ERP solutions can help you in transforming your business and its processes by embracing the ever changing global business environment, with confidence and poise.

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Microsoft Dynamics:
Unifying Horizons
Document Version 0.1 Draft
Document Date Mar 12, 2013
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ENTERPRISE RESOURCE PLANNING (ERP)
In the current scenario, organizations on the world stage are competing in an environment
which is significantly influenced by the existing economic conditions as well as by the
constant challenges such as globalization, increasing customer demands, escalating
operational costs, financial turmoil, sluggish growth and much more.
Companies and organization need to confront these challenges accordingly to survive and
grow in this competitive market. Few businesses take call to cut operational costs and
other overheads, while others try to indulge in something more permanent and pragmatic.
To succeed, they opt technology as an alternative solution as it offers many more benefits
other than cutting costs, like it introduces agility, streamlines the processes and helps find
greater efficiencies across the organizations.
To assist business owners and help them to succeed in their stride towards technology,
major IT companies developed flexible and user friendly applications for Enterprise
Resource Planning. ERP solutions can help you in transforming your business and its
processes by embracing the ever changing global business environment, with confidence
and poise.
ERP UNIFICATION
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is the system that catalyses the flow of information
within an organization by assimilating the internal as well as the external management of
information. It attaches the various segments of an organization like finance/accounting,
manufacturing, human resource, marketing, sales and service, customer relationship
management, etc. in a single string with an integrated software application.
The rationale behind ERP solution is to commence and maintain the glibness in the flow
of information amongst various segments of an organization. It also enables the outside
stakeholders to get connected with the managed connection. It not only levels the
information stream, but also enhances the checkpoint efficiency in every sphere of the
organizational ladder. The enhanced focus and competency enables you to acclimatize
well in the ever changing global business environment and to deliver unique value to
your customers.
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ERP MARKET SHARE
ERP solutions have captured a large chunk of the market share that belongs to IT enabled
business solutions. The market is divided into the following spheres:
 Tier 1
 Mid-Market
 Entry Level
A Major portion of the complete business market for ERP solutions have been covered
with Tier 1 products like Infor (Baan), JD Edwards, Lawson, Oracle, PeopleSoft, SAP
(All-in-one, Business by Design, and R/3), MAS-500 and Microsoft Dynamics AX
[Axapta].
In this article, we will focus particularly on the ERP solution developed by the Microsoft,
i.e. Microsoft Dynamics AX [Axapta]. It is one of the emerging and most promising ERP
and CRM systems, in the present scenario.
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MICROSOFT DYNAMICS AX [AXAPTA ]
Dynamics AX [Axapta] is the solution that provides assistance in critical business
processes that involves financial management, supply chain management, business
intelligence, performance management, collaboration, project management, HR
management, etc. This technology enabled software bestowed by the Microsoft, gives
you rapid, consistent and all-inclusive capabilities. It also improves the effectiveness of
the existing business processes and allows you to extend the filtered information access
within your business community.
Microsoft Dynamic ERP
Microsoft Dynamics ERP offers five primary products for the customers:
1) Microsoft Dynamics AX (formerly Axapta) - It is one of the most popular
products offered by Microsoft for enterprise resource planning.
2) Microsoft Dynamics GP (formerly Great Plains Software) - GP is a business
accounting software that targets mainly the mid-market segment
3) Microsoft Dynamics NAV (formerly Navision) – It is for small and medium-sized
enterprises that assists in business activities like financing, manufacturing,
customer relationship management, supply chains, analytics and electronic
commerce. It is popular as it is easy to customize and the Value-added resellers
(VAR) can obtain full access to the business logic source code.
4) Microsoft Dynamics SL (formerly Solomon IV) - SL is an enterprise resource
planning software product developed by Microsoft. It is mostly demanded by the
project-driven small and medium sized enterprises.
5) Microsoft Dynamics CRM - It is customer relationship management software that
Microsoft developed, mainly to focus on Sales, Marketing, and Service (help
desk) sectors. However, Microsoft has been marketing the Dynamics CRM as an
XRM platform and has encouraged partners to use its proprietary (.NET based).
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SECURITY CONCERNS WITH ERP
ERP is a flexible IT enabled solution for data integration and streamlining information.
However, the security of the data is a big concern for the companies who wish to opt for
these ERP solutions.
To address this security issue and to help the clients to gain confidence in the ERP
solution, Microsoft introduced a unique security model. The ‘Microsoft Dynamics
CRM’ and ‘Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online’ comes loaded with that security model.
It shields the data integrity and privacy, and also supports efficient data access and
collaboration as well.
The goals of the security model are as follows:
 To categorize the users based on roles and restrict access to information based on
those roles
 To provide users with restricted access to information; only up to an appropriate
level that is required to finish the assigned jobs
 To support data sharing for enhancing specified collaborative effort; with this,
users and teams will be granted access to records they do not own but require for
time being
 To prevent any unauthorized access to records
Technology enabled systems are prone to many other IT Security issues, but Microsoft
Products assures you of complete safety and confidentiality. The various security
measures that are managed by the Microsoft Dynamics ERP are:
Physical Security
Microsoft controls the accessibility of the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online environment
through multiple security checks that are applied at multiple levels in the Microsoft data
centers. The environment that has customer’s data is physically secured and the
Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online service is delivered through carrier-class data centers
that ensure consistent delivery according to the service-level agreement (SLA).
These data centers include unparalleled and exceptional industry-standard features. They
are as follows:
 Secured physical access for authorized personnel only
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 Uninterrupted power supplies (through battery backup and diesel generators)
 Climate control to ensure optimal temperature and humidity for the operative
equipments
 Natural disaster control
 Physical monitoring
 Globally located Microsoft data center
 Secure network design and operations
 Exceptional hardware
Logical Security
Logical security also has a vital role in the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online. The
following key features provide incomparable logical security:
 Data isolation: The environment that has the client’s data is kept in isolation from
other environment or unauthorized access.
 Hosted application security: Microsoft also ensures that applications hosted by
Microsoft data centers are highly secured by the robust security features and
measures that control access.
Network-level security
Apart from physical and logical security, Microsoft also provides security measures for
connection over the Internet. The customer’s access to internet service originates from
the Internet-enabled client’s locations and ends at a Microsoft data center. These
connections established between customers and Microsoft data centers are encrypted
using industry-standard Transport Layer Security (TLS) /Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). It
effectively establishes a highly secure browser-to-server connection that helps in
providing data confidentiality and integrity between the desktop and datacenter.
Infrastructure-level security
 Extensive server monitoring support integrated with the overall Microsoft System
Centre Operations Manager monitoring architecture
 Secure remote access via Microsoft Windows Server Remote Desktop Service
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 Multi-tier administration, using a three-tier administration model that isolates
administrative tasks and controls access based on user role and the level of
authorized administrative access
 Environmental security scanning to monitor for vulnerabilities and incorrect
configuration
BUSINESS ADVANTAGES OF MICROSOFT DYNAMICS ERP SOLUTIONS
If you are exploring new growth initiatives for your business or if you plan to expand
across borders to track new business opportunities, the Microsoft Dynamics ERP
solutions can be your partner in success. It can help you in managing critical operations
across various areas simultaneously. For instance:
1. Centralize ERP for Multiple Sites
 Provide real-time visibility into business performance across entities
 Consolidate and standardize processes
 Scale operations quickly
 Make it easy to work across borders
2. Connect Local Entities to Headquarters
 Integrate globally, optimize locally
 Reduce complexity and simplify compliance
 Scale quickly and deliver industry-specific solutions
3. Target Specialized Business Needs
 Streamline business processes across your entire business
 Implement an easy-to-use solution
 Deploy vertical functionality quickly and with reduced risk
With such a convincing representation of all the security features and advantages, the
Microsoft Dynamics has created a niche for itself in the global market. It has also gained
an edge over other CRM and ERP business solutions.
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