As discussed in the previous section, Sure Step covers the entire Microsoft Dynamics portfolio of solutions. In this section, we will provide an overview of those solutions, which is mainly intended to be a quick reference, or as a starting point for those readers who may not be familiar with all the solutions in the portfolio.
Microsoft Dynamics is Microsoft's line of business management solutions that provide Enterprise Resource Planning and Customer Relationship Management capabilities. The portfolio includes four ERP solutions, which were brought about by acquisition, and one CRM solution, the development of which was initiated in Microsoft.
Microsoft Dynamics GP (formerly known as Great Plains), and Microsoft Dynamics SL (formerly known as Solomon), were both acquired in 2001 from Great Plains Software, based in Fargo, North Dakota, USA. Great Plains was a mid-market business accounting software package popular in North America, while Solomon provided an ERP system with project management and project accounting functionality. Microsoft Dynamics AX (formerly known as Axapta), and Microsoft Dynamics NAV (formerly known as Navision), were both acquired in 2002 from Navision A/S, a company based in Denmark. Axapta and Navision were popular ERP solutions, especially for manufacturing and distribution midmarket companies in Europe. The ERP systems became the starting point for a new division in Microsoft called Microsoft Business Solutions, which also included Microsoft CRM. Microsoft CRM was primarily homegrown as noted earlier, and had its first launch (version 1.0) in 2003.
In 2005, Microsoft rebranded the products and created a suite of business solutions called Microsoft Dynamics. It includes the four ERP solutions—Microsoft Dynamics AX, Microsoft Dynamics GP, Microsoft Dynamics NAV, and Microsoft Dynamics SL—and one CRM solution—Microsoft Dynamics CRM. Microsoft SQL Server is the database technology used for the entire suite. The following diagram depicts the timeline:
The Microsoft Dynamics solutions have been designed to be familiar to users, work easily with the existing systems that customers have already deployed, empower people and teams to be productive, and help organizations drive business success. The ERP suite provides functionality to help business in the areas of financial planning and accounting, supply chain, project accounting, field service, and human resources processes. On the other hand, the CRM solution allows companies to streamline the way their employees communicate and collaborate with their customers with features such as customer relationship, sales force automation, service management, marketing capabilities, and workflow automation and analytics.
In addition to the comprehensive financial and process management tools at the core of the Microsoft Dynamics solutions, Independent Software Vendor (ISV) partners offer a number of integrated, specialized solutions that provide versatile business software that address specialized industry needs.
The Microsoft Dynamics solution features (as of this writing) are as follows:
Microsoft Dynamics AX is designed to help organizations operate across locations and countries by standardizing processes, providing visibility across the business, and helping to simplify compliance. It supports the needs of global organizations, featuring multi-language and localized functionality by country/region. Microsoft Dynamics AX supports the primary and secondary processes of organizations in multiple industries, including manufacturing, distribution, retail, and services.
Microsoft Dynamics GP is a richly featured financial accounting and business management solution that provides organizations with fast and relevant access to information using familiar Microsoft tools. It features rapid, flexible deployment options, and a familiar user experience designed to maximize personal productivity.
Microsoft Dynamics NAV is a solution for mid-sized organizations that is fast to implement, easy to configure, and simple to use. It features an innovative client that provides a user experience tailored to specific roles in the organization.
Microsoft Dynamics SL is designed for project-driven organizations by connecting project management and accounting functions across company divisions and locations. It supports specialized customer, accounting, and regulatory requirements for professional services, government contractors, distribution, and construction management.
Microsoft Dynamics CRM is a customer relationship management solution with core functionality, including sales, customer service, and marketing. It provides flexible deployment options, which feature a common code base for both online and on-premise solution deployments. In addition, Microsoft Dynamics CRM provides an xRM business application framework (also referred to as Extended CRM), featuring rapid application development, a high degree of flexibility, and consolidated systems management.