Post on 28-Dec-2015
description
SAP Business All-in-One vs. Microsoft Dynamics AX Competitive Guide
Page 1 | Microsoft Confidential SAP All-in-One vs. Microsoft Dynamics AX | November 2011
SAP positions SAP Business All-in-One as a set of industry solutions for the mid-market that can be deployed rapidly with
predictable cost.
Note: This document is intended for use only by Microsoft employees and Microsoft Dynamics ERP partners. You may not use, copy, modify, or distribute this guide; create derivative
works of; or otherwise attempt to modify this information, in whole or in part, in any manner or form, for purposes of building a similar or competitive product or service.
Executive Summary
Business All-in-One is a preconfigured version of
SAP’s Enterprise Business Suite, with a templated
implementation program designed to make it
faster and easier to deploy in mid-sized
businesses. It primarily targets businesses with
1,000 – 2,500 employees. SAP All-in-One is
delivered through a channel of about 1,400
partners who collectively offer over 800 industry-
specific configurations of the solution.1
To effectively compete against SAP All-in-One,
avoid comparing features and functions. Such
comparisons divert attention from the key
differentiators of Microsoft Dynamics AX: ease of
use, ease of interoperability, and low cost of
ownership for the application and platform. In
addition to these differentiators, share how
interoperability with Microsoft Office can
accelerate user adoption and provide business
intelligence and collaboration at a low cost.
You should provide research evidence early in
the sales cycle. Several analysts have repeatedly
positioned Microsoft Dynamics AX favorably:
http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/itanalyst/d
efault.mspx. Also use customer evidence of
solution fit, cost savings and ease of use.
1 SAP Business All-in-One solution brief,
http://www.sap.com/sme/solutions/businessmanagement/businessallinone/index.epx
SAP Business All-in-One
This section provides more detailed information
about the SAP All-in-One offering.
Competitor Product Summary
Current version: SAP Business All-in-One has
the same code base as SAP’s flagship product,
SAP ERP 6.0 2 The current release is built on
SAP’s technology stack, NetWeaver 7.0.
The product is available in 50 countries and per
SAP, supports “all major international languages
and currencies.” SAP provides pre-configured
templates and ‘Best Practices’ for 24 industries
ranging from consumer goods to public sector.
License types: SAP offers several types of user
licenses, including Developer, Professional,
Limited Professional, Employee and Employee
Self Service (ESS). Volume discounts may be
offered.
Deployment options: On-premise or hosted
through partners. For details see:
http://www.sap.com/about/newsroom/press-
releases/press.epx?pressid=12479
2 SAP Business All-in-One Press Fact Sheet:
http://www.sap.com/about/pdf/Fact_Sheet_SAP_Busin
ess_All-in-One.pdf
Competitor Value Proposition
SAP Business All-in-One is positioned as “a
single configurable solution to help you manage
everything from financials, human resources,
procurement, inventory, manufacturing, logistics,
product development, and corporate services, to
customer service, sales, and marketing.1
SAP may also claim the following benefits:
Strong Horizontal and Industry-Specific
Functionality including financials, sales, service,
procurement, logistics execution, product
development, manufacturing, human capital
management and business analytics
functionality, along with 800 industry-specific
configurations provided via its partners.
Rapid Implementation based on industry best
practices. SAP’s Fast Start Program offers
preconfigured, preinstalled software and
hardware solutions designed to save customers
time, effort and money. SAP will promote the
program as being based on best practices
learned from thousands of industry-specific
implementations.
Increased visibility from integrated analytics
that help uncover business risks and
opportunities.
Scalable solutions in terms of both functional
depth and performance to grow and scale along
with the business.
Page 2 | Microsoft Confidential SAP All-in-One vs. Microsoft Dynamics AX | November 2011
Microsoft Key Proof Points
Simple: The intuitive user interface of Microsoft
Dynamics AX can enhance usability and reduce
learning curves and training costs. Microsoft’s
RoleTailored design enables people to access
just the information they need, where and when
they need it.
See Business Productivity Whitepaper for
Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009:
https://mbs.microsoft.com/partnersource/marke
ting/marketingcollateral/whitepapers/mdaxbusin
essproductivitywhitepaper.htm and
Designed to Enhance Productivity:
https://mbs.microsoft.com/partnersource/marke
ting/marketingcollateral/whitepapers/msdx_ax20
09businessproductivity.htm
Furthermore, Microsoft’s Self-service Business
Intelligence (BI) provides self-service access to
information and analytical tools to improve
productivity and reduce demand on valuable IT
resources. Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 BI and
Reporting includes more than 800 Microsoft SQL
Server® Reporting Services reports, 11 SQL
Server Analytics Server data cubes, and
enhancements to the framework. Some self-
service BI exists within SAP but customers often
need to deploy SAP Business Warehouse which
requires its own server, database, and security
scheme.
See Empower Your People with Self-Service BI:
https://mbs.microsoft.com/partnersource/marke
ting/marketingcollateral/whitepapers/msdax_20
09empowerpeopleselfservicebusintel.htm
Powerful: Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 offers
proven scalability, robust functionality out of the
box and rich, prebuilt, industry-operational
functionality for manufacturing (process,
discrete, and lean), distribution, retail, public
sector and service industries.
Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 has benchmarked
performance of 5,200 users and one million lines
per hour across 10+ workloads.
https://mbs.microsoft.com/partnersource/deploy
ment/documentation/whitepapers/ax2012_benc
hmarkpapers.
With Microsoft Dynamics AX, users can quickly
configure and activate out-of-the-box workflow
templates without the need for IT/developer
assistance. The Graphical Workflow Editor
enables drag-and-drop functionality for
workflow creation. Work Item Queues help users
control what they work on and load balance
across the team when necessary. Encourage the
prospect to have SAP demo their workflow
capabilities and compare the ease with which
workflows can be defined.
Agile: Microsoft Dynamics AX offers a unique
model-driven, layered architecture that
accelerates software development, requiring less
coding than building from scratch and easing
maintenance and upgrades. Unified, natural
models make modeling simple businesses fast
and easy and yet still provide the richness and
flexibility to represent the most complex
organizations.
Highlight the pre-built interoperability with the
Microsoft Application Platform, including
Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 and Visual Studio
2010, and other Microsoft technologies such as
Microsoft Office 2010 and Microsoft SharePoint
2010. This allows developers to spend less time
on technical interoperability and compatibility,
and increases the breadth of developer
resources available to ISVs.
Where appropriate, discuss Microsoft’s cloud-
based services that are cost-effective, easy to
deploy and use, and interoperate fully with your
existing on-premises or hosted Microsoft
Dynamics AX implementation.
Promote Microsoft Dynamics AX as a cost
effective two tier solution in divisions and
subsidiaries of large corporations using SAP at
the headquarters. See
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics/erp-
two-tier.aspx for more information.
Use analyst reports such as Gartner’s Magic
Quadrant for ERP for Product-Centric Midmarket
Companies,http://www.gartner.com/technology/
media-
products/reprints/microsoft/vol10/article22/artic
le22.html) or The Forrester Wave: Order
Management Hubs, Q3 2010
(http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/itanalyst/d
efault.mspx) to establish credibility and
demonstrate industry support for Microsoft.
Point out the cost-of-ownership advantages of
Microsoft Dynamics. Use analyst and customer
evidence as well as tools such as
http://www.microsoft.com/global/en-
us/dynamics/RichMedia/ErpBenefitsCalc/indexA
X.html and
http://nucleusresearch.com/microsoft-roi-
support-center/ to show the rapid return on
investment (ROI) that Microsoft Dynamics AX
can provide to customers.
Page 3 | Microsoft Confidential SAP All-in-One vs. Microsoft Dynamics AX | November 2011
How Microsoft Wins
Meeting Core Business Requirements
Companies invest in ERP to gain a competitive
edge. As a result, meeting customers’ functional
requirements is extremely important.
While you should highlight product fit, avoid
comparing features and functions. Instead, focus
on the ability to solve business problems
through the capabilities of Microsoft Dynamics
AX, Microsoft Office and Microsoft SharePoint®.
Strong core and industry-specific functionality, a
broad portfolio of specialized vertical solutions,
and interoperability with Microsoft collaboration
technologies can help customers realize a faster
time to value through faster implementation
times and broad user adoption.
Enhancing Industry Solutions
Lead the discussion with the Microsoft strategy
of providing customers with the right solution
for their specific industries. Be sure to highlight
your partner firm’s experience in the target
industry. Then highlight how Microsoft
implements this strategy:
Offer a strong product base with broad
horizontal functionality and industry-
specific extensions to provide out-of-the-
box functionality for large vertical
segments.
Encourage and certify applications
developed by the Microsoft ISV community,
which has deep industry knowledge to
complement the features and functions of
Microsoft product pillars.
The ability to combine capabilities from multiple
industries for one customer is increasingly
important—manufacturers often manage their
own distribution and sometimes operate their
own direct retail operation, and large numbers
of customers in all industries have segments of
their business that operate with the project
structure of service industries. Microsoft
Dynamics AX 2012 industry capabilities make the
power of this functionality available to all
customers.
Improving BI and Decision Making
SAP has a strong BI offering through its
acquisition of Business Objects. Knowing that
SAP will be highlighting its BI assets as part of
the sales cycle, you should proactively discuss BI
as well. Microsoft Dynamics AX delivers self-
service reporting and BI capabilities that can
help companies quickly access data and reduce
requests to the IT department for reports and
information.
Business intelligence must be an embedded part
of the application, not a separate tool that
requires users to take extra steps and switch
contexts. Rich, embedded BI is at the core of
Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 with:
More than 30 Role Centers shipped out of
the box
11 SQL Analytics Server Cubes behind
those Role Centers
Key performance indicators tailored to each
process and role based on those cubes
Over 800 out-of-the-box reports, all
delivered through SQL® Server Reporting
Services
Rich interoperability with Microsoft Excel to
surface report output and enable analysis
Standards-based data interoperability with
PowerPivot for ad hoc slicing and dicing
InfoParts providing in-context BI fully
embedded throughout the Microsoft
Dynamics AX 2012 user experience
Focusing on Innovation
Microsoft invests stongly in research and
development for Microsoft Dynamics AX,
including a well-defined road map that focuses
on innovation, collaboration, and productivity—
all so that customers can implement the solution
quickly and see a fast return on investment. For
more information, see the Microsoft Dynamics
AX Statement of Direction:
https://mbs.microsoft.com/partnersource/marke
ting/statementofdirection/statementofdirection
Position Business All-in-One as not
appropriate for mid-sized companies.
SAP offers a SaaS ERP product, Business
ByDesign, which targets companies with 100 to
1000 employees. SAP positions All-in-One for
companies up to 2,500 employees. So, in effect
these two products overlap with companies
below 1000 employees. Raise the question
whether All-in-One is appropriate for companies
below 1000 employees.
See
http://www.cio.com/article/593969/SAP_Co_CEO
_Business_ByDesign_is_Not_a_Fantasy_ and
http://www.sap.com/usa/sme/solutions/business
management/comparebm/index.epx
Page 4 | Microsoft Confidential SAP All-in-One vs. Microsoft Dynamics AX | November 2011
Top Questions for SAP
Customers should ask SAP the following
questions about difficult or expensive issues that
customers considering SAP might face:
1. How many organizations like mine have
used Fast Start? Is the methodology really a
template with predefined processes and
configurations? How will the implementation
be affected (in terms of time and cost) if I
deviate from your best practices?
2. Does All-in-One and SAP’s enterprise
product, ERP 6.0, share the same application
code set? If so, what truly differentiates the
two solutions?
3. During the demo, customers should verify
what is being demonstrated. Is it out of the
box SAP All-in-One, or are additional SAP
components like SAP Business Warehouse,
SAP Enterprise Portal or SAP CRM playing a
role in the demo? Also, ask what added
functionality is provided by the partner via
customization.
4. How many full-time equivalents (FTEs) do
these products require to maintain and
support on-going changes?
5. What level of integration with Microsoft
Office does All-in-One support out-of-the-
box?
Handling Objections
This section provides common objections that
SAP may give as reasons to choose its solution
instead of Microsoft Dynamics AX.
SAP Claim: Microsoft Dynamics AX is more of a
midmarket solution and is not appropriate for a
large, complex business.
Microsoft Response: (Do not get lured into a
feature/function comparison against SAP. Focus on
the specific needs of the prospect.)
Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 supports the unique
requirements for businesses in 36 countries—all
from a single-instance deployment of the
software. Multiple currencies, multiple time zones,
multiple languages, and compliance with multiple
banking and reporting standards and legislative
codes give you the global coverage that you
require.
Furthermore, Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 has
benchmarked performance of 5,200 users and 1
Million Lines per Hour across 10+ workloads.
https://mbs.microsoft.com/partnersource/deploy
ment/documentation/whitepapers/ax2012_bench
markpapers
Case studies of customers with 1,000 – 4,000
employees using Microsoft Dynamics AX are
available at
http://www.microsoft.com/casestudies/Case_Stud
y_Advanced_Search.aspx
SAP Claim: Microsoft requires a number of third
party or ISV solutions to provide a complete
offering.
Microsoft Response: Microsoft Dynamics AX
offers robust core functionality out of the box,
with over 1,000 new features and enhancements
in Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012. Microsoft also
uses ISV solutions to bring deep industry
expertise to customers. Business partners who
specialize in specific industry solutions provide
rich insights and leading-edge business expertise.
SAP Claim: Microsoft Dynamics AX offers too
much flexibility, making compliance a challenge.
Microsoft Response: By actively managing a
balance between compliance requirements and
agile business practices, organizations can
minimize risk, increase operational efficiency, and
successfully build a foundation on which to grow.
Microsoft Dynamics AX Managing Compliance,
https://mbs.microsoft.com/partnersource/marke
ting/marketingcollateral/whitepapers/MDAXMan
agingComplianceWhitepaper and
Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012: What's New -
Compliance and Internal Controls,
https://mbs.microsoft.com/members/elearning/
dynamicstrainingcert.aspx?courseid=249223&th
eme=partnersource
SAP Claim: SAP’s Fast Start Program reduces the
risk, time, and cost of implementing the solution.
Microsoft Response: Microsoft Dynamics
RapidStart and Sure Step offer a scalable,
repeatable methodology for implementing
Microsoft Dynamics, helping partners reduce the
risk, time and cost of implementation.
Page 5 | Microsoft Confidential SAP All-in-One vs. Microsoft Dynamics AX | November 2011
Customer Success Stories
Kapstone Paper and Packaging Corp.
http://www.microsoft.com/casestudies/Microsoft
-Dynamics-AX/KapStone-Paper-and-Packaging-
Corporation/Acquisition-Company-Supports-
Growing-Operation-with-ERP-and-SOA-Saves-
Millions/4000009108
Integrated Silicon Solution, Inc., (ISSI)
http://www.microsoft.com/casestudies/Microsoft
-Dynamics-AX/Integrated-Silicon-Solution-Inc.-
ISSI/Fabless-Manufacturer-Gains-Visibility-into-
Global-Operations-with-Centralized-ERP-
Solution/4000007433
Ridley
http://www.microsoft.com/casestudies/Microsoft
-Dynamics-AX/Ridley/The-Right-Supply-Chain-
Decision-Saves-Animal-Feed-and-Nutrition-
Provider-1-Million/4000004023
Additional Resources
SAP Compete on Partner Source
https://mbs.microsoft.com/partnersource/sales/ma
rketing/competitiveinformation/SAPCompete.htm
Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 – A New
Generation in ERP (White Paper)
http://download.microsoft.com/download/8/7/6
/876FA255-57F8-447C-98B9-
FA5D5BC2C3B1/Microsoft_Dynamics_AX_2012-
NewGenerationinERP.pdf
What’s New in Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012
http://download.microsoft.com/download/A/9/8
/A98A616C-82A7-493B-9DF0-
5F2DE5223955/Microsoft%20Dynamics%20AX-
2012%20-Preview-small.pdf
Statement of Direction for Microsoft Dynamics
https://mbs.microsoft.com/partnersource/marketin
g/statementofdirection/StatementofDirection.htm
Microsoft Dynamics RapidStart Services
https://mbs.microsoft.com/partnersource/deploy
ment/resources/productreleases/MSDY_Rapid_St
art.htm
Analyst Reports on Microsoft.com
http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/itanalyst/d
efault.mspx
Give us your feedback!
Click the following link to provide feedback on
this competitive guide:
http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/WEB22AVJ6
DTYVY