Demystifying Business Ready Licensing for Dynamics GP

Early in 2007, Microsoft began explaining its new Business Ready Licensing model for its Dynamics solutions. But a year later, there's still a lot of confusion! It's time to see if we can clear things up, at least for Dynamics GP. 

Business Ready Licensing is Microsoft's attempt to get rid of individual purchasing of modules and move toward a "happy meal" type of approach for product purchases in the Dynamics line. With Business Ready Licensing, customers get a bundle of modules based on their licensing level. Actually, this is good for everyone. Microsoft gets greater adoption of more modules. Resellers get the opportunity to sell more services around these products. Customers get more options for future growth and avoid being nickeled-and-dimed.

Essentially, there are two license levels and two á la carte groups beyond the license levels.

The bottom level is the Business Essentials License. This license gives companies the basic functionality for financial reporting including core financial processing like general ledger (GL), banking, fixed assets, accounts payable (AP), and accounts receivable (AR). Also included is advanced distribution functionality for purchasing, inventory, and sales. To prove this is not a bare bones bundle, Microsoft tosses in multicurrency, intercompany, positive pay, and landed cost functionality. The Business Essentials License provides a great base for a lot of companies.

Moving up to the second level is the Advanced Management License. Advanced Management is a beefy license that includes everything from the Business Essentials License and it adds a lot of nice-to-have financial functionality--electronic funds transfers (EFT), electronic banking, collections, national accounts, and lockbox processing. A host of business intelligence modules come with the Advanced Management options, along with basic manufacturing and even more supply chain functionality. Also included are project management ...