History and Features of Microsoft Dynamics AX

Microsoft Dynamics AX was originally developed as a collaboration between IBM and Danish Damgaard Data as IBM Axapta. Axapta was initially released in March 1998 in the Danish and U.S. markets. IBM returned all rights in the product to Damgaard Data shortly after the release of Version 1.5 before Damgaard Data was merged with Navision Software A/S in 2000. The combined company, initially Navision Damgaard, later Navision A/S, was acquired by Microsoft in July 2002.

In September 2011, Microsoft announced the release of new version AX 2012. Today, it is available and supported in more than 30 countries and 25 languages.

Development Centers

MDCC or Microsoft Development Center Copenhagen was once the primary development center for Dynamics AX. MDCC is located in Vedbak and also houses Microsoft Dynamics NAV and several other Microsoft Dynamics family products. MDCC employs about 900 people of around 40 different nationalities.

In addition to MDCC, AX development is now performed in two additional sites in Bellevue, Washington and Fargo, North Dakota.

Features of Microsoft Dynamics AX

• Microsoft Dynamics AX contains 19 core modules

• Traditional core (since Axapta 2.5)

• General Ledger, composed of ledger, sales tax, currency and fixed assets features

• Bank Management, where cash is received and paid out

• Customer Relationship Management (CRM), where Business Relations (customers, vendors, and leads) are contacted and maintained

• Accounts Receivable, where orders are entered, shipped and invoiced

• Accounts Payable, where purchase orders are issued and goods received into inventory

• Inventory Management, where Inventory is valued and managed

• Master Planning (resources), where purchase and production planning takes place

• Production, where bill of materials is defined and manufacturing is tracked

• Product Builder, where product models are created and maintained

• Human Resources, where employee information is kept

• Project Accounting, where projects are created and tracked primarily from an accounting perspective

• Basic, where data configuration is performed

• Administration Module, where system configuration is performed

• Procurement and Sourcing

• Sales and Marketing