Microsoft Dynamics: Translating Customers' Aspirations Into Reality

With an explicit commitment to simplicity and agility, Microsoft is designing software and cloud-based services that can help businesses be truly dynamic and inspire people to a higher level of commitment, innovation and leadership and, in turn, help businesses and people realize their full potential. Today at Convergence, Microsoft unveiled the evolution of its vision to help organizations become Dynamic Businesses.

"People are the heart of every business, and Microsoft business solutions deliver on the promise of enabling people to do their best work through modern, elegant business applications that provide unrivaled time to value, simplicity and agility," said Kirill Tatarinov, president, Microsoft Business Solutions, speaking to more than 10,000 attendees in the opening keynote presentation at Convergence 2012. "We are committed to the technical and business process innovation necessary to help customers transform into Dynamic Businesses."

Delivering Innovation for Dynamic Businesses

Microsoft Dynamics has continued to deliver on its promise of providing innovation for Dynamic Businesses by announcing that much of its portfolio of business solutions will be updated by the end of calendar year 2012. Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 launched last fall and was followed by Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 for Retail in February of this year. Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2 will be available worldwide in Q4 calendar year 2012, and will deliver major industry enhancements such as multichannel retail capabilities with Web storefronts, as well as RoleTailored, in-context business intelligence using the latest Microsoft SQL Server technologies.

Microsoft also announced that both Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 and Microsoft Dynamics GP 2013 will be cloud-enabled for Windows Azure, optimized for small and midsize businesses (SMBs), and generally available in Q4 of calendar year 2012. The beta release for Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 is expected in May 2012. In addition, the company reiterated its commitment that the next major release of Microsoft Dynamics AX will evolve as an enterprise cloud service offering from Microsoft.

Earlier this year, Microsoft also announced the Q2 service update of Microsoft Dynamics CRM featuring native mobile support for popular mobile devices. In keeping with its commitment to release updates to its cloud service twice a year, Microsoft announced the next Microsoft Dynamics CRM service update will be available in Q4 calendar year 2012, delivering capabilities in social customer care and cloud-based data enrichment services.

Microsoft Partners Help Customers Transform Into Dynamic Businesses

Microsoft today announced that the independent software vendor (ISV) ecosystem for Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 will offer multiple vertical services hosted on Windows Azure to provide customers with the specialized capabilities required for their businesses, from industrial equipment manufacturing to specialized retail and fashion, with more offerings becoming available over time.

"I am excited by the opportunity that cloud provides To Increase to better serve our customers," said Cornelis Bosch, chief executive officer of To Increase, a Microsoft Gold Certified partner and global ISV. "Our end-to-end industry solutions, powered by the strength of Microsoft Dynamics on Windows Azure, represent a comprehensive, consumer-centric, next-generation business solution for customers."

Microsoft also announced a number of significant global ISV