Dynamics AX to Dynamics 365: Time for an Upgrade?

The mainstream support end date for Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R3 is fast approaching, and from 12 October 2021 Microsoft will no longer enhance this AX product. Security updates and non-security hotfixes will no longer be supplied, and the warranty claims will end. So, what are the options for those businesses still running AX 2012 R3?

There is always the option to do nothing and hope for the best. But you’ll be risking a lot if you adopt such an approach with your ERP software – one of the most important business systems in your organisation. Your other option is to purchase an extended support agreement from Microsoft (the extended support will continue until January 2023) or consider a custom support contract. This could be feasible if you are totally satisfied with you current AX system for the time being or simply want to delay the upgrade project for some time. And the final option is to do the actual upgrade.

In this post, we’re going to focus on that last option and discuss the value of upgrading from on-premise Dynamics AX to cloud-based Dynamics 365 for Finance and Supply Chain Management (for convenience we will collectively refer to these systems as Dynamics 365 F&SCM or D365 F&SCM).

What Are the Benefits of Upgrading?

As a business owner, having a reliable ERP system in place can make a huge difference to the planning and insight aspect of your work. However, if you’re running things based on outdated software, then you aren’t being efficient and could be missing out on potential income and growth opportunities.

For those currently using Dynamics AX, you will already know the numerous advantages of utilising this ERP system in your organisation. But with Dynamics 365 F&SCM you are not simply getting some new features and functionality (and there are plenty of those, e.g. new interface, embedded Business Intelligence, availability on mobile devices, etc.). There’s much more to it. So, what other benefits will you get by upgrading?

Scalability and growth

If expanding your business operations is part of your long-term strategy, finding ways to ensure secure and sustainable growth is essential. Monthly subscriptions and hosting on the cloud offered by Dynamics 365 F&SCM give companies the flexibility to easily scale up or down based on their needs. Businesses can add/remove licenses and deploy certain modules across different locations quickly without any additional investments in internal IT infrastructure. As a result, you’ll be able to grow at your own pace while only paying for the features you require.

Better collaboration

Moving to Dynamics 365 F&SCM from Dynamics AX can make collaboration much easier. It’s important that your ERP system works across the board so that data can form trends and that departments can integrate information where necessary for better insights. Dynamics 365 F&SCM goes one step further than Dynamics AX by integrating with other applications in the Dynamics 365 suit, Power BI and Cortana. Not only will this create better collaboration within your organisation and keep any disruptions in work processes to a minimum, but also allow you to use your data as effectively as possible.

Regular updates

Keeping your system running smoothly will prevent unexpected problems from cropping up. The great thing about Dynamics 365 F&SCM is that it provides regular updates that keep the ERP system problem-free and minimises disruptions compared to some of the major alterations that Dynamics AX experienced. Either way, your business will always be on the latest version, ensuring optimum performance, efficiency and security. This also means that you won’t need to budget for an upgrade or implementation ever again.

Slicker processes

Who doesn’t want their business to be fast and efficient? Investing in an ERP upgrade will brush up your processes and generally make your day-to-day jobs, planning and outlook much slicker. ERP is there to improve efficiency, not slow you down, so making the upgrade to Dynamics 365 F&SCM will streamline your employees’ workflows and boost their productivity.

For a Hassle-free Upgrade to Microsoft Dynamics 365, Choose ICS

At ICS, we employ the best ERP implementation experts to ensure that our clients have a seamless experience. We work with companies from many industries – manufacturing, consumer goods, retail, logistics, food & beverage, and others – helping them transform their businesses with Dynamics 365 ERP solutions. So, if you’re interested in upgrading from Dynamics AX to D365 F&SCM, get in touch with us today.