MBS Core ERP Products

Microsoft Business Solutions (MBS) has four main enterprise resource planning (ERP) product lines, each of which is intended for a slightly different market. (For a chart summarizing functions, target markets, and customer adoption of the MBS ERP products, see “MBS ERP Product Overview“.)

Axapta. Acquired in the Navision deal, the Axapta product line is Microsoft’s highest-end ERP offering, targeting businesses with 100 to 5,000 employees and up to US$1 billion in annual revenue. Axapta has broad multilanguage support, ships in more than 30 languages and more than 30 country-specific versions, and targets multinational companies, particularly those with complex manufacturing or distribution needs. Because of its somewhat narrower target market, Axapta has seen slower adoption than Microsoft’s other ERP products (3,500 customers to date) and is supported by a smaller number of partners (about 700).

Great Plains. Acquired in 2001, Great Plains offers ERP software for mid-size businesses, with an emphasis on professional services (such as consulting or accounting firms), manufacturing, and wholesalers and retailers. It is sold by roughly 1,600 partners, primarily in North America, and has some 30,000 customers. The Great Plains modules are available in two editions. The high-end product line, called Great Plains, is designed for larger organizations with 100 to 5,000 employees and US$50 million to US$250 million in annual revenues. Great Plains Standard is based on the same code base as Great Plains but is geared toward businesses with 25 to 99 employees.