Deep, real-time connectivity is a key element of Microsoft Dynamics software. The solution enables you to connect your departments and their business processes across all locations where your company has a presence. And Microsoft Dynamics AX maximizes the value of your relationships with trading partners, suppliers, and customers by offering them efficient ways to connect with your company and do business. Deep connectivity has an immediate impact on your return on investment in technology and business infrastructure. By giving customers and vendors self-service capabilities, you can reduce the cost of transactions and reduce administrative overhead. You can offer them optimal visibility of your business information without having to perform expensive Active Server Pages (ASP) programming. With a centralized, integrated solution based on Microsoft Dynamics AX for all your locations, you can also minimize IT resource use and support needs. In addition, Microsoft Dynamics AX provides many opportunities to reduce manual, costly processes and replace them with streamlined, automated activities. On This PageIncreased connectivityConnectivity enabled by Microsoft Dynamics AX directly helps your bottom line in the following ways: | • | Suppliers and trading partners can exchange business documents electronically through the Microsoft Dynamics AX Commerce Gateway. | | • | Through the personalized, easy-to-use Microsoft Dynamics AX enterprise portal, customers, vendors, and trading partners can place orders and obtain important business information on the Web. | | • | Real-time information sharing between production, sales, finance, warehousing, and purchasing can help you monitor and accelerate production, deliver on time, and control costs. | | • | You can respond to changes in demand by including quotes from Microsoft Dynamics AX sales and marketing functionality directly into forecast scheduling, driving business as well as efficiencies. | | • | Close visibility into plant floor operations helps you control costs, monitor productivity, and implement changes as soon as you notice a new opportunity. | | • | Automatic posting of material consumption, work in progress, and finished production costs directly into your general ledger reduces administrative efforts, increases the reliability of cost information, and helps improve production efficiencies. | | • | Microsoft Dynamics AX enables you to make accurate safety stock calculations, reducing passive inventory and optimizing the value of your raw materials stocks. | | • | You can save time and cost of administration by generating payroll data automatically based on actual hours worked or jobs completed on the plant floor. |
Business benefitsYou need to connect locations, departments, and business relationships to maximize cost efficiencies and competitiveness. Consider the issues that key business roles in your company might experience in the area of connectivity, and how Microsoft Dynamics AX can help address these issues. Chief executive officer (CEO) | | • | Company growth and direction are hard to manage | | • | Company is not known for welcoming business partners and being easy to engage |
| | • | Ability to run company more profitably and focus on strategic direction with more impact | | • | More productive relationships with key business partners and customers |
| Chief financial officer (CFO) | | • | Low return on company investments in skills, technology, and business relationships |
| | • | Lower cost of transactions with customers and suppliers | | • | Less costly, more efficient and productive business processes | | • | Lower cost and improved reliability in payroll processing |
| Chief operations officer (COO) | | • | Limited insight into production processes and restricted capability to implement changes rapidly | | • | Difficulties working effectively with multiple locations | | • | Vendors and business partners are experiencing challenges engaging the company |
| | • | Ability to source raw materials across locations | | • | Production processes can quickly adjust to demand changes | | • | Lower costs of holding stock | | • | Lower costs of relationships with vendors and business partners | | • | More efficient plant floor operations without manual administrative processes |
| Vice president sales and marketing | | • | Difficulties improving customer satisfaction and retention | | • | Unable to bring in more revenue without increasing sales and service staff | | • | High cost of customer account management |
| | • | Self-service capabilities provided for customers to place orders and review business information | | • | Increased efficiency responding to customer needs and being accountable to customers | | • | Lower costs of customer transactions and account management | | • | Ability to generate increased revenue without adding staff |
| Chief technology officer (CTO), chief information officer (CIO), IT director | | • | High cost and resource needs for adding lines of business or locations | | • | Technical infrastructure does not integrate company's lines of business | | • | IT is required to assist employees in locating business information |
| | • | Sharing of business information across all lines of business in the company | | • | Great ease of adding locations or lines of business to the solution without increasing IT overhead | | • | Lower maintenance costs and improved resource use |
|
| |
