A new release of Dynamics SL, formerly called Solomon, automates purchase-order requisitions and approvals, simplifies bank reconciliation processes, and lets users submit requisitions using a Web browser. Unlike other recent Microsoft Business Solutions (MBS) releases, Dynamics SL 6.5 focuses on incremental enhancements to the current product rather than implementing design guidelines for Project Green, Microsoft's long-term plan to converge its four enterprise resource planning (ERP) products (Axapta, Great Plains, Navision, and Solomon) on a single code base.

New Modules, Portal Expanded

Dynamics SL targets project-focused businesses, such as professional services companies and construction firms. The product is one of four ERP applications that Microsoft intends to consolidate as part of an effort called Project Green. As a first step, the company has brought all of these products, along with Microsoft CRM, under a common brand name: Dynamics. Dynamics SL 6.5 is Solomon's debut under that name.

(In June 2004, Microsoft announced that it would outsource some development and support for Solomon to Plumbline Solutions, a new company created by the three founders of Solomon. Despite outsourcing development, Microsoft will continue to update and support the product through 2013.)

Among a number of incremental feature improvements, Dynamics SL 6.5 offers the following:

A requisitions module helps companies automate submission, routing, and approval of purchase requests, such as those for construction equipment or materials. The new module allows companies to define and enforce workflow and business rules, such as manager approvals and spending limits, for the requisition process. In addition, the module automates notification and routing of requisitions and approvals. Employees submitting requisitions are notified by e-mail when a request has been approved or denied; similarly, approvers are notified by e-mail when a request is pending approval.

A bank reconciliation module aids in reconciling a company's bank account balances with balances tracked by the company internally. The new module offers a stripped-down, less costly version of Dynamics SL's existing Cash Manager, with an important enhancement—it can automatically import bank account data. However, this new module does not offer the same advanced reporting features as Cash Manager and does not support multiple currencies. Thus, the new module will likely appeal to smaller companies working in a single currency. Larger companies with complex financial structures will likely opt for the Cash Manager module and add the bank reconciliation module if they want to import bank account data automatically.

New portal features are delivered via version 3.0 of the Microsoft Business Portal, a utility based on Windows SharePoint Services (WSS) that provides browser access to Dynamics SL data and functions. Portal users can access Dynamics SL's new requisition features—for example, they can initiate requisitions through the portal using a Web browser. In addition, the release will allow users to connect to the business portal across the Internet. With the previous version of the product (Solomon 6.0), portal access was restricted to users connected to a company's intranet, either directly or through virtual private network (VPN) connections.

Limited Conformance to Project Green

Unlike the recent updates of Dynamics CRM (formerly Microsoft CRM) and Dynamics GP (formerly Great Plains), Dynamics SL 6.5 focuses on incremental product improvements rather than the general design guidelines spelled out by Microsoft for "Project Green Wave One," the first step in the company's long-term plan to converge its four ERP products on a single code base. Those guidelines define a common approach to be used by Dynamics products for user interfaces (UIs), .NET and Web services programming interfaces, and integration with other Microsoft products.

Conformance to Project Green's guidelines will likely come with the next major revision of the product, Dynamics SL 7.0, which Microsoft plans to ship in the second half of 2006. For example, according to Microsoft, Dynamics SL 7.0 could include a .NET rewrite of the Solomon engine and its APIs. Microsoft has also hinted that the release could include integration with SQL Server Reporting Services. Today, Dynamics SL uses Business Object's Crystal Reports for its reporting engine.

Availability, Pricing, and Resources

Microsoft released Dynamics SL 6.5 in Canada and the United States in Dec. 2005 and the product is available in two editions—a full-featured Professional Edition and a less costly Standard Edition for smaller companies. Dynamics SL 6.5 will be available in Mexico by the end of Jan. 2006.

With the exception of the new modules, product pricing is generally unchanged from previous versions. Customers purchase a user license for each worker accessing Dynamics SL and a separate license for each Dynamics SL module installed. The product provides a thick-client application for (typically) back-office workers; user licenses for such workers start at US$2,100 for the product's Professional Edition and US$750 for the Standard Edition. For workers that access Dynamics SL only through the portal, user licenses start at US$40 for either edition. When licensed with Standard Edition, the new requisition module will cost about US$1,000 and the bank reconciliation module will cost US$350. With Professional Edition, the requisition module will cost US$1,500 and the bank reconciliation module will cost US$500.

More information on Dynamics SL is at www.microsoft.com/dynamics/sl/default.mspx.

A discussion of MBS's product consolidation strategy appears in "Project Green Details Trickle Out" on page 23 of the Nov. 2005 Update.

Outsourcing of Solomon development is discussed in "Reorganization, Outsourcing at MBS" on page 27 of the July 2004 Update.

The Microsoft Business Portal is described in "Business Portal Moves to WSS" on page 18 of the Mar. 2004 Update.