Satya Nadella - CEO, Microsoft
Microsoft has launched Dynamics 365, bundling its CRM and ERP solutions into one new Cloud platform, giving the vendor new ammunition against industry rival Salesforce.
Redmond said the offering has been purpose-built with apps specific to business functions spanning financials, sales, operations, marketing, project service automation and customer service.
All apps include built-in insights, predictive intelligence and workflow optimisation that can be delivered with offline capabilities and can be independently deployed, allowing businesses to pay for only what they use.
Revealed overnight, Microsoft said Power BI and Cortana Intelligence will also be natively embedded in the platform, creating an integration between Dynamics 365 and Office 365.
As an example, sales representatives can access automatic predictive cross-selling opportunities.
The vendor has also launched AppSource, a new marketplace where third-party developers can build and distribute their own apps.
Currently, it includes more than 200 business Software-as-a-Service apps that have been developed by early partners.
“We imagine a better world for business users everywhere,” Microsoft corporate vice president of Microsoft Cloud and enterprise, Takeshi Numoto, said.
“One where you can track leads, automate field service, drive sales and improve operations using modern, mobile, enterprise-ready intelligent business apps from the Cloud that are as easy to use as the consumer apps that help us all get rides, book rooms, listen to music and take actions to improve our health.”
Numoto said Microsoft Dynamics 365 will be available later this year, and is designed to be independently deployed.
“That means you can start small and pay only for what you need,” Numoto. “Yet they work together seamlessly so, as your business demands, you can grow into additional capabilities with ease.
“They include built-in insights, predictive intelligence and workflow optimisation, all of which will be delivered through simple, easy-to-use, mobile experiences with offline capabilities.”
