removed in AX 2012. I've read multiple articles on this but each one warns that it's either not recommended or only for testing. I need something that is safe to use.

Has anyone found a clean process to copy business setups from one instance to another in AX 2012?

Answer 1

The really simple solution is to have an AX setup database/environment without any transactions.

To deploy do a SQL Server, do a backup of the setup database and restore to the target database followed by a full AX dictionary synchronize in the target application.

This will of cause wipe out any transactions, setup etc. done in the target database.

After import a script is run to change file locations not to point to setup locations etc. You may need to save some data beforehand using the Administration, Periodic, Data Export/Import, Export then import after the wipe.

Below is the actual procedure used by one of my customers. The setup is done in the production environment and the target may be the flow testing environment.

Sketch list:

1. Backup setup
2. Export target data
3. Stop target AOS
4. Restore to target
5. Run SQL script
6. Start target AOS
7. Database synchronization
8. Run AX script
9. Import target data

This procedure is also great for making a test environment of a production environment.

Answer 2

There is a Microsoft document, "Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012: Tech Domain New Features Module 5: Moving Between Environments" on this subject (Google that entire title and it will be the first hit).

The procedure that Jan outlines in his answer is correct but more high level. There is data in several tables that store configuration information that you want to wipe out after the restore, and insert the rows that were there prior to the restore. I.e., there are some tables that you need to export before you do the restore, so that you can create SQL scripts to insert that data.

You can do it without these procedures, but then you have a messy environment with AOS servers listed that aren't in the environment, and if you have a reporting server, help server, etc., you have to go through and change all of that manually. If you save the data prior to the restore, then you have scripts that will get the configuration where it needs to be and it just takes one second.

Answer 3

You can copy commonly used values from an existing company to a new one, as long as both companies are in the same database. For example, if you have a standard list of symptom codes that is common to all your service management implementations, you can copy the codes easily from one company to another.

To copy data to a new company using RapidStart Services:

• Open the new company.
• Choose the Lightbulb that opens the Tell Me feature icon, enter Configuration Worksheet, and then choose the related link.
• Choose the Copy Data from Company.
• On the Copy Company Data page, choose a company to copy from in the Copy From field, and then choose the OK button.
• Select a table from one of the configuration packages that you have imported, and then choose the Copy Data action.

This works for me with Microsoft