IT Tips – November 2012

IT Tips – November 2012

 

2012 is almost over and the Microsoft AX switchover is approaching with haste. This tip could prove to be very important for you, me and the company as a whole.

 

What’s Inside:

Tech Section

·         Microsoft Dynamics AX E-Learning (training)

o   Creating a Microsoft Live account

o   Activating your Live account for AX Training

o   Accessing AX Training Courses

o   Additional Microsoft Dynamics AX E-Learning Tips

 

Microsoft Dynamics AX E-Learning

It’s no secret: the Microsoft Dynamics Training portal is a bit confusing.

Sir Wally illustrates my confusion, albeit in a cuter fashion, when I first encountered the Dynamics training portal.

After a few cups of green tea, and with a little patience, I have created a precise guide for accessing AX trainings. Follow this guide and you won’t have to tilt your head in bewilderment like Wally and me.

There are three parts to the process:

1.       Create a Microsoft Live ID

2.       Associate your Live ID with your Dynamics Profile

3.       Access your courses

Note: Please use Internet Explorer for all steps of this process.


Creating your Microsoft Live ID

In order to participate in the AX e-learning courses, you will need a “Microsoft Live ID”. This ID will be your login to access the training materials. You can create a live ID using your @janeiredale.com email address and a password of your choosing. You will only need to create your account one time, so don’t panic. J

Note: If you have already created a Microsoft Live ID you can skip this part and scroll down to ‘Activating your Live Account for AX Training’. Otherwise, we shall forge onward!

First, you must visit the Microsoft CustomerSource page. The address is here:

https://mbs.microsoft.com/customersource/

If you haven’t done this process already, which I trust you haven’t (I told you to skip it if you have!!), you should be directed to this page:

Click on the ‘Microsoft Dynamics Customers and Partners’ link as seen above. From there we can begin to create your account.

 

 Click on the ‘Sign up now’ link on the bottom right of the page.

From here choose ‘Yes, use my e-mail address’ and click ‘Continue’

 

Now, type your Iredale email, a strong password, a security question and the random verification code.

Enter your email address in the field and click ‘I Accept’

A confirmation email will be dispatched to the email address you provided.

Check your email and open the verification message sent from ‘Microsoft account team’. Then click the Verify youraddress@janeiredale.com button.

Note: Check your Junk E-Mail folder if you do not receive the email from Microsoft within 5 minutes.

Clicking the link should bring you to a Microsoft Live login page. Enter your newly created account information (email and password) and click ‘Sign in’.

Your Windows Live ID has now been successfully created! Now, we simply have to link the Live ID to your AX e-learning profile.

 

Activating your Live Account for AX Training

Ok, so now you’re the lucky owner of a brand new Microsoft Live ID! I know you’re ecstatic, but try to settle down.

Note: If you have already linked your Live ID for AX training you can skip to ‘Accessing AX Training Courses’.

Take a deep breath; this part is easy. You should have previously received an email from voice@microsoft.com with the subject, ‘Microsoft Dynamics CustomerSource Invitation’. Note: This message also may be in your Junk E-Mail folder.

Click on the verification link in the email (see above).

You may need to sign in with your Live ID again.

Once you sign in your account should automatically be associated to your Dynamics profile and you will see the confirmation below.

That’s all! You’re ready to start viewing courses!

Keith, mine didn’t automatically associate; it’s asking me for my email again.

In some rare cases you will need to associate your Live ID with your Dynamics profile manually. If you see the screen below, simply enter your Iredale email address and click ‘Continue’.

 

Accessing AX Training Courses

We’re in the finishing stretch. I knew you could do it! You’re a wrrrrecking ball! Let’s get those courses started! … Does my encouragement make this more fun?

We’ll need to access the CustomerSource page again. You will use the CustomerSource address every time you need to access AX trainings, so you might as well bookmark it. Here is the address again:

https://mbs.microsoft.com/customersource/ 

When you arrive at the page, log in with your shiny new Live ID. (If you don’t arrive at the log in page click ‘Microsoft Dynamics Customers and Partners’ again)

You should now be logged into the CustomerSource portal.

On the left-side navigation, mouse over ‘Training & Certification’ and choose ’E-Learning’.

There are a lot of courses to offer so let’s filter the list. You can narrow the training catalog list to your Product, Series and Collection. Please use the criteria shown below to access the Dynamics AX 2012 introductory courses.

IMPORTANT:

If you are using Internet Explorer 9 with the ‘Compatibility View’ feature, you must enable it. The courses should make an orange checkmark after you complete each section and save your progress throughout. If you do not enable Compatibility View your progress will not be saved. The Compatibility View button looks like this:

You should only have to click the button once. If you do not see the button then you’re using Internet Explorer 8 or below, and you do not have to worry about it.

Now you can click the link for the desired course and choose ‘Begin Course’ on the top-right.

Finally, upon clicking the ‘Begin Course’ link, you will see a pop-up (you may need to allow pop-ups if you see that it’s blocked). Simply click the ‘click here’ link to begin your course!

Another pop-up will appear and your course will begin:

You may see a little banner asking you to allow things on the training window (see above). Always choose ‘Allow’ for any add-on prompts on the Dynamics training pages.

You’re done! You can now use the navigation arrows on the top-right of the page to navigate through the course!!

Additional Microsoft Dynamics E-Learning Tips

After starting a course, I no longer see the course list when I mouse over ‘Training & Certification’ and choose ’E-Learning’. It’s bringing me to the last course I viewed now.

Once you have started a course, the website will automatically bring you back there. To view the course catalog simply click on ‘E-Learning Catalog’

You said I should see orange checkmarks when I advance through sections of a course, what do those look like?

You should see checkmarks like this as you complete sections:

If you don’t see them, be certain you’re using Internet Explorer and that you have ‘Compatibility view’ activated if it is available on your computer. If you don’t know what Compatibility View is, please read the ‘Accessing AX Training Courses’ section again. 

 

Have a great month, everyone!

-Keith

Please don’t hesitate to shoot me an email if you have a something that you think will make a good tip. You’ll get credit on the blog for your contribution and I might give you a high-five!