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Microsoft to Roll Out Cloud-Based ERP by Q4

One of the hottest cloud stories this month is Microsoft’s (News - Alert) announcement that it is one step closer to finalizing the availability of its Dynamics enterprise resource planning (ERP) applications as cloud-based services, according to media reports.

During the Convergence (News - Alert) show held last week in France, Microsoft detailed its roadmap toward the cloud, targeting two key market segments: The first wave will target small and mid-market companies, with the second wave expanding those offerings to enterprise customers, according to Mike Ehrenberg, CTO for Microsoft Business Solutions & Microsoft Technical Fellow.

“Within Microsoft Dynamics, we have transformed Microsoft Dynamics CRM from its on-premises origins to a scalable, multi-tenant mission critical line of business service,” Ehrenberg said in a blog post. “Our ERP work combines all of those learnings with new innovation around the Windows Azure platform.”

As evidence of Microsoft inching closer to its cloud-based ERP service, the IT giant also revealed that Optic 2000 group has chosen Microsoft’s ERP service, Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 for Retail, to manage its sales, supply and inventory across its network of operations in France.

Company officials said “usability, simple maintenance, functional excellence and ease of upgrading are the key advantages that led to the company’s strategic decision to adopt the Microsoft business solution.”

Microsoft also shared specifics about the fourth-quarter release of AX 2012 R2, an update that will include new BI (business intelligence) capabilities geared for the needs of individual users.

Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012, which was launched last fall, was followed by the release of Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 for Retail in February 2012. Company officials said Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2 will be available worldwide in Q4 calendar year 2012, and will include enhancements such as multichannel retail capabilities with Web storefronts, as well as RoleTailored, in-context business intelligence using the latest Microsoft SQL Server technologies.