News from Microsoft Ireland: Dynamics

Microsoft Releases Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 10:29:46 GMT

New ERP solution helps businesses thrive in a competitive global marketplace by controlling costs, managing risk, and increasing employee productivity

Dublin: June 3rd, 2008 - Microsoft today announced the general availability of Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009, an adaptable business management solution that offers powerful new capabilities to help growing multisite organisations streamline processes, reduce operational costs, manage compliance, and drive informed decision-making across their organisation.

As businesses expand globally so do the complexities of managing accurate business insights and standardising operations across multiple locations. Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 enables customers to manage complex financial and supply chain processes across teams and locations 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 organisations simplify global planning. Advanced planning and reporting scenarios, such as consolidation or budgeting, are offered through integration with Microsoft Office Performance Point Server.

“With its innovative role-based user experience, improved reporting and BI capabilities, and improving platform harmonisation, Microsoft Dynamics products should be on ERP selection shortlists for a variety of SMBs, particularly those that use Microsoft’s server-based products,” wrote Forrester’s Ray Wang in the April 2008 report, “Microsoft Dynamics Gets Renewed Focus.” “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 CEOs and CFOs. Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 delivers core features to help companies limit these risks and lower total cost of compliance, including:

A compliance centre 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.

”Managing risk is an integral part of my job, and Microsoft Dynamics AX makes my job easier,” said John Elmer, vice president, information systems, and controller, Rodgers & Hammerstein. “I can access critical company information from within the Executive Role Centre and see a 360-degree view of our global IT and finance operations, ranging from compliance risks to how the company is tracking against forecasts.” Rodgers & Hammerstein, based in New York, represents a wide variety of entertainment copyrights for more than 200 writers, including Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, through its theatrical, concert and music publishing divisions.

In a fast-paced world, people need software that helps them do their jobs more effectively and with minimal training. To increase productivity and foster more confident decision-making, Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009’s RoleTailored design gives employees access to critical business data through the following new features:

A Role Centre that prioritises tasks and real-time information for a majority of business functions;
A user interface that looks and feels like familiar Microsoft Office software to help employees ramp up quickly, resulting in higher user productivity and more consistent adherence to business processes;
Self-service business intelligence tools using Microsoft Business Intelligence technologies to deliver standard KPIs by role and simplify end-user reporting, which results in more informed decision-making and integrity of information across the organization. Preconfigured KPIs and reports enable customers to start immediately.

“Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 helps increase user productivity, supports standard business processes, and provides easy-to-use features which lead to higher user adoption,” said Conor Wickham, Microsoft Dynamics Ireland. “Dynamics AX 2009 helps to streamline traditionally time consuming business processes and management, delivering the right information to users when and where they need it.

Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 integrates with other leading Microsoft technologies, maximising the benefits of any company’s overall IT investment. Benefits include:

Enhanced security, reliability and scalability though integration with Microsoft SQL Server 2008. For example, Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 can compress the database size by 60 to 80 percent, which can lead to lower hardware and data maintenance costs;
Reduced operational complexity and IT management overheads with improved control through interoperability with Windows Essential Business Server 2008;
Improved ability to manage and administer projects through integration with Microsoft Office Project Server;
Easy communication with remote employees, customers, and trading partners through integration with Microsoft Unified Communication.

Availability

Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 is available in Ireland immediately.

http://www.microsoft.com/ireland/dynamics/default.mspx

About Microsoft Dynamics

Microsoft Dynamics is a line of financial, customer relationship and supply chain management solutions that help businesses work more effectively. Delivered through a network of channel partners providing specialized services, these integrated, adaptable business management solutions work like and with familiar Microsoft software to streamline processes across an entire business.

Microsoft Releases Next Generation CRM Solution with On-Premise and Now Partner Hosted Deployments

Tue, 18 Dec 2007 17:02:41 GMT

Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 delivers flexible power of choice and familiar Outlook experience.

Dublin: December 18, 2007: Microsoft has announced that the new version of Microsoft Dynamics CRM, version 4.0 has been completed and released to manufacturing. The new version offers Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 for on-premise and now partner-hosted deployments. It delivers increased functionality and deployment options to meet the needs of both large complex organisations and smaller business that need great functionality and flexibility. Dynamics CRM 4.0 enables companies to improve customer service and customer management while increasing the productivity of their staff by bringing the power of customer relationship management to the familiar Microsoft Outlook environment.

“Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 is a hugely significant release for existing and new customers. It brings together improved capabilities to meet the customer management demands of both large and small businesses and combines that with tools that help people to get productive inside the familiar Outlook environment. It provides choice as to how CRM can be deployed, on premise and now partner hosted which deliver real value to our customers and their businesses,” commented Conor Wickham, Dynamics Manager, Microsoft Ireland. “In addition the new business intelligence capabilities ensure that companies get better insight into their business translating into improved customer service.”

“As a Microsoft partner, the partner-hosted CRM solution will enable our customers to gain full access to the power of Microsoft Dynamics CRM and further extend our offering. Our customers will benefit from increased flexibility which will enable them to meet their growing business needs cost effectively,” commented Cian McNamara, General Manager, Vulcan Solutions.

Some of the significant new benefits and capabilities of this new release include these:

An advanced multitenant architecture that supports multiple customers per server
Extended global capabilities including user choice of more than 25 languages and pervasive support for multiple currencies
New business intelligence capabilities including cross-entity views and an end-user ad hoc reporting wizard
Advanced business process automation based on Microsoft Windows Workflow Foundation
New collaboration capabilities with Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 including real-time presence indicators within the CRM application

The new release of Microsoft Dynamics CRM has been in extensive use over the past year by more than 600 partners around the world and more than 100 early access customers representing a broad range of on-premise and partner-hosted deployments.

Availability

Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 will be available worldwide in more than 25 languages. The English language pack will be available within the next seven days to new and existing partners and customers. Existing customers with an active Software Assurance plan for Microsoft Dynamics CRM are entitled to receive the new release at no additional charge.

About Microsoft Dynamics

Ends

Press queries to

Caroline Kohn (Slattery Communications) Tel: 01 634 2546

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realise their full potential. Microsoft was first established in Ireland in 1985, and now has three local divisions: the European Operations Centre (EOC); the European Development Centre (EDC) and the Irish Sales, Marketing and Services Operation, which was established in 1991. Microsoft employs over 1,200 full-time employees in Ireland. For more information on Microsoft’s products and solutions, please visit www.microsoft.com/ireland