Dynamics C5 2014 | Welcome MiniApp

Ok, I guess it is officially announced now as you can read in Erik’s post.

http://dynamicsuser.net/blogs/admin/archive/2013/09/23/welcome-to-the-microsoft-dynamics-c5-2014-users-and-professionals.aspx

Although it is hard to find english content and many people probably have questions, let me share what I know about C5 2014 and NAV 2013R2.

Most annoucements of C5 2014 are danish as you can see if you google it. That’s simply because it has always been a danish local product. Like we have exact in the Netherlands and Quickbooks in the USA.

With this release Microsoft has decided to merge the products C5 and NAV. That meaning C5 will still be called C5 but uses the NAV core to run on.

One of the questions Erik rises in his post is what functionality Microsoft will offer with C5. Although I cannot firmly answer that question I can make a good guess.

Usability has always been an issue with Dynamics NAV or Navision. The product is 80-95 procent finished and Microsoft expects partners to add the missing 5-20 percent. (Some add more).

So if you want to merge a product like C5 which is usable out of the box, you cannot use NAV without making it more usable. To Microsoft has the issues of usability of the base products that many partners have had for the last years.

If you have a chance to download NAV 2013 R2 (many of you will have that chance soon when it is released) you should find new objects called “Mini *Something*” and a new Role Center called Small Business.

This role center provides access to the “Mini App” which is a simplified way of using NAV for small businesses.

As for myself, I have been using this featurepack for my own accounting in the last six months and it is great.

Let me show you some examples

1. Creating Customers and Vendors

When I create a new Sales Invoice, I do not have to select an Invoice number, the system generates it for me. And when I select a customer that does not exist, it asks me if I want to create this customer

If I say yes, it asks me what sort of customer I want to create

This is just a small example

2. Statistical Information

When opening the Customer Card You can directly access information about the customer with visual support

Now this post can be a mile long if I start describing all the functionalities in the Mini App but I hope you get the message.

I am extremely exited about this new feature pack and I hope that this will be launched outside of Denmark soon.

Until now the features have been shipped with NAV 2013 R2 CTP builds so I expect that also all NAV partners can benefit from this investment.

Design Patterns

This new way of creating features in Dynamics NAV (C5) requires a new way of thinking. New Design Patterns.

In Antwerp on NAVTechDays there will be a session about the new design patterns that will show best practices on how to program in NAV (C5) to realize a new user expecience.

Good luck to all the C5 partners and welcome to our community!