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Microsoft Positions Dynamics 365, Common Data Model As Pragmatic Path to Broader Business Apps

by Jason Gumpert
Editor, MSDynamicsWorld.com

The announcements of Microsoft Dynamics 365 and the cloud services surrounding it - PowerApps, Flow, AppSource, and the Common Data Model (CDM) ‑ were met with curiosity by the Dynamics community, but also some uncertainty about the impact on the existing product line.

After learning the basics of the packaging and licensing options last week at WPC 2016, Microsoft has clarified that CRM Online, AX on Azure, and Project Madeira will all become parts of Dynamics 365. Beyond that, many have wondered exactly how the new cloud services will work with and potentially change the trajectory of Dynamics ERP and CRM solutions.

Microsoft's Key Points on Dynamics 365

In a new interview, Microsoft Technical Fellow and Dynamics R&D leader Mike Ehrenberg told MSDynamicsWorld that the move to Dynamics 365 will not disrupt existing product roadmaps. That said, he made it clear that Dynamcs 365, PowerApps, CDM, and other technology Microsoft is developing for operational and productivity app development on Azure are part of a long term evolution of how Microsoft wants to delivers business solutions. He explained:

We tried to land a few points [at WPC 2016]. The first is that ongoing expectations about Dynamics application functionality really should remain unchanged by the Dynamics 365 announcement. So where we'd talked about a roadmap around HCM or enhancements in warehouse or retail, those plans remain as [customers and partners] expected them. The same thing would be true on the CRM side.

What we're really talking about is additional work around delivery and implementation and deployment of separate workloads to match the model that ...

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AppSource Azure Business Central Common Data Model Customer Engagement Dynamics 365 Dynamics AX Dynamics CRM Dynamics GP Dynamics NAV Dynamics SL Finance and Operations Microsoft Corporate Power Apps Power Platform PowerApps
About Jason Gumpert

As the editor of MSDynamicsWorld.com, Jason oversees all editorial content on the site and at our events, as well as providing site management and strategy. He can be reached at jgumpert@msdynamicsworld.com.

Prior to co-founding MSDynamicsWorld.com, Jason was a Principal Software Consultant at Parametric Technology Corporation (PTC), where he implemented solutions, trained customers, managed software development, and spent some time in the pre-sales engineering organization. He has also held consulting positions at CSC Consulting and Monitor Group.

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