Speaking Up For Microsoft’s HCM Efforts: The ISV Opportunity to Enrich Dynamics AX

In covering Microsoft's recent discussion of its human capital management (HCM) capabilities and vision for Dynamics ERP, we noted that industry analysts remain skeptical of Microsoft's HCM inroads with Dynamics ERP, based on the fact that the solutions do not yet offer features that are competitive against other top tier offerings in the human capital management space.

David Erickson feels differently and says that Microsoft is making "definite progress" into HCM. "The reason why Microsoft will succeed with HCM has to do with its philosophy of Dynamics AX as a platform," says Erickson, CEO at ElevateHR, a Parsippany, N.J.-based provider of HCM solutions and implementation services for Microsoft Dynamics AX.

Erickson says Microsoft's ISV (independent software vendor) model motivates experts in HCM to enrich the suite, which in turn will drive broader adoption and in turn further improved HCM. "As a practitioner in Microsoft Dynamics AX HCM, I've watched it-and in fact have helped it-grow," Erickson states. "If a company has Dynamics AX, there is no reason to turn to another platform for HCM. It can do what you need."

In terms of potential gaps in Dynamics AX HCM capabilities, Erickson says the main weakness is the fact that the product is based on a form-by-form structure and developed around an administrative mindset versus a workflow, process-based approach. "Human resources is a process-driven entity," says Erickson, who points out that ElevateHR is currently working to fill that gap in Dynamics AX.

While Microsoft Dynamics AX's HCM capabilities aren't as rich as some its competitors, some of which have been around for 30+ years, Erickson says the ...