why upgrade microsoft dynamics ax 2012 to...

Why Upgrade Microsoft

Dynamics AX 2012 to

Microsoft Dynamics 365

September 21, 2017

Introductions

• Jen Wisemore – Business Development Manager

– 19 years working with Dynamics AX/D365 (implementation and sales)

• Joel Leichty – Director of Product Management

– 15 years working with Dynamics AX/D365, both as an end-user and consultant

– Microsoft MVP since 2013

• Paramesh Rajan – Program Director, Partner & ISV Services

– 18 years working with GP/AX/D365, in development, delivery, and sales

Agenda

• Webinar Series on Upgrades (1 of 3 webinars)

• Availability of tools and code for upgrade work

• Why Upgrade?

– Cloud + Cloud Services

– UI Changes

– Code Management

– BI Platform

– Functional Improvements

UPGRADE WEBINAR SERIES

SAGlobal Upgrade Webinar Series

• Why Upgrade Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 to Microsoft

Dynamics 365

– Today

• Estimate your Microsoft Dynamics 365 Upgrade Cost

– Next Thursday, September 28, 12:30 Eastern

• Upgrade Best Practices

– Early October

UPGRADE AVAILABILITY

Upgrade Availability

• Code upgrade tool is released and stable

– Access via LCS (Lifecycle Services)

• Database upgrade process is in preview

– Yammer group

– Classes/deployable package in application suite of latest D365FO

release

Code Upgrade Tool in LCS

CLOUD + CLOUD SERVICES

Why Upgrade?

Cloud Deployments

• Microsoft deploys the server topology needed for D365FO

• Microsoft manages code deployments and environment

upgrades for Production environment

Cloud Services

• New services available when in the cloud

– Microsoft Flow (super user workflows and notifications)

– Logic Apps (cloud enterprise integrations)

– Power Apps (rapidly develop and deploy business applications)

– Common Data Service (enterprise common data storage)

– Cortana Intelligence Suite (machine learning)

– Azure (data warehousing and cubes)

Microsoft Flow

Microsoft Flow

Microsoft Flow D365 Template Examples

Logic Apps

UI CHANGES

Why Upgrade?

Browser Accessible

• No more Terminal servers or Citrix to access application

• Accessible on any device with a web browser

• Ongoing platform upgrades for browser compatibility

• Smartphone mobile application with customizable

experiences

Death of Enterprise Portal

• One set of UI design tools

• Complicated Role center deployments are gone, replaced by

more efficient task based Workspaces

• Forms are modern HTML5 designed forms that feel like the

“Rich Client” in the browser

• Cross-platform support (PC, Mac, tablet, etc.)

Task Guides

• Create business process recordings seamlessly

• Auto generate application verification tests

• Add validations

• Add annotations to your recordings to provided guided user

experience

• Update task recordings to your BPMs in LCS

• Add dev validations where necessary

UI DEMO

CODE MANAGEMENT

Why Upgrade?

Extensibility

• Customize the application using Extension framework

• Extend functionality or customize without overlayering

• Eliminate intrusive customizations (must change mindset)

• Support “modern apps” continuous upgrade model

• Reduce cost of upgrade by avoiding metadata conflicts

• Improve quality of implementation

• Protect your IP

• http://advantedge.saglobal.com/events/extension-in-dynamics-365-operations-webinar.html

AX 2012 vs D365 Code Organization

AX 2012 Dynamics 365 for Operations

• Customer Model (Extensions,

New objects)Customer Package

• ISV Model (Extensions, New

objects)

• Customer Overlayer Model

ISV Package

• Application Suite Model

• ISV Overlayer Model

• Customer Overlayer Model

Application Suite,

Other Functional

Packages

• Application Model

• No Overlayering Allowed

Application

Platform,

Foundation

Packages

• Customer Model

• ISV Model

• Application Model

All AX 2012 Code

Roadmap and Predictable Releases

• Better roadmap visibility from Microsoft

– https://roadmap.dynamics.com/

• Somewhat predicable upgrade cadence

– Twice yearly application platform releases (spring and fall, kind of…)

– Monthly platform releases

• Feedback mechanism through Ideas site

– https://ideas.dynamics.com/

Roadmap Website

Future Upgradeability

• Extensibility, Predictable release schedules, and Roadmap

helps companies keep D365FO more current

• Extensibility – Lowers the cost of upgrading customizations

• Predictable release schedules – ISVs can more effectively plan

around upgrading their solutions quickly after a release

• Roadmap – Companies have visibility to future desired

features, and can plan upgrade cycles accordingly

BI

Why Upgrade?

Shift in Technology

• D365FO– Visual Studio

– X++ Development

– Data Entity Store

– Azure

• AX 2012 – SQL Server Tools

• SQL Server Integration Services

• SQL Server Analysis Services

– Analysis Services Cube

D365FO Production Databases and

Related Reports

Transactional

Database

Replicated

Database

(Read Only)

Entity Store

Power BI

Embedded

SSRS

Reports

Azure

Reporting

Database

(BYODB)

PowerBI.com

ReportsBusiness

Documents

Micro

soft A

zure

Fire

wall

Built-in Data Warehouse Tools

• Data Management Framework

– Data Entities

• Make data accessible outside in PowerBI.com or other third party reporting

tools

– Dimensions/Aggregate Measures

– Entity Store

• Ability to bring Aggregate Measurement / Data Entity Store Data into a

Microsoft managed Azure SQL Server

Data Management Workspace

Power BI

• Embedded directly in workspaces

– Ready to use content packs

• PowerBI.com also available after extracting data from

D365FO

Power BI Content Packs

FUNCTIONAL IMPROVEMENTS

Functional Improvements

• 4 application releases to-date– Microsoft Dynamics (7.0, February 2016)

– Microsoft Dynamics (7.0.1, May 2016)

– Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Operations (1611 or 7.1,November 2016)

– Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance & Operations, Enterprise Edition (7.2, July 2017)

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/unified-operations/dev-itpro/get-started/whats-new-changed

• SAGlobal What’s New July Release Webinar:– http://advantedge.saglobal.com/events/dynamics-365-for-finance-and-

operations-enterprise-edition-whats-changed.html

ADVANTEDGE

Need help?• SAGlobal is an approved “Microsoft Development Center”

• We can assist in creating, upgrading, and maintaining your ISV, partner, or customer solution

• Contact Jen Wisemore for more details (JenW@SAGlobal.com | +1 425.444.0945)

Solution

Design

Code

Upgrades

End-User

Services

LCS Solution

/ AppSource

Curation

BI &

Reporting

Application

Lifecycle

ManagementDocumentation

Testing

Data

Management

Feature

Development