Here we have information about AX7 / AX2015 / Rainier!

AX7 / AX2015 / Rainier, we have heard many names for the upcoming and much awaited Microsoft Dynamics AX Product. Seems like Microsoft has settled with the name AX7 now.

While looking out for information about AX7, I have bumped into this Microsoft Convergence Video: http://convergence.evo-td.com/library/CS15A000 . Although the site demands you to login, I think it is pretty easy to register. Check it out!
Microsoft aims to release this product by End of 2015 and has clearly stated the Guiding principles for AX 7.0.

1. To Empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more
2. To create more personal computing
3. To Reinvent productivity and business processes
4. To Build the intelligent cloud

Below is some key information on AX Functionality enhancements from the above roadmap session.

Productivity:

• Modern, web-based user experience based on HTML5 technology. The client is device-independent and has a panorama view / dashboard and next generation role centres. In addition, it can support mouse or touch screen!

• User adoption still remains a focus. Data input screens look similar to AX 2012 R3 so users can easily transition after a Dynamics AX upgrade.
• Hover over task and preview mode reveals underlying data, reducing the number of clicks that are required to view underlying data.

• Integration of the Windows “Hamburger” navigation pane for ease of navigation on screens with limited real estate. You can add or subtract favorites, view recent screens you have visited, etc.

• New metadata search experience enables the use of metadata search to find an application screen very quickly (dashboard, navigation pane or Metadata search) without having to navigate menus.
• Run multiple screens – you can dock windows and use side by side screens. A great feature for those in production who typically run multiple screens, like MRP side by side.

• Personalization has not been overlooked. Microsoft understands that there is an emotional connection with the application user experience and this can make a huge difference in how much you enjoy work or how much you don’t.

 

• Data entities will expose an OData (Open Data Protocol) feed and can be consumed by Power BI.
• Embedded Power BI – drill from one box to transactional information – in memory (Read Real-time Analytics).

 

• The old Task Recorder gets reimagined into Task Guides.
• End-user can now walk through a process end-to-end in a guided fashion.
• Has annotation capability to provide feedback on a business process. This gives users the ability to add notations as they walk through the guided process.
• So many uses:
  • Useful for increasing productivity
  • Helps users manage change
  • Use it for testing
  • Use it for training
  • Use it for support – send a Task Guide to Microsoft to ask them to get something working
• Step by step snapshots of how Task guides work will follow soon. 

• Visual Studio is used for development. Classic MorphX and model experience is still available.
• Microsoft has enabled a WYSIWYG, multi-window environment to aid in developer efficiency. Utilities can work in both the web page and the designer at the same time.
• Exceptionally rich customization environment.
• More details regarding Dev enhancements will follow soon.

• Data management in AX 7.0 has implemented everything from DIXF / DMF from AX 2012 with a rich user experience.
• Version 7.0 significantly improves the capability to do data load tasks that are common in a heterogeneous environment where you want to have a single version of the truth.
• Bring in incremental data loads and do name and name pattern matching. This reduces the amount of work that a consultant/business analyst needs to do to import data.
• Drag and drop field mapping.
• Data uses staging tables and can be mapped either in a visual or tabular format.
• View a side-by-side comparison of records in the live system.
• Bring imported data into forms for preview and validation.

If you are interested in upgrading from your current version of Microsoft Dynamics AX to AX 7.0, here are some important details that may help in your decision process:

• Business logic and Data Model in Dynamics AX 2012 R3 CU8 is the same as in AX 7.0. This will make the transition from AX 2012 R3 to AX 7.0 relatively straightforward. AX 7.0 is more about the modern user interface and new tools and less about the underlying business logic and data models.
• Direct upgrade path from AX 2009 & AX 2012.
• Support for AX 2009 has been extended to 2018 because Microsoft wants all their customers to be able to upgrade to AX 7.0 at their own pace.
• Functionality in CU8 will be made available to AX R2

• End of 2015 year release.
• Initial launch will be in the Microsoft Cloud only. This will be followed by an on-premise release.
• Microsoft is fully committed to support running Dynamics AX in the public or private cloud and on-premise and Hybrid.
• Reminder as above that the data model and business logic is the same.