Seven Ways Microsoft Dynamics AX Can Help You Improve Your ...

Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0 is the latest version of Microsoft’s integrated enterprise resource planning system, used by over 7,553 customers to gain competitive advantage. It improves business efficiency, saves administration time and provides real-time information to improve business decision making. Customers of Tectura are recording a total return on investment in just 3 years.

Summary of Microsoft Dynamics AX benefits

1)Efficiently match supply with customer demand and optimise inventory levels. You can create sales and purchase forecasts based on items and time periods and use an unlimited number of forecast models to simulate various future scenarios. To quickly project cash flow, you can transfer item forecasts to the general ledger forecast.

2) Detailed insight into your inventory and item tracking improves inventory management. Inventory dimensions in Microsoft Dynamics AX are a powerful tool for classifying your inventory according to storage and item characteristics, so that you can get a detailed overview of your inventory whenever you need it. With enhanced product tracking and RFID technology, you can track items throughout the system using batch and serial numbers. You can also view documents related to an item from anywhere in the system. At any time, you have direct access to information telling you where items are from, where they are now and where are they going. You can have confidence that you can recall products quickly and efficiently if needed.

3) Improve your materials resource planning. Microsoft Dynamics AX gives you an efficient and flexible means of managing bills of material (BOM) to ensure you get the most accurate costing and materials requirements information. An infinite number of BOM levels can be managed effectively and accurate consumption of raw materials can be calculated using formulas specific to each component. Cost price can be calculated for each level of the BOM, giving you accurate and detailed pricing information which is updated throughout the solution.

4) Improve warehouse efficiency and control through product specific put away strategies, perpetual inventory and resource optimisation. Microsoft Dynamics AX facilitates product specific put away strategies, giving you the ability to sort items by characteristics such as food, non-food, type or weight. This helps you optimise your warehouse resources, with enhanced inventory management and control. It also facilitates perpetual inventory methods, as you can track the value of inventory and quantity of merchandise on hand at any time by tracking sales, returns and receipts.

5) Streamline your supply chain process. Microsoft Dynamics AX streamlines and automates receiving and shipping processes and facilitates cross-docking and back-order shipments. As a high performing system, Microsoft Dynamics AX is designed to handle large amounts of transactions using the same resources. Handling the process from end-to-end takes away the difficulties of manual systems and employee input. It boosts business productivity, whilst supporting business growth.

6) Improve your business visibility with real-time reporting at any stage of the business. By utilising Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services, Microsoft Dynamics AX enables users to report on any stage of the business and extract the real-time information they need. It supports activity tracking and activity-based costing. And gives you the ability to perform analysis based on margin, revenue and cost value. Users also find that the familiar Microsoft look and feel makes Microsoft Dynamics AX easier to adopt and fully utilise.

7) Dispatch stock faster and improve the efficiency of sales order processing. Customers want to know if they can have the products and when they will be delivered. Microsoft Dynamics AX‘s direct integration with the warehouse means your sales and customer service employees have a live view of inventory and product availability. They are able to tell the customer in real time about potential delivery dates based on post code information and truck routing. They can find out if products are in stock, what quantities are available between distribution sites and product deliveries expected from suppliers. In addition, faster order entry, combined with the speed and accuracy of information available means employees can process more orders than ever before. Brett Jones, IT Consultant at Sampford & Staff, said that since using Microsoft Dynamics AX, the Service Management division has had a 60% efficiency improvement in sales order processing. This is based purely on dispatching stock faster. It used to take staff an hour to process a sales order, now it takes 10-15 minutes.

To find out more about Microsoft Dynamics AX and Tectura visit www.tectura.co.uk

Tectura UK - Microsoft's Global Partner of the Year for Dynamics AX - http://www.tectura.co.uk