Virtual Company in Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012

Dynamics Ax stores data as per company in tables. But there might be occasions when you want to share data across companies, like country, state, zip codes data. This sharing of data is achieved by creating a virtual company and storing data in this virtual company. 

The only purpose of virtual company is to share data across companies, you cannot log into this virtual company.

There is a property on Ax tables called "SaveDataPerCompany", you can use this property to save data globally in Ax. To share data set this property to "No".

Virtual Company setup:

Step 1: Create Table Collection

Decide the tables you want to share and create a table collection for these functionally related tables. For example; if you want to share Global Address Book across companies then you can utilize the existing table collection "DirPartyCollection".

Note: To create a table collection, go to AOT\Data Dictionary\Table Collections and on right click select "New Table Collection", then just drag your required tables in this collection.

Step 2: Create Virtual Company, configure/attach normal companies and table collection

Create a virtual company that will hold the shared data for normal companies.
Note: You should be Ax administrator.

1. Go to Administration -- Setup -- Virtual company accounts, and create a virtual company.


2. Decide which companies needs to share data and attach those normal companies with this virtual company.


3. Attach the table collection with this virtual company.

Your Ax client will re-start and you are done with setting up the virtual company account.

Note: Now, when you have virtual company in place, all new data will be saved in this virtual company. Only companies attached to the virtual company can use this shared data. All other companies which are not attached will work normally, these companies will continue to read/write data as per company bases.