HOWTO: Migrate from Zetadocs for NAV to Zetadocs Extension for Business Central

This Zetadocs technical note applies to:

• Zetadocs Delivery and Capture for NAV
• Zetadocs Delivery and Capture for Business Central

Summary

Previous version of Zetadocs were working as customized code for NAV. Business Central introduced a new idea to enhance functionality called extensions. For on-premises installations of Business Central 13 and 14 it is possible to install Zetadocs in both ways. Later Business Central versions support extensions only. This technote provides steps and requirements necessary for migration from the NAV model to Business Central extensions.

Migration involves ensuring Zetadocs for NAV is running on the latest software version and on a configuration supported by Business Central extension, cleaning database of old Zetadocs for NAV data and performing steps to export/import configuration between envirmoments.

NOTE: This article covers the upgrade and migration of Zetadocs when Microsoft SharePoint Online is already being used as the electronic archive. Migration of the Zetadocs Archive is outside the scope of these upgrade instructions. Equisys offer a Zetadocs Archive migration workshop for these customers. Please contact Equisys for more details of this chargeable service.

More information

Prerequisites

-Zetadocs for NAV version 7.1 or above. Upgrade if using lower version. Upgrading instructions: HOWTO: Upgrade to the latest version of Zetadocs for NAV.
-Zetadocs Server version 4.0 or above. Upgrade if using lower version.
-Archiving through SharePoint Online. If using Zetadocs Archive or SharePoint on premises archiving must be moved to it.
-(Zetadocs Delivery only) Zetadocs must be configured to use Zetadocs NAV Server Delivery instead of Zetadocs Client delivery. More information here: HOWTO: migrate to Zetadocs NAV Server Delivery.
-(Zetadocs Delivery only) Network share containing template files must have a flat file structure (no subfolders containing files). If this is not the case, template files must be edited and all files placed in one folder.

Migration of Zetadocs-Send Customize and Zetadocs-Capture Customize codeunits

In Zetadocs for NAV, customization of code was done through Zetadocs-Send Customize and Zetadocs-Capture Customize codeunits.

In Zetadocs Extension, customization is done through Per-Tenant Extension subscribing events provided by Zetadocs Extension.

All customizations must be rewritten to work with extensions. Here is more information about the SDK for Zetadocs Extension: Zetadocs SDK Guide.

Migration of Zetadocs-Send Integration and Zetadocs-Capture Integration codeunits

The majority of the functionality from these codeunits have been deprecated and are no longer available for use with the Extensions. 
 
The only function that has been ported to the Zetadocs Extension is the GetOutputFileName function, which is now covered by new UI in the Zetadocs Report Settings page. The formatting and field references that were originally in the codeunit should be transferred to the Zetadocs Report Settings page for each individual report.

Migration steps

1. Export Zetadocs configuration:

a) Go to Zetadocs General Settings page.
b) On actions tab click Export Configuration Data.
c) Save configuration file.

2. Remove Zetadocs for NAV from system (be sure Step 1 is performed beforehand to avoid losing data):

a) Open Dynamics NAV Development Environment.
b) Navigate to tables. Click Tables Filter on top and choose Version List field matching *EQ*, click OK.
c) Delete tables in range IDs 9009959 – 9041223. Choose Synchronize Schema as Force.
d) Navigate to pages. Delete pages in range IDs 9009960 – 9041216.
e) Navigate to reports. Delete reports in range IDs 9009960 – 9009974.
f) Navigate to coudeunits. Delete codeunits in range IDs 9009959 – 9041223.
g) Navigate to XMLports. Delete XMLports in range IDs 9009959 – 9041209.
h) Navigate to MenuSites. Delete item with name Dept - Zetadocs for NAV.

3. Remove changes to other pages made to work with Zetadocs.

a) Download the latest Zetadocs Page Modification Tool from the Equisys website and extract it.
b) Open the Object Designer in the Dynamics NAV Development Environment.
c) Navigate to pages. Click Tables Filter on top and choose Version List field matching *EQ*, click OK.
d) Select all objects and go to File > Export. Save the interfaces as TXT file.
e) Now open the Zetadocs Page Modifier tool from the extract location and click Load Items and select your NAV version or BC and your language.
f) Browse to the location of your exported Interfaces file and click Open. Wait while the tool loads your exported items.
g) Go to File > Repair.
h) Select Remove Only column for all pages.
i) Click Start. The status column shows the conversion process. The updated export file name will be appended (Modified) and can be viewed by clicking View Output Directory.
j) Now use the Object Designer to re-import modified pages and forms and compile them (F11).

4. (Migration from Business Central only) In Dynamics NAV Development Environment go to Tools > Build Object Search Index. Deleted pages will be removed from Search Index.

(if migration of NAV/Business Central to cloud/another installation is performed, it should be performed between between steps 4 and 5)

5. On the migrated/new Business Central system, install Zetadocs Extension.

6. Run assisted setup.

7. (Zetadocs Delivery only) Upload templates to cloud:

a) Navigate to Zetadocs Templates page.
b) Use upload button to upload each file from network share containing template files.

8. (Zetadocs Capture only) Configure Zetadocs Server Configuration tool with SharePoint Online credentials:

a) Run Zetadocs Server Configuration tool.
b) Configure SharePoint connection details and test it.
c) Save when successful.

9. (Zetadocs Capture only) Configure document queues to work with SharePoint Online:

a) Open Zetadocs Server configuration file (usually C:\Program Files (x86)\Zetadocs Server\Document Converter\config.xml).
b) Ensure online archiving is enabled.
c) Ensure SharePoint online site is referenced as OnlineArchiveLocation.
d) For each queue set OnlineFolderLocation as name of folder inside Zetadocs Document Queues library created by SharePoint extensions.
e) Save file.
f) Restart ZetadocsDocumentConverter service.

More about configuring document queues can be found there: Zetadocs Server Installation.

10. Import Zetadocs configuration.:

a) Go to Zetadocs General Settings page
b) On actions tab click Import Configuration Data.
c) Choose configuration file.
d) Click Import on top.
e) On success you can close import window.

11. If popup ask about giving permission to SharePoint Online answer yes and proceed with instructions.

Testing the migration

To check archiving functionality:

1. Navigate to a Business Central record for which previously files were attached in the Documents FactBox.

2. Check that the same files are still attached.

To check Zetadocs Delivery functionality:

1. Navigate to a Business Central record for which usually a custom template is used.

2. Send document to yourself.

3. Check that template is applied in new email.

To check Zetadocs Capture functionality:

1. Populate document queues with sample documents.

2. Navigate in Business Central to the Zetadocs Document Queues page.

3. For each sample document:

a) Navigate to the queue containing the document
b) Click Actions -> Item -> Archive.
c) Attach file to existing document or create a new one.
d) Navigate to document and check that the file is attached and visible in the Documents FactBox.

Additional checks

It is also advised to confirm settings are migrated on pages like Zetadocs Report Settings, Zetadocs System Rules, Zetadocs Customer Rules, Zetadocs Vendor Rules, Zetadocs Templates.

References

To read about Zetadocs customizations in Business Central extension go to Zetadocs SDK Guide.

To read about how to upgrade Zetadocs for NAV go to HOWTO: Upgrade to the latest version of Zetadocs for NAV.

To read how to support Zetadocs NAV Server Delivery go to HOWTO: migrate to Zetadocs NAV Server Delivery.

To read about configuring document queues go to: Zetadocs Server Installation.

If the step about removing Zetadocs for NAV was not performed correctly it might result in an error when installing the extension. In this case please follow this technote: PRB: Failed sync-navapp command when upgrading from Zetadocs 11.1 to the Zetadocs Extension for Business Central on-premises.

Last updated: 28th August 2024 (MG/CR/NT/BB) 

Keywords: Zetadocs Upgrade, Zetadocs, NAV, Business Central, migration, update, extension