With the recent re-branding of the Microsoft Business Solutions product line as Microsoft Dynamics, Solomon, Microsoft's flagship professional services automation (PSA) solution for the small and medium business (SMB) market, has been repackaged as Microsoft Dynamics SL. Microsoft Dynamics SL version 6.5 extends the solution's prior functionality through its business portal, as well as by offering new modules for purchase requisitions and bank reconciliations. Moreover, Dynamics SL offers its clients extensive project portfolio management (PPM) capabilities with its real time bi-directional integration with Microsoft Project Server 2003.
Replacing the old Project Green strategy, the new Microsoft Dynamics initiative will align its product line of business solutions, including Microsoft Dynamics SL, with its research and development (R&D) efforts in two waves. The first wave, which is underway and will continue into 2007, involves re-branding all business solutions under the Microsoft Dynamics banner, and developing these products to adopt a similar look and feel in terms of their interfaces and their usage of the business portal. The second wave will deliver a single Microsoft Dynamics solution that combines best-of-breed functionality from each product line by the end of 2008. To help its clients with the transition, Microsoft has put in place its Transformational Assurance plan that will allow users to migrate to the Microsoft Dynamics solutions at their own pace.
Eventually, Microsoft likely will absorb its PSA product strategy into its Microsoft Dynamics product strategy, providing a unified solution that will serve the various vertical markets requiring financials, enterprise resource planning (ERP), supply chain management (SCM), customer relationship management (CRM), and PSA solutions. However, the question remains: will Microsoft move in the direction of offering a single integrated PPM solution for service organizations by embedding Microsoft Project Server with the Microsoft Dynamics product line, or will it continue to offer distinct solutions, integrating Microsoft Project where needed? In either case, the Microsoft Dynamics product line will remain compelling to SMB organizations by continuing to offer a single technology that provides comprehensive PPM capabilities through Microsoft Project Server.
Microsoft Dynamics SL Components
Microsoft Dynamics SL is designed for organizations with 50 to 2,000 employees and revenues of between $5 million (USD) and $250 million (USD). The average Microsoft Dynamics SL project costs approximately $150,000 (USD) for both licenses and implementation, with a single user license starting at $5,000 (USD). Dynamics SL serves project-centric and service-oriented organizations, and is also suitable for distribution organizations.
Microsoft Dynamics SL comes in two flavors: the standard edition designed for a single site organization with up to 99 employees and a maximum of 10 user licenses; and the professional edition designed for multisite organizations and a maximum of 2,000 employees. The main components of Microsoft Dynamics SL include the following.
Financial Management and Payroll Microsoft Dynamics SL has a complete financial package providing general ledger (GL), accounts receivable (AR), accounts payable (AP), and payroll modules. The modules are designed to handle multisite organizations and multiple currencies. For service organizations that operate internationally, Microsoft Dynamics SL's comprehensive multicurrency capabilities (especially for billing and expenses) are a critical feature. For SMB service organizations, the financial package offers complete integrated back-office functionality, which is not typically found in best-of-breed PSA solutions.
Project Management and Accounting Microsoft Dynamics SL's strength lies in its project management and accounting capabilities, which are tailored for project-centric organizations. By providing extensive time, billing, and expense modules for service organizations, Microsoft Dynamics SL supports the detailed tracking of tasks and expenses relevant to billable projects. In comparison to other PSA solutions, Microsoft Dynamics SL provides above average resource utilization, contract management, and project control capabilities.
source
http://www.technologyevaluation.com/research/articles/microsoft-s-dynamic-new-approach-to-professional-services-automation-18403/
Replacing the old Project Green strategy, the new Microsoft Dynamics initiative will align its product line of business solutions, including Microsoft Dynamics SL, with its research and development (R&D) efforts in two waves. The first wave, which is underway and will continue into 2007, involves re-branding all business solutions under the Microsoft Dynamics banner, and developing these products to adopt a similar look and feel in terms of their interfaces and their usage of the business portal. The second wave will deliver a single Microsoft Dynamics solution that combines best-of-breed functionality from each product line by the end of 2008. To help its clients with the transition, Microsoft has put in place its Transformational Assurance plan that will allow users to migrate to the Microsoft Dynamics solutions at their own pace.
Eventually, Microsoft likely will absorb its PSA product strategy into its Microsoft Dynamics product strategy, providing a unified solution that will serve the various vertical markets requiring financials, enterprise resource planning (ERP), supply chain management (SCM), customer relationship management (CRM), and PSA solutions. However, the question remains: will Microsoft move in the direction of offering a single integrated PPM solution for service organizations by embedding Microsoft Project Server with the Microsoft Dynamics product line, or will it continue to offer distinct solutions, integrating Microsoft Project where needed? In either case, the Microsoft Dynamics product line will remain compelling to SMB organizations by continuing to offer a single technology that provides comprehensive PPM capabilities through Microsoft Project Server.
Microsoft Dynamics SL Components
Microsoft Dynamics SL is designed for organizations with 50 to 2,000 employees and revenues of between $5 million (USD) and $250 million (USD). The average Microsoft Dynamics SL project costs approximately $150,000 (USD) for both licenses and implementation, with a single user license starting at $5,000 (USD). Dynamics SL serves project-centric and service-oriented organizations, and is also suitable for distribution organizations.
Microsoft Dynamics SL comes in two flavors: the standard edition designed for a single site organization with up to 99 employees and a maximum of 10 user licenses; and the professional edition designed for multisite organizations and a maximum of 2,000 employees. The main components of Microsoft Dynamics SL include the following.
Financial Management and Payroll Microsoft Dynamics SL has a complete financial package providing general ledger (GL), accounts receivable (AR), accounts payable (AP), and payroll modules. The modules are designed to handle multisite organizations and multiple currencies. For service organizations that operate internationally, Microsoft Dynamics SL's comprehensive multicurrency capabilities (especially for billing and expenses) are a critical feature. For SMB service organizations, the financial package offers complete integrated back-office functionality, which is not typically found in best-of-breed PSA solutions.
Project Management and Accounting Microsoft Dynamics SL's strength lies in its project management and accounting capabilities, which are tailored for project-centric organizations. By providing extensive time, billing, and expense modules for service organizations, Microsoft Dynamics SL supports the detailed tracking of tasks and expenses relevant to billable projects. In comparison to other PSA solutions, Microsoft Dynamics SL provides above average resource utilization, contract management, and project control capabilities.
source
http://www.technologyevaluation.com/research/articles/microsoft-s-dynamic-new-approach-to-professional-services-automation-18403/
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