Is it true that Microsoft Business Solutions has purchased Omni Security?
Yes, Microsoft Business Solutions has purchased the Omni Security and Omni Field Security modules out of the Omni Tools suite for Release 7.00.  Until that time the complete 8 module suite is still available from Winthrop Dexterity Consultants and afterwards a 6 module suite will be released.

Please click here for more details of the announcements and timelines.

Does Omni Security provide additional levels of security?
No, Omni Security is purely a more powerful, more flexible interface into the existing security model of Great Plains.  For version 6.00, you can use Omni Field Security to provide Form, Window, Field and Record Level security.

Please note that existing security system works on a deny basis.  So unless access is specifically denied a user will have access.  By default a new user will have access to all areas of Great Plains.

Does Omni Security provide any additional features to the existing security system?
Yes, Omni Security adds interactive dialogs which will identify errors with security and allow the system administrator to fix the problems on-the-fly without needing to change login user.  The system will also give more information when a window or report is denied access and optionally allow the system administrator to grant temporary or permanent access, again without needing to change login user.

How do I activate security in Great Plains?
Security is activated for a company using the Company Setup window (Setup >> Company >> Setup) and ticking the Security Checkbox.  If you turn Security on it is recommended that it be turned on for all companies including the lesson company.  If you do not turn Security on, you will be able to use security to select alternate or modified windows, but not to deny access to windows or reports.  If you attempt to deny access when Security is off, Omni Security will notify you with a dialog and allow security to be turned on.

Now that Security is active what is the basic settings I should have?
Security should be turned on for all companies so that you cannot use a different company to bypass security.  You should have a System password entered, so that all System actions involving Users, Companies and Security require a password.

Using Omni Security (by Toolbar), make sure that only Administrators have access to the Company Setup window so that a user cannot deactivate security.  Also using Omni Security (by Dictionary), make sure that only Administrators have access to the System Password Master table in the System series.

How do I add or edit Users and Classes using Omni Security?
You don't.  To add or edit a User or Class please use the Standard Great Plains windows.  You can navigate to these windows from the Omni Security window via the New User/Class button or by double clicking on a User or Class in the list.  Please note that it is not recommended to make changes to User Security or Class Security using the Standard Windows.

How do I change Company Access using Omni Security?
You don't.  To grant or deny access to different companies for each user please use the Standard Great Plains window.  You can navigate to this window from the Omni Security window by double clicking on the company in the list.

Every time I make a change to a class through the User Class Setup window, I lose my user level changes, help?
If you roll down a Class from the standard Great Plains User Class Setup window, it will replace the security for users belonging to that class for all companies the users have access to with a copy of the Class security.  This process with destroy any changes made to the User.  Omni Security makes the changes to the user based on the changes you just made to the class, so other users level settings are left untouched.

How can I change the Class of a user without losing my user level settings?
Omni Security does not currently provide the ability to change a User's class.  If you double click on the user, it will open the standard window to allow you to change the Class.  When you change the Class and save the user, Great Plains will update the settings for that user to match the class settings and so wipe out any User level settings.

With version 6.0 of Omni Security, you have the option to export the security settings before you make the change and then import them back afterwards.  Also, you can create a new Class and Rollup the users settings into that Class.

Why does Omni Security use a Cache Table?
Omni Security uses a Cache table to improve performance.  The Cache table is used to store the status of each node in the Omni Security tree (the left hand pane of the Omni Security window).  The next time the status of a node is needed, it can be read from the cache without having to read the statuses for all the children of that node.  It allows Omni Security to obtain the status of a node without having to read all the raw data for the lowest level of the tree from the standard Security tables.  The table's physical name is WDC51101 and is stored in the System folder or System Database (or at a specified location for a Ctree Cache on a SQL system).

What is Background Caching?
Omni Security can use a background process to populate the cache while you work in the foreground.  This background process will only run while the Omni Security window is open, after you close the window it will complete the section it is working on and then stop.  After time, the cache will be populated for all valid combinations and the background process will stop.  If background caching is running you will notice the number of Children cached increasing by itself.  Also you can see the process by looking at File >> Process Monitor.  Please note that while Omni Security is still running the background process, your local system's performance may be affected.  It may also slow your whole system slightly as it will be accessing your data server.

Background caching only runs on the Workstation which has the Omni Security window open and does not effect any other workstation.  Once the Omni Security window is closed, the background caching process will complete the entity currently being processed and then stop.  You may need to wait a few moments before being allowed to log out.

In version 6.00 build 8, Background Caching will now remove unnecessary nodes and will drastically reduce the number of nodes needed, which in turn will improve performance and space usage.

 

How big can the Cache Table get?
The Cache table can get fairly large depending on the number of Users, Companies and Classes your system has.  To calculate the maximum number of potential children/nodes which may be cached please use the following formula:

For version 6.00 build 8:
Number of Entities = (Number of valid User/Company combinations (only those with access) + Number of Classes)

For prior to version 6.00 build 8:
Number of Entities = ((Number of Users+1) * (Number of Companies+1)) + (Number of Classes+1)


Number of Nodes per Entity = approx 3,000 (Depends on what 3rd party products are loaded)

Number of Records = Number of Entities * Number of Nodes per Entity

If this number is greater than 4 million, you may what to change the Caching options.  Please note that version 6.00 build 8 will remove unnecessary nodes when Background Caching.

How long can it take to complete filling the Cache?
The time taken depends very much on your system, the number of users, classes and 3rd party products.  Use the formula above to estimate the potential number of children/nodes and then you can check the Omni Security window to see the current number of children/nodes.  The speed they are created depends on the performance of the system being used, whether the cache table is stored locally or across the LAN.  Under Great Plains SQL versions it is usually faster to use a Ctree cache, it can be up to 10 times faster.

How do I know when Background Caching is completed?
While the Background Caching process is running, the number of cached children/nodes will be increasing.  Once the number stops increasing the background caching is complete.  You may also see the process task by looking at File >> Process Monitor.

Please note that the system performance will be affected while a background process is running, it will have an effect on the workstation running the process and may also effect the overall system performance as it reads from the File or SQL Server. It is recommended to allow the Background Caching to complete out of hours.

How do stop Background Caching?
If you are unable to change company or exit Great Plains because the Background Caching process is still running, ensure that the Omni Security window is closed and wait a few moments.  The Background Caching process only runs while the window is open, once closed the process will complete the section it is working on and then stop.  You can also turn Background Caching off from the Omni Security Options window.  Without Background Caching Omni Security will cache on demand instead of reading ahead.

In version 6.00 build 8, it is recommended to turn Background Caching on again as it will now remove unnecessary nodes and will drastically reduce the number of nodes needed, which in turn will improve performance and space usage.

Should I use Background Caching, what other options are there?
If you have a large number of Users and Companies, you may opt to turn Background Caching off via the Options window from the Omni Security window.  If Background Caching is off Omni Security will only cache records on demand, ie. the first time a specific User/Company or Class is referenced.  This will mean that the Cache table will only contain records for the Users, Companies and Classes you are working with and so will be smaller.  The side effect is that the first access of a User/Company or Class will be slow as the cache is built, future accessing will be fast as the records are now in the cache.

Another option you have is to make the Cache temporary, so that the information is only stored while you are using Omni Security and is deleted when you close the window.  This will mean that every time the Omni Security window is open again, the cache will be recreated either on demand or in the background depending on the setting.

Why does Omni Security recommend using a Ctree Cache table when running with SQL Server?
SQL Server is not suited to the type of access that Omni Security uses for the Cache Table.  It was found that shifting the Cache table to Ctree gave a significant boost (up to 10 times) in the performance of the Cache table.  It is recommended that a Ctree cache is used with Great Plains SQL versions systems.  The location of the cache is configured on a system or per machine basis and can be set up via the Omni Security >> Options window, or can be edited in the DEX.INI file.  It is suggested that, for best performance, the location be local to the workstation performing most of the security work and shared to all other workstations.

Another method of forcing Omni Security to ask if you want to use a Ctree cache like it did when you first installed is to manually delete the contents of the WDC51101 table in the DYNAMICS database on your SQL server.  Use the Transact SQL statement delete from DYNAMICS..WDC51101.

Note: Please ensure that all workstations point to the same folder for the Ctree cache location.

What is the best method to define the location of  the Ctree Cache table?
In the later builds of Omni Security, you can specify both a Default Path and a Local Path for the folder to store the Ctree cache tables.  If the Local Path is blank, the Default Path will be used.  The Default Path is stored once for the system, when the Local Path is stored for each workstation in its DEX.INI file under the WDC_SQL_Local_Path setting.  If the WDC_SQL_Local_Path DEX.INI setting is "<DEFAULT>" or blank it means the Default Path will be used.

The recommendation is to use a UNC path to the folder as the Default Path, so all machines unless otherwise specified will use this path, for example "\\SERVER\Great Plains\Shared".

Then the workstation used with Omni Security itself can use a Local Path to specify the folder without going through the networking subsystem, for example "C:\Great Plains\Shared". Note that it the Local Path for the workstation using Omni Security should NOT use a UNC pathname or go through a shared drive.  It is suggested that the workstation used with Omni Security is the actual Server. 

This configuration will ensure all workstations point the same folder AND the workstation doing the security work (in this example \\SERVER) has a local access.

What is an Open Operation on table WDC_Children_TEMP Error?
This error is probably caused when using a Ctree cache table, and the folder which you have asked Omni Security to use for the Ctree cache does not exist or does not have read/write access.  Please use Option window to set the location for the Ctree cache files again. You can also check or edit the WDC_SQL_Local_Path setting in the DEX.INI file.

What is an Unknown Error (50) on table WDC_Children_TEMP?
This error is probably caused by the Ctree cache table being corrupted because it has grown to contain too many records (more than 4 million).  With Version 6.00 build 8, the cache usage has been optimised, so the number of records or nodes is greatly reduced.  This should avoid this issue coming up again.  Please delete the WDC51101.DAT and WDC51101.IDX files and install build 8, leave Background Caching on.

The solution for earlier builds was to first delete the WDC51101.DAT and WDC51101.IDX files and then turn Background Caching off, so that only the children/nodes actually being used are cached.  This will keep the cache as small as possible, if the cache gets too big again, you can always reset it or delete the files again.  With Background Caching turned off the cache records for a user will be created the first time that user is accessed.

Why does Omni Security keep trying to give access to WDC_Registration_Trigger form?
The WDC_Registration_Trigger form is an internal form needed for Omni Security to verify what modules of Omni Tools are registered.  If you deny access to this form, you will continuously get dialogs trying to grant access back.  In the later builds of version 6.0, it is impossible to deny access to this form and even if you do it will automatically get access granted back.  So, if you are seeing this problem, please ensure you have the latest build downloaded and installed.

Why can't I switch companies or go to the Report Writer?
While Great Plains is running a background process you will be unable to exit or switch companies.  The Process Monitor (File >> Process Monitor) will show the background processes running.  Omni Security uses a process call WDC_Background_Fill_Cache.  You must wait for this process to complete before continuing.

Note: The process will stop either when it has completed caching all potential children/nodes or if the Omni Security window is closed, it will complete the user it is currently working on and then stop.

Why are the standard Enter User Names, User Class Setup, Security Setup and Company Access windows slow?
Please make sure you have the latest build as changes have been made to all versions to further improve performance when using the standard windows.

If you use the standard windows while Omni Tools is loaded, they may be slower than normal.  This is because Omni Tools is running additional scripts to keep its cache table synchronised with the changes you are making.  Here are some possible solutions:

1) Avoid using the standard windows were possible.
2) Accept the slower performance.
3) Make the Cache temporary, so Synchronisation is not needed.
4) Through the Omni Security Options window turn off the Synchronisation, make your changes using the standard windows and then clear the cache (from the Omni Security Options window), so that it can be re-populated with the correct data next time it is used.

Note: Rolling down a class to all users through the standard window with Synchronisation turned on can take a very long time.

What should I do if there is a difference between Omni Security and the standard windows?
The system tries to ensure that its cache table is kept up to date to reflect the actual information in the Great Plains tables.  However, it is possible for the information to get out of sync, especially if the Synchronisation option has been turned off at any time.  If there is a difference for a single user, then use the Redisplay/Refresh button (bottom left of window) to remove the cache records for that user and rebuild the cache.   If you are concerned about more than one user you may want to Reset the entire cache using the button on the Options window.

Another situation that could occur is that security settings now point to a dictionary which has since been removed from the system.  Using the Verify button in version 6.0 will identify and fix issues relating to missing resources.

Note: If you Reset the entire cache, it will start to fill the cache from the beginning again.

How did the cache get out of sync?
The cache can get out of sync if changes are made using the standard windows on a workstation that does not have Omni Tools installed, or even if Omni Tools was installed, but the Synchronisation option had been turned off.  Also, if using a Ctree cache under Great Plains SQL versions, if more than one location for the tables has been specified, the cache could be updated for one workstation but not for another.

Is the data in the Cache Table valuable?
No, the only reason it is normally kept between uses of Omni Security is to save having to populate the table again.  You do not have to backup the table if you don't want to.  You can delete the contents of the cache table, it will just be created next time you use Omni Security.

What is the best way to use Omni Security?
It is recommended that you start with a clean slate.  You should revert a user or class before starting to make your changes, this will grant access to all areas of the system.  Then use the By Toolbar view to set the form security using the palettes as functional areas, ie this user should not be able to perform any Financial Transactions.  Using By Toolbar allows you quickly deny access to sections of the menu structure with a single click.  You can then use the By Dictionary view to fine tune your settinsg.

Then you can set access to other errors such as Tools, Posting Permissions and Document Access.  It is recommended that you do not use the Reports or Table security available via the By Dictionary view.  Denying access to Reports or Tables may cause unexpected access errors during posting.

How do I deal with Explorer security?
For version 5.50 of the Great Plains Explorer, access is controlled by denying access to the primary table used by that favourite.  You would use the By Dictionary view and look into the Great Plains dictionary under the Table heading.

For version 6.0 and above of the Great Plains Explorer, access is controlled by its own security window which works with its own tables.  A better interface to this window is provided as a view built into the Omni Security window.  Please note that you will lose all Explorer security when upgrading to version 6.0.

Why does Omni Security sometimes appear to hang?
Omni Tools can be asked to manipulate huge amounts of data with a single mouse click.  If you select all users and all companies and the make a change on a node near the top of the tree, the number of changes you have asked for could be very large.  Please expect this to take a little time.  Try making the same change to a single user and company, then multiple the time taken by the number of users and companies you wish to multi-select.

Why did Omni Security sometimes crash or lock up?
An issue with some of the early Omni Tools builds could cause Omni Tools to crash or lock up.  This issue was resolved and if you are having problems please ensure you have the latest builds installed on ALL workstations.  The problem was caused by Nested Palettes, that is a palette which opens another palette.  Nested Palettes do not normally exist in Great Plains but a number of third party products use them. Omni Tools supports up to 15 levels of Nested Palettes.

What do the checkboxes on the Tree mean in relation to the checkboxes on the lists?
The checkbox on the Tree (left hand side) shows the security status for all the Users/Companies and Classes selected in the lists.  The checkboxes in the list (right hand side) show the status of the Users, Classes and Companies for object select in the Tree.  This allows you to see two views from the one screen.  For example, you can tell if "User1" has access to a particular object and then to see who else has access to that object.

What does it mean when a checkbox is greyed out or has a question mark on it?
It means that it is disabled for some reason, it could be that the user does not have access to that company, or that the form does not actually exist, or that the form belongs to a module that is not registered.  Click on the checkbox anyway and a message will explain why the checkbox is disabled.  Some of the behaviour settings can be changed in the Options window.

What does it mean when a checkbox has a red circle and line through it?
It means that the window is blocked out, usually because it belongs to an Unregistered module.  You have the option of hiding windows that belong to Unregistered modules or, if displaying them, you can enable or disable them.  Just tick the "Enable control of Unregistered Resources" checkbox in the Options window.

Does Omni Security work for 3rd Party Products?
Yes, Omni Security and in fact the entire Omni Tools Suite has been designed from the ground up to be fully aware and compatible with all 3rd party products.  To access a 3rd party product you can always use the "By Dictionary" view, or, if the 3rd party product follows the appropriate standards for palette creation, you can access the product via the "By Toolbar" view after using Omni Menu to attach the palettes.  Please see the Omni Menu section for more information on how to attach a 3rd party palette .

Where do I find Alternate and/or Modified windows?
Alternate and/or Modified windows can by found in the "By Toolbar" or "By Dictionary" views under the original window or report.  You may then select which one of the possible windows you would like used.

What is wrong when none of the radio buttons for the dictionaries are selected?
This means that the security record for this window or report does not point to any of the available dictionaries.  This can be caused because a dictionary is missing from the current workstation's DYNAMICS.SET launch file.  This could be because not all dictionaries are installed on all workstations, or because a product that was installed is no longer being used.  To fix, make sure that all the dictionaries are loaded and then use the Verify button to repair the incorrect security records.

If you would like a simple method of guaranteeing all the latest versions of the dictionaries are installed on a workstation, please have a look at Version Pro from Rockton Software.

How can I quickly identify Alternate and/or Modified Forms & Reports?
For Version 6.00 of Omni Security, you may select the "By Alternate, Modified and Custom" view to quickly check the status of the customisations in your system.  The view can be changed using the View Button which is just above the tree on the left hand side of the window.

What is a Table Security Violation Error when printing Reports?
Great Plains offers Table level security.  This table level security is used only by the Report Writer and can abort the printing of a report, if it is linked to a table which has access denied.  Even if the user has access to the report, it will still fail to print.  The interactive dialogs in Omni Security cannot identify this issue.  It is recommended that Table level security is not used as it can cause unexpected problems.  Please note that for versions 5.00 and 5.50, Explorer uses Table level security to identify which objects are available to a user.

Doesn't the Interactive Dialogs which allow the granting of access bypass security?
No, because changes can only be made to security if the System password is known.  It does allow the administrator to quickly fix security access issues or to temporarily allow a user into a window without needing to change login user.  If no System password is set in a system, you will not be allowed to make security changes via the Interactive Dialogs.  Note: the dialogs will only work if Omni Tools is installed on ALL workstations.

Can I get rid of the Interactive Dialogs?
With version 6.00, you can use the Control Panel to adjust the behaviour of the Interactive Dialogs.  You can also proactively look for security errors with the Verify feature of Omni Security, that way you are unlikely to have the Interactive Dialogs pop up during normal usage.

Can I hide Palette entries from users when they cannot access the form?
Yes, this is an option available from the Omni Security Options window.   If you use this option it will not remove the navigation choices from the Toolbar or Menus, it will only hide entries on a palette.  If you want to deny all entries on a palette, it works best if the palette window itself still can be accessed, otherwise you will get security dialog pop up.  To allow you to remove access to an entire palette, but still leave access available to the palette window itself, please turn off the Display Palette Window in Menu Tree option.

Note: this option will only work if Omni Tools is installed on ALL workstations.

Can I setup security off-site and the install at the Customer's site?
With version 6.00 of Omni Security, there is an Import/Export feature.   This will allow the configuration of security remotely, by exporting the setup, the resulting XML file can be imported at the Customer's site.

Can I print a hardcopy of the security settings without destroying a forest?
With version 6.00 of Omni Security, there is an Print feature.  This will allow the security settings to be printed in a form similar to the Omni Security tree and also has an option to exclude unchanged (ie. default) security settings from the output.

Why should I purchase Omni Menu when I purchase Omni Security?
Omni Security will treat Third party palettes as through they were Great Plains palettes in the "By Toolbar" view, if they have been previously attached with Omni Menu.