Quick Guide: Updating to SYSPRO 8 2022

This article covers the process and important points to note when updating to SYSPRO 8 2022, as well as a few tips and tricks to make the process easier.

The areas covered include:

  • Update process to SYSPRO 8 2022

  • Enhanced SYSPRO Reporting Software

  • Operating System requirements

  • SYSPRO Web UI Scalability Solution

  • Client-Server Scalability Improvement

  • Microsoft Edge WebView2 Browser Control

  • Reduced file system usage

  • Factory Documentation Printing via SQL Driver

  • Transactional Custom Form Fields

  • SYSPRO Business Activity Queries available via SYSPRO OData

  • SYSPRO Installer Application enhancements

  • SQL Updates by Release

  • Program and Business Object Updates by Release

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Update Process

  1. Run the SYSPRO Installer Application on the SYSPRO application server.

  2. Once connected to the SYSPRO Deployment Service, enter your InfoZone login credentials (and customer code if applicable). Ensure that you use the correct credentials as subsequent notifications rely on this information.

  3. From the home screen select the SYSPRO ERP Software option.

  4. Identify the deployment group you want to update and select the Update button. This creates a text file (SYSPRO_Deployment_Release_Update.txt) in the SYSPRO Deployment Downloads folder, providing details about the machines belonging to the group, as well as the software installed on each of those machines. Software updates must be applied to all machines in a group to complete the process otherwise the deployment group remains listed as Update in progress.

  5. Select SYSPRO 8 2022 as the release to update.

    If the SYSPRO 8 Reporting Host Service is installed, the app verifies if any version of the SYSPRO Reporting Software is also installed. If it detects an installed version of SYSPRO Reporting Software that is not supported by the selected release (or if its unable to detect the current version) a system message is displayed. Select the Reporting Software option to access the Reporting Software screen, from where you can uninstall your current Reporting Software and install the correct version as required.

    Once you have ensured that you have the correct version of Reporting Software installed, enable the Reporting software updated, continue Release Update option within this message box and select the Continue function to proceed with the release update.

  6. From the Product Updates available for Release screen, select the products you want to update for the new release, followed by the Continue option.

  7. After accepting the license terms and conditions, a summary of all products to be installed is displayed.

  8. Select Begin Install to proceed with the installation of all selected products.

  9. Update any additional servers in your deployment group that require an update (listed as update in progress).

  10. Log in to SYSPRO 8 as an Administrator. A minor database update is performed to your system-wide tables and to each company-specific table.

You are now ready to start using SYSPRO 8 2022.

Enhanced SYSPRO Reporting Software

The SYSPRO Reporting Services architecture for printing and reporting (both client-side and server-side) has been upgraded to use SAP Crystal Reports 2020.

The advantages of this upgrade include:

  • Faster installation time (depending on the hardware and software configuration).

  • Reduced footprint on the reporting server installation (SAP Crystal Reports Server 2020 SP2 is 64-bit).

  • Faster start-up time for the Java server when using client-side reporting.

  • Improved performance when previewing, printing and archiving documents (depending on the environment and hardware configuration).

    Our internal testing has indicated an average of 50% reduction in processing time.

  • Quicker processing times when previewing reports and documents using the native XML driver.

  • Increased scalability lets you process reports with larger XML (depending on the complexity of the XML structure).

The install and use of the SYSPRO Additional Reporting Software is dependent on your installed version of SYSPRO 8:

  • Additional Reporting Software 2013 (i.e. SAP Crystal Reports 2013):

    Applies to SYSPRO 8 2020 R1 and prior versions.

    Due to SAP Crystal Reports 2013 having reached the end of its life cycle, the Additional Reporting Software 2013 is no longer available for new installations from January 2024.

  • Additional Reporting Software 2016 (i.e. SAP Crystal Reports 2016):

    Applies to SYSPRO 8 2020 R2, SYSPRO 8 2021 R1 and SYSPRO 8 2021 R2.

    Due to SAP Crystal Reports 2016 having reached the end of its life cycle, the Additional Reporting Software 2016 is no longer available for new installations from January 2024.

  • Additional Reporting Software 2020 (i.e. SAP Crystal Reports 2020):

    Applies to SYSPRO 8 2021 R2 and later versions.

    From January 2024, the Additional Reporting Software 2020 is the only SAP Crystal Reports version available for new installations.

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Architecture Related

Operating System Requirements

Only 64-bit operating systems are supported from SYSPRO 8 2021 R2 onwards (particularly for the SYSPRO 8 Reporting Host Service and Additional Reporting Software 2020).

The following indicates the lowest OS supported for SYSPRO 8 2021 R2 and later releases:

  • Windows Server 2012 R2

  • Windows Server 2016

  • Windows Server 2019

  • Windows 8.1

  • Windows 10

  • Windows 11

SYSPRO Web UI Scalability Solution

The scalability and performance of the SYSPRO Web UI (Avanti) offering has been bolstered by the release of the SYSPRO Application Gateway service that, together with Microsoft Windows containers, allows a much larger number of users to run on a single application server.

The SYSPRO Web UI Scalability Solution article details how to scale the Web UI, as well as how to deploy and setup your system for optimal performance, robustness, and scalability – especially once you exceed 30-35 users.

Read more...

Client-Server Scalability Improvement

The SYSPRO 8 architecture supports a system environment variable on the SYSPRO Application server that is designed to improve reliability over an extended period.

This resolves connectivity issues, improves performance for SYSPRO 8 sites with hundreds of concurrent users running SYSPRO 8 in a client-server environment, and removes the need to periodically reboot your Application server.

SYSPRO 8 Scalability Statement

Microsoft Edge WebView2 Browser Control

To provide a more responsive browser experience and improve the compatibility with third-party web-based solutions, the SYSPRO Desktop web browser capabilities have been enhanced to utilize the latest Microsoft Edge browser technologies. This allows for a rich and secure web browser experience within SYSPRO.

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Reduced file system usage

As part of the SYSPRO 8 journey to reduce files being persisted to the file system, you can now store your customized VBScripts (usually stored in the \Work\VBScripts folder) within the SysSettings table of the system-wide database.

You'll need to enable the Persist operator UI settings to SQL setup option (Setup Options > System Setup > System-Wide Personalization) to cater for this relocation.

This ensures that customization can be retrieved seamlessly in the event of a system crash, or loss of data on the file system, or a pod loss in a SYSPRO Cloud ERP environment.

You may notice an increase in the size of your database once you update to SYSPRO 8 2022; the increase in size being proportional to the size of the data being migrated from the file system.

Advantages of moving this data from the file system to the database includes:

  • Centralized access to all related data

  • Reduction of file system usage and maintenance

  • Simplified portability of data and backup strategy

  • Improved performance

When an operator logs out of SYSPRO and the Persist operator UI settings to SQL option is enabled, the system checks if the VBScripts and modules are saved to the database by confirming if the version.txt file exists in the \Work\VBScripts folder.

If this file doesn’t exist, then the system assumes that the scripts are not stored in the database and creates this version.txt file with a value. The version number is then used to save the scripts and modules into the database.

Upon further logins to SYSPRO, the VBScripts are only retrieved from Microsoft SQL Server if the version in the database is higher than the version on the file system.

When an operator performs changes to any VBScripts within SYSPRO using the VBScript Editor, the scripts are then immediately saved to the database, ensuring that the latest scripts are in stored in Microsoft SQL Server.

Factory Document Printing via SQL Driver

SYSPRO's document printing architecture has been enhanced to enable the printing of Factory documentation using the SQL driver. Previously, this was only available using the XML driver, regardless of the configuration defined against the document template.

Once you have configured your system to use the SQL driver, you then assign a SQL template to the document format.

To activate printing factory documentation using the SQL driver, proceed as follows:

  1. Select the Server-side reporting using SQL or Client-side reporting using SQL option against the Reporting configuration setup option (Setup Options > System Setup > Reporting).

  2. Enable the Use SRS SQL option within the Preferences of the Factory Documentation Format program.

  3. Assign a SQL template to the document format using the SRS Document Print Setup program.

To print factory documentation using the SQL driver, proceed as follows:

  1. Access the Factory Documentation program.

  2. At the Format field, select Define format.

    The Factory Documentation Format program is displayed.

  3. At the Print method field, select SRS document.

  4. At the Format options list, select Preferences and click on the Change button.

    The Preferences window is displayed.

  5. Enable the Use SRS SQL option.

    A warning message is displayed, prompting you to confirm whether you want to remove the previously associated XML template from the document format. Selecting Yes will remove the previously associated XML template from the document format.

    You must then assign a new SQL template.

To assign a template to a document format, proceed as follows:

  1. Access the Factory Documentation Format program, and at the Format options section select SRS options from the list and then select Change.

    The SRS Document Print Setup program is displayed.

  2. Select Add Document from the toolbar.

    The Add SRS Document Templates program is displayed.

  3. Select the Browse icon at the Template field.

  4. Choose the required template and click on Select.

  5. Select Save and Close.

    The Maintain SRS Document Templates program is displayed where you can configure template and printer options.

  6. Close the program to return to the SRS Document Print Setup program.

  7. Choose the template you have added and click on Select to link the template to the document format.

    You will return to the Factory Documentation Format program.

To improve performance and eliminate queuing and roll-backs when processing transactions, new database tables have been created whereby the Inventory, General Ledger, Accounts Receivable and Work in Progress modules obtain next journal numbers and save journal information.

  • The General Ledger module uses the GenNextKeys, GenJournalRef and GenNextKeyAudit tables.

  • The Inventory Control module uses the InvNextKeys and InvNextKeyAudit tables.

  • The Accounts Receivable module uses the ArNextKeys and ArNextKeyAudit tables.

  • The Work in Progress module uses the WipNextKeys and WipNextKeyAudit tables.

The NextKeys tables are used to:

  • Obtain and store the next journal number.

  • View the transaction status.

    C in the Status column indicates that the transaction is complete or fully processed.

    Blank in the Status column indicates that the transaction has failed.

The NextKeyAudit tables are used to:

  • Write and update audit transactions.

  • View failed transactions and justify missing journal numbers.

  • Identify programs that cause failed transactions using the AllocatedByProgram and CalledFromProgram columns.

  • View the date and time transactions were allocated and closed.

  • View which operators posted the transactions.

  • The lowest unprocessed journal number fields in the control accounts (used to find unprinted journals and unposted ledger integration records) have been removed, as these are only required in a C-ISAM environment.

  • Although the data is moved to the NextKeys and NextKeyAudit tables, it will be retained in the relevant control files for duration of this release.

  • The current control account tables only retain the month-to-date and year-to-date values.

Transactional Custom Form Fields

Work In Progress Transactional Custom Form Fields

This feature increases the flexibility of the Work in Progress module by catering for transactional custom form fields. This lets you store additional details against WIP material and labor posting transactions, allowing you to document transaction details and information against the job that will then remain attached as a record against that job. This is useful when recording additional information like specific instructions or quality-related details.

Inventory Transactional Custom Form Fields

This feature increases the flexibility of the Inventory Control module by catering for transactional custom form fields. This lets you store additional details against transactions such as movements and receipts and is useful when recording additional information like visible condition, quality and auditing information.

BAQs available via SYSPRO OData

SYSPRO OData now caters for access to SYSPRO-designed Business Activity Queries (i.e. SQL Database view objects prefixed with bq_). This extends your ability to retrieve data from a Business Activity Queries using the SYSPRO OData Connector.

You access Business Activity Queries directly from within the SYSPRO ODATA Connector endpoint. While the ODATA Connector URL conventions remain the same, the Business Activity Queries are now included in the list of SQL Objects to which you can connect or from which you can retrieve data.

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SYSPRO Installer Application Enhancements

Version 1.0.0.50 - 1.0.0.56 Enhancements

With each incremental release of the SYSPRO Installer Application, the focus is on including new capabilities and features as well as an improved user experience. The following details a summary of the changes that have been made to the application since the last SYSPRO 8 release:

  • Debugging and Diagnostics > Debug keys and output:

    The app was changed to record the daily log file in the ProgramData folder instead of the %TEMP% folder.

  • The prerequisites for the SYSPRO 8 Avanti Initialization Service have changed as Microsoft .NET Framework 4.8 is the new version required from SYSPRO 8 2021 R2.

  • Improved encryption for the SYSPRO 8 Deployment.

  • The install and uninstall processes for SYSPRO Reporting Software have been updated to allow for the new reporting software version.

    • Additional Reporting Software 2013 (i.e. SAP Crystal Reports 2013):

      Applies to SYSPRO 8 2020 R1 and prior versions.

      Due to SAP Crystal Reports 2013 having reached the end of its life cycle, the Additional Reporting Software 2013 is no longer available for new installations from January 2024.

    • Additional Reporting Software 2016 (i.e. SAP Crystal Reports 2016):

      Applies to SYSPRO 8 2020 R2, SYSPRO 8 2021 R1 and SYSPRO 8 2021 R2.

      Due to SAP Crystal Reports 2016 having reached the end of its life cycle, the Additional Reporting Software 2016 is no longer available for new installations from January 2024.

    • Additional Reporting Software 2020 (i.e. SAP Crystal Reports 2020):

      Applies to SYSPRO 8 2021 R2 and later versions.

      From January 2024, the Additional Reporting Software 2020 is the only SAP Crystal Reports version available for new installations.

  • System messages:

    • As Diagnostic Hotfixes must be uninstalled before attempting to update to the latest release of SYSPRO 8, the app was updated with a new Diagnostic Hotfixes Detected system message to warn users about this.

    • Due to the introduction of the SYSPRO Reporting Software 2020, the following new system messages have been added to the app:

      • Operating System Support

      • Reporting Host Service Compatibility

      • Version Mismatch

      • SYSPRO Additional Software Support

You can also view a quick summary of the new functionality added by selecting the What's New flag () from the top right-hand corner of the app.

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SQL, Program and Business Object Updates

SQL Updates by Release

This topic outlines the table changes that have been made for each release of SYSPRO 8.

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Program and Business Object Updates by Release

This topic outlines the programs and business objects that have been added or deleted for each release of SYSPRO 8.

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