In the Microsoft Dynamics World, the different ERP products that were competing while they were separate products on the market have in a way continued their competition internally in the Microsoft community after the products have become a part of the Microsoft Dynamics suite. In alphabetic order we’re taking about AX, CRM, GP, NAV and SL. I’m including CRM here as it has become an integral part of Microsoft Dynamics even though it has not been marketed outside Microsoft previously.

In the NAV channel we have seen Microsoft changing strategies from being the direct supplier of localizations globally to being focused on the main markets only directly and outsourcing the remaining localizations to partners under the “PLLP”-program. It has made many people wonder – what’s happening to NAV? Is NAV now a low priority product for Microsoft?

The facts show that Microsoft Dynamics NAV today represents 45% of the total installed license base globally counting 94,000 companies using Microsoft Dynamics NAV. Microsoft have been putting a lot of marketing effort into AX to position it on the international market and to move the product up in the market and deeper into specific industries – and that focus has of course raised questions about the Microsoft Commitment to the other products.

With the huge focus and rapidly increasing pipeline on AX, the product today represents 9% of the total Microsoft Dynamics market, actually there are 5 times more NAV than AX installations and twice as many GP installations on a much smaller geographical market. There is no doubt that AX is a rising star in the ERP-world; like NAV and the other Dynamics products it is a fantastic offering to companies with the right fit, and that doesn’t make any of the other products less important – the focus and investments needed to meet the goals are just different.

NAV is what in the good old business school days was called a cash cow, and it is being nursed as one as well. The Microsoft investments in NAV have not stopped and NAV 2013 is a fantastic new release, in fact the best international release ever. Look for my other article on this subject.

Microsoft has changed the release cycle to make a major release every year, there is a product road map available for all the Dynamics products and the significant customer loyalty to all of the different Dynamics products will secure the focus on these many years ahead.

So dear Microsoft Dynamics user – regardless of which product line you are on you are at a pretty good spot.