Dynamics NAV 2013 will be released on 01/10/12

As the new version of Microsoft Dynamics NAV, NAV 2013, is due for release on the 1st October 2012, I thought it would be useful to publish some information about the update.

The release will bring even more useful functionality to Dynamics NAV users and it will enhance Microsoft Dynamics NAV even further by including:

DEPLOYMENT FLEXIBILITY

Microsoft is committed to providing the widest range of options for the deployment of Microsoft Dynamics NAV. Traditionally Dynamics NAV has been deployed using the on-premise IT infrastructure within a company and the hosting of the system is managed by the internal IT team. However, this is changing following developments in Hosted, Software as a Service (SaaS) and Cloud offerings.

Many customers are deciding to have Microsoft Dynamics NAV hosted and managed by a third-party and they are choosing to purchase licenses through the SaaS licensing model. These customers do not have to maintain their IT infrastructure and the staff associated with traditional on-premises implementations. They pay for their ERP solution on a per-user, per-month basis using operational expenditure instead of capital expenditure.

WEB CLIENT

As well as the Role Tailored Client, Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 will include a web browser capability that will enable users, whether they are running on-premises or in the cloud, to access Microsoft Dynamics NAV through a Web Browser on their computer.
This capability will reduce the time taken to deploy the solution, because no software will need to be installed on individual user's computers. The learning curve for users is dramatically reduced as they will already be comfortable with web browser functionality.
Additionally, both client options will allow remote users to access the solution via an internet connection no matter if they have an on-premises or hosted deployment.
Please note the classic client will no longer be an option from NAV 2013 onwards.

SHAREPOINT INTEGRATION

A wide range of businesses are harnessing the diverse functionality that SharePoint offers. In NAV 2013, Microsoft will introduce integration to SharePoint that will allow your users to get more out of both SharePoint and Microsoft Dynamics NAV.

The SharePoint integration will enable the following scenarios:

The delivery of Microsoft Dynamics NAV through SharePoint

Deployment through SharePoint offers the same benefits as with the NAV 2013 Web Client. No software needs to be installed on a user's individual PC which reduces the cost of deploying and maintaining the product across a distributed user environment. Equally, users will only have to learn to use one system, making training and support a much simpler and more effective process.

Self-Service Applications

Now self-service solutions can be deployed with data going directly to and from Microsoft Dynamics NAV. For example, time sheets and expenses can be more effectively delivered through SharePoint instead of requiring individuals to log into a separate ERP system. Employees are empowered to manage their own administration and as a result general administration time and effort are reduced.

Rich Business Applications

The Microsoft Dynamics NAV Portal Framework can be utilised to tightly integrate ERP data and processes with content that is typically found in SharePoint. For example, you could add purchasing functionality to a procurement portal where contracts, specifications, and details of alternative suppliers are stored. This prevents the duplication of effort and time inherent with using multiple systems by tying together useful data.

ENHANCEMENTS TO APPLICATION FUNCTIONALITY

Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 will provide considerable enhancements to the existing functionality that is already available in Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009.

For the RoleTailored user interface, context-sensitive charts and Fact Boxes will be included to give the user better data access and to minimize data entry times.

The data visualization capabilities will be enhanced to support better decision making. Users will be able to see projected availability, supply/demand, forecast, and suggested planning changes in one integrated view.

Core functionality will continue to be a focus for development. VAT compliance and tax reporting will be simplified. The kitting, cost accounting and cash flow forecasting capabilities will also be upgraded in NAV 2013.

Microsoft Dynamics NAV data will be available through ODat, the new industry standard interface, and integration to PowerPivot for Microsoft Excel will be enabled.

A feature to export lists to Excel will be included in Dynamics NAV 2013. The Excel file can then be used to show the most up to date data related to the list in NAV with a click of a button to refresh it. An example of this function would be a graph in Excel showing some KPIs. The graph can be refreshed each day within Excel to keep it up to date without having to access Dynamics NAV.
NAV 2013 will run faster than previous versions and it will offer 64 bit processing on the middle tier which will allow it to work more efficiently on modern servers whilst supporting multiple users more effectively.

Dynamics NAV 2013 will provide even more functionality and flexibility to benefit both the end user and IT teams. Users will have access to even more powerful features which will allow them to be more effective and offer them more insight and control within their jobs. IT teams will be able to deploy the system more efficiently and support the users of the system more quickly with less effort.

QUICK REFERENCE FEATURE UPDATE LIST

1) You can now write queries in Dynamics NAV using data contained in more than one table in much the same way as you would using the SQL Query Editor. You can filter, group and sort the data. The results can be exported in a variety of formats.
2) More graph types are available and end users have more control over how graphs are displayed.
3) Security profiles can be set so that users cannot customise pages without permissions.
4) It’s easier to create new companies and seed them with standing data and opening balances.
5) Improvements have been made to the General Ledger posting process to make it quicker. The handling of dimensions has also been improved.
6) Cash flow forecasting has been improved. You can create cash flow budgets and a chart of accounts which run parallel to the “real” accounts. You then transfer across the actual and forecasted cash flows to prepare your cash flow forecasts.
7) There is a new absorption or “top down” costing module. This allows you to create estimated item, resource and job costs based on the direct costs of the entity itself plus allocations of indirect costs and overheads. You can then allocate the real non-direct costs to items to gain an accurate appreciation of the real cost of the items you buy and sell.
8) VAT rate changes have been made simpler to implement.
9) The Bill of Materials functionality has been improved. You can now create internal documents to require the assembly of items to meet an ordered requirement. The components required for these processes can be dedicated to prevent other processes from using them. You can also supply items from stock, assemble them, transfer them another location or purchase them all on the same sales order line. There is also more scope to include indirect costs in Bills of Material.
10) There are new graphical views of projected stock availability, including the ability to create Assembly items based on current stock plus the available stock of components.
11) You can now merge transfer orders to simplify stock management processes.
12) Job WIP calculation methods can now be user-defined.
13)There is a new weekly timesheet facility which users can use to enter their resource allocations. There is also a new process of supervisor review and approval before the timesheet is posted. Timesheets can be linked to Jobs and Service Management allowing the user to assign their time to a specific project or service order directly. With the introduction of the “Limited User” license type to NAV 2013, Limited Users can read and write to timesheets without needing a full cost NAV license.
14) The look of the NAV pages has been improved. In particular, the various commands and options have been amalgamated into a ribbon at the top of the screen, much like the way the various parts of Microsoft Office look.
15) Features which were absent in the Role Tailored Client when users moved from the Classic Client, such as the find, select all on a list and copying and pasting lines functions, will be available in NAV 2013.
16) Queries can be used as a data source for Reports meaning the same underlying data can be used to create multiple different reports.

I hope you are looking forward to the release of Dynamics NAV 2013, look out for more up to date information due to be released in the not too distant future.

Jesse Lawrence

Jesse is our marketing manager, keeping an eye on the latest news in the market as well as having worked on the GDPR legislation.