How to install Microsoft FRx 6.7

Summary

This article discusses the steps that are required to fully implement the Microsoft FRx product suite for Microsoft Dynamics. Although this article describes all the installation steps and discusses common practices for the process, you should consider this article to be a supplement to the product installation manuals.

Note Microsoft Forecaster is not covered in this discussion.

Customers using FRx should make plans to move to Management Reporter as their financial reporting solution. To learn more about Management Reporter, refer to this overview page on CustomerSource.

INTRODUCTION

The core component of Microsoft FRx is Reporter. You perform administrative functions in Reporter. Reporter is also the first component that is installed and the first component that is configured.

You must complete several configurations before Microsoft FRx can be functional. You must make these configurations in Reporter, in Microsoft FRx WebPort, and in Microsoft Report Server. For more information about specific products in addition to the information that is in this article, see the PDF resources on the FRx installation CD.

More Information

Understanding installation types

When you install Microsoft FRx, the first choice that you must make is whether to put the FRx installation code on individual workstations (Local Client or "fat-client" installation) or on a network share drive (Network Client or "Client/Server" installation).

There are advantages to both types of installations. A local installation that has individual code folders offers more flexibility for troubleshooting errors. The local installation can also provide better performance under high user loads. Network installations provide a single point of configuration. Network installations also provide a single location to maintain when you apply service packs or when you install version upgrades.

The second choice that you must make is where to locate the FRx SysData folder. The SysData folder should be put on a network drive that is available to all users. You can create this folder in any location on any shared network drive. The FRx SysData folder contains common configuration settings and company setup information. This folder also holds report specification sets. A common SysData folder makes all report modifications available to all the Microsoft FRx users. Additionally, the SysData folder contains Microsoft Access Jet database files. The Modify permission must be granted to the SysData folder for all users.

We recommend that you set up a shared folder by using a Universal Naming Convention (UNC) path that is shared among all Microsoft FRx users, such as the following path:

\\Servername\FRx\SysData
Note For Windows Vista compatibility, the SysData folder cannot be located underneath a folder that contains code. For example, the folder cannot be located underneath the following folder:

C:\Program Files\SysData

Installing Microsoft FRx 6.7 on a Windows Vista-based workstation

When you install Microsoft FRx 6.7 on a Windows Vista-based workstation, disable the User Account Control (UAC) feature temporarily. The UAC feature can be turned on again when Microsoft FRx 6.7 has been installed. If you do not do this, some applications will generate error messages.

To install Microsoft FRx 6.7 on a Windows Vista-based workstation, follow these steps:

Log on to the workstation as the Administrator or as a user who has administrative rights.
Click Start, and then click Control Panel.

Note Verify that the Control Panel display is set to the correct view by clicking the Control Panel Home link on the left.
Click User Accounts, click the new User Accounts link, and then click Turn User Account Control on or off.
Clear the Use User Account Control (UAC) to help protect your computer check box, and then click OK.
Click Restart Now when you are prompted.
After the workstation restarts, log on to the workstation as the Administrator.
Download the Microsoft FRx 6.7 installer that is created for Windows Vista. The installer is bundled with the latest version of your general ledger. To obtain this installer, visit one of the following Microsoft Web sites, depending on which general ledger system you use.

Customers and Partners who are using Microsoft Dynamics GP

https://mbs.microsoft.com/partnersource/downloads/releases/frx67fullinstall4gp10.htmCustomers and Partners who are using Microsoft Dynamics SL

https://mbs2.microsoft.com/fileexchange/?fileID=a1166bcd-c7fa-4495-92dc-04d7a6bbd42e
Install Microsoft FRx 6.7 Report Designer or Microsoft FRx 6.7 Report Server in the root directory of drive C. To do this, use the following examples.

Note For Windows Vista compatibility, the SysData folder and the IO_Data folder cannot be located in a folder that contains code. For example, the SysData folder can be located in the following folder:

C:\FRx\SysData During the installation, you will be prompted for the location of the Microsoft FRx 6.7 program files folder, the SysData folder, and the IO_Data folder. We recommend that you put all these folders in a location other than the "Program Files" folder. For example, use the following folders:
- The Microsoft FRx 6.7 program files (code) folder can be located in the following folder:
  
  C:\FRx
- The Microsoft FRx 6.7 SysData folder can be located in the following folder:
  
  C:\FRx\SysData
- The Microsoft FRx 6.7 IO_Data folder can be located in the following folder:
  
  C:\FRx\IO_Data

Adding Microsoft FRx Report Server and Microsoft FRx WebPort

Microsoft FRx Report Server is typically installed on a computer that is running Microsoft SQL Server, on an application server, or on a dedicated server if multiple processor licenses are purchased.

Microsoft FRx WebPort can be installed on any computer that is running Internet Information Service (IIS). You should install Microsoft FRx WebPort as an intranet product. You should not install Microsoft FRx WebPort to be accessed through the Internet. We recommend that you install Microsoft FRx WebPort to the default Web site, on port 80. Microsoft FRx WebPort can be installed together with Windows SharePoint Services (WSS) 2.0, together with Microsoft Dynamics Business Portal, or together with Microsoft Forecaster.

Note For WSS 3.0, Microsoft FRx WebPort must be installed on a different Web site.

Installing Microsoft FRx Report Designer

To install FRx Report Designer, follow these steps:

Verify that the workstation on which you are installing meets the minimum requirements that are listed in the System Requirements PDF file on the installation CD.
Document the paths in which you intend to install Microsoft FRx. Make sure that you use UNC-based paths if you plan to share Microsoft FRx code for network clients or if you plan to share the SysData folder for second workstations.
On the FRx installation CD, click Install FRx to start the Setup wizard. Then, click Install FRx Reporter.
Click Yes to accept to the license agreement.
Under Installation Options, click Local Client to indicate where to install Microsoft FRx. Then, click Next.
On the Choose Destination Location page, click Browse under Destination Folder.
In the Choose Folder window, specify a local drive if this installation is for a single-user license and if you do not use network clients. Otherwise, specify a UNC path. For example, click \\Server\Applications\FRx\. Then, click Next.
On the Location of SysData Files page, click Browse to select the path for the shared SysData folder. If you will have multiple workstations accessing FRx, click a UNC path. For example, click \\Server\Applications\FRx\SysData\.
Click Next two times.
Start Microsoft FRx Report Designer to finish the installation by making the required registry settings and by building the required configuration files.

Determining where FRx reports will be generated

Microsoft FRx uses a common folder that is named IO_DATA. This folder stores the data for the demonstration company that is named Filmworks. This folder is also the default output location of all reports. You can create a share on the network as the output location, or you can leave the default output location to be generated on each workstation. The default local path for the output location is the following path:

C:\Program Files\FRx Software You should note the actual location because you must set this path when you set up each company in FRx Reporter.

Note In a typical network setup, the share folder is named FRx and that contains two subfolders. The subfolders are named IO_DATA and SysData.

Applying a service pack

To update the local installation on any fat-client workstation, run the executable file that is included in the Service Pack.zip file.

For more information about how to install a service pack in a client/server environment, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

936585 How to install a Microsoft FRx service pack in an environment in which a network client is installed

Understanding Open Financial System Interface (OFSI) specified installations

Microsoft FRx maintains a common interface and a common functionality between all Microsoft Dynamics products. The Open Financial System Interface (OFSI) specifies the files that are required for the Microsoft Dynamics product that you are installing.

For more information about how to install the program files, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

918262 How to install and then configure Microsoft Forecaster 6.7 DirectLink for use in Microsoft FRx

938573 How to install Microsoft Forecaster 7.0 DirectLink and how to configure DirectLink for Microsoft FRx

Installing Microsoft FRx WebPort

The following Microsoft Windows operating systems are compatible with all service packs for Microsoft FRx 6.7 WebPort:

Microsoft Windows 2000 Server (all versions) with Service Pack 4
Windows Server 2003

Microsoft FRx 6.7 WebPort is currently not compatible with Windows Server 2008.

Microsoft FRx WebPort can be installed on any computer that is running IIS. Before you perform this installation, consider the following factors:

To enable PDF Printing functionality through Microsoft FRx WebPort, a Windows user account must remain logged on to the server on which Microsoft FRx WebPort is installed. This is true because the FRxPDFSvr.exe program cannot run as a service. Therefore, this application requires that a user is logged on to enable PDF printing.
You should run Microsoft FRx WebPort as an intranet application. You may experience issues if you connect to the program through the Internet. Although an Internet configuration is possible, we currently do not recommend or support an Internet configuration.
The Microsoft Java Virtual Machine (VM) is no longer available. You must use Sun Microsystems Java instead. For Microsoft FRx WebPort to work, Java must be installed on the Microsoft FRx WebPort server and on all the client workstations. To download Java, visit the following Sun Microsystems Web site:

http://www.java.com
If you are installing Microsoft FRx WebPort on Windows Server 2003, there are some important items to be noted:
- Internet Information Services (IIS) is no longer installed by default. You must install IIS before you install Microsoft FRx WebPort.
- The Active Server Pages (ASP) functionality is no longer enabled by default. For Microsoft FRx WebPort to work, you must enable ASP through IIS Manager.
- Adobe Acrobat Reader 4.0 and 5.0 are incompatible with Windows Server 2003. Install the most current version of Acrobat Reader.

Important Before you install Microsoft FRx WebPort, verify there is a fat-client installation of Reporter that is installed on the computer that is running IIS. Some shared .dll files are required for Microsoft FRx WebPort to function correctly.

To install Microsoft FRx WebPort, follow these steps:

Put the FRx Installation CD in the drive.
Click Install FRx WebPort.
Click the setup language. Then, click Next two times.
Click Yes to accept the license agreement.
Verify that the FRx WebPort 6.7 check box is selected.

Note This option installs the components to Internet Information Services. By default, the FRx WebAdministrator 6.7 check box remains selected. This option installs the administrative tool.
Click Next.
Accept the default installation folder. Then, click Next.
In the UNC Name field, type the share name for the Windows file share. Then, click Next.
In the Name field, type a virtual directory name that will determine the path of the Web site. Then, click Next.
Review the installation options. Then, click Next.
Click Finish to exit the installation.
Apply the most recent service pack to Microsoft FRx WebPort. Then, click the option for FRx Web Components.
Use the appropriate method:
- If you are installing Microsoft FRx WebPort on Windows Server 2003, go to step 14.
- If you are installing Microsoft FRx WebPort on another operating system, go to step 15.
Click Start, click Run, type gpedit.msc, and then click OK. Then, follow these steps:
1. In the Local Group Policy Editor, click Local Computer Policy, expand Computer Configuration, expand Administrative Templates, and then click Printers.
2. Right-click Disallow installation of printers using kernel-mode drivers, and then click Properties.
3. In the Properties dialog box, click Disabled, and then click OK.
4. Close the Local Group Policy Editor.
5. Restart the computer to enable the new setting.
BCL easyPDF must be installed to enable PDF printing from Microsoft FRx WebPort. If the BCL components have not been installed, see step 16 to install BCL easyPDF. If the BCL components were previously installed by using the Installation Prerequisites feature from the Microsoft FRx installation disk, follow these steps to uninstall the current BCL components:
1. Locate the Microsoft FRx WebPort installation folder.
  
  Note If you accepted the default setting in step 7, the installation folder is C:\FRxWebPort.
2. Double-click the BCL folder.
3. Double-click the BCLeasyPDFFullAuto.exe file.
4. Click Next.
5. When you are prompted to uninstall the current BCL components, click Next.
  
  If you are prompted to restart the computer, click Reboot now, and then click Finish.
Install BCL easyPDF. To do this, follow these steps:
1. Locate the Microsoft FRx WebPort installation folder.
  
  Note If you accepted the default setting in step 7, the installation folder is C:\FRxWebPort.
2. Double-click the BCL folder to open it.
3. Double-click the BCLeasyPDFFullAuto.exe file.
4. Click Next.
5. Click Next.
6. Accept the license agreement, and then click Yes.
7. Keep the default folder setting, and then click Next.
8. Click Next.
9. When the installation is complete, click Finish.
10. If you are prompted to restart the computer, click Reboot now, and then click Finish.
After you install BCL easyPDF, you must configure the PDF printer. To configure the PDF printer, follow these steps:
1. Click Start, point to Settings, point to Control Panel, and then click Printers and Faxes.
2. Right-click BCL easyPDF, and then click Printing Preferences.
3. Click the Folders tab.
4. Click the Specify option.
5. Click Browse next to the Folder name field. Locate the PDFTemp folder in the Microsoft FRx WebPort folder.
6. Verify that the Open Output File after conversion check box and the Remember folder after each conversion check box are cleared.
7. Click Apply.
8. Click OK to exit.
9. In the Printers and Faxes window, right-click the BCL easyPDF printer, and then click Properties.
10. Click the Advanced tab.
11. Click Printing Defaults.
12. Click the Folders tab.
13. Repeat step d through step h to configure the printing defaults.
Determine the Windows user account that will log on to Windows to run the FRxPDFSvr.exe program. Then, move the FRxPDFSvr.exe file to the Startup folder for that user. To do this, follow these steps:
1. Right-click Start. Then, click Explore All Users.
2. Expand Programs, click the Startup folder, right-click FRxPDFSvr, and then click Cut.
3. In the Documents and Settings folder, locate the user name for the Windows user account that will run the FRxPDFSvr.exe program.
4. Expand the user name folder, expand the Start Menu folder, expand Programs, right-click the Startup folder, and then click Paste.
5. Restart the server to make this setting take effect. Then, log on as the user who will run the FRxPDFSvr.exe file.
  
  Note This user must remain logged on for the PDF printing to function correctly.
To finish the configuration, open the WebAdministrator program from the Microsoft FRx WebPort program group. To do this, follow these steps:
1. Click the location of the shared SysData folder.
2. Click the location of the Repository.xml file. By default, this file is located in the Data folder underneath the FRxWebPort folder.

Installing Microsoft FRx Report Server

To install Microsoft FRx Report Server, follow these steps:

Put the FRx Installation CD in the drive.
Click Install Microsoft FRx Report Server.
Click the setup language.
Click Next to begin the installation.
Click Accept to accept the license agreement. Then, click Next.
Click the appropriate installation folder. Then, click Next.
Point to the UNC network share to which the shared SysData folder has been installed. Then, click Next.
Point to the location in which to install the FRx Queue database. Then, click Next.

Note The FRx Queue database contains the schedule for Microsoft FRx Report Server. This database is typically installed in the shared SysData folder.
Click the program folder in which to install the program. Then, click Next.
Click Install to begin the installation.
Click Finish.
Apply the most recent service pack to the Microsoft FRx Report Server installation.
Create the same ODBC connection that is described in the "Understanding Open Financial System Interface (OFSI) specified installations" section for the Microsoft Dynamics product.
Modify Microsoft FRx Report Server to designate the server to be run by one dedicated service account. To do this, follow these steps:
1. Right-click Start. Then, click Explore All Users.
2. Expand Programs, click the Startup folder, right-click FRx Report Server, and then click Cut.
3. Locate and then expand the user name for the designated service account, expand Start Menu, expand Programs, right-click the Startup folder, and then click Paste.
4. Restart the server to make this setting take effect.
Verify that you can see the Microsoft FRx Report Server icon in FRx Report Designer.

For more information about how to fix a problem that affects the Microsoft FRx Report Server icon, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

859884 The Report Scheduler icon does not appear in the Catalog of Reports in Microsoft FRx

The third-party products that this article discusses are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, about the performance or reliability of these products.