Need help, Pitching against MS Nav (Navision)

[digitaljunkie]

We are talking to a potential client atm whom is looking at Microsoft Dynamics (Formally Navision).

As usual the MS site is about as much to the point about what exactly its product is/does as George Bush is about Miltary Actions (sorry bad comparision).

Anyhow can anyone tell me what exactly this product is/does and what its bad points (apart from being Microsoft).

Also what are its plus points over FileMaker.

Thanks

[Søren Dyhr]

You need to tell us why this have been posted on a filemaker debates forum. If you're thinking of doing what it does by developing something within the vicinity - do you have to think about the legislative discourse Dynamics is made for, and the likelyness you can get the autorities approval of your stuff.

This means that although you could get some fancy ideas of shortcuts are the gist of Luca di Pacioli's principles to be follwed pretty strictly:

http://acct.tamu.edu/smith/ethics/pacioli.htm

--sd

[Ted S]

Microsoft Dynamics. I must first confess that I have never used Dynamics yet I am somewhat familiar with it.

Your question is like asking what is the difference between a pile of building materials (Filemaker) and an multi-story office building (Dynamics). The answer is that the pile of building materials can be used to build all kinds of different structures but the office building can really only be, an office building. Another MONUMENTAL, HUGE, GIGANTIC, difference is that the office building was built by dozens or even hundreds of professionals over a long period of time and is in move-in condition. With the raw materials you have to build the ENTIRE THING from the ground up BY YOURSELF before you can even think letting the client move in.

In my opinion, there really is no comparison between FM and Dynamics. Dynamics is an enterprise class application for running the core areas of a typical mid-size to large business. Filemaker is a tool that is used to build applications for work groups and small businesses.

If your client is small (a few employees) or needs a system to handle unique requirements then FM could be a good choice. If the client employs dozens of people and needs a system to handle most of the core business activities such as order entry, purchasing, planning, finance, service, etc. then an off-the-shelf ERP system is probably their best choice.

Filemaker & Dynamics are such different animals that it would be very difficult to pit one against the other. I can more likely see FM as being an application that fills-the-gaps where Dynamics falls short.

[Tim W]

Hi,

Navision, now owned by MS, is an accounting system. One of the most flexible I have ever seen. Along with the core functions, modifications are offered by the certified installer. In our investigation of this software, we estimated the modifications would take a good deal of time and cost. It was considered a good alternative for a large company ($100 Million ++Annual Sales) considering a custom written accounting system. However each UI has to be custom designed, IMO very time consuming considering that they are purchasing a solution.

It looks and is very powerfull, but at every turn your client must decide what it should look like and how it should behave.

Interfacing with MS accounting systems via ODBC is not at all complicated. We use MS GreatPlains, another product acquired by MS. I have written additional functionality with FMP to extract data and perform direct deposits electronically, file yearend payroll wage reports electronically, share customer & job details with FMP users, and have even developed a FM sales operations database using automated ODBC imports making SQL data an integral part. Unless you wish to develop a very robust accounting solution, look into working with MS-SQL to access navision files.

Sell your client on the rapid development of FM vs the slow process of modification by the certified installer. Also Navision is not the only available product from MS Business Soultions, it may not be the best fit for your client. Realistic expectations must be given to your client about Navision deployment, which could very easily take 6 to 12 months, not including features to extend the standard accounting set. Other MS Business Solutions, (Soloman or GreatPlains) can be successfully deployed in less than 2 months.

For what it's worth - My Opinion,

Tim

[Ted S]

For fun I visited the MS Dynamics web site. It has been rebranded by MS so I didn't realize that we were talking about Axapta. I am quite familiar with Axapta.

Dynamics AX (Axapta) is an impressive product. I agree with Tim W that it is surprisingly flexible compared to most other enterprise systems. I'll differ with him on his characterization that it is an accounting system. It is really an information system that covers most of the common business functions and a good deal that one wouldn't expect to find. With the Microsoft name, the software's flexibility, relatively low price, and it's ability to integrate with Microsoft's office suite and the OS, I can see this package selling like hotcakes.

I would say based on my knowledge of Filemaker and Dynamics AX, it would take a good FM developer 25 to years to build what Dynamics AX offers today. And the final FM product would likely not be able to efficiently handle the the massive processing requirements of a full MRP run (if you are in the manufacturing business) nor would it have the "transactional" safety of a SQL Server or Oracle backend.

[digitaljunkie]

Thanks for the replies I now begin to understand thanks to the analogy of building materials and a building.

Thanks for all the helpful replies.