If you’ve been part of the Dynamics world for a while you may have noticed a pattern. GP, AX, NAV… they are all widely used and discussed tools. Conferences all over the country (and world) have sessions and talks about them endlessly. I was at the Microsoft World Partner Conference this year and there was a Dynamics table set up with signs and a person behind each to aid you. I went down the row and saw: GP…AX…NAV… and that was all. I thought to myself “something is missing” and then it dawned on me, Dynamics SL was not represented.
“This must be a mistake,” I thought to myself. So, I inquired with the team sitting behind the table. When I asked where SL was there were a few eye rolls, some telling smiles, and a few chuckles. The woman in charge simply replied “No SL,” as if I just should have known. Where is the love for SL?
I hear it all the time… “SL is going away, MSFT isn’t developing it and will sunset it,” or “SL doesn’t have the function that the other ERPs have,” and “No one uses SL”. Let’s take a deeper look at these 3 statements.
- Dynamics SL isn’t going anywhere. Microsoft has a roadmap of continued updates, development, and support through 2021 and beyond. This is just as long as all other Microsoft Dynamics products. In fact, SL 2015 is set to release next month. Also, for someone to say that Microsoft has not or will not develop SL further is simply not true. On the contrary SL is the only Dynamics ERP product written in Microsoft code (.net). The rest of the Dynamics ERPs are still in their native language, for instance GP is written in Dexterity, AX is in X++, and NAV is in C/AL.
- Each of the Dynamics ERPs are very different. If they were all the same there would be no point for Microsoft to spend the time and money updating each one. So to say that SL does not have the same functionality as the others is grossly misleading. SL has much of the same functionality and covers all basic accounting functions. It also adds in the project accounting modules which the other ERPs do not have.
- SL is the “old man” of the Dynamics ERPs with its inception beginning in 1980. It has a worldwide presence and a very large following in the US and UK. In fact over 13,000 organizations use Dynamics SL as their ERP. In addition, SL has state-wide user groups, a large annual user group conference, and a large presence at Microsoft Convergence, which over 12,000 people attended last year. To say that SL does not have a large presence could not be further from the truth.
Dynamics SL is just as viable an ERP as the rest of the Dynamics ERPs. So where is the love? Well, the new version is set to release next month and the hype is already palpable. GP, NAV, and AX releases are so blasé that there is no excitement around them anymore. The SL users and partner are excited for this next release, they can’t wait! I would say that the SL users are the liveliest bunch in the Dynamics community and with Microsoft recognizing this there are big things on the horizon for SL. Make sure to follow up with KTL Solutions as I discuss the new and upcoming changes for SL 2015 when they are released!
To contact Mary about your SL needs or to talk about the new and upcoming changes to SL 2015, call 301.360.0001 or email sales@ktlsolutions.com. We are always here to help and spread our knowledge!
MARY CHARUHAS | Junior Business Development/Internal Sales
Mary Charuhas has been with KTL since 2013, starting as a sales intern in the summer of 2013 and moving to Business Development and Internal Sales in the spring of 2014. She is currently pursuing her Associates Degree in Business Management from Frederick Community College and hopes to continue her education at the University of Maryland next spring. Mary also possesses several Microsoft Dynamics and Acumatica Cloud ERP Sales certifications. Mary assists the sales team in finding new and exciting opportunities. She also manages KTL’s existing customers through providing them with ongoing knowledge of the products, assisting them with upgrades and continuing projects, keeping them informed about updates/new releases, events, and training opportunities. Her charisma and passion for providing excellent customer service make her a valuable asset to KTL’s sales department.
