Implementing Microsoft Dynamics AX: Why Your Own Team Must Control the Application’s Parameters, and All Consultants

If your company is getting ready to implement Microsoft Dynamics AX, the director of the AX User Group (AXUG) has some tips to help the project go as smoothly as possible.

"The most effective implementations of Dynamics AX start with having executive management 100% behind the project-not just from a dollar perspective, but from a commitment of internal resources," said Frank Vukovits, AXUG Director, during a recent AXUG webinar.

The right way to implement AX begins with having a project team representing the different functional areas of your organizations-a team that's committed to working a certain part of each day on the AX project to design and set up the system in a way that meets your business needs.

"It starts with the people who know your business processes best, working with the implemention consultants that represent the functional areas. They'll show you how AX works," he said. "You bang the two together, figure out what fits and then figure out what you need to configure to make it fit. If there are things that aren't quite where they need to be, then and only then do you have a code modification to remediate the ‘gap' as they call it."

Why setting parameters is key

Vukovits said a lot of people don't realize that AX is configurable and that means you don't have to write a bunch of code to make the system behave differently. There are hundreds of parameters and settings that users turn on and turn off-values they choose- that cause the system to behave differently in the realm of how the system is supposed to operate to meet your business needs.

"Your core team members need ...