Microsoft Aims for ERP in the Cloud

Microsoft plans to cloud-enable the next major releases of its Microsoft Dynamics ERP applications. The company unveiled its vision of a cloud-based ERP environment at the Microsoft Convergence 2011 conference.

In addition, Microsoft will allow ISVs and partners to promote Microsoft Dynamics cloud-enabled vertical solutions, add-ons and services on the Microsoft Dynamics Marketplace. Microsoft has publicly stated it sees cloud technology as an opportunity to create a new business model geared toward increasing its profitability and agility.

As part of that effort, Microsoft is releasing the Microsoft Dynamics Cloud Partner Profitability Guide. According to Microsoft, the guide provides key success factors and an execution road map to help partners optimize their business processes and identify new opportunities for the cloud.

Also at Convergence 2011, Microsoft previewed the new Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 ERP solution, featuring a unified business process repository, model-driven architecture and built-in collaboration tools. The latest version of Dynamics AX also includes prebuilt industry capabilities and core ERP functionality that Microsoft says is designed to support financial, human resources and operations management.

In addition, Dynamics AX features a set of Unified Natural Models that serves as a library of business processes that Microsoft says reflects “real-world” situations and enables customers to easily modify their organizations and processes to meet their changing business needs. Other new features include context-sensitive business intelligence delivered through a traditional Microsoft Office user interface.

The beta of Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 will be released this month, with the final release expected to be generally available in August 2011.