Enterprise resource planning
software is very slick and very expensive but the right bundle is worth every
cent.
As my agency transitioned from a
traditional online marketing services provider to a performance-based agency,
we started to work with much larger corporate clients -- we require a minimum
daily digital ad spend of $10,000. I encountered several different ERP
(Enterprise Resource Planning) software solutions being used over the past
several months.
This software allows a company to
use a system of integrated applications to manage the business and automate
several back office functions related to technology, services and human
resources. It integrates all angles of an operation -- product planning,
development, manufacturing, sales and marketing -- in a single database and
user interface.
ERP software is very slick, and very
expensive -- some companies spend five-figures and some spend millions of
dollars. Along the way, Microsoft Dynamics AX has
stood out as a superior ERP solution, and here are six reasons why this
could-first option is a winner.
1. Convenience of
cloud-first software.
Working in the cloud has many
convenience benefits, including automatic updates. No more having to update
software -- that’s all handled in the background automatically.
The full cloud environment
installation takes no more than 60 to 90 minutes to complete. The disaster
recovery and development testing is a breeze, and many companies love the
simplification of production environments and reduction of backup servers
needed when working with a cloud-first piece of software.
This also enables scaling based on
need, meaning you don’t pay for what you’re not using and adding or removing
users is simple and immediate.
2. Smart intelligence.
It’s possible to make decisions that
are both more accurate and actionable by leveraging the insights and data that
you are able to pull through integrations with popular CRMs and Office 365.
Users can connect their Microsoft
Dynamics AX to PowerBI.com in
order to incorporate the data, reports and metrics that have been
pre-configured by the user. This transforms the data into rich visuals, which
is much easier to digest and analyze than raw data.
3. LCS (Lifecycle
Services) equals fast deployment.
Microsoft has put a lot of emphasis
on Lifecycle Services (LCS), which features tools that enhance the efficiency
and shorten the time with their system guided procedures and controls. It’s
highly scalable, making it easier to manage the entire lifecycle of the
software, from conference room pilot, through go-live, and on to
post-implementation support.
4. Use of Visual Studio
and .NET Framework.
The development environment has deep
integration with the Dynamics
AX7 Application Object Tree (AOT), even though it’s been moved to
Visual Studio. The native X++ language is still the primary development
language for AX7 but is now considered the same as any other .Net language such
as VB and C#.
X++ is now considered a “first class
citizen” .Net language by Microsoft and developers still need extensive
knowledge of X++ to customize any of AX7’s base features.
5. Personalized
workspaces result in more productivity.
For current Microsoft Dynamics AX
users, role centers are now replaced with workspaces. Workspaces are
mini applications that help users focus on the most important aspects of their
tasks required for the job. It allows them to view and act on what they need
from this single task window. All the supporting actions are the same screen --
this provides a custom user experience and improved productivity.
6. Superior UX (User
Experience).
Most ERP software solutions have
outdated designs and poor user experiences. Microsoft Dynamics AX combines
Windows 8 and HTML5 to create a light, modern experience that makes it simple
for teams to collaborate and share on.
Cloud-first means that it’s accessed
through a web browser, eliminating installs on your equipment and additional
servers to handle storage and backups, which is something every IT department
loves.
- JONATHAN LONG
CONTRIBUTOR
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