BI in the new Dynamics AX 7 just got a lot smarter.
Optimal use of data is a key element of business management systems. Any amount of data is useless if it can’t be organised, analysed and accessed to deliver the insights that can drive smarter business decisions. The new Microsoft Dynamics AX 7 brings a whole new dimension to business analytics and intelligence.
The new Dynamics AX has been reengineered to embed Power BI as the native business intelligence tool. This has been achieved through the Power BI and Azure SQL teams implementing in-memory BI to channel Power BI. A significant benefit of sharing the Power BI engine is the removal of performance issues in the process of receiving query answers with real-time data. Instead of relying on last quarter’s or last month’s data, near real-time analytics is now possible.
The full power of BI can also now be accessed without having to leave the Dynamics AX application to use a separate analytics tool. The user can create the analytics within the application and navigate and explore the data, with rich visualisation tools, even drilling down to individual transactions. External data services can also be integrated with historical data in the Dynamics AX system, such as combining clickstream analysis of website forecasting and product recommendations with existing customer sales data.
The new Microsoft Dynamics AX will ship with four BI content packs out of the box:
- Financial Manager, CFO
- Practice Manager within service industries
- Retail
- Manufacturing
With data cubes replaced by in-memory Power BI capabilities, users can get a snapshot of how the business is doing at any point in time. But the application is a lot smarter than simply collating and displaying data. Taking advantage of Azure’s machine learning capabilities, Power BI opens up the vast possibilities of predictive intelligence.
Future demand can be estimated with the power of Azure machine learning. Combining historical data and calculations with user defined variables such as weather and traffic conditions, predictive intelligence can anticipate potential issues in the supply chain or possible delays in product availability and delivery.
In the retail product, for example, Azure can make product recommendations or suggest the most efficient strategy to replace inventory. Add to this the integration with Cortana that puts critical information even more readily at your fingertips, and Dynamics AX is already delivering the future of business intelligence in the here and now.
