Intro to Task Recorder and BPM in Dynamics 365 for Operations (Part 2)

As part of Dynamics 365 for Operations (aka AX7), Microsoft introduced a novel approach to assist users with releases, business processes and training. Using a familiar web based application Life cycle services (LCS) and the improved Task recorder tool, Partners and Customers can, quickly and easily, record and publish a guided help experience in Dynamics 365 for Operations. The guided experience is called “Task guides” and can be recorded in D365, published into LCS and then used in training, testing, and other environments including production to meet all of your daily help needs.

In part 2 of the Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Operations Task Recorder blog, we will cover how to use the improved Task recorder in D365 to publish Task guides to your LCS business process model (see how to instructions in Part 1 of the blog series) and configure your business model to be used for user help.

Follow the instructions below to create task guides using the task recorder in D365 and then publish them to your Business process model in LCS.

Ladies and gentlemen, for the seasoned ERP implementers, this is truly magical!

Dynamics 365 for Operations Task Recorder

To get started, login to Lifecycle Services website using your Microsoft account which is associated to your Partner source or Customer source account.

*Note: Assumption is that the Partner or Customer has a login and a Project created in Lifecycle services for their Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Operations web based application.

  • On the LCS landing page, select the Dynamics 365 for Operations project for which you are accessing the Dynamics 365 for Operations published solution. In the ‘Environments’ area, select the environment where your published solution resides. On the landing page, under cloud service click the link to Log on to Dynamics 365 for Operations (shown below on ‘AX7’).

Log on to Dynamics 365 Cloud Services

  • If not defaulted to the legal entity that you wish to create the guide in, click the Legal entity in the menu bar and switch to your desired entity.

Search for a page USMF Dynamics 365

  • In the menu bar click on the Gear icon and select Task recorder

Dynamics 365 menu bar task recorder

  • On the open Task recorder form, select Create recordingCreate a recording task recorder Dynamics 365
  • In the “Creating a recording” dialog enter the Recording name and a Recording description. Then, click start button at the bottom of the dialog form.

Creating a new recording Dynamics 365 for Operations task recorder

  • Click the ‘x’ in the upper right corner of dialog box to remove the box from the screen. Then proceed in following the process steps in Dynamics 365 for Operations that you wish to be published to the business process node in your LCS business model

task recorder dynamics 365 for operations

  • As you click through Dynamics 365 for Operations the steps will be recorded.
    • When clicking on drop downs and in text fields, you can even leave instructions for users as to what should and should not be selected/entered
  • After all steps are recorded click the ‘Stop’ in the menu bar.

Stop recording dynamics 365

  • The Task recorder dialog box will display – select ‘Save to Lifecycle Services’.

task recorder save to lifecycle services

  • Select the library where your business model is stored in LCS and click OK.

select library in LCS task recorder

  • Expand the node and select the business process where you want to publish the recording. Click OK.

selecting business process to publish recording

  • Repeat until all business processes are recorded and published to LCS.
  • Last configure Dynamics 365 for Operations to use your Business process model for user help.  Do this by navigating to System administration > Setup > System parameters

system parameters dynamics 365 bpm

  • In the help area ensure your Business process model from LCS is selected as active and is first in the list.

bpm LCS system parameters

  • With Help enabled, users will be able to ask for step-by-step help as they are in the system.

Have other Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Operations or AX questions? Visit our Help Desk for AX page to see how our experts can help!

For more information please contact Ellipse Solutions at info@ellipsesolutions.com or by calling our corporate office at (937) 312-1547.

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