In Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012, the address book functionality has been enhanced. You can now create multiple address books instead of creating virtual companies, and you can control access to address books by granting privileges based on teams or legal entities. Additionally, your Human resources department can now create applicant records directly from the Applicant form. Overview
Item Description
Required Yes
Feature areas affected Accounts payable Accounts receivable Human resources Sales and marketing Procurement and sourcing
Stakeholders Implementation team members
ISVs/developers Partners
New functionality
In Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012, you can define any number of address books and assign teams or legal entities to them, so that you can control which workers have access to specific address books. You can also select whether to enforce policies for a specific address book or for all address books in a legal entity within your organization.
Human resource applicant records can be created from the Applicant form and stored in the address book.
Comparison with Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009
The global address book has changed considerably since Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009. Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 includes changes to the following:
Functionality
Security
Functionality
What can you do? Microsoft
Dynamics AX 2009
Microsoft
Dynamics AX 2012
Why is this important?
Set effective dates for
information. No effective date information was provided for names or locations.
Users can set effective date ranges for names and locations, and communication
information for vendors, employees, and
transactions.
Information is kept up to date.
Have multiple address
books. Only one address book could be created per virtual company.
An organization can create multiple address books to store common party records in the same place.
Party records can be organized by record type, and specific party records can be made available only to specific teams or legal entities. Synchronize with
Microsoft® Outlook®. Only minimal address information was synchronized.
Contact synchronization with Microsoft Outlook is enhanced, and multiple address purposes can be defined for multiple addresses.
Party records can contain address records that are used by the party for more than one reason.
Security
What can you do? Microsoft
Dynamics AX 2009 Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Why is this important?
Secure party data
according to user roles. Security information was based on the companies that the user had access to.
Permissions to address books are granted based on users’ teams or legal entities.
Security settings for address book
permissions are tighter and more specialized. Import address
reference data. Table import was used to import address reference data.
Data is validated when it is entered, and users can set a default address based on ZIP/postal codes.
Data is validated when it is entered and can be used to set default addresses.
Applicant records
What can you do? Microsoft
Dynamics AX 2009
Microsoft
Dynamics AX 2012
Why is this important?
Create records for new applicants, existing applicants, and existing workers.
Not supported Users can enter application and new applicant information, and can modify existing applicant and existing worker records. Processing applications is streamlined. Create an application for an existing applicant. Applications were associated with applicants, employees, and contacts. Applications are associated only with applicants, and
applicant records can be created directly from the Applicant form.
Creating applications is streamlined.
Create an applicant record by using information from an existing address book record.
Applicant information could only be entered manually.
Applicant records can be created for an existing address book party record.
Manual data entry is reduced for applicants whose information is already stored in the address book.
More information
For more information about the address book framework, see the whitepaper titled Implementing the
Products
In Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012, new products can be defined and released to individual companies. Also, an item is now always based on a product definition. In Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009, items could be created without using a formalized definition process.
Overview
Item Description
Required Conditionally required. If you are using this feature in a previous version of Microsoft Dynamics AX, significant changes have been made to it, and you must review this topic. Feature areas affected Inventory management
Product information management
Stakeholders Business decision makers
Technical decision makers Implementation team members ISVs/developers
Partners
New functionality
A product definition level is added as a mandatory step in the item creation process, and all items are associated with a product definition.
Special considerations
Items are based on product definitions, so product definitions are required for all items in Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012.
Comparison with Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009
The inventory process has changed considerably since Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009. Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 includes changes to the following:
Products and product variants
Product release
Product translations
Products and product variants What can you do? Microsoft
Dynamics AX 2009
Microsoft
Dynamics AX 2012
Why is this important?
Create and maintain definitions for products and master definitions for sets of products at the shared company level.
Not available, because item definitions were created directly in the item table.
Items are always based on product definitions, and product definitions can be shared across companies.
Creating products is centralized, and all of the products and product variants that are available in the entire organization are displayed. Generate product variants based on product masters. Available as item dimension combinations, however, it is difficult to
administer which legal entities have access to which variants.
New items can be created as product variants, which are based on an associated product dimension setup.
An overview is provided of the product variants that are traded.
Configure product variants by using a product configuration technology.
Available, but does not include the
configuration technology option.
Product definitions include information about when and how variants are configured.
A user can control the configuration strategy of an item through the product definition. Standardize items by
using product definition templates.
Not available A product definition record can be saved as a template.
A product definition template can be used to help standardize items.
Product release
What can you do? Microsoft
Dynamics AX 2009 Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Why is this important? Share product definitions across companies.
Not available Product definitions can be authorized for use in multiple companies.
A product repository can be centrally controlled. Maintain open product
releases. Not available A release can be repeated after an error is corrected, or the release of a product can be postponed.
The release process and the timing of product releases can be controlled.
Product translations
What can you do? Microsoft
Dynamics AX 2009 Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Why is this important?
Translate product
names and information. Only product descriptions were translated.
Product names, product variant names, and the description attributes for a product definition are displayed on a customer invoice. Accommodates a better understanding of the actual product definition.
New division of the inventory dimension group What can you do? Microsoft
Dynamics AX 2009 Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Why is this important? Set up separate product, storage, and tracking dimension groups.
Items were associated with one inventory dimension group, where all three types of dimensions were set up.
The setup of inventory dimensions for items is flexible and involves separate specification of the following:
Product dimensions for item
characteristics that are associated with the product definition
Storage and tracking dimensions for a location-specific setup that is associated with the physical handling of items in companies.
The setup of the storage and tracking dimension groups can be either centralized or decentralized.
More information
For more information about Item-Product data, seethe white paper titled Implementing the Item-