Dynamics 365 Expands Enterprise Packaging

Dynamics 365 has added subscription levels and plans to provide greater purchase flexibility, dropped a planned Marketing module, and introduced LinkedIn integrated offerings. Dynamics 365 is a family of on-premises products and hosted services that provide customer relationship management (CRM) and enterprise resource planning (ERP) functionality, including technologies formerly branded Dynamics CRM and Dynamics AX. The modifications and expansion of purchasing options makes licensing more complex, but it could help customers reduce licensing cost, particularly for retail, manufacturing, and distribution operations.

Dynamics 365 Unified Operations (AX)

Dynamics 365 for Unified Operations (previously called Dynamics AX) is Microsoft’s ERP product (available on-premises and as a hosted service) aimed at multinational midmarket companies and enterprises that delivers finance, operations, human resources, warehousing, and retail features.

Customers can choose between three deployment options: Microsoft-hosted, on-premises, and hybrid (with Microsoft-hosted and on-premises components). All three deployment options are licensed with the same types of User Subscription Licenses (SLs) or Device SLs. Customers can subscribe to specific applications for users who need access to only one application or to plans that include access to features across multiple applications.