Enhancements to modules or feature areas that are included in cumulative update 7

Recently Microsoft Release the third cumulative update for Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2 (CU7). The build number of this cumulative update package is 6.2.1000.4051, this update not including only cumulative hotfixes for Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2, I tis also includes new features for the application business processes:
 The enhancements that are addressed in this cumulative update include the following:

Module or feature area	What’s new	More information
Accounts payable	New options for configuring workflows for vendor invoices.	What's New: Accounts payable features (http://technet.microsoft.com/EN-US/library/aaa4e957-c34c-4f42-8b2f-3a1441aef71a.aspx)
Accounts receivable	External documents can now be sent as email to a customer or vendor by using the email address that is specified by the address purpose field. Any report can be sent as email to an internal employee by using the worker title.	What's New: Accounts receivable features (http://technet.microsoft.com/EN-US/library/809645f2-1669-4ac7-96af-88df3ae69162.aspx)
Budgeting	• You can create a budget plan worksheet template for Excel by using a wizard in Microsoft Dynamics AX. • The budget allocation process is easier, because you can use ledger allocation rules for budgets. • Budget planning workflows can be set up so that they can’t be accidentally deleted or reset. • Budget planning workflows can be set up so that they require a parent budget plan. • You can specify whether budget planning user groups (XDS policies) are used for budget planning. You can also specify the number of associated budget plan lines to include when budget plans are exported to Excel. • You can view worksheet and justification documents from the Budget plan page in Enterprise Portal for Microsoft Dynamics AX. • The process of creating a budget plan from an existing budget plan is enhanced.	What’s new: Budgeting (http://technet.microsoft.com/EN-US/library/09b2d1e5-92a0-4d32-bc24-c01b47d523b6.aspx)
Fixed assets	• You can now transfer more than one fixed asset at the same time. • The acquisition cost of fixed assets can include a miscellaneous charge amount. • The process for acquisition proposals or depreciation proposals for fixed assets can now be run in a batch process.	What’s new: Fixed assets (http://technet.microsoft.com/EN-US/library/74ee3d99-ba02-4483-b50f-fe5c109e0f69.aspx)
General ledger	• An Excel template for journal entries is included on the virtual machine for demo data. • More understandable posting messages for journal lines that have errors in the account combination. • Delete an unposted journal that contains lines. • View advanced rules for a main account. • Easier dimension setup for Excel integration. • Display dimensions in a specified order in Management Reporter.	What's New: General ledger features (http://technet.microsoft.com/EN-US/library/1162f17e-46b7-4b40-8fbe-7f6626e79634.aspx)
Human resources	• (USA) New preparation reports available to help make it easier for employers to complete mandatory human resource reports. • Changes to the forecast positions area . • You can require additional details when worker information is entered or changed, and optionally enable workflow.	What's new: Human resources features (http://technet.microsoft.com/EN-US/library/8977e864-f121-4031-9a75-a9af53fbe074.aspx)
Inventory and warehouse management	• New On-hand entries cleanup batch job can be used to delete unused entries for serialized on-hand inventory, helping to improve the performance of queries for on-hand inventory. • You can combine two or more inventory batches into a new or existing batch. • Added new Role Center for costing and inventory valuation.	What's new: Inventory and warehouse management features (http://technet.microsoft.com/EN-US/library/6ccdf51b-3fb1-410b-8c7f-3e9446466a25.aspx)
Payroll	• You can mass update benefit rates for workers. • Tiered contribution calculation rates for retirement benefit plans. • Create and update payroll tax groups. • (USA) Preparation of regulatory compliance reports for payroll. • Separate positive pay statements for Payroll bank accounts.	What's new: Payroll (http://technet.microsoft.com/EN-US/library/f7d33a7c-61c3-4313-871c-9756b62f74d1.aspx)
Procurement and sourcing	• Financial dimensions can be specified on sales agreements or purchase agreements. • A Totals FactBox is added to the Purchase orders list page.	What's new: Procurement and sourcing features (http://technet.microsoft.com/EN-US/library/7c8d311d-a6af-47c8-8012-fc5a9d5136dd.aspx)
Product information management	You can determine prices using a product configuration model.	What's new: Product information management features (http://technet.microsoft.com/EN-US/library/44620561-2b42-4a4d-99f6-c952b74de93d.aspx)
Production control	Case management functionality is enhanced for documenting and releasing product changes to production.	What's new: Production control features (http://technet.microsoft.com/EN-US/library/91bc99f6-4530-4fa1-8617-96e767ad0e1d.aspx)
Project management and accounting	• Use Microsoft Project to create or update a Microsoft Dynamics AX project plan, and integrate with an Office 365 SharePoint project site. • Use Microsoft Project to create or update the work breakdown structure (WBS) for a Microsoft Dynamics AX project quotation. • Create a WBS template for Microsoft Dynamics AX by using Microsoft Project. • Expanded support for working with project teams, defining project role types, and managing projects. • Expanded support for managing worker assignments and capacity in projects. • Enable audit trails on timesheet entry and reporting. • Improved management of project tasks in a WBS. • Improvements for creating WBS templates for project tasks. • Intercompany pro forma invoices for project costs.	What's new: Project management and accounting features (http://technet.microsoft.com/EN-US/library/7f974cb1-fe38-4a96-a931-568cc0676ce3.aspx)
Public sector	• French public sector commitments functionality is no longer tied to the French country context or require the primary address of the organization to be in France. They can now be enabled for all countries and addresses through a combination of Budgeting parameter and Public sector license configuration key. • You can now dispose of more than one fixed asset at the same time.	What's new: Public Sector features (http://technet.microsoft.com/EN-US/library/7b00bf89-5448-433c-98f9-14e82c39d027.aspx)
Retail	• Prompt for a reason code when the cashier opens the cash register drawer without performing a sale transaction. • You can post store transactions from statements based on the end of the business day instead of the calendar day. • You can use a new statement method to calculate statements by shift. • Passwords can now be changed and reset in Microsoft Dynamics AX for Retail POS. • Cashiers can view additional customer account information in Retail POS. • POS supports Trade Agreement prices by serial number.	What's new: Retail features (http://technet.microsoft.com/EN-US/library/6e6b8efb-ba6d-4825-b938-502fc8fc7d0b.aspx)
Sales and marketing	You can calculate the sales price of an item by using an attribute-based pricing formula.	What's new: Sales and marketing features (http://technet.microsoft.com/EN-US/library/2725b7ec-718a-49cb-bb68-0fe8fd6dd271.aspx)
Backup and recovery	We have added functionality for backup and recovery for cumulative update 7 for Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2.	What's new: Backup and recovery (http://technet.microsoft.com/EN-US/library/94bd9f02-cd04-44bf-82f2-32ebfae1e6b5.aspx)
Data import, export, migration	As of cumulative update 7 for Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2, the Data Import/Export Framework is shipped as part of Microsoft Dynamics AX instead of as an add-on. If you have not installed cumulative update 7, the Data Import/Export Framework is available from the InformationSource services download page (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=255246) . For detailed information about the Data Import/Export Framework, see the Data import/export framework user guide (DIXF, DMF) (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj225591.aspx) .	What’s new: Data import, export, and migration (http://technet.microsoft.com/EN-US/library/e40e65fa-681a-4980-838a-96f0b856fb4d.aspx)
Office Add-ins for Microsoft Dynamics AX	Improved performance when you use the Office Add-ins. A new Validate dimensions button helps you locate and correct financial dimensions that were entered incorrectly or that are suspended.	What's new: Microsoft Office add-in features (http://technet.microsoft.com/EN-US/library/30d87b6c-448c-4523-b020-63614776816d.aspx)
Reporting	• Sales taxes and ledger accounts can be reconciled more easily. • Performance is improved for tax reporting. • You can post of sales tax amounts for intercompany transactions to either the source legal entity or the destination legal entity.	What's new: Reporting (http://technet.microsoft.com/EN-US/library/f09d8fb3-b3eb-48e2-9285-22217a06037c.aspx)
Sales tax processing	• Sales taxes and ledger accounts can be reconciled more easily. • Performance is improved for tax reporting. • You can post of sales tax amounts for intercompany transactions to either the source legal entity or the destination legal entity.	What's new: Sales tax processing (http://technet.microsoft.com/EN-US/library/d25a2392-a067-4109-a6c8-c9b286f50c09.aspx)
Update installation enhancements		Apply updates and hotfixes

To download cumulative update 7 for Microsoft Dynamics Ax 2012 R2 go to the following link:
https://mbs2.microsoft.com/Knowledgebase/KBDisplay.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;2885603

A Shift to Effective Demand Forecasting With Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R3

Demand forecasters increasingly want systems that combine simplicity and agility, yet are powerful enough to handle a high volume of transactions. The forecasting systems in high demand are those that are intuitive, complement existing user knowledge and capabilities to do more with less, and are flexible enough to adapt to changing marketplace requirements.
Organizations require powerful tools for analysis – not simply more raw data – so their users will have the right information, delivered at the right time and in the right format. In today’s business environment where IT investments are routinely scrutinized, business applications must not only enhance user efficiencies and drive overall business improvement – there also must be a solid ROI associated with the investment.
A good tool will significantly improve a planner’s ability to successfully meet customers’ needs while minimizing inventory carrying costs, which is always important to manufacturers.
Demand Forecasting With Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R3
When we release Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R3, we are planning to include a lightweight, yet powerful demand forecasting tool that enables users to forecast demand based on historical data, adjust the forecasted demand, and import the values into Microsoft Dynamics AX forecast models. By design, Microsoft Dynamics AX utilizes the basic concepts of gathering the historical data, taking that data and generating a statistical forecast based on that demand, and then giving the user the ability to easily make changes to those forecasting recommendations in Microsoft Excel.
Microsoft was able to utilize several of its existing solutions in order to create new functionality that will handle the demand forecasting requirements of our customers. As a result of utilizing familiar Microsoft technology, demand forecasting will be a cost-effective solution. To generate the baseline forecast, we rely on the power of Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services. To visualize the forecast, adjust the forecast, and view or create new KPIs, we rely on the extensive functionality of Microsoft Excel.
What’s the Value Proposition?
We’d like to share with you a few of the proposed demand forecasting capabilities slated to be in Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R3:

• Works Seamlessly with Microsoft Products

Demand forecasting will leverage Microsoft Dynamics AX2012 R3 in such a way that there is no need for data migration and integration (as long as you keep your historical transactions in the Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R3 database).

• Familiar Tools

Planners can use a familiar Microsoft Dynamics AX user interface to determine the historical data range and parameters of the algorithm applied. You can read more about the forecasting methods and the parameters available here and more about time series forecasting in SQL Server Analysis Services here.
The forecast itself is provided in Excel and can be easily manipulated by the planner. Equally important, users running Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R3 on SQL Server Standard Edition will not have to upgrade SQL Server in order to use demand forecasting. However, there are certain performance benefits for companies running SQL Server Enterprise Edition or SQL Server BI Edition. These advantages occur because processing data mining models run in parallel in SQL Server Enterprise/BI edition.

• Flexibility In Processing

Microsoft Dynamics AX2012 R3 will offer the capability to perform forecast at any order penetration point in the supply chain. Demand forecasting for Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 builds upon this functionality and offers the ability to forecast both dependent and independent demand.

So How Does It Work?
The key to the effectiveness of demand forecasting is in the way it works seamlessly with Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R3, Excel, and SQL Server Analysis Services. The demand forecast generation starts inside Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R3. This forecast is quantity based and can be generated at different levels: item allocation key, released product variant, warehouse, customer, and by geographical area. Historical transactional data from the Microsoft Dynamics AX database is gathered and populates a staging table, which is then fed into a SQL Server Analysis Services mining model.

Inside the mining model, SQL Server Analysis Services time series forecasting methods are used to calculate a baseline forecast. The parameters for the forecasting methods are set in Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R3. Changes made to the demand forecast and historical data from previous iterations are also made available in this demand forecasting cube.
In order to view and modify the baseline forecast, Microsoft Excel is used to connect to the demand forecasting cube. Any manual adjustments made must be published back to the cube before they can be imported into Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R3. Notice at any time there is only one demand forecasting cube, hence only one version of the forecast exists. This will give planners confidence in knowing they can trust the system.
After the manual entries/adjustments to the forecast are made in the demand forecasting cube, the adjusted forecast is imported back into Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R3 and used in forecast plans. The planner can use the generated forecast with the Master Planning capabilities in Microsoft Dynamics AX. Now, the production planners (or purchasing department) can leverage this valuable information to do their jobs. The key to this demand forecasting process is that it is executed in an intuitive, user-friendly environment which utilizes the power of Excel, allowing the user to quickly and easily update the data.
This simple design approach allows the systems to interact seamlessly while allowing the user to work in a familiar environment:

• Microsoft Dynamics AX – to determine product family, algorithm parameters and range of historical data
• Microsoft Excel – for usage, sharing and adjustment of the forecast

Microsoft Dynamics AX: Delivering Excellence
Delivering excellence is not just about providing best of breed functionality. It’s also important to make sure that you meet the individual needs of users while doing so within a reasonable budget. The design approach that we’ve taken with the planned demand forecasting functionality in Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R3 not only provides great functionality, but also utilizes existing Microsoft platform components (SQL Server and Excel) that most customers already use. With this demand forecasting functionality users are able to leverage historical data available in Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R3. This data is then turned into forecasting recommendations by applying advanced forecasting algorithms available in SQL Server Analysis Services. Finally, users are able to view and manage all of this data through a user-friendly and familiar work interface with Microsoft Office Excel. This “One Microsoft” approach helps customers achieve a low Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) while also providing a common platform and common user interface that makes for a quicker and more successful user adoption.
Using the demand forecasting functionality in Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R3, demand forecasters will be able to work in a system that is powerful enough to handle intense planning requirements placed on them while trying to predict future demand needs. They will have a tool with a user-friendly interface that is agile enough to adapt to the ever-changing business environment they live in where demand variability is the norm. This is an environment where Demand Planners will succeed and the manufacturing organization as a whole will benefit – an environment where they meet and surpass customer needs while minimizing inventory carrying requirements

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