Getting Support

This guide explains how to get help with Advanced Spreadsheets and Reporting.

Support Resources

Documentation

Start with these resources:

• This documentation set
• In-app tooltips and help
• Business Central standard help

Self-Service Troubleshooting

Before contacting support:

1. Review Common Issues
2. Check License Issues if license-related
3. Search documentation for your issue

Contacting Support

Hougaard Support

For issues specific to the app, contact Hougaard:

Publisher: Hougaard Product: Advanced Spreadsheets and Reporting Technical support: support@hougaard.com Sales and licensing: sales@hougaard.com Support page: https://www.hougaard.com/support/ User guide: https://www.hougaard.com/advanced-financial-reporting-user-guide/

When contacting support, provide:

• Company name
• Contact information
• Issue description
• Error messages

Your Microsoft Partner

For Business Central environment issues:

• Contact your implementing partner
• They can assist with integration questions
• May have additional training resources for the app

Preparing a Support Request

Information to Gather

Environment Details:

• Business Central version (shown in Help → About)
• App version (from Extension Management)
• Environment type (SaaS/On-Premises)
• Browser and version

Problem Details:

• Description of the issue
• Steps to reproduce
• Expected behavior vs. actual behavior
• When the issue started

Error Information:

• Exact error messages
• Screenshots if helpful
• Any patterns (e.g., specific reports, users, times)

Example Support Request

Subject: Indicator Returns Zero Value

Environment:
- Business Central 28.x.x.x
- Advanced Spreadsheets and Reporting version 2.x.x.x
- SaaS (Production)
- Microsoft Edge (include your installed browser version when contacting support)

Description:
When running Financial Report "Monthly P&L", the indicator 
on row 50 (Open Orders Count) returns 0, but we have 
47 open orders in the system.

Steps to Reproduce:
1. Open Financial Report "Monthly P&L"
2. Click Edit Row Definition
3. Note row 50 has Type = Indicator
4. Run report for December 2024
5. Row 50 shows 0

Expected: Show count of 47 (matching Sales Order list)
Actual: Shows 0

Indicator Configuration:
- Table: Sales Header
- Method: Count
- Filters: Document Type = Order, Status = Open|Released

Troubleshooting Tried:
- Verified data exists (47 open orders visible in Orders list)
- Checked user permissions (can view Sales Orders)
- Tried running as different user (same result)

Support Categories

Installation Issues

For help with:

• Extension installation
• Initial configuration
• Permission setup

Provide:

• Installation error messages
• Environment details
• Steps attempted

Configuration Issues

For help with:

• Indicator setup
• Report configuration
• Integration setup

Provide:

• Current configuration details
• Expected vs. actual results
• Any error messages

Functionality Issues

For help with:

• Features not working
• Unexpected behavior
• Performance problems

Provide:

• Steps to reproduce
• Screenshots
• Data volume information (for performance)

License Issues

For help with:

• License registration
• License renewal
• License errors

Provide:

• License key (or partial key)
• Error messages
• Environment details

Escalation Path

Level 1: Documentation

1. Search this documentation
2. Review troubleshooting guides
3. Check for common issues

Level 2: Self-Diagnosis

1. Follow troubleshooting steps
2. Test simplified configurations
3. Check with different users/companies

Level 3: Partner Support

1. Contact your BC implementing partner
2. They may have experience with the app
3. Can assist with environment issues

Level 4: Hougaard Support

1. Contact the publisher directly at support@hougaard.com
2. Provide comprehensive information
3. Follow up as needed

Best Practices

Effective Communication

1. Be Specific: Describe exactly what happens
2. Be Complete: Include all relevant details
3. Be Concise: Focus on essential information
4. Be Patient: Complex issues may take time

Tracking Issues

1. Keep Records: Note issue details and dates
2. Track Progress: Document troubleshooting steps
3. Save Correspondence: Keep support communication

Testing Fixes

1. Follow Instructions: Apply fixes as directed
2. Test Thoroughly: Verify fix resolves issue
3. Report Results: Confirm resolution or continue troubleshooting

Feature Requests

Submitting Enhancement Ideas

If you have ideas for new features:

1. Document the Need: Explain what you want to accomplish
2. Describe Current Limitation: What can't you do today?
3. Propose Solution: How would you like it to work?
4. Contact Publisher: Submit through support channel

Bug Reports

For reporting bugs:

1. Confirm It's a Bug: Not working as designed
2. Reproduce Consistently: Same result each time
3. Document Thoroughly: Steps, error messages, screenshots
4. Report Promptly: Submit to support

Training Resources

Self-Learning

• Review all documentation topics
• Practice with sample configurations
• Experiment in sandbox environment

Structured Training

Contact Hougaard or your partner about:

• Training sessions
• Webinars
• Video tutorials (if available)

Keeping Updated

Version Updates

• Check for app updates periodically
• Review release notes for new features
• Test updates in sandbox first

Documentation Updates

• Documentation may be updated with product
• Check for new topics or revised content
• Bookmark important pages

Emergency Support

Critical Issues

For production-critical issues:

1. Contact support immediately
2. Mark request as urgent
3. Provide quick summary with details to follow
4. Be available for follow-up

Workarounds

While waiting for resolution:

• Try alternative approaches
• Use manual processes if needed
• Document workaround steps

Related Topics

• Common Issues
• License Issues
• HTTP Client Warnings