Managing Process Manufacturing using Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 - Complimentary Book Copy

Managing Process Manufacturing using Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009, the latest book from Scott Hamilton and one of his many works on process manufacturing industries, provides answers for companies at different implementation stages, such as evaluating system fit or accelerating the learning process.

The book employs an anchor-and-adjustment learning strategy. For example, the explanation of each business process (such as sales order processing) starts with a basic model reflecting dominant business practices, which then provides a framework for explaining major variations. The book builds on several years of the author’s prior research and field experience with several hundred firms.  It is a great resource for individuals implementing or considering Microsoft Dynamics AX as their ERP system as well as those looking to accelerate the learning process post-implementation.

Solugenix Corporation is now making the book available to interested process manufacturing companies. You can visit the corporate website to sign up for a free copy.

How to Use Dynamics AX for Quality Management Concerns in Chemical Manufacturing

In his newly released article, Scott Hamilton, takes a look at quality management concerns for chemical manufacturing companies and how Dynamics AX can address the range of quality concerns within the supply chain.

Scott has written extensively on lot (batch) attributes and in this article, he details quality concerns from batch number assignment policies to identification of expired batches and the Dynamics AX out-of-the-box functionality for addressing those concerns. He takes a structured approach of categorizing the AX capabilities in several groups as those pertain to specific quality concerns of chemical manufacturers. He explores the following groups of capabilities: item and recipe definition, lot tracking, purchasing and production and sales. Scott's analysis of those capabilities goes into further depth in a separate white paper on quality management.

The full content of this article is available on MSDynamicsWorld.com.

Microsoft Dynamics AX vs. SAP - part 3

The implementation process

When an SAP salesperson is sitting across the table from a potential customer, he or she is focused on one thing: selling that customer an SAP product. The implementation of that product is someone else's problem. The SAP salesperson receives no compensation for the professional services necessary to implement the software; therefore it is the last thing he or she is concerned about. A different firm is brought in to help the company implement its new SAP software product, and the implementation firm takes no responsibility for what specific SAP products were purchased.

Conversely, when a company evaluates Microsoft Dynamics AX as an ERP solution it works with a certified Microsoft Dynamics AX Partner. This one partner company is responsible for both selling a customer the correct products to fit its business needs, and for the implementation and ongoing support of the system. These partners are domain experts in the customer's field of business, and have undergone rigorous training in the Dynamics AX applications and technology. Typically, they also have many customers who run their businesses on Dynamics AX.

Microsoft offers a larger and more robust service and solution provider ecosystem than SAP. A 2005 study by Framingham, Mass.-based IDC titled "Worldwide Software Channel Program 2005 Vendor Profiles" favorably positions the Microsoft Partner Program as a leader among the top 25 software vendors worldwide. There are 1,300 solution and service providers available globally with deep skills and dedicated resources. This gives customers a greater choice when selecting a business partner that will take responsibility for the important initiative of implementing and supporting its ERP solution.

Ultimately it's about the best solution for your business

A new ERP solution can be a terrific tool to help support a company's success today and in the future. When selecting an ERP tool for your business, the most important element to remember is to select a tool that best supports your unique value proposition. As a business grows the value proposition can quite possibly change. It is just as important that your ERP tool has the flexibility to change as your business changes.