Learn Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R3 with Contoso Demo Data: Download and Import Steps
Ax 2012 Contoso Demo Data Download
If you are looking for a way to learn more about Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R3, one of the best options is to download and use the Contoso demo data. In this article, you will learn what is Ax 2012, what is Contoso , and what is demo data. You will also learn how to download, import, verify, and use the Ax 2012 Contoso demo data in your environment. By the end of this article, you will be able to explore the features and functionalities of Ax 2012 R3 with Contoso demo data.
Ax 2012 Contoso Demo Data Downloadl
How to Download the Ax 2012 Contoso Demo Data
The first step to use the Ax 2012 Contoso demo data is to download it from the Microsoft website. Here are the steps to follow: Step 1: Go to the Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Solution Demos page
Open your web browser and go to this link: https://mbs.microsoft.com/customersource/northamerica/AX/learning/documentation/solution-demos/AX2012SolutionDemos. This is the Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Solution Demos page, where you can find various resources and tools for Ax 2012. You will need to sign in with your Microsoft account to access this page.Here is a screenshot of the page: Step 2: Scroll down to the Demo Data Download section and click on the link for Demo Data for Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R3 CU8 Solution Demo Package V1.0 (EXE) 282 MB
On the Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Solution Demos page, scroll down until you see the Demo Data Download section. This section contains links to download different versions of demo data for Ax 2012. The one you need is the Demo Data for Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R3 CU8 Solution Demo Package V1.0 (EXE) 282 MB, which is compatible with Ax 2012 R3 Cumulative Update 8 or later. Click on this link to start the download process.Here is a screenshot of the section: Step 3: Extract the demo data from the package to the database server that hosts the Ax 2012 R3 business database for your environment
Once you have downloaded the demo data package, you need to extract it to a folder on your database server. The database server is the computer that hosts the Ax 2012 R3 business database for your environment. You can use any extraction tool, such as WinZip or WinRAR, to extract the demo data package. The package contains a file named ContosoDemoData.dat, which is the demo data file that you will import later.Note: Make sure you have enough disk space on your database server before extracting the demo data package. The ContosoDemoData.dat file is about 10 GB in size. How to Import the Ax 2012 Contoso Demo Data
The next step to use the Ax 2012 Contoso demo data is to import it into your Ax 2012 R3 business database. For this, you will need to use the Test Data Transfer Tool (beta), which is a tool that can import or export data between an Ax 2012 business database and a file system. Here are the steps to follow:
Step 1: Download and install the Test Data Transfer Tool (beta) tool from Microsoft Dynamics Lifecycle Services
The Test Data Transfer Tool (beta) tool is available from the Downloadable tools section of Microsoft Dynamics Lifecycle Services, which is a cloud-based service that helps you manage the application lifecycle of your Microsoft Dynamics solutions. You will need to sign in with your Microsoft account to access this section. Here is the link: https://lcs.dynamics.com/v2/DownloadableTools.
On the Downloadable tools section, scroll down until you see the Test Data Transfer Tool (beta) for Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012. Click on the Download button to download the tool installer. The installer is a file named DPInstall.exe, which is about 1 MB in size.
Once you have downloaded the tool installer, run it on the database server that hosts the Ax 2012 R3 business database for your environment. The installer will extract the tool files to a folder named DP on your C drive. The tool files include a file named DP.exe, which is the main executable file of the tool, and some configuration files.
Step 2: Stop the AOS instance associated with your environment
Before you can import the demo data, you need to stop the AOS instance that is associated with your Ax 2012 R3 environment. The AOS instance is a service that runs on a server and provides access to the Ax 2012 R3 application and database. You can stop the AOS instance from Control Panel > Services.
On Control Panel > Services, look for a service named Microsoft Dynamics AX Object Server 6.3$InstanceName, where InstanceName is the name of your AOS instance. For example, if your AOS instance is named AX2012R3, the service name will be Microsoft Dynamics AX Object Server 6.3$AX2012R3. Right-click on the service name and select Stop from the context menu.
Step 3: Run the Test Data Transfer Tool (beta) with the appropriate command to import the demo data
Now you are ready to run the Test Data Transfer Tool (beta) with the appropriate command to import the demo data into your Ax 2012 R3 business database. You need to open a command prompt as administrator, browse to the tool location, and enter the command with the correct parameters.
To open a command prompt as administrator, click on Start > All Programs > Accessories > Command Prompt. Right-click on Command Prompt and select Run as administrator from the context menu.
To browse to the tool location, enter cd C:\DP at the command prompt and press Enter.
To enter the command with the correct parameters, use this syntax: dp.exe import \\location_of_demo_data \\Name_of_AX_business_database \\ServernameInstanceName.
The parameters are as follows:
import - This specifies that you want to import data into your Ax 2012 R3 business database.
\\location_of_demo_data - This specifies the path to the folder where you extracted the demo data package in step 3 of how to download the demo data. For example, if you extracted it to E:\demodata, enter E:\demodata.
\\Name_of_AX_business_database - This specifies the name of your Ax 2012 R3 business database. For example, if your business database is named MicrosoftDynamicsAX, enter MicrosoftDynamicsAX.
\\ServernameInstanceName - This specifies the name of your SQL Server instance that hosts your Ax 2012 R3 business database. For example, if your SQL Server instance is named SQLSERVER\AX2012R3, enter SQLSERVER\AX2012R3.
For example, if you extracted the demo data package to E:\demodata, your business database is named MicrosoftDynamicsAX, and your SQL Server instance is named SQLSERVER\AX2012R3, enter this command: dp.exe import E:\demodata MicrosoftDynamicsAX SQLSERVER\AX2012R3.
Press Enter to execute the command. The tool will start importing the demo data into your Ax 2012 R3 business database. This may take several minutes or hours, depending on the size of the demo data and the performance of your database server. You can monitor the progress of the import process by looking at the messages displayed on the command prompt window.
How to Verify and Use the Ax 2012 Contoso Demo Data
The final step to use the Ax 2012 Contoso demo data is to verify that it has been imported successfully and to start using it in your Ax 2012 R3 environment. Here are the steps to follow:
Step 1: Restart the AOS instance associated with your environment
After you have imported the demo data, you need to restart the AOS instance that is associated with your Ax 2012 R3 environment. This is to ensure that the AOS instance can access the updated business database with the demo data. You can restart the AOS instance from Control Panel > Services.
On Control Panel > Services, look for a service named Microsoft Dynamics AX Object Server 6.3$InstanceName, where InstanceName is the name of your AOS instance. For example, if your AOS instance is named AX2012R3, the service name will be Microsoft Dynamics AX Object Server 6.3$AX2012R3. Right-click on the service name and select Start from the context menu.
Step 2: Launch Ax 2012 R3 and log in with a demo user account
Now you can launch Ax 2012 R3 and log in with a demo user account to access and use the Contoso demo data. You can launch Ax 2012 R3 from Start > All Programs > Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 > Microsoft Dynamics AX.
To log in with a demo user account, you need to enter a user name and a password that are valid for the Contoso demo data. There are many demo user accounts available for different roles and scenarios, such as administrator, sales manager, warehouse worker, etc. You can find a list of demo user accounts and passwords on this page: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamicsax-2012/appuser-itpro/demo-data-users-and-passwords.
For example, if you want to log in as an administrator, you can enter Admin as the user name and pass@word1 as the password.
Step 3: Explore the features and functionalities of Ax 2012 R3 with Contoso demo data
Once you have logged in with a demo user account, you can explore the features and functionalities of Ax 2012 R3 with Contoso demo data. You can access various modules, forms, reports, workflows, etc. that illustrate how Ax 2012 R3 can be used in different scenarios and industries.
For example, if you want to explore the sales and marketing module, you can click on Sales and marketing on the navigation pane. You will see various forms and subforms related to sales and marketing activities, such as customers, sales orders, quotations, campaigns, etc. You can also run various reports related to sales and marketing performance, such as sales analysis, sales forecast, sales pipeline, etc.
Here is a screenshot of the sales and marketing module: Conclusion
In this article, you have learned how to download, import, verify, and use the Ax 2012 Contoso demo data in your environment. You have also learned what is Ax 2012, what is Contoso, and what is demo data. By using the Ax 2012 Contoso demo data, you can explore the features and functionalities of Ax 2012 R3 in a realistic and comprehensive way. You can also use the demo data for testing, development, or demonstration purposes.
Using the Ax 2012 Contoso demo data can help you to:
Learn how Ax 2012 R3 can be used in different scenarios and industries.
Understand how Ax 2012 R3 can support various business processes and functions.
Discover how Ax 2012 R3 can integrate with other Microsoft products and services.
Experience how Ax 2012 R3 can provide a user-friendly and efficient interface.
Evaluate how Ax 2012 R3 can meet your business needs and requirements.
We hope you have enjoyed this article and found it useful. If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to contact us.
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about Ax 2012 Contoso demo data:
Q1: What is Ax 2012?
A1: Ax 2012 is a version of Microsoft Dynamics AX, an enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution for a wide range of worldwide businesses. Ax 2012 provides a comprehensive and integrated set of modules and features that can help you manage your financials, operations, human resources, customer relationships, supply chain, projects, and more.
Q2: What is Contoso?
A2: Contoso is a fictional company name that Microsoft uses as an example in its products and documentation. Contoso demo data is a set of sample data that illustrates how Ax 2012 can be used in different scenarios and industries. Contoso demo data includes records, transactions, configurations, settings, etc. for various modules and features of Ax 2012.
Q3: What is demo data?
A3: Demo data is a collection of records, transactions, configurations, settings, etc. that can be used to demonstrate or test the features and functionalities of a software product. Demo data is not intended for production or live environments. Demo data can help you to learn how to use a software product, to understand how it works, to evaluate its capabilities, or to showcase its benefits.
Q4: What is Test Data Transfer Tool (beta)?
A4: Test Data Transfer Tool (beta) is a tool that can be used to import or export data between an Ax 2012 business database and a file system. It can be used for testing, development, or demo purposes only. Test Data Transfer Tool (beta) can help you to transfer data between different environments or versions of Ax 2012.
Q5: Where can I find more information about Ax 2012?
A5: You can find more information about Ax 2012 on Microsoft Learn website, Microsoft Docs website, Microsoft Dynamics Community website, or Microsoft Dynamics PartnerSource website. These websites provide various resources and tools for learning, documentation, support, training, certification, etc. for Ax 2012. dcd2dc6462