enables platform simplification, business agility and growth cultivates community of deep enterprise...
TRANSCRIPT
#conv13
Running the Microsoft® Business on Microsoft Dynamics® AXMike Falkner, Principal Software ArchitectErik Ørum Hansen, Senior Development LeadMicrosoft
IDAX08
“When, where, and why” we use Microsoft Dynamics AX to support business processes at Microsoft
Agenda
Evaluating Microsoft Dynamics AX as an internal solutionProcess for implementation of Microsoft Dynamics AX at Microsoft
Connecting Microsoft Dynamics AX with SAP
Upgrade lessons learned as we moved to Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012
Microsoft RUNS its business on ERPEnables platform simplification, business agility and growthCultivates community of deep enterprise resource planning (ERP) talent and proactive engagement across enterprise
Showcases Microsoft technologies
SAPProvides prescriptive guidance on business, process, and technology
Two teams focused on ERP (Microsoft Dynamics and SAP) reporting to one manager
•Faster delivery to keep pace with a volatile industry•Competitive total cost of implementation and support•Proven processes and out-of-the-box functionality•Surround SAP without duplicating functionality
When do we use Microsoft Dynamics AX?Business value
Enterprise showcases
•Show how others can benefit from the same business value•Apply real-world scenarios to drive improvements back into the product
Our internal implementations
MSExpenseExpense reporting
Microsoft Business Solutions (MBS) Order CentralInvoicing and collections, inventory, pricing
Microsoft Retail StoresHardware and software sales
Microsoft OperationsPuerto RicoMedia manufacturing
MSNAsset life cycle management
Microsoft Consulting Services *Professional services
Microsoft ITProject management
Xbox HardwareProject management
Microsoft SupplyChain ITProject management
Microsoft SAP
systemsCore ERP systems
* Still in planning stages
• Rapid implementation for a small subsidiary with time constraints• Tax savings if implemented quickly
Why we chose Microsoft Dynamics AXMicrosoft OperationsPuerto Rico
• Out-of-the-box solution to replace custom internal applications for budgeting and planning
• Same functionality as SAP and 25% cheaper to implementMicrosoft IT
• Out-of-the-box solution to fill functionality gap in existing customization MSN
• Rapid implementation • Showcase our products in the Microsoft Store
Microsoft retail stores
• Out-of-the-box solution to fulfill project accounting needs• Wanted disconnected solution
Microsoft Supply Chain
• Out-of-the-box solution to fulfill project accounting needs• Wanted disconnected solution
Xbox Hardware
• Out-of-the-box solution to replace a third-party solution and internal systems• Eliminate manual processing and redundant entry and showcase our products to
potential customers
Microsoft Consulting Services
• Out-of-the-box solution to replace custom internal application• Global solution with minimal overlap with SAP
Microsoft Expense
• Unique business requirements for channel partners and customers• Showcase Microsoft Dynamics AX using the MBS business
Microsoft Business Solutions Order Central
Acceptable: Extensions• App properties• New elements• Extended classes
Not acceptable: Unnecessary alterations• Application
modifications• Changes to SYS
elements• Duplicated standard
functions
What’s acceptable?Assessment framework
• Adapt business process to fit standard
• Enhance product, if product timelines align
• IT develops, product group guides and adopts -OR-
• Identify third-party/ independent software vendor (ISV) solution
• IT customizes, product group guides
Steps to close gaps
Certified third-party
solution
Customizations
Minor customizatio
ns
Configuration
Out of the box
Nativ
e fu
nctio
nality
RisksC
ost a
nd tim
e to
marke
t
Upgra
de a
nd su
pport
com
ple
xity
• Single team focused on Microsoft Dynamics AX (Center of Excellence or COE)• Requests come to COE for analysis• COE collaborates with IT and business teams to assess fit/gap and high-level
effort• Once approved, COE can act in many roles
• Project owner and implementer• Design and implementation consultant• Infrastructure deployment and management
Governance
Solution assessment principlesChallenge custom
Every system is member of a single corporate system Use SAP core functions: General Ledger, Accounts PayableUse standard connection tools and methods to move data between systems
Synchronize data regularly and consistently
Use enterprise data warehouses for reporting
Solution delivery principlesCreate data once using well-defined rules for data mastering
Stay current
MSExpenseExpense reporting
Microsoft Business Solutions Order CentralInvoicing and collections, inventory, pricing
Microsoft retail storesHardware and software sales
Microsoft operationsPuerto RicoMedia manufacturing
MSNAsset life cycle management
Microsoft Consulting Services *Professional services
Microsoft ITProject management
Xbox hardwareProject management
Microsoft supplychain ITProject management
Microsoft SAP
systemsCore ERP systems
* Still in planning stages
Microsoft Dynamic
s AX 2012
Microsoft Dynamic
s AX 2012
Microsoft Dynamic
s AX 2009
Upgrade planned
Microsoft Dynamic
s AX 2009
Upgrade planned
Microsoft Dynamic
s AX 2012
Microsoft Dynamic
s AX 2012
Microsoft Dynamic
s AX 2012
Microsoft Dynamic
s AX 2012
Microsoft Dynamic
s AX 2012
Our evolving approachFocus on industry solutions and groups with adequate budgets
TodayHosted online business capabilities on a pay-per-use basis
Our aspiration
s
Constrained to the capacity of our specialist resources
Minimized customization
Our wins: stability encourages more adoption; our experiences help product group build for the enterprise
Our challenges: we turn business away if business can’t fund an implementation or our resources are limited
Microsoft Dynamics AX framework that understands enterprise integrations
What we’ll gain: Microsoft Dynamics AX becomes viable for all budgets; we encourage consistent processes across organizations
What we’ll need: ability to host and expose capabilities, internal willingness to snap to common processes
Our teamsProgram
management
Development
TestBuild
Deploy
Locations:- Redmond- Vedbaek- Fargo- Hyderabad- Vendor
supported
• Obtain business requirements• Design features• Manage project and release
• Technical design• Create and test code
• Create test plans• Test the application
• Manage code check-ins• Compile the application
• Build environments (servers)• Install applications and interfaces
Partner with:•Product team•Support•Consulting
Developing the solutionsDevelopmen
tbox
Development branch Production
Development branch
Development branch
User acceptance
System integration
Development branch
Development
box
Development
box
Development
box
System integration
User acceptance
Full traceability from requirements to production using Visual Studio Team Foundation
End to end VSTF
Virtual machine per developer – onboard in < 1 hourAutomated builds, deployment, code mergesExtend instead of modify – more stable
Scalability
Centralized hosting 100% virtualized environments up to production
VirtualizeShared internal features in single modelAdded to project like an ISV product
Shared framewor
k
Use models for all environmentsDeploy model store into production
Model driven
Shared integration toolkitConnect to SAP via data warehouse
SAP
En
vir
on
men
tsS
tand
ard
s
Release schedulesQ1 (Feb)
Q2 (May)
Q3 (Aug)
Q4 (Nov)Q1
.1 (Mar)
Q1.2 (Apr)
Q2.1
(Jun)
Q2.2
(July)
Q3.1 (Sep)
Q3.2 (Oct)
Q4.1 (Dec)
Q4.2
(Jan)
Major release
Ensures that we will not upset the business cycle- Users are not trying to close the quarter- Time to repair issues before quarter end
Limited scope- Limited schema changes- Cleanup from quarterly release
Minor release
Support Program manage
ment
Development
TestBuild
Deploy
Partner with:
• Product Team• Support• Consulting
We have a support agreement and we log development issues through CustomerSource – just like our customers do
For developers
We belong to the Technical Adoption/Rapid Deployment programs (TAP/RDP) and agree to be early adopters (of course!!!)We agree to work through issues and help the product team deliver higher quality productsWe work closely with the MBS Solutions Architecture and Consulting teams toimplement their recommendations
Users log issues through a Tier 1 help alias that provides Tier 1 and Tier 2 user support, both through email and over the phone
For users
More senior team members offer Tier 3 support for technical and functional issues
Change request process in place for user requests for small enhancements
Every system is member of a single corporate system Use SAP core functions: General Ledger, Accounts PayableUse standard integration tools and methods to move data between systems
Synchronize data regularly and consistently
Use enterprise data warehouses for reporting
Solution delivery principlesCreate data once using well-defined rules for data mastering
Connection pointsKey Processes in Microsoft
Dynamics AXConnection points Common SAP connections
Microsoft OperationsPuerto Rico
• Manufacturing, plan, forecasting• Order management• Inventory
• Purchase orders (SAP)• Packing slips (SAP)• General ledger entries (SAP)
Master data management• Chart of accounts• Exchange rates• Dimensions
• Cost centers• Internal Orders (Ios)• Profit centers• Trading partner
• Materials master• Sales geographies• Employees/vendors• Employee reporting
hierarchies
Transactions• Journal entries• Microsoft Sales (revenue)
Tools• Single integration framework
created to facilitate common approach to master data management for all instances
Microsoft IT • Project management, time reporting
• Budget/forecasting system
MSN • Procure to order• Fixed asset management
• Purchase orders (SAP)• Fixed assets (SAP)
Microsoft retail stores
• Point of sales, HQ management• Back office inventory
• POs, packing slips (SAP)• General ledger entries (SAP)• Warranty vendor• Sales orders (SAP)
Microsoft Supply Chain
• Project management
Xbox hardware • Project management
Microsoft Consulting Services
• Project management, time reporting
• Professional time and billing
• In process
MSExpense • Expense reporting and approval • Reimbursement credit card vendor, employees)
MBS Order Central • Customer/partner setup• Invoicing, credit, and collections• Product mastering, pricing • General ledger
• Print vendor• Fulfillment vendor
Standard connection framework
Microsoft data warehouse (Feedstore)
Financial dimensions
Exchange rates
Employees and positions
Reporting hierarchies
MicrosoftDynamics AX
SAP Databases
General Ledger Accounts
Upgrades - Preparation
Planning•Typical project plan for development, system integration, and user acceptance testing•Functional specifications for moving (or removing) customizations•Additional time for security design and testing•Added data validation test plans to ensure data correctness
Analysis•Architectural reviews to update infrastructure•Review business requirements to validate current process and take advantage of new Microsoft Dynamics AX processes• Identify custom features that are now in Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 and remove them•Eliminate unnecessary reports•Modernize integrations between systems
Upgrades - Delivery Trial upgrade• Three cycles for code upgrade: initial merge and debug, update forms to the new UI, debug and fix bugs in testing•Allowed extra time because we were testing Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 pre-releases•We tested two RCs (release candidates), RTM, CU1, and CU2 – released on CU2Optimized for Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012
•Completely redesigned security•Reengineered batch jobs and SQL Server Integration Server jobs•Rearranged UI for customizationsData upgrade and data validation
•Multiple cycles for data upgrade: •All iterations should be fully analyzed• Fix bugs and take that learning forward for following iterations•Repeat until you reach your weekend target
•Created a separate migration environment and use the State Transfer Tool• Initiated a separate project to validate data•Created a separate data server where data analysis could be run•Compared counts, amounts by company, by currency against the Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0 data• Performed significant ad hoc testing of reference data
Functional testing• Full regression testing on the functional areas•Additional end-to-end tests during user acceptance testing to ensure that the data conversion worked
Task name (Iteration x)Start date
Time zone
Finish dateTime zone
By Time Previous
Microsoft Dynamics AX Upgrade Release Week Short Interval Schedule PreProcessing (Pre-Go Live) Restore production database into upgrade environment
12/1/2012 8:45 Central12/1/2012
9:00Central
Joe 0.25 0.25
Prepare production data for preprocessing 12/1/2012 9:00 Central
12/1/2012 10:15
CentralJoe/Sue 1.25 2.25
Perform preprocessing checklist12/1/2012
10:15Central
12/1/2012 10:45
CentralSue 0.50 0.50
Back up upgrade database12/1/2012
10:45Central
12/1/2012 11:00
CentralSue 0.25 0.25
Preprocessing12/1/2012
11:00Central
12/1/2012 21:00
CentralJoe/Sue 10.00 8.50
Remainder of preprocessing checklist12/1/2012
21:00Central
12/1/2012 21:15
CentralJoe 0.25 0.50
Back up upgrade database12/1/2012
21:15Central
12/1/2012 21:30
CentralJoe 0.25 0.25
Total 12.75 12.50 Go Live Activities Restore production database into upgrade environment
12/2/2011 8:30 Central12/2/2011
8:45Central
Joe 0.25 0.50 Prepare upgrade environment for state transfer tool
12/2/2011 8:45 Central12/2/2011
9:00Central
Sue 0.25 1.00
Create prerequisite data12/2/2011 9:00 Central
12/2/2011 9:15
CentralJoe/Sue 0.25 2.50
Run the state transfer tool (STT) to load shadow tables
12/2/2011 9:15 Central12/2/2011
9:30Central
Joe 0.25 0.25
Back up STT (single user processing) database12/2/2011 9:30 Central
12/2/2011 9:45
CentralJoe 0.25 0.25
Single user processing12/2/2011 9:45 Central
12/2/2011 10:45
CentralJoe 1.00 5.00
Back up STT database12/2/2011
10:45Central
12/2/2011 11:00
CentralJoe 0.25 0.25
Pre-sync/table creation for post processing12/2/2011
11:00Central
12/2/2011 12:15
CentralJoe/Sue 1.25 0.75
Back up STT (pre-sync) database12/2/2011
12:15Central
12/2/2011 12:30
CentralSue 0.25 0.25
Perform bulk copy of data / post processing12/2/2011
12:30Central
12/2/2011 13:45
CentralSue 1.25 12.25
Complete post processing checklist12/2/2011
13:45Central
12/2/2011 14:00
CentralSue 0.25 0.25
Back up new production database12/2/2011
14:00 Central12/2/2011
14:15Central
Sue 0.25 0.25
Run post processing repair scripts12/2/2011
14:15 Central12/2/2011
15:45 Central Sue 1.50 3.25
Back up new production database12/2/2011
15:45 Central12/2/2011
16:00 Central Joe 0.25 0.25
Total 7.50 27.00
Note: These are not actual people or timings. Your timings may vary based on your installation!
Data upgrade checklist (sample data)
Functional area
Iteration 1 Iteration 2 Iteration 3 Iteration 4 Iteration 5Comments
4.0 2012 4.0 2012 4.0 2012 4.0 2012 4.0 2012
Customers430 430 554 554 650 650 898 898 948 948
No variance
Partners148 148 168 168 206 206 225 225 570 570
No variance
Product mastering 957 957 2732 2732 3015 3015 3221 3221 3400 3400
No variance
Invoices count
15353 15353 16212 16212 17318 17318 19001 19001 21002 21002
No variance
Invoices value 9,122,222 9,122,222
12,727,771 12,727,771
19,473,738
19,473,738
28,375,021
28,375,021
34,107,440
34,107,440
No variance
Credit and collections 908,585 908,585 933,946 933,946 511,931 511,931 264,372 264,372 190,149 190,149
No variance
Finance GL balance
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 855.83 0 855.83
Difference for AUD 855.83
Bug# 1077123
Finance deferrals count
595,766 595,766 N/A N/A 1,021,577 1,021,577 1,892,952 1,892,952 2,045,804 2,045,804
No variance
Finance deferrals value
324,030 324,030 N/A N/A 538,360 538,360 416,366 416,366 488,240 488,240
No variance
Agreements21 21 23 23 58 58 58 58 58 58
No variance Note: The success criteria for the above domains is 100% data match between Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0 and Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 (zero variance)
Microsoft Dynamics AX data validation (sample data)
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