Microsoft Dynamics AX News & Highlights

Microsoft Dynamics AX Positioned as a Leader in Midmarket and Tier-2-Oriented ERP Magic Quadrant

Tracey Cummings — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 18:32:00 GMT

Report sees market as undergoing “changing of the guard” to more modern and agile systems.

REDMOND, Wash. — June 11, 2009 — Microsoft Dynamics AX has been positioned in the Leaders quadrant of the Gartner Inc. Magic Quadrant for Midmarket and Tier-2 Oriented ERP for Product-Centric Companies*, a research report that evaluates global enterprise resource planning (ERP) products and that is specifically tailored for product-centric, midmarket companies with 100 to 1,000 employees.

“We hear stories daily about how our customers are getting real value from our ERP solutions, which is particularly important in today’s business environment,” said Crispin Read, general manager of Microsoft Dynamics ERP at Microsoft. “Our placement in this Magic Quadrant is further confirmation that Microsoft has a compelling vision and is able to execute on its long-term strategy of delivering ERP to midsized businesses.”

Microsoft Dynamics AX provides midsize and larger businesses with industry-enabling features to help them thrive in a competitive global marketplace by helping control costs, managing risk and increasing employee productivity.

According to Gartner’s report, “Leaders demonstrate vision and the ability to execute. Midmarket ERP leaders have deep and robust functionality that address a range of core user requirements. Not necessarily the largest vendors in terms of revenue, these vendors do have proven products, as well as track records of customer success and demonstrated momentum in growing their market presence. Leading vendors have offerings that appeal to the specific process needs of midmarket customers, are straightforward and simple to use, and are designed for low TCO, while being available in multiple regions. Leaders are well-prepared to evolve their products to model-driven applications to allow for high flexibility, with tools for embedded analytics and UIs that allow for easy adoption by different types of users.”

The report stated, “Although some see this market as large and mature, Gartner sees this market as undergoing a ‘changing of the guard,’ with older, established systems with deep functionality being displaced by more modern and agile systems.”

In addition, Microsoft Dynamics NAV has been positioned in the Niche Players quadrant in the same report. Microsoft Dynamics NAV helps midsize organizations with specific industry needs simplify and streamline their business processes by rapidly adapting to the unique way they do business, enabling their people to be effective and their business to be competitive. Examples of customers experiencing real value from their Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 and Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 solutions include these:

Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009

• California-based Network Equipment Technologies Inc. has been able to lower its annual ERP maintenance costs, improve GSA compliance, optimize employee collaboration, expedite order entry, eliminate manual error-prone tasks, and streamline many inefficient workflows and day-to-day activities.

• Belgium-based Picanol Group has cut operating costs by 15 percent, reduced its built-to-order MRP processes from 50 hours to three hours, and has increased transparency across the global organization through standardization of its business.

• Headquartered in the Czech Republic, Meopta now has the foundation it needs to help achieve a five-year, 300 percent growth rate, supported by improved employee productivity and international compliance support.

Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009

• Denmark-based Hurup now enjoys increased efficiency, greater customer satisfaction and an enhanced platform that supports future growth.

• Atlanta, Ga.-based Exhausto Inc. has seen increased productivity, better customer service delivery, and greater agility and stronger growth potential.

• Denmark-based NaviCom A/S, a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner, is better prepared to offer the solution to its clients, works more effectively with an interface tailored to users roles, and drives more value from ERP with the three-tier architecture and Web services.

About the Magic Quadrant

The Magic Quadrant is copyrighted May 2009 by Gartner, Inc. and is reused with permission. The Magic Quadrant is a graphical representation of a marketplace at and for a specific time period. It depicts Gartner’s analysis of how certain vendors measure against criteria for that marketplace, as defined by Gartner. Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in the Magic Quadrant, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors placed in the “Leaders” quadrant. The Magic Quadrant is intended solely as a research tool, and is not meant to be a specific guide to action. Gartner disclaims all warranties, express or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 now available in Russia and Eastern Europe

Tracey Cummings — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 17:11:00 GMT

Microsoft is pleased to announce that Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 is now available on pricelists in Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Russia. The release of this GLS-EE/RU Layer also includes the C.I.S Fixed Assets solution (for Russia only). Human Resources Management and Payroll for Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 for Russia are also now released separately in the SL2 layer. Online help in English will release after general availability followed by the localized online help.

You can access the GLS-EE/RU layer – including the C.I.S Fixed Assets solution (for Russia only) and Human Resources Management and Payroll for Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 (Russia) on CustomerSource now.

Announcing the release of Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009

shanekv — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 19:28:00 GMT

New ERP solution helps businesses thrive in a competitive global marketplace by controlling costs, managing risk, and increasing employee productivity. Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009, an adaptable business management solution that offers powerful new capabilities to help growing multisite organizations streamline processes, reduce operational costs, manage compliance and drive informed decision-making.

As businesses expand globally, so does the complexity of managing accurate business insights and standardizing operations across multiple locations. Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 offers new multisite and shared services capabilities, enabling customers to manage complex financial and supply chain processes more easily. For example, the new software can run multiple legal entities on a central installation and provide a single, integrated view of financial and supply chain information from facilities around the world, helping organizations simplify global planning. Advanced planning and reporting scenarios, such as consolidation and budgeting, are offered through integration with Microsoft Office PerformancePoint Server.

“With its innovative role-based user experience, improved reporting and BI capabilities, and improving platform harmonization, Microsoft Dynamics products should be on ERP selection shortlists for a variety of SMBs, particularly those that use Microsoft’s server-based products,” wrote R “Ray” Wang of Forrester Research Inc. in the firm’s report “Microsoft Dynamics Gets Renewed Focus” in April 2008. “Multisite companies should consider Dynamics AX.”

Another business challenge that growing companies face is the increasing pressure to meet global and local regulatory compliance, a complex and costly problem that has been a top priority for chief executive officers and chief financial officers. Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 delivers core features to help companies limit these risks and lower total cost of compliance, including the following:

A compliance center that provides one central, integrated view of internal controls, key performance indicators (KPIs) and other compliance data
Embedded workflows that automate business processes, enforcing standard operating procedures to limit organizational risks while still enabling organizations to quickly respond to changing market needs
Country-specific functionality to help customers more easily comply with local regulations in 36 countries

Join AXUG

shanekv — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 19:00:00 GMT

Microsoft has teamed up with the Dynamics AX User Group (AXUG), an independent association of companies sharing the common interest of optimizing their usage of Microsoft Dynamics AX. Users get together to share knowledge and best practices to more effectively use their Microsoft Dynamics AX business solution.

The Dynamics AX User Group (AXUG) is an association of companies sharing the common interest of optimizing their usage of Microsoft Dynamics AX. This independent community of users gets together (remotely and face-to-face) through a myriad of conferences, virtual tools, and programs to share knowledge and best practices. Membership and active participation in AXUG can make all the difference in the effective use of your Dynamics AX software.
Serving individuals and companies with the commonality of Microsoft Dynamics AX, AXUG:

Is a forum for learning and professional development
Provides collaboration, networking, and knowledge sharing
Is a source for unbiased information
Is an advocate for member needs and priorities
Serves as a collective voice ("pipeline") to MBS and Dynamics AX Partners and Vendors
Promotes awareness of Dynamics AX functionality, products, and services, as well as ancillary/partner products and services

Vist the AX UG site to learn more