Microsoft Dynamics Announcements

Microsoft extends Dynamics support, promises road maps

Microsoft will offer five years of extended support beyond the five-year mainstream support period for its CRM, ERP, and retail management products. The plan, called Business Ready Customer Care, was first introduced during a keynote speech at Convergence 2007. These means customers won't necessarily be forced to upgrade. The price of the support will vary according to what software the customer has.

Per Barb Edson, senior marketing director for Microsoft's Dynamics products - "We don't want customers to upgrade on our timeline."

GP 11 will be built on Microsoft's next release of its Office suite, called Office 14, Microsoft said. Those products will ship within 90 days of Office 14, which is scheduled for release in 2009, he said. Road maps should be published soon for both of those products.

Microsoft pursues one code base for Dynamics ERP apps
Microsoft is developing a common code base for all of its Dynamics ERP applications, a company executive said Wednesday, Oct24. That will allow Microsoft to release new versions of the software more quickly, and make it easier for customers to switch from one application to another, according to Kirill Tatarinov, vice president of Microsoft Business Solutions.

Having one code base will allow applications to share the same user interface and controls, such as now are shared between AX and NAV, Tatarinov said. The code base will also encompass database functions, APIs, business intelligence capabilities, and communications technologies that enable VoIP and instant messaging, he said.