FAQ

General

Q: Which client types does ForNAV work with?
A: It works with all known client types that are supported by Microsoft Dynamics NAV, including RTC and the web client.

Q: Can you save ForNAV reports as PDF, Word, Excel, or XML?
A: Yes, all these formats are supported.

Q: What kind of performance can I expect using ForNAV reports?
A: Because we run the reports on the NAV Server, less data is transferred to the client. All testing indicates that this means faster execution of the reports, compared to similar reports made in RDLC. Furthermore, there have not been any memory allocation issues on the clients.

Q: Is ForNAV Certified for Microsoft Dynamics (CfMD)?
A: We are in the process of being certified.

Q: Can you create analysis reports with drilldown functionality? Like some dashboard reports where you see totals and can drilldown to the details.
A: No. We believe there are other great solutions handling this.

Q: Can you create code in the reports?
A: Yes, through C/SIDE. With NAV 2016, a new editing tool will be available, which we recommend using.

Q: Is there a preview mode, or just PDF output?
A: When you choose preview, ForNAV will open the PDF viewer directly. You can then preview the report and choose to print it.

Q: Do you have transheader and transfooter for transferring sums from one page to another?
A: Yes.

Q: What about support for PlaceInBottom?
A: Yes, we support that.

Q: Does ForNAV support watermarks?
A: Yes, when you print to PDF, you can add a watermark.

Q: Does ForNAV support passwords on reports?
A: Yes, when you print to PDF, you can protect the report with a password.

Q: Do you support the PrintOnEverypage for header/footer as well?
A: Yes.

Q: Have you experienced “Out of memory” on print preview with ForNAV?
A: No.

Q: Can you run a combination of RDLC reports and ForNAV reports?
A: Yes, the reports can coexist, and the experience will be nearly the same for the end-user.

Q: Can you have code on sections?
A: Yes.

Q: Does ForNAV use “hacks” that will not work in future versions of Microsoft Dynamics NAV?
A: No.

Q: Does the report output support color?
A: Yes.

Q: Can you have multiple Report Layouts for one report that could be used in MultiTenant installations?
A: We plan to support that in a future version.

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Installation

Q: What needs to be installed on the Microsoft Dynamics NAV server?
A: Only one DLL is installed in the NAV server add-ins folder. The license file also needs to be installed.

Q: What needs to be installed on the Microsoft Dynamics NAV client to run the reports?
A: Nothing when you want to run the reports. The client DLL is automatically deployed from the server to the client (in 2013, you have to deploy it using the installer). Also, when you create reports in PDF, Excel, or Word format, you need to have access to a program for the specific file type on the client computer.

Q: What needs to be installed on the Microsoft Dynamics NAV client in order to convert and design reports?
A: If you want to convert or design reports, you need Reports ForNAV installed on that specific client. The installer supports a developer mode, which installs all the required components. You need to have the appropriate Microsoft Dynamics NAV licensing.

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Pricing

Q: If the customer is on a subscription, will they be able to use converted reports after they stop paying?
A: No, you need a current license to run the ForNAV reports.

Q: If you buy a perpetual license, is upgrade mandatory the first year?
A: Yes.

Q: What happens if you discontinue your upgrade?
A: You will not be able to receive upgrades of ForNAV, including any upgrades related to new versions of Microsoft Dynamics NAV.

Q: Are upgrades included in a subscription license?
A: Yes.

Q: Does ForNAV invoice customers directly?
A: No, our business model goes 100% through partners.

Q: Any plans on regional prices?
A: Currently, we have prices in EUR, USD, DKK, SEK, NOK, CHF, CAD, AUD, NZD, FJD and GBP. We also have a USD price list for customer located in Asia.

Q: Will you still need “Report Objects” when using ForNAV reports?
A: Yes. The report is still an object that requires Microsoft Dynamics NAV licensing.

Q: Does this tool consume any extra Microsoft Dynamics NAV license?
A: Not for running the reports. If you want to do conversion or use the advanced features of the Designer, you need access to Application Builder or Solution Developer.

Q: If a buy a “per user” license and go beyond 20 users, what happens then?
A: When you reach 20 users, your license will automatically turn into a “per company” license. So you can never pay more than the price of a “per company” license.

Q: We have several companies in one database. Do we need one ForNAV license for each?
A: If you have several companies in the same database and these companies all belong to the same group of companies – that is mother/daughter/sister companies with more than 50% ownership – you need one ForNAV license only.

Q: We have several companies in several databases. How many ForNAV licenses do we need?
A: Normally, you need one ForNAV license for each database. As a rule of thumb you will need one ForNAV license for each Microsoft Dynamics NAV license you have. If you have several companies in several databases, and these companies all belong to the same group of companies – that is mother/daughter/sister companies with more than 50% ownership – you are eligible to acquire the additional ForNAV license at a discounted price.

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Reports ForNAV Designer

Q: Does the designer support multi-language?
A: Yes, it works the same way as the C/SIDE reporting tool in NAV.

Q: Can I build new reports with the Designer?
A: Yes.

Q: Can I add new fields to a report?
A: Yes.

Q: Do you support multitenancy?
A: Yes. Please note you need a license for each customer.

Q: Does Reports ForNAV handle page breaks and page numbers?
A: Yes, in a similar way to the C/SIDE reporting tool.

Q: Does Reports ForNAV support “Page x of y”?
A: Yes.

Q: Will the page number be reset when printing multiple invoices, so the page counter starts with page 1 for each new invoice?
A: Yes.

Q: Will the designer be able to handle page numbers in the header?
A: Yes.

Q: Which barcodes are available?
A: We included every kind we could think of, including QR codes. You can see the full list in the Designer.

Q: Do barcodes require any special fonts or other utilities installed?
A: No.

Q: Is it possible to do Word layout side by side with ForNAV?
A: No. You can print the ForNAV reports to Word, but you must use the Designer to make any layout changes.

Q: Can Reports ForNAV Designer extract the source file directly from the database and then save it to the database without any import/export from the object designer?
A: Yes. You need to have the appropriate Microsoft Dynamics NAV licensing.

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Reports ForNAV Converter

Q: Why does the converter need the web service for page 7702?
A: It uses the web service to populate fields with information. Not all the needed field information is available in reports exported as text. As an alternative you can export a text file with the definitions.

Q: When is the web service for page 7702 used?
A: It is only used during design and conversion of reports from C/SIDE (“classic”) to ForNAV format. It is not used when running the new reports.

Q: Can I move converted reports between databases?
A: Yes, when the report has been converted, you can move it as any other object (as a .fob or .txt file)

Q: Why does the converted report contain RDLC in the text format?
A: The RDLC is there to make the text object compatible with the object import. The NAV development environment requires the RDLC block at the end.

Q: Does the converter upgrade my table structure and business logic?
A: As a rule, no. There are, however, some definitions in the converter that help you with the change in table structure related to dimensions from version 2009 to 2013.

Q: How can I modify the converted reports?
A: Using the Reports ForNAV Designer, you can easily modify your reports. If you want to, you can also make changes in the C/SIDE reporting tool and re-convert.

Q: Can I modify the converted reports using the standard Report Designer in NAV (RDLC and Visual Studio)?
A: No. Reports in ForNAV format can only be edited using the Reports ForNAV Designer.

Q: Can I convert a report from RDLC to ForNAV format?
A: Yes.

Q: What happens with code on the OnPresection() triggers?
A: Presection triggers are converted to normal functions and called when the report is run. The result is that it works like in “Classic”.

Q: Can I convert standard NAV reports from “Classic”?
A: Yes.

Q: Can I convert customized NAV reports from “Classic”?
A: Yes.

Q: What is the size of the ForNAV dataset compared to the RDLC dataset?
A: Our tests show that it is approximately half the size but it varies. However, the ForNAV dataset is streamed to a file and therefore not a memory concern like the RDLC dataset.

Q: What happens if a report does not convert correctly?
A: If this is because of an error in the Reports ForNAV Converter, we will correct it as soon as possible.

Q: Will it be possible to use the PowerShell merge tool without conflicting with ForNAV?
A: Yes. ForNAV report objects are plain vanilla C/AL objects.

Q: Does the converter handle reports that also update tables?
A: Yes.