AX 2009 - Quick Overview

Hi everybody, AX 2009 RTM is just closing in. Lots of new features, UX & Enhancements available with the release of AX 2009. Heres a quick preview of some of the important features in AX 2009.
New Company Accounts
Global Trade & Manufacturing Company (GTM) is out. CONTOSO Entertaintment Systems [CES] is IN :). New AX 2009 Company Demo data with more transactions, more data.
User Interface
The AX 2009 User Interface has undergone some serious changes. Initially a bit difficult to navigate if you see it first time but will get used to it. Breadcrumb bar, Travel Buttons, Address Bar, Enhanced Navigation Area, Area page and List pages include some major changes in UI. Looks good ....performance figures awaited :).

Role Centres
Role centres are a collection of customizable home pages . Role Centers display specific data, reports, alerts, and common tasks associated with a user's role in the organization. Users can access Role Centers from the Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 client or from an EP Web site. Uses the EP Framework & Webparts. Base AX consists of 25 canned role centres . Other Roles can be customized. Gives a very good overview to key people in the Organization about key top level data. Included Excel Pivot charts, Graphs and a nice UI.

Workflows
Much awaited & most wanted feature in AX has finally arrived out of the box. Features a new Node in AOT named 'Workflow'. Users can configure workflows, create templates, define rules & escalation logic. New Workflows can be developed. Available as a base Product feature and mighty useful. {Workflow Templates-> Workflow Configuration -> Workflow Instance} . Uses WWF & Workflow Web Services in the IIS. Runs in the IIS Server in a separate site and connects to AOS via .NET BC. Uses the Batch framework.

Multisite operations
New AX Inventory Storage dimension called 'Site'. One site may contain multiple warehouses. Advanced SCM features like costing available in Site dimension.

Multi time zone support
AX 2009 AOS installation can meet the business needs of a company that has operations across multiple time zones including adjustments for Daylight Savings Time (DST). All date/timevalues are stored in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). AX 2009 application is able to display the date time fields in the appropriate time zone, depending on either the client settings or on the time zone of the location. Critical feature for companies operating in different geaogaphies.
Expense Management module
New AX Expanse management module for Employee. Available in EP allowing employees to create and manage expenses, incorporates workflows. Important piece in ESS.

Improved SCM enhancements
New SCM features lite Multisite, Purchase Requisition, 3 Way Matching are some of the new features in AX 2009.

Project Server integration
At last, AX Projects integration with MS Project Server 2007. Bidirectional features but basic level integration. The feature list is building up. Allows remote management of AX Projects via MS Project Server 2007.

Enhanced EP Framework
Personally my favourite. The EP in AX 2009 has undergone serious surgery :) and has great new features, new Development platform (VS 2008) and significant enhancements. [AJAX enabled for rich UX].
The following enhancements have been made to the Enterprise Portal userinterface:
• More interactive and responsive through the use of AJAX in the Web pages.
• Individual pages are refreshed when you click a link.
• Actions can now be done on selected list items. You can see listpreviews, and lists can be sorted, filtered, and grouped. Also, the listviews can be changed.
• Accessing all Enterprise Portal pages is now consistent.
• Multiple companies can be accessed through Enterprise Portal.
The Development environment is VS 2008. Now ASP.NET components include AX Objects like AXGridControl, AX Infolog Control etc. Makes development in ASP.NET with AX components much easier. Scenarios where company website needed to be interfaced with AX has just got easier. Job Postings, Recruitment drives, Resume submissions, Customer/ Vendor interface can now be done much easily with these enhanced features.
Enhanced features in AX Modules include:
--Expense Management
--Returns Management
--Purchase Requisition
--Customer Relations Management (CRM)
--Service Management
--Access to Multiple Companies
--Compliance centre
--Role Centres

Enhanced AIF Framework
Enhancements to Application Integration Framework (AIF) include the following:
• Create, read, update, and delete operations are now supported.
• The programming model for AIF supports document services that encapsulate business logic and are the interface between AX 2009 and external systems.
• AIF provides functionality for consuming external Web services from within X++.
• New document services for additional commonly-used documents.
Ugrade Enhancements
Enhancements have been incorporated in the AX Upgrade toolkit. Upgrade estimation report shows the time required for the Code upgrade by identifying conflicts like Code Conflict, Layering conflict, Deletion conflict etc and associating a time estimate with each. There is also a direct upgrade path from AX 3.x to AX 2009
New Partner Productivity tools
New Partner Productivity tools like task Recorder helps create user manuals, Help manuals within AX easily. More add on Productivity tools on the anvil.
AX forms opens up outside AX Window
A new feature in AX 2009 UX is that all new AX forms open outside AX Window anabling users to utilize full Screen. Each form has toolbar, navigation & filter capabilities.

VS 2008 Web Development Integration
Another interesting dev feature is VS 2008 platform for EP & Web Development. ASP.NET controls include AX. Integrating AX with ASP.NET pages just got easier. Another of my favourites :).

The above list included some major enhancements in AX 2009. Will be detailing more of the above. Happy DAX-ing :)