What is a Microsoft Dynamics NAV Dimension?
Microsoft Dynamics NAV dimensions are used to add additional information to posted transactions. Users are able to observe activity in detail for analysis purposes. For example, your company may want to analyze sales by region and by salesperson – you can do this by using dimensions.
Many people are confused about when to set up Microsoft Dynamics dimensions. The first tip is: whenever you think about creating a financial report for your company, whenever you say “I want a financial statement of,” the word that ends that statement is most likely a dimension.
Assigning Dimensions in Dynamics NAV
The dimensions setup is found in NAV using the path Financial Management → Administration → Setup → Dimensions. Start here by setting up Dimensions and Dimension Values.
After setting up Dimensions and Dimension Values, the next tip is to assign default dimensions to master data elements, such as general ledger, customers, vendors, items, fixed assets, jobs, resources, salespeople, service items, work centers, and stockkeeping units. The values assigned to master data elements are automatically populated when creating journals, sales orders, transfer orders, purchase orders, credit memos, return orders, and other transactions. After posting, the dimensions are associated with the ledger entries, allowing you to detail and segment activity.
[su_note note_color=”#F0EFEF” text_color=”#333333″ radius=”5″ class=””]
window.hsFormsOnReady = window.hsFormsOnReady || []; window.hsFormsOnReady.push(()=>{ hbspt.forms.create({ portalId: 7555051, formId: "69ee043b-74a0-4723-8133-9ea7d8275ca1", target: "#hbspt-form-1784395760000-8263473696", region: "na1", })});
[/su_note]
Microsoft Dynamics dimensions can be assigned to a single or multiple master elements. For example, use the following steps to assign a dimension to a single account:
- Click Financial Management → General Ledger → Chart of Accounts; the Chart of Accounts page is displayed.
- Select an account.
- Click Home → Account → Dimensions → Dimensions – Single.
Use the following steps to assign a dimension to multiple general ledger accounts (or other master data elements):
- Click Financial Management → General Ledger → Chart of Accounts; the Chart of Accounts list page is displayed.
- Select Multiple accounts:
a) To select non-consecutive accounts:
- Press the CTRL key.
- Left-click anywhere on the line to select an account.
- Continue holding CTRL and repeat to select additional accounts.
b) To select consecutive accounts:
- Click to select the first account.
- Press SHIFT and click to select the last account.
- Alternatively, click to select the first account and then click and drag across the range of accounts.
Click Home → Account → Dimensions → Dimensions – Multiple.
Completing the Default Dimensions Record
Once the Default Dimensions page is displayed, the last tip is how to complete the record or records for the default dimensions. This page not only controls the default dimensions on transactions, but also controls the value that the dimension must have for posting to take place.
Follow these steps to complete a record on the Default Dimensions page whether you are assigning default values to a single record or multiple records:
- Click New to add a line.
- Dimension Code: enter or select a dimension.
- Dimension Value Code: enter or select a dimension value, or leave it blank. When setting up a single record for a default dimension, you may well know the value you want to assign. When setting up multiple records for a default dimension, you may know that you want to assign a value; however, you may not want the master elements to use the same value, so this field can be left blank.
- Value Posting: enter or select a posting rule; the options include:
a) Blank: posting takes place regardless of what value or any value is entered on a transaction line; leaving the Dimension empty is allowed.
b) Required: a value must be selected for posting to take place; there is no restriction on the value selected. When the Dimension Value Code field is filled in on the Default Dimensions page, the value is populated on the transaction line; a user can override the default value with another value as needed.
c) Same Code: the dimension value selected for a line or a journal must match the value entered on the Default Dimensions page for posting to take place.
d) No Code: the dimension value must be empty on the selected dimension for posting to take place.
NOTE: Repeat for additional value posting rules.
After completing the setup of the Default Dimensions page, when a master element is selected in a transaction, the Dimension Value Code is automatically populated (when a value is entered as the default). When a posting rule is also selected on the Default Dimensions page, Microsoft Dynamics NAV checks for compliance when posting the transaction. If the transaction does not meet the requirements, the posting routine stops and NAV displays a message to the user about the required action.
After updating the Dimension Value Code, the user can post the transaction. After posting, the Microsoft Dynamics dimensions are available for use, for analysis, and for reporting.
This covers the basics of assigning default dimensions and creating posting rules; additional dimension setup and usage will be presented in a future post.