As we're embarking on our next major milestone with the R2 release of Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012, I would like to share a preview of the innovations being delivered in the R2 release with the Microsoft Dynamics community. Throughout the next few months we’ll be posting a series of blogs to disclose the added business value, new functionality and enhanced industry capabilities we’ve built into this release to enable our customers to run dynamic businesses.

We are grateful for the enthusiastic response we received from our customers and partners throughout the past year after we launched Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012. It is encouraging to see how Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 helps our customers and partners successfully manage their day-to-day business on a global basis across multiple industries. Enhancing our customer’s ability to solve business priorities was our primary motivating factor when we defined the key priorities and focus areas we wanted to accomplish in the R2 release. We will continue to deliver the value and innovation our customers look for, and are pleased to share a few highlights from the upcoming R2 release:

• New functional capabilities for our focus industries - we're continuing to expand the functional capabilities to help customers address specific business issues and improve their operations
• Improve business insights for all users – a key priority for us over the past few releases, we believe that improving insight in context to the work being done will improve productivity
• Simplifying international operations – reduce complexity within companies spread across the globe and those organizations that increasingly operate their business throughout multiple countries
• Continued focus on simplifying the application lifecycle for IT operations

I would like to invite everyone in the Microsoft Dynamics community to join us October 22 – 25, 2012 at the 2012 Microsoft Dynamics AX Technical Conference being held at the Meydenbauer Convention Center in Bellevue, WA where we will disclose Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2 in full detail. It’s a unique learning opportunity to attend more than 30 in-depth breakout sessions hosted by the team that build the product. In addition, you’ll have access to focus rooms with our industry experts, be able to meet our solution architecture team and have an opportunity to learn from your peers in the Dynamics community through the sharing of best practices. To learn more information about the conference or sign-up to attend, click here

What we've achieved together so far in building dynamic businesses on a global basis is exciting. Where we're headed is even more exciting!! Stay tuned, and look for the blogs that will highlight all the cool new features in Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2 in the months to come.

/Kees