Directions US: NAV 2015 is coming October 1st!

I must be getting old. There were conventions I reported about every session .. during the session. But now I don’t seem to find any time to start reporting anything anymore :-/.

We’re day two already at NAV Directions 2014 in San Diego .. so there has been already quite some content.

NAV 2015 is announced to be released in the beginning of October.

Not only NAV 2015 is announced .. but Microsoft also shared content. LOTS of content. You must have read a lot about it, because the (social) media is already full of it. Like:

• http://dynamicsuser.net/blogs/vanvugt/archive/2014/09/15/directions-us-2014-nav-2015-general-availability.aspx
  
• http://msdynamicsworld.com/story/microsoft-dynamics-nav-2015-general-availability-set-october
  
• http://www.tvisiontech.co.uk/NAV2015_FirstGlimpse
  
• http://www.androidpolice.com/2014/09/12/microsoft-releases-dynamics-nav-android-app-enterprise-adoption/
  
• …
  

Basically, Microsoft Dynamics NAV development is based on three pillars:

1. Quick to Implement
   
2. Easy to Use
   
3. Power to Support
   

What does that mean? Well, let’s start with the new upgrade-possibilities, like the new merge-commandlets and the new data-upgrade-tools. I personally have been working with the merge-tools a lot .. and yes .. I really believe we are coming closer to “easy upgrade” scenario’s. Scenario’s where we actually can follow, implement these cumulative updates very regularly. This clearly belongs to the “quick to implement” pillar.

In the “Easy to Use” .. definitely the most interesting new feature is the new tablet client. Most probably the first tablet app ever that offers such rich (full) ERP functionality. We got the opportunity to download the app from the store, register for our own tenant at 1CLickFactory .. and experiment with the app. So cool! Really something to look out for in the near future.

Next, as already announced, creating document report designs with word really got a lot of positive feedback. Finally an alternative for making able that customers can change reports without having to change objects .. and in an easy, familiar way.

Those were, in my eyes, most important. There are obviously more additions to this new release .. actually quite a lot .. but I’m going to be short about them (as said – I’m getting old ;-)):

• Expressive tiles
  
• Mandatory fields
  
• Power BI
  
• Microsoft Social Listening
  
• Cash Management
  
  • Really liked this as well – though it’s nothing technical. I hope it works for Belgium as well 😉
    
• Simplified pages
  
• …
  

MVP Best Practices Track

One of the new session tracks at Directions is the “MVP Best Practices Track”. Not that it’s because it’s done by MVP’s, but I like the “best practices” part. Really. 7 years ago, I attended my first directions. And if there is one thing that I remember from it what keeps me coming back is that I valued the sessions that were NOT done by Microsoft most. Listening to Microsoft what they are doing and focusing on is interesting .. but listening to how other partners are using the product, are doing development, are solving specific problems .. is VERY helpful in many cases for my job. I was so happy that there is a specialized “best practices” track now .. and it really is good! I attended almost all of them. The only thing in my opinion: it’s miss-scheduled. What I hope is that they schedule it next to the ISV sessions instead of next to the Microsoft sessions .. which are hard to compete with, because for many people, events like this are the only opportunity to interact and listen to the Microsoft program managers .. . They will tell you what’s in the product and how to use it .. the Best Practices track can tell you .. yeah .. well .. about “Best Practices”, right? But how to understand the best practices, when you don’t know what’s in the product? You should get the chance to attend both ;-).

My Sessions

May be one reason why I have difficulties to find time for blogging .. is that I’m having 3 sessions during this event (say what?? – yes .. that was also my reaction :-)). And I have done my first: “In total command with PowerShell”, where I tried to explain why people should go deeper into the PowerShell possibilities, what we do with it, why it’s important and how to start. I guess it went quite OK, although my very last demo went wrong. But no problem .. tomorrow, in the “App is the new Role Center” session, I’ll repeat my demo. :-). Obviously in the context of “apps” ;-).

Signing out now .. because I need quite some work together with Gary to prepare for that.