Microsoft Dynamics AX Differentiators

You will find that many systems cover the basics fairly well but there are differences between them that can be crucial. Our analysis was conducted a few years ago for a seminar presented at the Financial Technology Show. We will endavour to provide an update to our analysis in the near future.

Target Market

Small to medium-sized companies with $20 - $500+ Million in revenues.

Complex Manufacturing and Distribution

AX is Microsoft Business Solutions' high end system with features such as a product configurator (allows order clerks to configure a complex product with many options and features on the fly), graphical views of scheduling and Bill of Materials.

Technology

AX is the only Microsoft Business Solution available today that is web based. AX can be accessed over the internet using a browser or using the same user interface used over a local area network. AX uses "thin client" architecture which means that only a small amount of code is required on a workstation or remote computer. Traffic over the internet is kept to a minimum. Non web based systems require the use of products such as Citrix and Terminal Services to obtain remote access, but do this at the expense of additional complexity and expense.

International

AX is compliant with the legal requirements of thirty-one countries around the world.

Multilingual

You can run multiple languages, changing from one to another in real-time. Employees can work in the language of their choice and they can send documents to customers and vendors in their native languages.

Customization

Customizations are specific not only by user, but also by location and by company. AX uses a versioning system for its customizations that allows you to revert back to previous versions if necessary.

Multiple Site Support

Multi-site support is ideal for companies with wide area networks that want centralized reporting and the ability to cross-reference or amalgamate information from individual offices. Customer, vendor, general ledger account numbers, and similar information can be shared or made unique depending on business needs.