Microsoft Dynamics ERP is enterprise resource planning (ERP) software primarily geared toward midsize organizations as well as subsidiaries and divisions of larger organizations. Its applications are part of Microsoft Dynamics, a line of business management software owned and developed by Microsoft. Microsoft Dynamics ERP comprises four primary products: Microsoft Dynamics AX, Microsoft Dynamics GP, Microsoft Dynamics NAV, and Microsoft Dynamics SL. Products[edit] Microsoft Dynamics ERP includes five primary products: Microsoft Dynamics AX (formerly Axapta) is designed to help organizations do business across locations and countries by standardizing processes and helping to simplify compliance. The latest version is Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012. Microsoft Dynamics GP (formerly Great Plains Software) can help companies adapt to new opportunities and growth by managing changing markets, enabling unique business requirements, and connecting business processes across the organization. The latest version is Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010 (version 11.0). Microsoft Dynamics NAV (formerly Navision) is designed to help organizations streamline specialized and industry-specific business processes. The latest version is Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013. Microsoft Dynamics SL (formerly Solomon IV) can help project-driven organizations obtain reports and business analysis and automate projects across company divisions and locations. The latest version is Microsoft Dynamics SL 7.0. Microsoft Dynamics C5 (formerly Concorde C5) can assist with finance, manufacturing, supply chains, analytics and electronic commerce for small and medium-sized enterprises. The latest version is Microsoft Dynamics C5 2010. Capabilities[edit] Microsoft Dynamics ERP applications are designed to help customers: Connect the entire supply chain. Make current financial data and reports accessible for business planning and regulatory compliance. Automate repetitious and routine functions so that employees can focus on more critical tasks. Minimize the cost and complexity of administering salaries, benefits, recruiting, and performance management. Provide greater visibility into key performance factors, such as profitability and potential issues. Meet industry-specific needs with functionality for vertical business processes. Microsoft Dynamics CRM is a customer relationship management software package developed by Microsoft. Out of the box, the product focuses mainly on Sales, Marketing, and Service (help desk) sectors, but Microsoft has been marketing Dynamics CRM as an XRM platform and has been encouraging partners to use its proprietary (.NET based) framework to customize it to meet many different demands. The Microsoft Dynamics family of business applications includes other related products such as Microsoft Dynamics AX(ERP application), Microsoft Dynamics GP, (ERP application) Microsoft Dynamics NAV (ERP application), and Microsoft Dynamics SL (ERP Application) and also Microsoft Dynamics Retail Management System; also known as Dynamics RMS. Dynamics CRM is a server-client application, which, like Microsoft SharePoint, is primarily an IIS-based web application which also supports extensive web services interfaces. Clients access Dynamics CRM either by using Microsoft Internet Explorer 7 or later web browser or by a thick client plug-in to Microsoft Outlook. The most recent release added full support for the Chrome and Firefox browsers, and limited support for Safari. The current version of Microsoft Dynamics CRM is 2011.[2] Contents 1 History 2 Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 o 2.1 Versions o 2.2 Licensing o 2.3 Updates o 2.4 Accelerators for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3 Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 4 See also o 4.1 MSSolve o 4.2 MIMOS 5 References 6 External links History[edit] Microsoft CRM 1.0 Microsoft CRM 1.0 launched in January 2003. Microsoft CRM 1.2 Microsoft CRM 1.2 was released December 8, 2003.[3] Microsoft CRM 1.2 was not widely adopted by industry.[citation needed] Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0 The second version was rebranded as Microsoft Dynamics 3.0 (version 2.0 was skipped entirely) to signify its inclusion within the Dynamics product family and was released December 5, 2005.[4] Notable updates over version 1.2 are the ease of creating customizations to CRM, the switch from using Crystal Reports to Microsoft SQL Reporting Services, the ability to run on Windows Vista and Outlook 2007, and support for Exchange 2007. Significant additions released later by Microsoft also allowed Dynamics CRM 3.0 to be accessed by various mobile devices and integration with Siebel Systems. This was the first version that saw reasonable take up by customers.[citation needed] Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 Dynamics CRM 4.0 introduced in December 2007.[5] It features multi-tenancy, improved reporting security, data importing, direct mail merging and support for newer technologies such as Windows 2008 [6] and SQL 2008 (Update Rollup 4).[7] Dynamics CRM 4.0 also implements CRM Online, a hosted solution that is offered directly from Microsoft. The multi-tenancy option also allows ISVs to offer hosted solutions to end customers as well. Dynamics CRM 4.0 is the first version of the product which has seen significant takeup in the market and passed the 1 million user mark in July 2009.[8] Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 Dynamics CRM 2011 was released to open Beta in February 2010 It then went into Release Candidate stage in December 2010 The product was then released in February 2011 Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0[edit] Versions[edit] Microsoft Dynamics CRM comes in 4 versions for installation by a partner/customer; these versions can be highly customized using advanced extensions. The CRM Online version cannot be extensively customized because of security issues.[citation needed] - Workgroup Edition This edition is only allowed 5 CALs maximum, it is not possible to add more CALs. If more CALs are needed, an upgrade to Professional or Enterprise should be done. Also all the server roles are installed on 1 machine and cannot be separated. You can only create 1 organization in this version and the use of external connectors is not allowed. This version is ideal for small organizations that can use it with the SQL Server Workgroup Edition and on a Windows Small Business Server. - Professional Edition The Professional Edition has the same functionality as the Workgroup Edition except there is no limit on the CALs. If the installation profile calls for supporting either multiple organizations or servers, the Enterprise Edition is required. - Enterprise Edition Has the same functionality as the Professional Edition but without limits. This version is to be used when multiple divisions should be accessing CRM from one platform. - Service Provider Edition This edition is actually an Enterprise Edition that is configured to accept Internal user requests from AD and external user requests through IFD (Internet Facing Deployment). This version is mostly implemented by Microsoft Partners that offer Hosted CRM functionality, when letting external users connect to this CRM version through the Internet. Licensing[edit] Microsoft Dynamics CRM offers two types of licenses: Server license and Client Access License (CAL). Each deployment should have at least one server license and one CAL. CAL is also known as a user license. There are two types of Client CAL: - Named User CAL: This is tied with the user name i.e. the user can access MSCRM from any computer. - Device CAL: This is tied with the Device (i.e., CRM can be accessed from only one device). This model is useful in environments such as Call Centers. Read Only Licenses New in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 are readonly licenses. Users that do not have to have write permissions can be assigned Read Only licenses. These licenses are cheaper because they do not allow any write operations on the records. If later a user should be able to perform a write operation, a step-up license can be bought to upgrade the Read-Only license to a Full Client Access License. Full Use Licenses Full Use Licenses are licenses where the client (user / device) has read, write and update permissions. External Connector Licenses Whenever an application (windows or web) reads or writes data from/in Microsoft Dynamics CRM, an external connector license is required. External Connector licenses are only valid when bought for a Professional or Enterprise edition. It is not allowed to use them with a Workgroup Edition. These also come in 3 forms: - External Connector : Is a combination of the Limited External Connector (that provides Read Only functionality) and the Full Use Additive External Connector (that provides Write Only functionality) - Limited External Connector: Provides Read Only functionality for the external application. This license can be upgraded to an 'External Connector License' when the Full Use Additive External Connector is bought. - Full Use Additive External Connector: Provides the Write functionality to a "Limited External Connector" license. Dynamics CRM version 4.0 adds a number of new features, including support for duplicate data detection and other enhancements. Perhaps most importantly, CRM 4.0 provides true multi-tenancy, which will allow the creation of multiple organizations on a single server. CRM 4.0 was released with the following improvements: More powerful and easier to configure Reporting and BI (now based on SSRS instead of Crystal) More powerful data import tools, de-duplication capability now included Enhanced entity relationships –