Next Release of Microsoft Dynamics AX Defined by New Interface, Cloud, Lifecycle Services

Set to be released at the end of the year, the newest version of Microsoft Dynamics AX, codenamed AX 7, will be released first exclusively on the Microsoft Azure platform. An on-premise version will be available six months later release. That's according to Dan Brown, Microsoft's AX R&D general manager, who keynoted general sessions on Monday and Tuesday at AXUG Focus 2015 in Orlando, revving up talk about the soon-to-be-released AX 7, and personally meeting with users to discuss their issues or concerns with AX.

Three primary updates characterize AX 7: a new user experience, the extended use of Microsoft Dynamics Lifecycle Services (LCS), and the prevalence of the Microsoft Cloud, or Azure.

The AX 7 workspace has been reimagined as a panorama of colorful, pictured tiles that quickly allows the user to view to-do tasks, urgent actions, and any other work-related activities. And it enables users to share common activities with other end-users. With the LCS task recorder, users can record and annotate tasks and keep other end-users informed. There's also the ability to link two browsers enabling users to collaborate side-by-side on a double screen.

"We are trying to eliminate clicks and give the production planner power within this user experience," says Brown.

With AX 7 Microsoft is also making efforts to improve interoperability with its other products like Visual Studio, Office 365, Power BI, SharePoint, and Yammer. Brown also explained that AX 7 will more deeply embed Management Reporter in the interface, making it the corporate performance management tool of record for AX and part of the initial deployment.

"The more we bring these things together so you are just using the product, the better the ...