Microsoft maps out Dynamics for Retail plans for enterprise, SMB markets at Retail Realm event in Las Vegas

A year ago at the Retail Realm 2013 conference in Las Vegas, Microsoft promised its small-and-medium-sized retail market partners that help was on its way, in the form of a "Next-Gen RMS." This week at Retail Realm 2014, the Microsoft Dynamics team assured attendees that it is making good on that promise.

Microsoft Dynamics is hoping to show partners and SMB users that help is not only on the way, but it's delivering an up-to-date-and-improved system, at that. The April 24-26 Retail Realm conference at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas seemed like the ideal place to make to reassure partners that are in the trenches with their RMS customers.

Friday's keynote, "Microsoft Dynamics for Retail: Vision and Strategy," by Seth Patton, senior director of Worldwide Industry Solutions for Microsoft Dynamics, provided a roadmap for the Dynamics team's plans in the SMB retail market.

On May 1, with the general availability of Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R3, the Dynamics for Retail solution will include an array of new features including omni-channel management, next generation point of sale and e-commerce enhancements.  Most of these new features are targeted at Mid-Market and Enterprise retailers. 

Mainstream support for Dynamics RMS is set to end in a little over two years, but existing RMS customers will have the option to continue support through 2021. RMS is the current - albeit aging --retail management system for Microsoft Dynamics SMB customers.

Dynamics for Retail will also be adding a package called "Retail Essentials", which provides a simplified configuration of Dynamics for Retail that is designed to reduce the time and ...