AX, NAV to Require Service Plan

Dynamics AX and NAV customers must be enrolled in Microsoft’s Business Ready Enhancement Plan (BREP) to purchase any new licenses beginning June 1, 2010. The change could ultimately make the installed base for these products more uniform for Microsoft and help customers and partners move to new versions of the products. However, some customers might have to make substantial initial payments to get onto the plan.

BREP offers customers Microsoft-developed software updates to fix bugs and handle tax and regulatory changes, as well as version upgrades and a variety of other benefits, for around 16% of the covered license price per year. (Actual prices vary because partners often offer additional services with BREP.) BREP is the only way to get bug fixes and service packs for the Dynamics enterprise resource planning (ERP) products; this contrasts with most other Microsoft products, where customers can obtain some free updates but pay for version upgrades.

Dynamics GP and SL customers already need BREP coverage for all their current licenses to buy any new licenses, and must cover all new licenses purchased. Starting in June, this same policy will apply to Dynamics AX and NAV, for both Business Ready Licensing and module-based licensing plans.