Before You Start

This page covers the groundwork for a Docentric AX implementation: the environment and machine prerequisites, the roles involved, and the key terms used throughout the guide. If you already know the vocabulary and just want the delivery steps, go straight to the Implementation methodology.

Prerequisites and environment compatibility

D365FO environment

• Version support: At any time, the latest Docentric AX version supports all Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations (D365FO) versions supported by Microsoft. New D365FO GA versions are supported from the day of their release. For older D365FO versions, check the ReadMe.txt in the package downloaded from the Docentric Download Center, as the model files may differ per application/platform version.
• Access and permissions: You need access to a target D365FO development or sandbox environment, and permissions to install Docentric AX models (or the ability to coordinate installation with the technical team).
• No external services: Once the Docentric AX models are installed, the product is fully functional – there are no separate services or external dependencies to configure.
• Licensing: A valid Docentric license is required to unlock the product, unless you use the Free Edition. Use a partner license in partner environments and a customer license in customer environments. Partners: your license, Download Center access and Scheduled training registration page access are arranged through your partnership onboarding.

Docentric AX models

The Docentric AX Framework is delivered as a set of models. Install the core prerequisite models first, then add the others based on what the project uses.

Model	Purpose	When to install
Docentric AX	Core framework	Always (prerequisite for all others)
Docentric AX Extension	Integrates with SSRS and other built-in frameworks	Always
Docentric AX Emails	Improves email templates for D365FO notifications (used for alerts and workflows)	Recommended
Docentric AX SSRS Replicas	Docentric replica templates (stored as AOT resources) and their DSP classes for standard SSRS reports	Recommended, enables replicas for common reports
Docentric AX CBD Replicas	Replicas for reports based on ER-CBD data sources	If you use ER-CBD data sources
Docentric AX Warehouse Labels	Improved license plate labels	If you use license plate labels and want to replace their ZPL layouts with Docentric Word-based templates
POCs / Custom solutions	Proof-of-concept and custom artifacts	As needed

Local machines for template design

The Docentric AX Designer is Microsoft Word with the Docentric Add-in installed.

• Requirements: Microsoft Word (desktop) 2013 or higher, on a Windows 10 or 11 machine. Download the installer from the Docentric Download Center.
• Note: the Designer is required to add or modify data-bound content. You can safely change static content (text, colors, styles, layout) in plain Word, but always install the Designer before doing any data-related template work.

Team readiness

Before starting, make sure the team has:

• At least one consultant who understands the customer's outgoing document requirements.
• At least one technical consultant or developer available for Docentric AX models installation and for report data source extensions if needed.
• Familiarity with the basic D365FO concepts involved: SSRS reports, Print management, Electronic Reporting, Data management, security roles, batch execution, email sending, and document attachments.

For partner teams new to Docentric, we recommend completing one internal end-to-end report scenario before starting on a customer project. See Enablement, Demo Environment and Training for the recommended enablement path and demo environment.

Roles and responsibilities

A Docentric implementation involves a blend of functional and technical roles.

Functional consultant

• Requirements gathering: Collects document layout and distribution requirements from business stakeholders.
• Business scenarios: Defines business scenarios and identifies legal entity, language, customer, vendor, and process variations.
• Docentric configuration: Configures Docentric-specific setup, for example: report setup, user-defined placeholders, user-defined labels, document generation and distribution settings.
• System configuration: Configures D365FO report-specific settings, such as Print management.
• Testing & coordination: Tests documents generated from business processes and coordinates template reviews with business users.
• Support: Supports the customer key user or document owner during training, testing and after go-live.

Template designer (Functional)

• Design & layout: Creates and modifies Docentric templates in Microsoft Word based on layout requirements and branding guidelines.
• Data binding: Binds D365FO report data (from DDSP) to Word template elements.
• Validation: Tests template outputs using realistic sample data, for all required languages.
• Lifecycle management: Maintains template versions and coordinates deployment across environments according to the agreed lifecycle.

Technical consultant / developer (Technical)

• Installation: Installs the Docentric AX Framework via models or deployable packages.
• Data extension: Extends report data sources by implementing custom X++ logic in Docentric DSP classes extension.
• Advanced logic: Adds custom placeholders, attachments, and support for specialized processing, integrations and output scenarios that cannot be handled via configuration.
• Troubleshooting: Diagnoses technical issues.

System / Infrastructure administrator (Technical)

• Environment access: Manages Docentric-specific security permissions and roles.
• Output infrastructure - printing: Configures and troubleshoots network printers via the Document Routing Agent (DRA).
• Output infrastructure - emailing: Configures and troubleshoots emailing-related infrastructure (D365FO setup, outgoing email server).
• Integrations: Sets up Azure Blob storage, SharePoint integration parameters and user/app authentications.

Solution architect / Project lead

• Strategy & architecture: Defines the overall document implementation approach, including storage, lifecycle and governance strategy.
• Pattern confirmation: Decides about the technical implementation pattern for each report.
• Go-live readiness: Coordinates environment migration plans and go-live readiness.

Customer key user / Document owner

• Sign-off: Reviews, validates and approves document content, legal compliance and layout during User Acceptance Testing (UAT).
• Ownership: Owns post-go-live template change requests.

Key terms

This guide uses a mix of Docentric and standard D365FO terminology. The terms are grouped below so you can see which belongs to which world.

Docentric AX terms

• DDSP (Docentric Data Source Package) file: Contains report data source structure, sample data, and labels. It is generated during the report execution and used in the Docentric AX Designer to bind data to a template and preview the output.
• DSP class (Data Source Provider class): Report-level Docentric code that developers extend to add data through X++, reshape the data source, add custom placeholders, and change document generation and distribution behavior. It works on top of the standard D365FO report data provider, rather than replacing it.
• Docentric AX: Docentric solution for D365FO that extends reporting, templates, print destinations, emailing, archiving, and related document output. Consists of two components: Docentric AX Framework and Docentric AX Designer.
• Docentric AX Designer: Microsoft Word with the Docentric Add-in installed; used to design and modify Docentric templates. Requires Word 2013 or higher on Windows 10 or 11.
• Docentric AX Framework: The Docentric plug-in installed in D365FO, delivered as a set of models. Once the models are installed, it is fully functional with no external services to configure.
• Docentric CBD replica: A ready-made Docentric starting point for reports based on ER-CBD data sources. A CBD replica builds on the corresponding SSRS replica's DSP class - its extensions add the ER-specific data handling. Delivered by the Docentric AX CBD Replicas model, installed when you use ER-CBD data sources.
• Docentric SSRS replica: A ready-made Docentric version of a standard D365FO SSRS report layout: a replica Word template together with its DSP class. Used as a starting point for customizing SSRS-based reports. Delivered by the Docentric AX SSRS Replicas model.
• Docentric template: A Microsoft Word–based template that Docentric uses to generate the final business document.

D365FO / Microsoft terms

• AOS (Application Object Server): The D365FO server tier that runs application logic, including batch execution.
• AOT (Application Object Tree): The tree of application elements in D365FO. Templates can be stored as AOT resources, so they are source-controlled and deployed together with code.
• CBD (Configurable Business Documents): Microsoft's ER-based framework for business documents such as invoices and confirmations. Originally branded Configurable Business Documents (CBD), and later frequently named only "Business Documents" or "ER-based reports". It starts from the SSRS/RDP data source and enriches it through the ER model- and model mapping configurations, while providing the MS Word- or Excel-based formats.
• ER (Electronic Reporting): Microsoft's configuration-based D365FO framework for low code/no code way of defining data models and formats for documents and electronic files.
• OOTB (out of the box): Standard, unmodified functionality as delivered.
• Print destination: The output destination or action for a generated document: screen, printer, email, archive, file. Docentric significantly extends the standard set of print destinations.
• Print management: The standard D365FO framework for configuring how outgoing business documents are distributed across different scenarios (Original and Copy, conditional settings, account- and transaction-level overrides, and so on).
• RDP (Report Data Provider): The X++ class (and its temporary tables) or Query that supplies data to a standard SSRS report. The report's data provider class is sometimes referred to as the DP (data provider) class.
• SSRS (SQL Server Reporting Services): The standard reporting technology in D365FO. A Report Data Provider prepares the report data source, and an SSRS server combines it with SSRS format to generate the output document.

See also

Implementation Guide (top-level) >>
Enablement, Demo Environment and Training >>
Implementation Methodology >>