Pulse Faster

It was a privilege to attend the “Go For Growth” Sydney Seminar today, where Verne Harnish gave forth his wisdom.

The single most important phrase I heard today was this:

Pulse Faster

Firefox and Chrome Showing Garbage

Just when you think it’s safe to go out at night.

In Firefox, going to both “http://stuandrews.com” and “http://www.stuandrews.com” reveals what’s in the picture.

In Chrome, going to “http://www.stuandrews.com” does the same thing, although the “http://stuandrews.com” works fine.

I’ve given Google a half-hearted search, but seriously? This is quite bizarre.

And to top it all off, the Uploader (Flash or not) for WordPress Images isn’t working for me. Crunches, but doesn’t actually write the files to the upload directory. My permissions are okay.

Bizarre.

My Memory Is Faulty: A Lesson In Perspective

For numbers, for complicated passwords, for remembering how to tie my laces .. I thought I was set.

Unimportant facts drawn from dusty fantasy books in water-damaged carboard boxes at the back corner of old bookshops. Yo.

Living through the memory of equipping that first augmentation in Deus Ex, of taking down an entire level with the mini-crossbow, of trying so very hard to take down Gunther. Aye.
Continue reading “My Memory Is Faulty: A Lesson In Perspective”

Microsoft Dynamics CRM, Word Templates and Merge Fields for printing a Quote

Why is it so hard to find information on this topic? It’s a behemoth system, CRM; Word is known the globe over; and Mail Merge is something most folk know about.

There is plenty of information on each of these subjects on their own, but when I began looking for all three together it got a bit frustrating.

What I Wanted To Do

Create a Word Template to be used to print a Quote from within Dynamics CRM.

Goals

Create from scratch.

Use a table for Quote Product items (this was far more obtuse than you would think).

There are a couple of sample templates you can find. I didn’t find them until AFTER I’d gone through a lot of pain. But the pain meant learning, which is good for me.

The image below will show you the result I have at the moment. It’s not great.

The Merge for a Quote will happen on the QUOTE PRODUCT. So always have in mind that the records coming at the template will be for the Quote Product, not the  Quote itself (although the Quote information is in there, being a Parent 1:M relationship).

3062010124233PM1

IMPORTANT:

  • Do not type the brackets {} .. Always use <CTRL>F9
  • Want to put information/data in at the FIRST record and never again, like a Header?

{ IF { MERGEFIELD Quote_ID } <> { someNameForUniqueID } “{ SET someNameForUniqueID { MERGEFIELD Quote_ID } }Information to go at the top of the report/document/whatever.
”}

  • Want to put information/data in at the LAST record and never again, like a Total Footer?

“{ IF { MERGEFIELD LastItem (this is the actual field name) } = 1 ”Put the information in here
"}

STU’S THOUGHTS FOR WORD MERGE TEMPLATES:

  1. There is no way I’ve found to create a single table with Headings (only on First Quote Product record)
    1. You cannot remove the “new line” that is created when you add in the table.
  2. The Word help file actually has some helpful information. Search for “Formatting switch” and go to the “Insert and format field codes in Word” document.
  3. The most trouble I have is why I cannot get the layout the way I want it? Why do I have to be restricted by an obtuse set of commands? Or is it that I don’t know the right way to format the code?

I’ve only been on this since last night, so it’s highly probable I’ve missed some grand fabulous way to achieve the process.

But I thought some other folk my be helped by this information.

My "I’d Like To See That" Wallaby Team

Okay. After reading Greg’s column on SMH, “Dean’s Test Dilemma: Form or Reputation”, I figured if he can spend the article talking about how awesome the Reds are (on Form), and pick a “Form” team with a bunch of Tah’s, then why shouldn’t I give forth my own opinion.

My “I’d Like To See That” Wallaby Team:

This is the team I’d like to see have a run at the All Blacks, Springboks, the Irish and anyone one else game enough.

My Wallaby Test Team, 2010 1. (Loose-Head Prop) – Benn Robinson

2. (Hooker) – Tatafu Polatu-Nau

3. (Tight-Head Prop) – Laurie Weeks

4. (Lock) – Nathan Sharpe <VC>

5. (Lock) – Dave Dennis

6. (Blind-Side Flanker) – Matt Hodgson

7. (Open-Side Flanker) – David Pocock

8. (Number 8) – Stephen Hoiles

9. (Scrum-Half) – Will Genia <C>

10. (Fly-Half) – Quade Cooper

11. (Left-Wing) – Digby Ioane

12. (Inside-Center) – Anthony Faingaa

13. (Outside-Center) Rob Horne

14. (Right-Wing) – Drew Mitchell

15. (Fullback) – Adam Ashley-Cooper

Bench: Saia Faingaa, Rocky Elsom, Ben Daley, Matt Giteau, Josh Holmes

Sadly, it’s just not cricket without George.

OH GEORGE, WHERE ART THOU?