Introducing New Update to Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R3 - available now!

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In May we announced the general availability of Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R3. We regularly release (cumulative) updates, which include rollups of released hotfixes, regulatory updates, and business process enhancements. Today, I'd like to announce the availability of the latest update for this release!

With this update, we continue investments in retail and supply chain to enable individuals in organizations to engage with customers on their terms across web, social, mobile and in-store experiences and run dynamic operations that
deliver on promises made to customers.

The update is now available to download in Lifecycle services. Find installation instructions here

Retail

As part of the retail domain updates, we are providing with a new, modern point-of-sale (mPOS) application for Windows-based tablets and Windows Phone devices. This new mPOS client will help store associates with customer insights at their fingertips in order to better engage with them. It includes support for connected and disconnected mode to ensure uptime and the support of offline scenarios.

In addition, Retail customers receive:

  • Support for hardware stations that includes natively integrated device peripherals, such as printers, cash drawers, and barcode scanners.  This means that multiple store associates and devices can work on a single station, which lowers total costs and increases the flexibility in scheduling store associates.  
  • In addition to the preconfigured SharePoint-based eCommerce solution, we plan to release controls for the publishing and check-out experiences to be used with other eCommerce solutions, Payment SDK additions, and enhancements to Retail essentials that simplify the configuration of store operations are released as part of this update.

 illustration 1: Screen shot modern POS

Supply Chain Management

Supply chain management updates enhancements include:

  • Warehouse Management—now offering support for additional scenarios, such as Product Variants in the warehouse, Partial and batch reservations, and x-docking of packages and handling of retail kits. 
  • Transportation Management—now with order consolidation automation into shipments, which will facilitate the handling of large numbers of orders. In addition, we make it easier to set accessorial fuel charges and shipping constraints.

Find more information about the SCM team blog here.

Other enhancements

HCM and FSM module updates include the following: 

  • For US only, the Payroll capabilities include support for retroactive pay for both regular rate of pay and premium pay calculations. Support for benefits accrual by hour, lump sum, or comp time; support for Family and Medical Leave Act; and improvements to the Employee self-service portal.
  • Simplification of vendor registration and better RFQ change management and notification in addition to ACS authentication of vendor account users.
  • Ability to create vendor invoices for one-time vendors without creating a Purchase Order.

 

  Illustration 2: New Lifecycle services landing page

Lifecycle Services

In October, we released many important updates for Lifecycle Services, including some much-anticipated new features to aid in predictable, automated, and proactive implementations and sales. These included a new landing page and an update on the implementation methodology automation (including Sure Step), Business Process Modeler, the addition of Copy system configurations, cloud power support updates, and more. More info to come in a separate blog!

Find more information from LCS team blog here.

Microsoft Visual Studio 2013

Microsoft Dynamics AX development tools will soon be upgraded to Microsoft Visual Studio 2013!

If you are running, developing, or are planning to start development on Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R3, you can soon use the latest Visual Studio integrated development environment to develop for Dynamics AX 2012 R3. You’ll ave time and resources by moving your Microsoft Dynamics AX development environment to Visual Studio 2013.

Find more information here.

Learn more at Convergence 2014 Europe:

From Nov 4-6, Microsoft hosted Convergence 2014 Europe in Barcelona, Spain. Learn in detail about Microsoft Dynamics solutions, including Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R3 and the upcoming updates. Find details on the website. If you couldn’t attend in person, Virtual Convergence is available including recorded sessions.

 /Moises

Footnote: Additional information on Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R3 on Microsoft.com/dynamics/ax, including full system requirements, product localization and language availability and what’s new. To follow regular product news and updates, visit our Microsoft Dynamics AX product blog.