Dynamics GP: Learning to say "There's an App for That"

I noticed a shift in communication from the Microsoft Dynamics GP team with information coming out of the 2013 Technical Airlift.  Microsoft was referring to "Apps" for Dynamics GP.

At first I thought it was my imagination, and then maybe an accident, but Microsoft's communication at events tends to be very deliberate. When I looked at this in light of Microsoft's recent changes to solutions that used to be included in the product, it seemed like a clear signal of a shift in both direction and message.

The old message was that GP was both solid and flexible with a network of robust, mature ISV solutions available to address almost any need.

The new message is: if there is something that you need for GP, there's an app for that!

For the accountants in the room, that's not the same thing.

To test this out, I've been playing with that message with our sales people when we're out doing demos. When a CFO wanted a Business Intelligence solution for GP, we used to say there's an add-on or an ISV solution to handle that. We would get blank stares or frowns. No one wants a bolted together, Frankenstein monster of an ERP system.

Now we say, there's an app for that. It plugs into Dynamics GP. We get smiles all around. We don't have to explain what an app is. Executives have iPads and iPhone and Androids, Apps are now second nature, apps are friendly. The terminology shift is shortcutting the both the explanation and the approval process.

Plus Microsoft is starting to push apps in the ...