Microsoft Dynamics product line includes a number of different ERP solutions such as Microsoft Dynamics NAV, Microsoft Dynamics AX, Microsoft Dynamics 365, and Business Central. Each of the individual solutions are designed for specific industries and applications.
We are covering here the two products Microsoft Dynamics AX and Microsoft Dynamics NAV.
Both Microsoft Dynamics AX and Microsoft Dynamics NAV offers fully integrated ERP functionalities and has industry specific functionality. Both products can handle multiple languages and currencies along with local and regional needs. Both the product allows customization, add-on dvelopment and third party integrations for specific need or business area.
Enterprise vs Medium Size
Dynamics NAV an adaptable enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution, for small and medium-sized businesses to automate and connect their sales, purchasing, operations, accounting, and stock management.The flexibility which makes the solution easy to customize and scale makes Dynamics NAV a really good choice for companies that plan to expand and grow the business.
Dynamics AX however, is designed for large enterprise organizations that has a global presence. Supports centralized Master Data Management (MDM) and a range of other services. Also allows management of various financial standards. Actually both Dynamics NAV and Dynamics AX is designed to be scaled and adapted to the needs of an expanding company, but Dynamics AX is better equipped to meet the challenges of projects of a larger scale.
Industry Adaptation
Dynamics AX is significantly richer in terms of management of a variety of processes, such as project management, public sector or manufacturing (Dynamics NAV is capable only for discrete manufacturing, whereas Dynamics AX can also reflect lean and process manufacturing. Moreover, Dynamics AX has a ready built-in barcode scanner interface for mobile devices (handheld) specially designed for warehouses).
By contrast, in sectors such as wholesale, Dynamics AX loses its functional advantages over Dynamics NAV, which provides full functionality and is easier to use.
Dynamics NAV solution offers possibilities of an extensive and advanced analysis by dimensions, these possibilities in the Dynamics AX solution are broader with more control options.
Analytical Capabilities
Dynamics AX has richer analytical and reporting functionality than Dynamics NAV, with more modules. Dynamics AX has more advanced business intelligence (BI), workflow, and portal capabilities in respect of what Dynamics NAV offers.
Dynamics AX is a powerful platform that can handle great volumes of data without any degradation of performance. It can handle multiple sites across multiple locations and has the capability to easily scale to thousands of users. Although Dynamics NAV sums up the data during processing so that the user has to make fewer mouse clicks for viewing the daily data
Cloud Availability
Dynamics AX was the first Dynamics ERP product built in the cloud. Dynamics NAV is available on-premise and hosted at Azure (Cloud), Dynamics AX (AX7 or AX 2016) runs natively in Microsoft Azure.
Dynamics NAV is also available with Office 365 integration, including one authorization for all programs, integration with Outlook mail server.
Microsoft is implementing a strategy aimed at making the Dynamics NAV solution a pure cloud solution suitable for the SMB segment in the future.