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With the release of its Dynamics GP 9.0 suite earlier this month and additional Dynamics releases expected throughout the coming year, Microsoft Corp. is well into Wave 1 of its two-wave business applications modernization plan.
While it will eventually merge the code of Microsofts four ERP (enterprise resource planning) suites—which came from separate acquisitions—Dynamics also brings the Microsoft Business Solutions division technically and culturally into the fold.
That integration of the MBS development team with the Office SQL Server, Visual Basic and other technology development teams is key to the companys success in the ERP sector.
Despite some initial bumps, the transition is beginning to bear its first fruits with GP 9.0—and is proving successful in bringing the teams together, according to Hal Howard, general manager for the MBS development team.
“There were things that we learned from each other. With four separate companies being integrated [into the Microsoft teams], it took some time,” said Howard in Redmond, Wash. “But weve turned the corner on processes and are using the same development structure.”
Howard, whose roots run deep at Microsoft, said the cultural integration of both teams is going equally well.
“I have guys that are doing data access that are from SQL and on the UI [user interface] innovation team from Office,” said Howard. “So there are a lot of interpersonal-level connections in these organizations. Were really at the point where were culturally enmeshed in Microsoft.”
That said, the MBS team has seen some recent shake-ups. In September, the company announced a reorganization that winnowed its seven business units down to three and put MBS in the Office camp.
Two weeks ago, MBS Senior Vice President Doug Burgum, who ran MBS for the past five years, announced he will step down from that position early next year.
In his new position as chairman of MBS, Burgum will focus on evangelizing Dynamics.
Hell delve into the value of Microsofts software and of the companys emerging software-based services—an area in which MBS will be putting a lot of its energy going forward.
Microsoft next-generation ERPs core concepts
- Common client technology integrated with Office
- Roles-based user experiences in the form of new contextual UIs
- Web-services-based application components based on Visual Basics tool kit
- SQL- and Excel-based business intelligence for the various Dynamics apps