Microsoft Business Solutions has good combination of ERP, CRM, Retail Management applications to cover all the needs for small, mid-size and even large company.
These are ERP: Microsoft Great Plains, Navision, Axapta, Solomon, Small Business Manager; CRM: Microsoft CRM and Navision CRM; Retail Management: Microsoft RMS and Navision Retail module.
You should know that these products were not initially developed by Microsoft (except Microsoft CRM), but purchased from leading mid-market software development companies: Great Plains Software, SMS, Navision Software. This means that Microsoft is on the way to align all its products and make them be granular (so-called Microsoft Business Suites: Financial, Manufacturing, Logistics, Project Accounting, etc.)
Also please know that Microsoft is trying to create integration packages between it’s products – as far as they come from different vendors – these products were not initially designed to be cross-integrated. Microsoft however covered long way to prepare such integrations – it has Microsoft Biztalk server.
Next point for you – Microsoft is now on the way to move all its products to its database platform – Microsoft SQL Server. Good example is Great Plains – now it is available on MS SQL Server or MSDE, no Ctree or Pervasive SQL 2000 (with new version – Microsoft Great Plains 8.0). Also Microsoft is trying to enable other technologies for its ERP, CRM and RMS – the best example is Microsoft CRM: MS SQL Server, MS Exchange, Active Directory, Replication, Message Queue, Text Indexing to name a few. This means for you, consultant, that your client’s IT group will love these solutions from technical side, if they are Microsoft-oriented and vise versa – they will be more than reserved if they are coming from Java/Oracle/IBM world.
ERP. If you are in USA, UK, Canada, Latin America, South Africa, Australia or New Zeeland – you should first consider Microsoft Great Plains. In the very complex Project oriented business case (large consulting, construction/project management) – you should take a look at Solomon, or if you have light manufacturing – you may turn to Navision. If you are in Europe, Russia or the rest of the World – first consider Navision.
CRM. Microsoft CRM is the solution worldwide
Retail Management. If you are outside of Navision realm (most of continental Europe) – you should look at Microsoft RMS (Store Operations and Headquarters – if you need stores consolidation). If you are in Continental Europe – look at Navision Retail module or check with Microsoft in your country.
Andrew Karasev is Chief Technology Officer in Alba Spectrum Technologies USA nationwide Microsoft CRM, Microsoft Great Plains customization company, based in Chicago, California, Texas, New York, Georgia and Florida and having locations in multiple states and internationally (www.albaspectrum.com), he is Dexterity, SQL, C#.Net, Crystal Reports and Microsoft CRM SDK developer.
