How to Write a Sufficient Support Mail

If you want to report an issue / a bug we will need some structured information from you – about versions, environment and your specific case.

In your Support Case email please specify:

MS Dynamics AX version Your MS Dynamics AX version (e.g. AX 2012 R3).
CU version Version of the cumulative update (e.g. CU9).
Docentric AX Framework version Current version of Docentric AX Framework.
See how to find the version >>
Docentric Server version Current version of Docentric Server, if needed. Learn more >>
MS SharePoint version Version of MS SharePoint, if error is related to SharePoint as a template or archive storage.
Docentric AX Designer version Current version of Docentric AX Template Designer, if needed. Learn more >>
MS Word version Version of MS Word, if the issue has occurred while designing a template.

Additionally, describe the issue in a way that it can be reproduced and attach the necessary files such as document/report artifacts, document/report template, etc.

Submit your Support Case email to our support team via email support@docentric.com.

If you are not sure how to precisely trace the issue, we can schedule a Skype session to assist you with debugging.

How exactly to specify an issue

This depends on the sub-framework you have an issue with: Docentric SSRS Reports, Basic Reports or Docentric Document Template Libraries (Word Documents).

Issues related to Docentric SSRS Reports

Report type If it is a Print Management report or an ordinary SSRS report.
Report.Design name Both Report and Design names, in case of a built-in report e.g. PurchPurchaseOrder.Report.
Report location Specify exactly which report you are dealing with, in case of a built-in report,
e.g. Purchase order product receipt Print Management report in the Procurement and Sourcing module, or Company/Human resources/Reports/Workers -> report Birthdays.
Error related area Is the error related to one of the following area:

  • Setup (e.g. when registering a SSRS report as a Docentric report)
  • Data Source Automation (e.g. when DS is generating)
  • Retrieving the report template from the template storage
  • Printing report to a particular print destination – specify which print destination (e.g. printing report to Screen or printing report to Printer) and other details (e.g. placeholders in Email body have not been replaced properly)
  • Saving the report to Print Archive or Attachments
  • If the error occurred when the report is printed in batch
Error details Describe all relevant context details (e.g. Printer properties if this is relevant).
Infolog messages Copy all error messages from the Infolog and paste them in Support Case email.
Stack trace In case the exception stack trace has not been shown in the Infolog, determine exactly the line of the method where the exception was thrown and send us the complete stack trace. See how >>
Error related attachments Attach custom Data Source Provider class if exists and if it is relevant.

Issues related to Docentric Basic Reports

Report info Report name, location and short description.
Error related area Is the error related to one of the following area:

  • Setup (e.g. when adding a new report template)
  • Data Source Automation (e.g. when DS is generating)
  • Report dialog form (e.g. controls on the report dialog are not rendered / do not behave properly)
  • Retrieving the report template from the template storage
  • Printing report to a particular print destination – specify which print destination (e.g. printing report to Screen or printing report to Printer) and other details (e.g. placeholders in Email body have not been replaced properly)
  • Saving the report to Print Archive or Attachments
  • If the error occurred when the report is printed in batch
Error details Describe all relevant context details (e.g. Printer properties if this is relevant).
Infolog messages Copy all error messages from the Infolog and paste them in Support Case email.
Stack trace In case that the exception stack trace has not been shown in the Infolog, determine exactly the line of the method where the exception was thrown and send us the complete stack trace. See how >>
Error related attachments Attach the report artifacts if this is relevant.

Issues related to Docentric Document Template Libraries

Primary Table Primary table of the document (e.g. PurchTable).
DSP type Whether the document has a class or a query as the Data Source Provider.
Template storage Whether the parent Document Type has template stored on File System or SharePoint.
Archive location type Archive location type of the parent Document type (File system, SharePoint, Database).
Error related area Is the error related to one of the following area:

  • Setup (e.g. when adding a new report template)
  • Data Source Automation (e.g. when DS is generating)
  • Retrieving the document template from the template storage
  • Generating a document from a template
  • Saving the generated document to Attachments of Primary table
Error details Describe all relevant context details if any.
Infolog messages Copy all error messages from the Infolog and paste them in Support Case email.
Stack trace In case the exception stack trace has not been shown in the Infolog, determine exactly the line of the method where the exception was thrown and send us the complete stack trace. See how >>
Error related attachments Attach the document artifacts if this is relevant.

Where to read the Docentric AX Framework version

If an issue occurs in Docentic AX Framework please send us its version. You can read it in any of Docentric AX client. Navigate to Company/System administration/Setup/Docentric AX and click the Docentric Server parameters menu item.

The Docentric Server parameters form is open. On the Versions tab page you can read the Docentric AX Framework current version.

You will know that an issue is related to Docentric Server if a generated document or a report output file does not look as expected.

The rendering fidelity is guaranteed to be 100% in case of Word output format.

This means that the fidelity might be broken in case of other output format (XPS, PDF). The error can be noticed during design-time when previewing a document or report in different output formats (DOCX, XPS, PDF).

If this is a case please send us the Docentric Server version. You can read it in any of Docentric AX client. Navigate to Company/System administration/Setup/Docentric AX and click the Docentric Server parameters menu item. The Docentric Server parameters form is open. On the Versions tab page you can read the Docentric Server current version.

Issues related to Docentric AX Template Designer

You will know that an issue is related to Docentric AX Template Designer if you have experienced some inconvenience regarding UI experience while designing a template with Docentric AX Add-In for MS Word. If this is true, please send us its version. You can read the version in the File ribbon tab in MS Word by clicking the About Docentric button.

 

You can also let us know if you have a suggestion for how to improve user experience of the designer or if you perhaps want to suggest a new feature. Your opinion is appreciated!

Your Support Case email has to contain both versions of Docentric AX Template Designer and Microsoft Word. Please include a document/report template as well.

Finding the exact line of code where an exception is thrown

When the Infolog is shown with the error messages but without the exception stack trace, click on the Edit button of the Infolog.

In the development workspace of the AX client insert a breakpoint and run the same report/document again. In couple of iterations you will detect the exact line of code where this exception occurs. Just before this line of code is executed copy the whole Call Stack by clicking the Copy all Lines button as shown on the picture below.

IN THIS ARTICLE