Major differences between Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 and AX 2012.

I just tried to find some major MorphX development features that have been added or changed in in Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 when compared with AX 2012.  I observed changes in the following concepts of AX :

1.Models and the Model Store

2.Object IDs

3.The AxUtil Command Line Utility and PowerShell Cmdlets

4.Development Workspace

5.Some Layers Have Been Renamed

6.Installation-specific Ids

Sr No.	Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009	Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012	Why is this important?
1. Models and the Model Store	The model store did not exist in Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009. Application model data was stored in .aod files. You can load .aod files during version upgrade. You can also load .aod files by using the Tools menu.	The following model features are new: 1. A model is a set of model elements in a specific layer. 2. Each layer consists of one or more models. One of the models is generated by the system. For example, VAR Model is the model that is generated for the VAR layer. 3. Each element in a layer must belong to only one model. 4. Models can be exported to a file artifact that is called a model file. Model files have an .axmodel extension. A model file is like an .aod file from earlier versions, but the names and numbers are not limited. Models in the model store can be exported to model files and imported from model files. Model files can be signed, and the signature is verified when the model files are installed. 5. Model files replace .aod files as installation artifacts. 6. Models in the SQL Server–based model store replace .aod files that were used at run time. 7. Development is performed in the current model in any given layer. All development work, such as creating a new class, becomes part of the current model in the current layer. You can change the current model by clicking the name of the current model on the status bar, similarly to the way that you change the current company. 8.Any element that is created in the current layer can easily be moved to another model in the same layer. 9. The Application Object Tree (AOT) shows you which model a particular element belongs to, in addition to the layer tags. 10. The additional folder capabilities for version control have been renamed models, and the capabilities have been extended. When you add an element to version control, the element is added to the version-controlled model. 11. You can generate a MorphX project that contains all of the application objects in the model. A new Model management submenu on the Tools menu contains many tools that you can use to work with models and the model store. 12. The new SysModel* system tables provide a view of the metadata that is associated with models. These tables enable you to use model metadata in select statements in your X++ code. For example, you can use the SysModelElementLabel table to retrieve the string value for the label that is associated with a particular model element.	Storing models in SQL Server increases quality, reliability,and performance.In addition, you can use the tools that are available in SQL Server forbackupand administration
2. Object ID's	Object IDs were 16 bits long	Object IDs are 32 bits long	Changing the length of object IDs from 16 bits to 32 bits exponentially increases the number of object IDs that are available.
3. The AxUtil Command-Line Utility and PowerShe ll Cmdlets	The feature was not available	AxUtil is a command-line utility that you can use to import and export .axmodel files into the SQL Server model store. You can also use AxUtil to delete one or models, create new empty models, and list all models in a layer. All of the capabilities of AxUtil are also exposed as PowerShell CmdLets.	Users can use these tools to work with models from outside the development environment. Therefore there are more options for scripting deployment processes.
4.Development Workspace	Development occurred directly in the Application Workspace.	The Developer Workspace contains all of the tools that a developer must have to create and customize a Microsoft Dynamics AX application. Changes that you save in the Development Workspace are always synchronized with the Application Workspace. You can still open application elements in the AOT. You can also open an Application Workspace from the Development Workspace to view your customizations. You can open Microsoft Dynamics AX directly from a write Development Workspace by using the Ax32.exe command-line flag.	The new Development Workspace provides a morestreamlined environment for writing code. The menus have also been customized to make it easier to find the tools and commands that you use when you code.
5. Layers	Old layer names: USP USR CUP CUS VAP VAR BUP BUS SL3 SL2 SL1 HFX GLP GLS SYP SYS	New layer names: USP USR CUP CUS VAP VAR ISP ISV SLP SLN FPP FPK GLP GLS SYP SYS	The new layer names more accurately describe the usage of the layers
6. Installati on	Objects IDs were assigned when a model was created.	When a new model element is saved, imported, or element installed, a unique ID is assigned to the model element at that installation site. For example, when a new class is added by a developer and saved to the model store, the class is assigned a class ID. However, when the same class is imported into another installation at a customer site, the class ID may be different from the ID that was assigned in the first installation site. The new object IDs that are assigned for Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 installations have a larger range than the previous object IDs and will not conflict with any of the earlier versions of Microsoft Dynamics AX. In an upgrade scenario, object IDs are preserved, because they are automatically assigned to the new LegacyId property on the application objects.	Because of installation- specific IDs, conflicts are avoided, because an ID is not assigned until installation time. Because the assignment of object IDs is handled at the installation site, Team Server no longer has to manage IDs. Team Server is no longer installed, and the setup of version control is no longer dependent on Team Server.
7. Modules	General Ledger Bank Accounts Payable Accounts Receivables Inventory Management Expense management Production Project	General Ledger Fixed Assets (New) Cash and bank management Accounts Payable Procurement and sourcing (New) Accounts Receivables Sales and Marketing (New) Product information (New) Inventory and warehouse management Travel and expense management Production control Project management and accounting Compliance and internal control (New)
8.	Support SQL Sever 2005 and 2008 Support Oracle Database	Only Support SQL Sever 2008 Does't support Oracle Database

Hope you find the above information useful.... :)

 

All about ERP and Microsoft Dynamics Ax

In this post I have just tried to give a brief introduction about ERP and what is Microsoft Dynamics Ax. Usually I don't like to write a big post but to understand concept of ERP completely without any prior knowledge or from Lehman perspective I had to write it bit briefly I ask you to bear it this time and go through it completely to understand concept of ERP.

Lets start with What is ERP? It means enterprise resource planning, which itself means planning the resources in an enterprise (business). So, this abbreviation simply means, that this is a way of more effectively using the resources which can be man or material in a company or Enterprise. Notice, that this is not some kind of software, this is an ideology and thus in-order to implement this ideology the idea of ERP solutions emerged and some software are designed like “SAP” by SAP LAB, Oracle corporation's “ORACLE APPS” Microsoft Corporation's “MIROSOFT DYNAMICS AX” etc.

Thus Enterprise resource planning (ERP) is business management software that allows an organisation to use a system of integrated applications to manage the business. ERP software integrates all facets of an operation, including product planning, development, manufacturing processes, sales and marketing. Microsoft Dynamics Ax is thus a customisable, multiple-language, and multiple-currency Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution. Microsoft Dynamics AX excels in :

Manufacturing.
E-business.
Wholesale.
Services industries.

            Now further will try to understand this with just a small example....

Suppose I have a Small grocery store and I have a habit of keeping all record in a small book ie. how many items and in how much quantity I have, what was my sell today and what profit I made and so many other things. Because its a small shop I am able to maintain all record in a book but imagine if I am running a company where my company is manufacturing some product, where I am buying some spare parts from small companies so need to keep track of what quantity I purchased what amount I need to pay, there are huge number of employee's so again I need to track all thing like salaries, there are number of different customers so I need to track their orders and accept their payments, I am storing these products in some warehouse so need to keep track of what quantity of product is required and how much is available in warehouse and how much more production need to be done.... and if there are any handling losses in the warehouse .... and lots of other stuff so I cannot just maintain all these information manually so I felt the need for some automation. And software companies like Microsoft came with product or we can say a software which facilicated and automated all my transactions and other tasks and that software is Microsoft Dyanamics AX.

Microsoft Dynamics Ax provides different modules like “Inventory and Warehouse management”, “Product Information management”, “Accounts Receivable”, “Accounts Payable”,”General Ledger”...etc these modules are used to manage all the tasks that I mentioned above. To understand these modules I might need to write something more which I think is not my aim right now, if demanded I will come up with some explanations of these modules.

Hushh....Even I am tied now but I hope that you must have got an good Idea about ERP and Microsoft Dynamics Ax.

About the blog.

This blog is about Microsoft's ERP product called Microsoft Dynamics Ax. Microsoft dynamics Ax is a business solution that supports both operational and administrative processes of organizations, this single solution comes with localizations—in the box—for 36 countries. With a specialized focus on manufacturing, retail, service industries, and public sector, Microsoft Dynamics AX includes capabilities such as financial management, manufacturing, retail, business intelligence and reporting, supply chain management, and human capital management.

                 In this blog I will try to share knowledge of the subject and would like you all to contribute on the same. Hope to have fun with all the people associated with ERP.