From the Blogs: The Key Differences Between Dynamics NAV and AX May Lie in the Details of Functionality and Implementation

Both Microsoft Dynamics NAV and AX solutions have similar functionality, but what are the real differences between each product? Recent blog postings by consultant Adam Roue on the Dynamics User Group web site suggests that because of surface similarities, it takes some experience to appreciate the differences.

Interestingly, Microsoft differentiates the products by the optimum size of the organization using its product. It targets small-and-medium-sized businesses with Microsoft Dynamics NAV. Large and global organizations are the focus of its Microsoft Dynamics AX ERP product, according to Microsoft's fact sheet for AX 4.0.

But in practice, Roue points out, both cost and appropriate user numbers are similar. License fees between each product differ by 5 percent.Number of users seems to be irrelevant as well, because there are some AX implementations with a handful of users, while some NAV implementations have over 200 users, he notes.

They also have similar menus. And basic financial functionality is similar (chart of accounts, fixed assets, financial statements, consolidation, and more).

So what and where are the real differences?

First, project size is one metric that directly affects implementation costs. An AX implementation will require more resources than a NAV implementation, Roue states. Project managers beware because AX implementations have a higher failure rate than NAV implementations, possibly due to the more complicated nature of projects undertaken.

"My experience in the NAV world has seen many implementations start and conclude, at the smaller end, without the customer having a project manager," says Roue,who goes on to comment that customers need ...