title: Android Studio after upgrade errors "Gradle sync failed: ..."
body: <p>My app build.gradle file</p>
  
  <pre><code>apply plugin: 'com.android.application'
  
  android {
      compileSdkVersion 28
      defaultConfig {
          applicationId "com.example.marcus.exceltest"
          minSdkVersion 15
          targetSdkVersion 28
          versionCode 1
          versionName "1.0"
          testInstrumentationRunner "android.support.test.runner.AndroidJUnitRunner"
          multiDexEnabled true
      }
      buildTypes {
          release {
              minifyEnabled false
              proguardFiles getDefaultProguardFile('proguard-android.txt'), 'proguard-rules.pro'
          }
      }
      packagingOptions {
          exclude 'META-INF/DEPENDENCIES'
          exclude 'META-INF/NOTICE'
          exclude 'META-INF/NOTICE.txt'
          exclude 'META-INF/LICENSE'
          exclude 'META-INF/LICENSE.txt'
      }
  }
  
  dependencies {
      implementation fileTree(dir: 'libs', include: ['*.jar'])
      implementation 'com.android.support:appcompat-v7:28.0.0'
      implementation 'com.android.support.constraint:constraint-layout:1.1.3'
      implementation 'com.android.support:design:28.0.0'
      implementation 'org.apache.poi:poi:4.1.1'
      implementation 'org.apache.poi:poiooxml:4.1.1'
      testImplementation 'junit:junit:4.12'
      androidTestImplementation 'com.android.support.test:runner:1.0.2'
      androidTestImplementation 'com.android.support.test.espresso:espresso-core:3.0.2'
      implementation fileTree(dir: 'libs', include: ['*.jar'])
      implementation 'com.android.support:multidex:1.0.3'
      implementation 'androidx.legacy:legacy-support-v13:1.0.0'
  }
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>My Gradle build.gradle</p>
  
  <pre><code>// Top-level build file where you can add configuration options common to all sub-projects/modules.
  
  buildscript {
  
      repositories {
          google()
          jcenter()
      }
      dependencies {
          classpath 'com.android.tools.build:gradle:3.5.2'
          implementation 'androidx.appcompat:appcompat:1.1.0'
  
          // NOTE: Do not place your application dependencies here; they belong
          // in the individual module build.gradle files
      }
  }
  
  allprojects {
      repositories {
          google()
          jcenter()
      }
  }
  
  task clean(type: Delete) {
      delete rootProject.buildDir
  }
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>My Gradle.properties</p>
  
  <pre><code># Project-wide Gradle settings.
  # IDE (e.g. Android Studio) users:
  # Gradle settings configured through the IDE *will override*
  # any settings specified in this file.
  # For more details on how to configure your build environment visit
  # http://www.gradle.org/docs/current/userguide/build_environment.html
  # Specifies the JVM arguments used for the daemon process.
  # The setting is particularly useful for tweaking memory settings.
  org.gradle.jvmargs=-Xmx1536m
  android.useAndroidX=true
  android.enableJetifier=true
  # When configured, Gradle will run in incubating parallel mode.
  # This option should only be used with decoupled projects. More details, visit
  # http://www.gradle.org/docs/current/userguide/multi_project_builds.html#sec:decoupled_projects
  # org.gradle.parallel=true
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>The Error:</p>
  
  <p>ERROR: Gradle DSL method not found: 'implementation()'
  Possible causes:
  The project 'Exceltest' may be using a version of the Android Gradle plug-in that does not contain the method (e.g. 'testCompile' was added in 1.1.0).
  Upgrade plugin to version 3.5.2 and sync project</p>
  
  <p>The project 'Exceltest' may be using a version of Gradle that does not contain the method.
  Open Gradle wrapper file</p>
  
  <p>The build file may be missing a Gradle plugin.
  Apply Gradle plugin</p>
  
  <p>The Event Log:
  18:27   Gradle sync failed: Could not find method implementation() for arguments [androidx.appcompat:appcompat:1.1.0] on object of type org.gradle.api.internal.artifacts.dsl.dependencies.DefaultDependencyHandler. (950 ms)</p>
  
  <p>18:27   NDK Resolution Outcome: Project settings: Gradle model version=5.4.1, NDK version is UNKNOWN</p>
  
  <p>18:28   Error running 'Exceltest': Gradle project sync failed. Please fix your project and try again.</p>
  
  <p>Everything worked before I upgraded to Android Studio v3.5.2, tried all suggestions offered by AS but I'm having difficulty in trying to update manually, both the gradle upgrade and the tools upgrade. I'm very new to AS, I have looked at previous answers but they relate to much older versions or file systems do not exist in my version. Please can someone help?   </p>