Legacy Archives - Ascent365

April 3, 2025October 3, 2024 by admin

Unlock Business Impact Now: How Power Platform Accelerates Agile ROI for AX Users Table of Contents Share Unlock Business Impact Now: How Power Platform Accelerates Agile ROI for AX Users Many organizations running Microsoft Dynamics AX know they need to modernize, but large-scale ERP upgrades require executive and equity owner buy-in—which often depends on demonstrating clear, measurable business impact first. The good news? You don’t have to wait for a full migration to D365 to start improving performance. By leveraging Microsoft Power Platform, companies can enhance AX, streamline processes, and unlock immediate business impact—creating an Agile ROI cycle that builds momentum for future modernization. Why Power Platform? Immediate Value, Minimal Disruption A full ERP upgrade takes time, planning, and investment. Meanwhile, day-to-day operations continue to struggle with inefficiencies, manual workarounds, and siloed data—slowing decision-making, profitability, and growth. This is where Power Platform acts as a high-impact bridge to modernization. By integrating Power BI, Power Apps, Power Automate, and Power Pages, organizations can extend AX’s capabilities and improve performance—without waiting for a complete ERP migration. Instead of an all-or-nothing approach, Power Platform delivers rapid, high-value improvements that drive efficiency, visibility, and executive confidence in long-term modernization. Agile ROI: Small, High-Impact Improvements That Fund Further Modernization Our Agile ROI methodology focuses on delivering measurable business results quickly, creating a self-funding cycle for broader transformation. Phase 1: Identify Bottlenecks That Impact Performance Now Where are manual workarounds slowing execution? What critical reports are unreliable, incomplete, or time-consuming to produce? Which business processes would benefit most from automation? Phase 2: Implement Targeted Power Platform Enhancements to Deliver Immediate ROI Power BI replaces disconnected spreadsheets with real-time dashboards and trusted analytics. Power Automate eliminates manual workflows, ensuring seamless data flow across teams. Power Apps empowers teams to build custom tools that improve execution without IT bottlenecks. Power Pages & Portals enhance external collaboration, enabling self-service for customers and suppliers. Phase 3: Train and Develop Your People While Measuring Business Impact Power Platform not only delivers business value—it develops your team’s ability to work and collaborate in new ways. Employees gain a fundamental understanding of how modern processes and data integration solve business challenges, fostering cross-functional collaboration. Through hands-on participation, teams develop an informed perspective on further process improvements, preparing them for a full D365 upgrade with confidence. Phase 4: Build the Case for Broader Modernization Increased operational efficiency, reduced errors, and faster decision-making. Higher employee productivity and reduced IT burden. Real-world proof points that captivate executive and equity owner support for further investment—turning small wins into momentum for long-term transformation. By using Agile ROI, organizations demonstrate value early and often, ensuring leadership support and financial backing for larger ERP modernization initiatives. Start Generating Business Impact Now Waiting for a full D365 migration means delaying improvements that can drive results today. Power Platform allows you to enhance AX, improve performance, and prove ROI—without disrupting operations. At Ascent Innovations, we help organizations unlock immediate business value with Power Platform while strategically preparing for ERP modernization. Want to turn small improvements into momentum for transformation? Let’s talk about how Power Platform can deliver real impact—right now. About the Author John Bruhnke is Managing Director at Ascent. He has 25 years of management consulting experience focused on system implementation and, for the last 7 years, modern analytics in the manufacturing industry. He collaborates with executive and management teams to drive alignment on strategic goals and develop a collective vision for modernization that balances both immediate business needs and long-term strategy. John Bruhnke Managing Director Icon-linkedin Share Latest Posts All Posts Analytics BI AI D365 SCM Dynamics 365 Leadership Legacy Modernization Uncategorized Beyond Go-Live: Empowering Teams to Unlock D365’s Full Value Read More 7 Steps to Unlocking Millions in Gross Profit Read More Winning with AI: Build the BI Race Car Before You Turbocharge It with AI Read More You might also like:

April 4, 2025April 5, 2023 by admin

Why upgrade from Dynamics AX to Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations? Table of Contents Share Why upgrade from AX to Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations? Dynamics AX is a popular enterprise resource planning (ERP) software that has been widely used by businesses for several years. However, Microsoft has now released a newer version of the software called Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations, which offers many improvements and advantages over Dynamics AX. Here are some reasons why it’s time to upgrade from Dynamics AX to Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations: 1. Cloud-based Solution: Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations is a cloud-based solution that provides greater flexibility, scalability, and accessibility. With cloud-based solutions, you don’t have to worry about maintaining and updating on-premises hardware and software. 2. Improved User Interface: Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations has a modern and intuitive user interface that is easy to use and navigate. This can improve user productivity and reduce training time. 3. Advanced Reporting and Analytics: Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations comes with built-in reporting and analytics capabilities that allow you to make more informed business decisions. The software provides real-time insights into your business operations, which can help you identify areas for improvement. 4. Integration with Other Microsoft Products: Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations integrates with other Microsoft products such as Office 365, Power BI, and Azure, providing a seamless user experience and better collaboration across different teams and departments. 5. Continuous Updates and Support: With Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations, you will receive continuous updates and support from Microsoft. This means you will always have access to the latest features and functionalities, as well as any necessary security patches and bug fixes. In summary, upgrading from Dynamics AX to Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations can provide several benefits, including a cloud-based solution, improved user interface, advanced reporting and analytics, integration with other Microsoft products, and continuous updates and support. 1. Functional Enhancements Few new features and functionalities those were not available in Microsoft Dynamics AX, that are now built-into Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations. Advance Warehousing Transportation Management Mobile Time sheet Project Enhancements Auto Bank Reconciliation Positive Pay Enhanced Financial Dimensions RFQ (request for quotation) Purchase Requisition Public Sector Azure Dev Ops Task Recorder Automated Testing Suite Global Address Book Office 365 Add-in Vendor Collaboration Portal Retail & POS Product Catalogs Trade Allowance There are many more additional functionalities available through App Source, from Microsoft and third-party providers. Of course, the framework exists to build your own in future. 2. Integrated Business Operations With Dynamics 365, people and processes are all integrated, resulting in a much better experience for your employees and your clients. Your data and workflow seamlessly moves across all your departments. You get to build your software system according to your business operations, and not have to tweak or twist because of mosaic of systems you may have. Finance Operations Project Management Customer Service Talent Sales Field Service Retail 3. Business Insights With Dynamics 365, you can now easily realize the benefits of latest technologies like Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Business Intelligence and Forecasting. Leverage the unlimited power of Flow (integration), PowerApps (extensibility) and Power BI (insights), giving your business a real advantage. 4. Web Client Modern & Mobile-friendly User Experience Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations has a user-friendly interface and is available anywhere, anytime, on any device. Savings on the user training and improved user productivity. 5. Microsoft Cloud Leader in the cloud space. Office 365 – Active Directory & Authentication Top quality infrastructure maintenance Scalability & flexibility Consistent Upgrades Built-in Disaster Recovery Cybersecurity Monitoring & Threat Management Intrusion detection & Ongoing Application Penetration testing 6. Cost of Ownership Freeing up your infrastructure workforce to work on other projects. Cloud model provides more visibility into the operating costs of your solution. Huge savings in the total cost of application (infrastructure, application maintenance, software license combined). 7. Support Lifecycle Support for Dynamics AX is nearing its end and current users are transitioning to D365 Finance and Operations. Software Patches, Application Updates, Security fixes would not be available in time or not at all. The Application Support resources and User forums will start drying up. Our Microsoft certified professionals are ready to guide you through the process, and request a personalized TCO comparison. About the Author Sohena Hafiz is the President at Ascent Innovations LLC. Sohena has extensive experience both in Technical and Functional roles over 22 years delivering customer-centric solutions in Microsoft Dynamics AX and Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations. Author: Sohena Hafiz President Icon-linkedin Share Latest Posts All Posts Analytics BI AI D365 SCM Dynamics 365 Leadership Legacy Modernization Uncategorized Beyond Go-Live: Empowering Teams to Unlock D365’s Full Value Read More 7 Steps to Unlocking Millions in Gross Profit Read More Winning with AI: Build the BI Race Car Before You Turbocharge It with AI Read More You might also like:

April 1, 2025June 16, 2022 by admin

What to Look for in an AX Support Partner Table of Contents Share Support Plans Are Not Exciting—But Strategic Partnerships Are If you’ve ever purchased a TV or laptop from Best Buy or Amazon, you were probably asked if you wanted to buy the support plan. Most people roll their eyes (or think about rolling their eyes) and say no. At most, you considered it for about two seconds, internally screamed, “No, you fool!” and politely declined. Why do we do that? Many times, it’s a waste of money, especially when you consider how much it costs versus the replacement cost of the device. When it comes to support, ERP systems are different. For one, they cost significantly more, and when issues arise, they can create major operational headaches. If your business is still using Dynamics AX 2012, you are probably familiar with this situation. AX 2012 is a powerful system, but Microsoft has ended mainstream support for the platform. This creates risk for organizations that continue to rely on it daily. However, that doesn’t mean your only option is an expensive upgrade. With the right support partner, you can modernize your AX ecosystem to unlock greater value from your existing asset. Find an Established Microsoft Partner Since Dynamics AX 2012 has been around for so long, there are numerous Microsoft-certified organizations with deep expertise in the platform. The key is finding a partner that aligns with your business needs—not just one that offers generic AX support. When researching potential partners, consider the following: Are they familiar with your industry? How long have they been working with AX 2012? Do they specialize in any particular area that aligns with your business needs? If you need on-site support, how quickly can they be available? Do they have development resources to troubleshoot customizations, reports, and integrations? Do they also support Microsoft Dynamics 365 if and when you’re ready to upgrade? Unlocking More Value from Your AX Investment For businesses that aren’t ready to migrate, there are still many ways to enhance the capabilities of AX 2012. The right support partner should not only maintain your system but also help you modernize it by leveraging Microsoft’s Power Platform, analytics, and automation tools. Power BI Dashboards & Reporting – Gain real-time insights into financials, supply chain performance, and operational efficiency. Power Apps for Custom Workflows – Build mobile-friendly, low-code applications that enhance procurement, inventory tracking, and approval workflows. Power Automate for Process Automation – Eliminate manual tasks, automate data transfers, and integrate AI-driven decision-making. Microsoft Teams & Power Virtual Agents – Improve collaboration and support with AI-powered chatbots and seamless communication tools. By incorporating these modern capabilities, organizations can optimize their AX investment while maintaining system stability—delivering immediate value without the disruption of a full migration. Purchase a Support Plan That Fits Your Needs Once you’ve identified a strong partner, the next step is to evaluate their support plans. If they don’t offer one, move on. A good support plan should be tailored to your organization’s needs. A stable, standard AX 2012 deployment will require less attention than a highly customized environment with complex integrations. The partner should provide flexible support options that align with your system’s complexity and your business’s operational demands. Key Technologies for Application Modernization Support isn’t just about fixing issues—it’s about having a trusted partner who understands your business. Rather than taking a “sign it and forget it” approach, work to establish a strong relationship with your support provider. A good support partner should proactively learn about your business processes, culture, and AX 2012 environment. Provide documentation and system details upfront to help your partner respond efficiently when issues arise. If possible, have them visit your facility to gain a firsthand understanding of how your business operates. The more familiar they are with your operations, the better they can support you. Consider the Future While Maximizing the Present AX 2012 may still serve your business well, but it’s important to have a long-term strategy. Eventually, an upgrade to Dynamics 365 Finance and Supply Chain Management may become necessary. The right support partner doesn’t just maintain your existing system—they help improve the performance of AX now and plan for the future. A strategic AX partner will: Help you optimize and extend the value of AX 2012 today. Identify opportunities for automation, reporting improvements, and system enhancements. Ensure security and compliance as Microsoft’s support fades. Develop a roadmap for future migration, so when the time comes, you’re prepared. Get More from Your AX Investment Support plans, like insurance, may not always feel like an exciting investment. But when issues arise, having a dependable partner makes all the difference. By choosing the right AX 2012 support provider, you not only ensure system stability—you create opportunities for greater efficiency, performance, and long-term value. Share Latest Posts All Posts Analytics BI AI D365 SCM Dynamics 365 Leadership Legacy Modernization Uncategorized Beyond Go-Live: Empowering Teams to Unlock D365’s Full Value Read More 7 Steps to Unlocking Millions in Gross Profit Read More Winning with AI: Build the BI Race Car Before You Turbocharge It with AI Read More You might also like:

April 1, 2025April 12, 2022 by admin

Why Upgrade from AX to Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations? Table of Contents Share Why Upgrade from AX to Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations? For years, Dynamics AX has been a reliable ERP system, providing robust financial and operational capabilities for mid-sized and large enterprises. But as business landscapes evolve, so do the tools required to stay competitive. Microsoft’s Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations (D365 F&O) represents the next generation of enterprise technology—designed to enhance agility, intelligence, and scalability. Upgrading from AX to D365 F&O is not just about moving to a newer system—it’s about enabling new business capabilities that drive revenue growth, streamline operations, and improve decision-making. While your organization must be in the right cycle for migration, this blog focuses on the advantages of making the move when the time is right. Why Upgrade? Predictive Forecasting for Demand & Materials Planning Accurate forecasting is critical to optimizing supply chains, managing costs, and meeting customer demand. In AX, forecasting is largely manual and based on historical data alone. With D365, AI-driven analytics enhance demand planning, ensuring better alignment between procurement, production, and sales. How D365 Helps: Uses AI-powered insights to improve demand forecasts based on real-time market trends Reduces last-minute production changes and raw material shortages Prevents surplus inventory, minimizing waste and improving cash flow Enables supply chain agility with rapid response to market fluctuations Optimized Financial Management & Reporting D365 Finance integrates financial management, supply chain oversight, and real-time analytics, providing a holistic view of financial health. Unlike AX, where reporting is often fragmented across different modules, D365 eliminates process gaps, enabling real-time performance tracking. How D365 Helps: Provides a unified view of financials across business functions Automates reconciliations and month-end close processes Improves cost tracking with real-time visibility into spending and profitability Enhances FP&A capabilities with AI-powered scenario modeling Cost Accounting & Product Costing Managing costs effectively is essential for profitability, and D365 Finance provides deeper insights into cost structures. Businesses can analyze COGS, SG&A, and profitability per product, allowing for better strategic decision-making. How D365 Helps: Centralizes cost accounting across ledgers, sub-ledgers, and budgets Empowers finance teams to track cost variances and make data-driven adjustments Identifies high-margin products and underperforming SKUs for optimization Improves financial planning by aligning cost analysis with operational goals Modern Customer & Partner Portals D365 provides self-service portals that allow customers and business partners to access real-time data on orders, invoices, and shipments. Unlike AX, where external access often requires custom development, D365 natively supports secure, interactive portals that improve collaboration and efficiency. How D365 Helps: Enhances customer experience with self-service access to real-time information Reduces manual workload by automating order tracking and invoice processing Improves supplier collaboration with better visibility into procurement and payments AI-Powered Cash Flow Forecasting One of the most significant advantages of D365 Finance is its predictive cash flow management. Unlike AX, which requires manual tracking and reconciliation, D365 leverages AI to automate and enhance cash flow forecasting. How D365 Helps: Provides real-time cash flow projections, reducing reliance on static reports Uses machine learning to predict receivables and payables trends Helps businesses optimize working capital for reinvestment in growth initiatives Supply Chain Resilience & Process Automation D365 Supply Chain Management introduces end-to-end visibility and automation, allowing businesses to optimize procurement, warehousing, and logistics. AX users often rely on third-party solutions for these capabilities, while D365 integrates them natively. How D365 Helps: Automates warehouse operations with real-time inventory tracking Improves production scheduling to minimize bottlenecks and reduce lead times Enhances supplier risk management with AI-driven insights Enables seamless collaboration across supply chain functions Gaining the Competitive Edge Upgrading to D365 F&O isn’t just about moving to a cloud-based system—it’s about gaining a competitive advantage through automation, AI, and real-time data. Businesses that embrace these capabilities can increase revenue per employee by allowing their teams to focus on high-value strategic planning, management, and execution. How D365 Helps Organizations Scale & Grow: AI and automation reduce manual effort, freeing teams to focus on strategy Real-time insights improve decision-making, helping companies pivot faster Streamlined operations allow businesses to scale without adding unnecessary overhead Competitive laggards will struggle to catch up as early adopters leverage these capabilities In today’s fast-moving market, those who modernize first will lead. Companies still relying on AX risk falling behind as their competitors adopt AI-driven forecasting, automated workflows, and real-time analytics to optimize their operations. The Business Impact The ROI of modernizing your business isn’t just about technology—it’s about how your people leverage it. The capabilities we’ve described don’t just streamline processes; they empower your teams to shift from reactive problem-solving to proactive decision-making that drives measurable business outcomes. Instead of constantly firefighting operational issues, your employees can focus on high-value strategic planning, collaboration, and execution. Real-time insights ensure that risks and opportunities don’t catch you off guard—they appear on your radar as they emerge, giving you the time to respond with precision and confidence. With D365 the ROI is in your hands. The future belongs to those who can harness their data, empower their teams, and take full control of their business outcomes. About the Author Sohena Hafiz is a D365 strategist with 20 years of experience in Microsoft ERPs. As CEO and founder of Ascent Innovations, she provides hands-on leadership, guiding delivery teams and clients while overseeing Ascent’s largest customer engagements to ensure strategic execution and business impact. Sohena Hafiz President Icon-linkedin Share Latest Posts All Posts Analytics BI AI D365 SCM Dynamics 365 Leadership Legacy Modernization Uncategorized Beyond Go-Live: Empowering Teams to Unlock D365’s Full Value Read More 7 Steps to Unlocking Millions in Gross Profit Read More Winning with AI: Build the BI Race Car Before You Turbocharge It with AI Read More You might also like:

April 16, 2025December 12, 2021 by admin

End of Mainstream Support for Dynamics AX 2009 and AX 2012 Table of Contents Share End of Mainstream Support for Dynamics AX 2009 and AX 2012 Microsoft is ending the mainstream support for Dynamics AX 2009, AX 2012 FP and R2 onOctober 9th, 2018. Dynamics AX products are normally supported for 10 years from therelease. What are the end dates? Dynamics AX 2009 – 10/09/18Dynamics AX 2012 – 10/09/18Dynamics AX 2012 R2 – 10/09/18Dynamics AX 2012 R3 – 10/12/21 What does Mainstream Support include? Mainstream support includes the following: Ability to purchase a paid support agreement Security update support Non-security hotfix support No charge Incident Support Warranty Claims Design Changes and Feature Requests Self Service Support (Microsoft Knowledge Base, Microsoft Help & Support Site) What are my options? Purchase an extended support agreement Pay for a custom support contract Consider upgrading now to D365 Do nothing and hope for the best Extended Support Extended support options available for $100,000+ a year, which would extend your coverage by a couple of years. Once a product transitions from Mainstream to Extendedsupport, the support is limited to self-service and paid options. Extended Support includes: Ability to purchase a paid support agreement Security update support Non-security hotfix support (extended within 90 days) Self Service Support (Microsoft Knowledge Base & Microsoft Help & Support Site) Extended Support will expire as well, and the end dates are: Dynamics AX 2009 – 10/12/21Dynamics AX 2012 – 10/12/21Dynamics AX 2012 R2 – 10/12/21Dynamics AX 2012 R3 – 01/10/23 Upgrade to Dynamics 365 It is a common organizational discussion for choosing between an upgrade or face the fact of not being able to count on your software provider for fixing issues. So what next? Start talking to your partner or a partner who has experience in similar upgrades. Make sure to be current on your Microsoft Enhancement plan to take advantage of any benefits in transitioning to D365, and realizing your investments. This is a good time to evaluate Cloud-based hosting and compare the ROI. Take advantage of Ascent’s free Assessment. Enable your business to move forward Reduce infrastructure costs by moving to the cloud. The cloud model offers monthly subscription fees vs the large up-front cost. Stability and Security of Azure, including disaster recovery. New features and functionality, including embedded BI and availability on mobile devices Moving to the cloud allows for scalability and growth at your own rate Reduce code customizations around BI, Reports, Data integrations, etc. and reduce your system maintenance costs. User interface that will boost productivity now and for new generation of users to come. Never budget for an upgrade or implementation again. Real-time integration between your Front Office (Sales & Support) and Back-Office (Operations & Accounting), reflecting one version of truth across the organization. Leverage the capabilities of Power Apps and Microsoft Flow to enable business workflows. On Prem version of D365 is available. Compare before making your path forward. Do Nothing and Hope for the Best Just be sure to understand what that means to your business. Educate yourself on exactly what Microsoft will and won’t do to once Mainstream Support ends Pay attention to how many customizations you’re making to keep up with industry demands Your partner will still be there to help you with Dynamics AX Yes, you can still add user licenses to both Dynamics AX 2009 and Dynamics AX 2012 You can count on our experience. Ascent Innovations can help your organization by supporting your current process, help you understand your options and when the time is right, will help you Upgrade. For more information on Microsoft Support and Product Lifecycles, please see this FAQ page:https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/17140/lifecycle-faq-general-policy-questions About the Author Abdul Hafiz is a business and technology strategist with 25+ years of experience in optimizing and implementing ERPs to modernize finance and operations. As a Partner at Ascent Innovations, he has led growth and delivery for 14 years. He holds a master’s degree in computer and information sciences from the University of Illinois and advises executive teams on how to modernize the enterprise to drive profitable growth. Author: Abdul Hafiz Enterprise Solution Architect Icon-linkedin Share Latest Posts All Posts Analytics BI AI D365 SCM Dynamics 365 Leadership Legacy Modernization Uncategorized Beyond Go-Live: Empowering Teams to Unlock D365’s Full Value Read More 7 Steps to Unlocking Millions in Gross Profit Read More Winning with AI: Build the BI Race Car Before You Turbocharge It with AI Read More You might also like:

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