Microsoft Dynamics AX Positioned as a Leader in Magic Quadrant for ERP for Product-Centric Midmarket Companies

REDMOND, Wash., Dec. 22, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT) today announced that Microsoft Dynamics AX is positioned as a Leader in the Magic Quadrant for ERP for Product-Centric Midmarket Companies* 2010, a research report published by Gartner Inc. In the same report, which this year evaluated global enterprise resource planning (ERP) products specifically tailored for companies with 100 to 999 employees, and with annual revenue between $50 million and $1 billion, Microsoft Dynamics NAV is recognized as a Niche Player.

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Microsoft Dynamics AX has a long track record of customer success and has experienced above-average growth rates in the midmarket. The solution features an intuitive and easy-to-learn and -use Microsoft Office-like user interface, and RoleTailored dashboards. Microsoft Dynamics AX further provides a flexible architecture and solid foundation for partners to develop vertically specific solutions.

"We believe being recognized as a Leader demonstrates our commitment to enabling dynamic businesses," said Crispin Read, general manager of Microsoft Dynamics ERP, Product Management Group, at Microsoft. "Our focus on simplicity, value and agility is key to maintaining our position as a leader in the ERP industry."

Microsoft's broad partner ecosystem provides a wide variety of individual solutions built on Microsoft Dynamics NAV, a highly configurable solution, to serve the specific needs of local and industry-vertical customers.

While Microsoft Dynamics NAV is targeted at midsize organizations with specialized and locally relevant business needs, Microsoft Dynamics AX supports global midsize and larger organizations operating in multiple locations, as well as organizations looking for a single ERP solution to manage subsidiaries, divisions and branch entities while maintaining a separate headquarters solution.

Organizations around the world benefit from Microsoft Dynamics ERP solutions:

Microsoft Dynamics AX

• Patagonia, a global provider of outdoor apparel and gear, worked with Microsoft Gold Certified Partner Sunrise Technologies to implement Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009. Together with the partner solution, Patagonia was able to cut costs associated with growth by two-thirds, improve inventory turns by up to 30 percent and fill by up to 10 percent, respond quickly to changing market demands and trends, eliminate redundant data entry and manual tasks, and enable business managers to now receive forecast results in one day that before used to take a couple of weeks to reach them.
• Peet's Coffee & Tea, a premier specialty coffee and tea company in the United States that is poised to sustainably manage its significant growth, increased transaction traffic across multiple channels, improved reporting capabilities and Federal Drug Administration and Securities and Exchange Commission compliance, and started receiving meaningful, accurate information with a combined solution using Microsoft Dynamics AX and Junction Solutions.

Microsoft Dynamics NAV

• U.S.-based Gumdrop Books employees are more productive with Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 due to the more visual RoleTailored user experience that allows them to have the information and functionality they need to accomplish tasks on a single screen. The company has also benefited from the flexibility of the solution to adapt to changing demands and new market opportunities.
• German adhesives manufacturer Crespel & Deiters GmbH & Co. KG completed a companywide upgrade to Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009, allowing them to integrate processes from multiple disjointed systems into one comprehensive solution. The company completed the migration in less than three months and unified ERP, financial accounting, inventory management and a quality management solution leveraging Web services.

To view the full report, visithttp://www.gartner.com/technology/media-products/reprints/microsoft/vol10/article22/article22.html

Product Availability

Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 is currently available in more than 38 countries. Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 R2, an update to the current solution, became available in December 2010. More information about Microsoft Dynamics AX and Microsoft Dynamics NAV can be found on the Microsoft Dynamics ERP website.

About the Magic Quadrant

The Magic Quadrant is copyrighted 2010 by Gartner, Inc. and is reused with permission. The Magic Quadrant is a graphical representation of a marketplace at and for a specific time period. It depicts Gartner's analysis of how certain vendors measure against criteria for that marketplace, as defined by Gartner. Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in the Magic Quadrant, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors placed in the "Leaders" quadrant. The Magic Quadrant is intended solely as a research tool, and is not meant to be a specific guide to action. Gartner disclaims all warranties, express or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

About Microsoft Dynamics

Microsoft Dynamics is a line of simple to learn and use ERP and CRM solutions that work with your existing technology and scale as you grow to give you long-term value. By using software and online services that work the way people and organizations work, businesses are better able to make informed decisions and adapt to rapid change. Microsoft Dynamics helps your people be more productive and your investments in existing systems last longer, while enabling your business to derive the insights necessary to respond quickly and have a competitive edge in an ever-changing world of business.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

* Gartner Inc. Magic Quadrant for ERP for Product-Centric Midmarket Companies, Christian Hestermann et al, Dec. 17, 2010.

SOURCE Microsoft Corp.