Deploying Microsoft Dynamics AX localization requires patience and preparation, experts advise

Localization is the process of adapting a software product like Dynamics NAV, AX, or CRM to meet country-specific laws or regulations, as well as local languages. Out-of-the-box, Microsoft Dynamics products offer varying levels of localization support for the most common countries and languages. For any given language, Microsoft may translate some, all, or none of the user interfaces and documentation of the Dynamics applications. The picture can become even more complex in multi-national deployments with varied requirements.

Companies that depend on localized Dynamics software need to factor in the added project planning, development, deployment, and support efforts it may require. In this article, we will look at some of the considerations that Dynamics AX customers may face when they depend on one or more localized versions of the product.

The challenge of multiple locales

It's important to note that different products handle localization differently. So while some of the challenges are common for most enterprise software, any particular product and release will have its own details. For example, there are differences between Dynamics AX and NAV localization.

"Let's start with the difference between NAV and AX," said André Arnaud de Calavon, Director Consultancy and Managing Partner at Kaya Consulting in the Netherlands and a Dynamics AX MVP. Dynamics AX has one application with the localizations in it, he explains, while Dynamics NAV has a separate version of the product per country.

"In the past I have worked with NAV and we tried to integrate ...