Support Debugging Tool Build 15 released- Desktop Alerts

Posted by Rubal on Jul 6, 2011 in draft, Support Debugging Tool | 0 comments

The Support Debugging Tool Build 15 has been released last week! It supports Microsoft Dynamics GP 10.0, Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010, and Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010 R2. Take a look at David Musgrave’s post for a complete list of fixes, enhancements, performance improvements, usability and features included in this build.

Support Debugging Tool Build 15 released

The list of enhancements and features is long, however the enhancement that caught my eye in first glance is –“Added Desktop Alert action to Automatic Debugger Mode”

While setting up an Automatic trigger using Support Debugging Tool, now you have option whether you want to display a message box or the desktop alert.

Desktop Alert notification is displayed at bottom left corner of the screen like new email notifications in Microsoft Outlook

This will useful in situations where you want to notify user without requiring them to immediately take an action. The normal message boxes are notorious for breaking the flow of users by requiring an immediate action. At very least user has to click OK button in message box causing the interface friction for the user. A lot has been written about interface friction for the user, here are couple of posts for reference:

Unnecessary Dialogs: Stopping the Proceedings with Idiocy

Excerpt from Reducing User Interface Friction by Jeff Atwood:-

“How many steps does it take to do something in your application? Have you counted? Have you thought about ways to reduce or eliminate those steps for your users? If not, you absolutely should be. Fire up your application and start counting as you click and type through the most common user scenarios. I think you’ll be unpleasantly surprised.”

I am very happy to see the option to display Desktop Alerts in GP using the Automatic Debugger Mode.

Read more about how to set up Automatic Debugger Mode

Dynamics GP SDT Essential Series 3 – Using Triggers (GP on Steroids)

Stop cash receipts for a customer on hold – Dynamics GP SDT Essential Series 4