Corporate ERP Architectures: Dynamics AX versus GP

It is also available in most of the international markets.  Dynamics GP in the past was also recommended to these industry niches, but with the AX catching up its role and offer were deemphasized.  In late 1990th we remember that consulting firms were staffed with numerous Great Plains Dexterity programmers.  Nowadays it is reverse trend – Axapta consulting organizations are hosting army of X++ software developers.  Let’s take a look at the similarities and differences:

1. MorphX versus Great Plains Dexterity.  Both architectures provide some level of abstraction to its ERP platforms.  Both provided in the past easy switch from one database to another.  Dexterity Sanscript programming language is more proprietary, while X++ is somewhat clone of C succeeding family with Axapta internal constructions addition

2. History and Modern Days.  What we see is happening with AX implementation was similar to Great Plains implementation practice in late 1990th Clinton era.  If you were consulting those days, you should remember how implementation, data conversion and modification were done.  Right – each step was done in Dexterity programming.  Later on in 2000th such solid rock tools as Integration Manager reversed the trend.  At this time numerous GP ISV add-ons are available to cover the functionality gap.  What we see with Dynamics AX today is similar to GP 1990th history.  Implementation is often associated with MorphX X++ programming.  The trend is so obvious, that with version 2012 Microsoft Visual Studio has metadata is exposed to C# and VB programmers.  So, Axapta customization is made easy and popular

3. GP Integration Manager and AX data conversion projects.  In initial implementation we often have to do huge historical data import from legacy accounting system.  In the case of GP Integration Manager is doing the job and every consultant is recommending it in data migration scenarios.  In AX data import projects require special attention and often done with custom programming

4. Process Manufacturing.  This is real jewel of the functionality in Axapta.  Traditionally mid-market Corporate ERP applications were implementing so-called Discrete Manufacturing, where the number of incoming parts was precisely resulting in the finished goods quantity.  In process production it is more flexible and complex.  Imagine meat processing factory, where you know the number of bulls to be “processed”, however each animal has similar but not precise weight meat to fat proportions, etc.  Process manufacturing goes beyond food industry, it is also suitable in mining, oil and gas drilling

5. Unicode support and international expansion.  We specially addressed this question on Convergence 2010 in Atlanta to Microsoft engineers.  Do you plan to add Unicode support in Microsoft Dexterity?  The answer was probably not.  They seems like discussed this idea internally but came to the conclusion that it requires too much efforts and code revision.  Well AX actually supports Unicode and it is rushing into such lucrative international markets as China, Japan, Taiwan, Korea.  This possibility changed the mind of Microsoft Business Solutions in such countries as Brazil, Russia, where GP offer was deemphasized and Axapta advertising is in full swing

6. AX Coding in X++ and advantages for large enterprises.  Openness to modifications often fits into Corporate IT policies.  For large multinational company it is often feasible to keep all the source code internally and be independent in the future, considering Corporate ERP consulting vendors.  Looking back on standard Dexterity customization packaging and distribution via so-called Chunk, where programming code was stripped out – we see numerous customers complains.  It is understandable, as many programming firms went out of business, programmers changes their jobs or went into independent practice

7. Which application is current Cash Caw for MBS?  We are not sure but believe that GP is used to finance AX development, at least now in 2011 and probably in several earlier years.  However we saw some reports that MBS reinforced its sales of Dynamics GP with the release of version 2010

8. The future.  Back in 2003 as we saw it those days Microsoft had several ERP applications in its ownership: Axapta, Navision, Solomon, Great Plains.  Natural idea was to announce merging and reassembling initiative and it was introduced as Project Green, later renamed into Microsoft Dynamics ERP project.  As we understood back in 2003 Project Green idea was to abstract in meta code Dexterity Sanscript procedures, X++ code, VB scripts in the case of Solomon and recode them in .Net C#.  The idea is definitely sellable and wonderful, but who would finance the project of that magnitude?  Well, Microsoft Dynamics ERP idea is a bit more weigh.  It is rather about user interface similarity and being ready for self-discovery.  Prediction of the future is difficult.  It might be something where former GP, NAV and SL customers would be offered to migrate to Simplified AX.  What we see so far is indicating that Microsoft is not really willing to promote GP, NAV or SL internationally, so these are probably not the candidates to be future leaders.  If you are MBS Partner you have to pass Microsoft Sure Step certification, where AX is recommended for the projects where customer has several locations and number of expected programming hours is exceeding hundred and fifty

9. ERP Implementation Budget.  These two packages are not equal, where GP is starting at ten thousand, and AX is probably not reasonable where you are below forty or fifty thousands

10. Bonus Topic – FRx versus Microsoft Management Reporter.  Traditionally consolidated financial reporting was done in FRx in Axapta, Great Plains, Solomon and Navision.  In 2010 Microsoft Business Solutions introduced the new reporting tool Microsoft Management Reporter (as a comment – in Management theory there is special distinguishing between financial reports, such as Balance Sheet, P&L, Cash Flow Position and such business specific or managerial reports as Sales Commission; but looks like MBS is innovating in Financial and Management Reporting theory)

11. Before we go.  Converting data to AX from such legacy applications as Great Plains Accounting for DOS, Windows or Mac 9.5, 9.2 and earlier.  This should be done in Pervasive SQL Control Center, where you could query GPA tables.  Tables, Fields and Indexes DDF files are required to establish ODBC connection.  If you are looking to export data from Great Plains Dynamics 7.5, 7.0, 6.0, 5.5, 5.0 and earlier on Pervasive SQL formerly known as Btrieve – there is GenDDF set file to produce required connection files.  DDF filed should be copied into the company folder on the server (typically you can find it below Dynamics folder by company ID).  QuickBooks if you are scaling up to Axapta, all the data could be exported by printing QB reports into text file

12. Dynamics AX and Public sector.  This is new trend in version 2012.  There is the issue to implement fund management in classical General Ledger theory.  MBS announces that this issue is fixed on GL level in AX 2012

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