Skip to main content

How Sure Step for Microsoft Dynamics NAV Is Finally Catching Up to AX and CRM

by Vjekoslav Babic
NAV Consultant, Microsoft Services, Microsoft

Sure Step, the official Microsoft implementation methodology for business management solutions from the Microsoft Dynamics family, is gaining momentum and becoming increasingly interesting to Microsoft partners and customers alike. It is robust and comprehensive, yet adaptable and simple to use.

For some reason, though, its support for Microsoft Dynamics NAV has always seemed to lag behind that for Dynamics CRM or AX. Is the situation going to stay that way, or the things are moving forward for NAV?

It's a peculiar situation. When the first version ever of Sure Step was released, it was largely based on On Target methodology, the official methodology for implementation of NAV specifically. However, project templates have been mostly available for AX and CRM, while other Dynamics products, including NAV, were neglected. Yes, it was still possible to implement NAV using Sure Step, however it took a while to adapt the documents to allow for differences between AX and NAV. Also, it was not possible to use the product outside the box without at least some customization of the content.

Two releases further, and Sure Step still seemed to be largely unaware of the fact that NAV, AX, GP and SL are all different products, and many document templates included in the methodology simply ignored the fact that there is a world beyond AX.

With the latest release, Sure Step 2010, things are definitely developing in a direction more favorable to NAV customers and partners.

Improvements for NAV in Sure Step 2010 can be grouped into the following two categories: template content improvement, and project guidance improvement. Let's take a closer look at each.

Project documentation templates, one of the core components of the Sure Step methodology, now take greater account of NAV specifics ...

FREE Membership Required to View Full Content:

Joining MSDynamicsWorld.com gives you free, unlimited access to news, analysis, white papers, case studies, product brochures, and more. You can also receive periodic email newsletters with the latest relevant articles and content updates.
Learn more about us here

About Vjekoslav Babic

Vjekoslav Babić is an independent Microsoft Dynamics NAV consultant, trainer, author and blogger, with 10 years of experience in NAV and 16 years of experience in IT.

As a solutions architect and a project manager with a leading Microsoft Dynamics President's Club service provider company, as a Microsoft Dynamics NAV consultant with Microsoft Services, and as an independent consultant, he has been working on Microsoft Dynamics NAV implementations ranging from tiny one-man-bands to international mega-corporations, delivering services and trainings all over the world.

In 2008, Vjekoslav co-authored the acclaimed book "Implementing Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009". Vjekoslav runs an active blog about NAV implementation, project management and development best practices, acts as a columnist and editorial advisory board member at MSDynamicsWorld.com, and as a columnist in a number of other web or printed periodicals in Croatia and worldwide. Vjekoslav is also a frequent speaker at Microsoft or Microsoft Dynamics conferences.

Since spring 2010, Vjekoslav has been awarded the prestigious Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) award for Microsoft Dynamics NAV.