Microsoft Opens the Door on Socl - Why I'm using it!

From time to time, I like to post and write about things that aren't specifically related to processes, and post that give you how-to's. Still these topics do have direct & indirect impact on the Dynamics Ecosystem at large. With this in mind, and understanding, I wanted to write about Microsoft Socl.



It's Microsoft's new social platform, that really engages and blends well with the other platforms out there. It's easy to create post, follow specific interest, and blend your other outlets. Obvious, there can be plenty of time looking at picture's, but my focus is more purely on the aspect of gaining valuable knowledge.

I see this as a social learning platform, and one where things can be easily pinned, and revisited later. If you like me, you read a lot! At times there are plenty of things that you would like to read, but don't have time for. With Socl, I'm finding it the best way to tag, and collect content that is important to me.

It is a place where I can pin & place the interest I have, and come back to an uncluttered view of the topics I care about. It's specific, and content focused with out a lot of noise that exists now within certain popular social platforms.



Creating a new post is easy, as you can see from the above image and my first post. Of course, I'm talking about what's hot on my mind for Dynamics, that being BI and more specifically Personal BI with OData Feeds from AX 2012 consumed in PowerPivot!

Sharing is easy as well, being able to tweet or post back to facebook. Further, linking your profiles across multiple platforms is easy as well with the settings for Socl.



I do think that Socl has a spot within the Social landscape, specifically for me around the use of learning, and managing my sources of information into a clean and easy to understand and useful space. The nature of how things are stored, tagged and collected seems like I'm creating little learning portals about specific topics. Further through tags and interest I'm able to find others who are posting and sharing about specific topics.

Some come along and make sure to join me on Socl, and start creating your learning portal's and post, or topics of interest that you care most about!



That's all for this post! I'm interesting to see how this can be used further when thinking in terms of engagement. That is a theme I focus on a lot, System's of Engagement - where user's become fans! I can see a lot of potential with Socl in this aspect. Maybe even being used in Gamification platforms? Till Next Time!
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Happy Thanksgiving!

Well, I wanted to post this week and wish those who celebrate a very Happy Thanksgiving! It's a time of friends, family, fun and of course Turkey's! It's a time to give thanks for the people in our lives, and for the experiences that we have had together.

With that, first off I am most thankful for a loving, and grace giving God (YHWH), and a path to salvation with Yeshu / Yehsua / Jesus Christ. I am thankful for my wife, and my two wonderful girls - who help keep me young. Further I'm thankful for my family, friends, and all of you who help make up the Dynamics Ecosystem.

May you all be blessed this holiday season, and may you spend time with your family, and friends. May you build up those memories of time of joy, and happiness, which I believe are the treasures we store up in heaven!

Happy Thanksgiving! More post starting next week!
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Torrential Data Solutions brings embedded document imaging and workflow natively within Microsoft Dynamics AX with the expert help of IDB Solutions

It is with great pleasure that I get to talk with you today about a recent success story for the company I'm apart of IDB Solutions, LLC. Our client? Torrential Data Solutions, Inc a Microsoft Silver ISV Partner providing value-added ECM technologies to the Dynamics Ecosystem.



A direct link to the press release, can be found here.: Torrential Data Solutions, Inc brings embedded document imaging and workflow natively within the Microsoft Dynamics AX user experience with the expert help of IDB Solutions.

From the press release: "IDB Solutions, LLC. is pleased to announce that Torrential Data Solutions, Inc., a Microsoft Silver ISV Partner providing value-added ECM technologies to the Dynamics Ecosystem, has selected IDB as their trusted Microsoft Dynamics AX partner. IDB Solutions was tasked with helping Torrential Data bring their “Datahaven for Dynamics” solution offering to the Microsoft Dynamics AX market space, to enable “embedded document imaging and workflow” natively within the Microsoft Dynamics AX user experience."

Further... "“We chose IDB Solutions because of their proven expertise in the Microsoft Dynamics AX market space. Throughout the engagement, IDB staff demonstrated a deep understanding and knowledge of Microsoft Dynamics AX design and development best practices and a relentless focus on adding real value for the Microsoft Dynamics AX customer. Most importantly, IDB was committed to our success in bringing ‘Datahaven for Dynamics AX’ to market," said Brad Bimson, President of Torrential Data."

Working with Brad and his team has been a great pleasure, and at IDB Solutions we are always looking for ways to add real value for Microsoft Dynamics AX customers. As the press release states, what TDS brings with it's "Datahaven for Dynamics" solution truly helps companies content-enabled processes.

Value is always the goal for myself personally, and for IDB Solutions. Value is more than just a word to us, it is our product & our brand. In short value is truly our focus, and having the pleasure of helping TDS bring their product to the Microsoft Dynamics AX market space shows our commitment to adding value, and to helping customers like TDS succeed with their AX projects.

You can find out more, by visiting our site: IDB Solutions, LLC Website

Stay tuned as I have a whole lot more of Dynamics topics, post, book review and more. Till Next Time!
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Why your Brain needs Vacations

With the summer season upon us, and for those in the Dynamics Ecosystem, the closing of the FY for Microsoft next month, it means go time. Everyone is working on several projects, demmand is hot, and work, work, work is the call.

However, I think all to often, especially in the U.S., we don't put enough value on downtime, and how important that downtime is for our families, and of course our brains.

So check out the following read.: CNN Health: Why your brain needs vacations

"Detaching from a familiar environment can help get new perspectives on everyday life, says Adam Galinsky, professor at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

Consider that when you get advice from a friend, his or her suggestions are often more creative than what you would have decided for yourself -- and scientific studies have confirmed this. That's because your friend has psychological distance from the situation at hand. When you're in the middle of a problem, it's sometimes hard to untangle yourself from it to think about it clearly.

Similarly, many people have epiphanies when they travel because they can view their life back home from a more detached, outsider's view."

Now I know I've directed this at the Microsoft and Partner level, but this is for you the customer as well. Make sure and take time out, plan a vacation, go through with it, and do not work while on it.

So today, everyone stop for a bit, take a break, think about your vacation coming up, and if you don't have one plan one, even for a 3-4 day get away. It's very important to balance life, and this is something that should be considered of high value.

That's all for now, but I will be back with more AX directly related post tomorrow. Here's to the beach, and much deserved vacations!



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Happy Halloween!

Well Halloween, or All Hallows Eve, is upon us! I actually love this time of year, and love carving pumpkins with my girls, telling ghost stories and having fright-fest movie nights.

Something about a creepy good scare to make you laugh and have a good time. With that, ZDNet has post some scare-tech things to watch out for! My fav, is the Smartphone Zombies! 2010 Top Scary Trends in Tech

I would also add to this list hungry tech Ogers!


What I am talking about is the big boys gabbing up and swallowing whole smaller tech companies. There are a lot of factors that is building up to this, but I think you will see this pick up speed, and also even in the Dynamics Ecosystem. With the recent changes to the MPN, it seems as though smaller partners will need to align or get bought by bigger partners to continue to be a player in the ecosystem.

Well hope you all have a fun, safe, scary and Happy Halloween / All Hallows Eve!

I will see some of you, virtaully, on Monday for Decisions 2010, AX day!

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Microsoft Dynamics Reinforces the Dynamic Business Vision at Convergence Europe

Microsoft kicked off its Convergence 2010 Europe roadshow in London this week, where Kirill Tatarinov, corporate vice president, Microsoft Business Solutions, opened the event with a keynote address that reinforced how the company is delivering on its Dynamic Business vision for customers.

Announcements made during the keynote include:

• A new global launch promotion for Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online at a price of $34 (€31) per user, per month for the first 12 months of service


• 22 new markets where Microsoft Dynamics AX for Retail will be available as of Feb. 1, 2011


• General availability of the Microsoft Dynamics ERP two-tier connector that accelerates deployments between Microsoft Dynamics AX across subsidiaries, divisions or branch entities, and SAP Business Suite at the corporate headquarters


• The Environmental Sustainability Dashboard for Microsoft Dynamics AX has been certified by Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), verifying that the reporting of GRI content within the dashboard is compliant with the GRI standards. This recognition makes the Dashboard one of only four software applications and the only midmarket ERP solution with the GRI certification in the software applications category to date.

The roadshow will continue in London tomorrow (Oct 15) and then move to Prague (Oct 18 – 19) and end in The Hague (Oct 20 – 21). For more information regarding these announcements and to join the conversation, please review the full press release below or visit any of the following throughout the event:

• Convergence 2010 Europe Newsroom


• Official Microsoft Blog


• The Edge (the official blog of the Microsoft Dynamics ERP team)


• The CRM Team Blog


• Microsoft Dynamics Community on Facebook


• Twitter: @MSDYNCONV, #CONV10

This is all really great news, and other places have covered some of these topics deeper like the Microsoft Community Site, as well as MSDynamicsWorld.com.

This information is exciting not just for European based companies focusing on Dynamics, but the entire Dynamics Ecosystem world wide. I would like to thank Microsoft for their continued efforts in help growth and foster the Dynamics Ecosystem through events like these.

There are two more great events coming up, as mentioned in my last post AXUG Summit is next week, and also MSDynamicsWorld.com, Fall Decisions 2010 - Dynamics AX day in on Nov. 1st! So a lot is going on, and plenty of places for customers, partners and Microsoft to connect, learn, share and grow!

That's all for now. Hope everyone has a blessed weekend. I will be covering the AXUG summit next week, Tues-Wed, while I am there, so look for that as well. Hope to see some of you there!

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The Dynamics AX Ecosystem

In retrospect of running into people and clients that do not fully understand the model of Dynamics AX, I thought it would be worth while to write, and give a brief understanding of the Ecosystem that is Dynamics AX. So with that said take a look at the following:

Microsoft - Is the owner of the base software package / platform. The base package of Dynamics AX comes with given functionality. They also own and provide the use of the platform peices that help make up a given Dynamics AX deployment. In short they are the platform provider.

Dynamics AX VAR - Value Added Reseller - Sunrise Technologies, Inc. [Sunrise Website] Sunrise, like other VAR's, take and implements the Microsoft solution, platform for a given customer. A VAR will also talior the instance to a given customers needs. In short we are the implementer of the solution.

Dynamics AX ISV - Independant Software Vendor - Sunrise, To-Increase, and more all called ISV's as well. Like Sunrise, To-Increase develops functional add-on's that target given business verticals or micro-verticals. This is built using the Microsoft platform, and is meant to be deployed to offer more 'out-of-box' solution that is targeted to a given type of business. In short a software developer.

So for the customer, they would be contacted, and have contact with a Sunrise / VAR. Sunrise / VAR would then take and run a Dynamics AX implementation project on behalf of the customer. The customer in doing this would purchase software from Microsoft, and possibly an ISV like To-Increase. As part of the implementation Sunrise would ensure that the customers business needs where matched with what is offered out of the box, and develop the futher need specific to the customer.

From there Sunrise would drive the customer to a go live, and Sunrise would support the customer on going. Well I hope this helps, in brief, give some clarity to a world that we consultants assume everyone understands. This is the world we consultants live in, and sometimes we forget that our customers, or possible customers don't fully understand that. In understanding this, a better overall idea of the support, and breadth of knowledge and help that exists for a customer can be better understood and valued.

Check back soon!

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