Microsoft Dynamics: Translating Customers' Aspirations Into Reality

HOUSTON, March 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Customers of Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq "MSFT") gathered today at Convergence 2012 to hear how Microsoft Business Solutions will help them become connected, forward-looking organizations. 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.

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"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 partners supporting Dynamics AX 2012. Accenture (transportation services solution), Bull (public sector), Cincom Systems Inc. (complex enterprise and manufacturing solutions), and McLane Logistics Technology (distribution solution) have all chosen Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 as the foundation for their solutions for its modern architecture, flexibility and ease of use and for ensuring their customers a path to the cloud. These partners join Microsoft's broad portfolio of other leading vertical global ISVs, which view Microsoft Dynamics as a critical component in helping propel customers to become connected, forward-looking enterprises.

CareWorks (social services solution) and Redknee Inc. (customer care solution) are also entering the global ISV program, joining Ericsson (call center) and Convergys (customer care solution) to build their solutions on the innovation, flexibility and agility of Microsoft Dynamics CRM.

Microsoft is also announcing a social intelligence alliance with InsideView Inc., a silver sponsor for Convergence 2012 and 2011 Microsoft Dynamics Marketplace Solution Excellence Partner of the Year. This alliance will allow customers to use the InsideView platform directly within Microsoft Dynamics CRM to analyze social media and user-contributed, traditional and proprietary editorial information to provide compelling insights about their customers directly within Microsoft Dynamics CRM at no additional cost.

Dynamic Business Momentum

Microsoft announced the latest Microsoft Dynamics CRM adoption numbers, with 33,000 customers and 2.25 million users, and is showcasing a record number of customers who are making the Dynamic Business transformation. Customers such as Hunter Douglas Group, Rockwater Energy Solutions and World Vision Inc. are taking advantage of the simplicity and agility that Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 delivers today. Lotus F1 Team has chosen Microsoft Dynamics for its end-to-end business transformation, from design and manufacturing to retail and merchandising operations. Microsoft Dynamics helps customers, such as Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada, Specialists On Call Inc., Nissin Foods Co., The Bradshaw Group Inc., Sta-Home Health & Hospice, Hydro Resources Inc., Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts and the New York Jets, get to the heart of what really makes an organization successful.

More information about Microsoft's Dynamic Business vision can be found by downloading the new white paper at http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics/about.aspx. More information and news from Convergence 2012 is available at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/presskits/dynamics. The opening keynote presentation and general session keynote speeches are available on the new virtual event platform for Convergence 2012. Those who want to follow and engage with the Microsoft Dynamics Twitter community can do so at @MSDYNCOMM using #CONV12.

About Microsoft Dynamics

Microsoft Dynamics solutions empower your people to be more productive and your systems to last longer and scale as your business grows, while enabling you to derive the insights necessary to respond quickly 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.

SOURCE Microsoft Corp.