It is with great pride that I can announce that we have released the next version of Microsoft Dynamics Mobile on PartnerSource. It is really exciting that we are now making this available for all our Microsoft Dynamics Partners.
With this release we will support:
- Microsoft Dynamics NAV 4.0 SP3
- Microsoft Dynamics NAV 5.0 SP1
- Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0 SP1
- Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0 SP2
We are releasing in 2 packages, one for the Microsoft Dynamics Mobile - Mobile Development Tools, containing the Server and Framework Components and one for Microsoft Dynamics Mobile - Mobile Sales. You should note that the Server components and Mobile Sales integration objects are already included as part of Microsoft Dynamics NAV 5.0 SP1 so a separate installation of these objects is not necessary. Also, the documentation is packaged in one installer covering all products.
I am adding here a comment from Product Management whom has really been looking forward to this release:
Put Microsoft DynamicsTM into the Hands of the People Who Need it Most
Did you know that only 15 percent of a company's employees actually use their business management system? And that they are the people furthest from the action. With Microsoft Dynamics Mobile, you can give your customer's mobile employees direct access to their Microsoft Dynamics solution. Give them what they need, at their fingertips, when they need it. Let them check product availability, update key figures, and process orders - fast and easy. Microsoft Dynamics Mobile software powers advanced, easy-to-use Windows Mobile ®-based devices that help organizations with field sales, mobile professionals, mobile service technicians or support staff to drive increased productivity, open new business opportunities and to reduce costs.
We make it easy for our partners. We provide a scalable, extensible mobile platform that makes use of your customer's existing Microsoft infrastructure. You can either resell mobile applications from Microsoft, starting with Mobile Sales. Or develop new, tailor-made applications for your customers using the Mobile Development Tools. We help you mobilize your Microsoft Dynamics solution so you can expand and grow your business.
With the new release of Microsoft Dynamics Mobile, available from March 2008, Microsoft Dynamics partners will now have the opportunity to use Microsoft Dynamics Mobile - Mobile Development Tools to build end-to-end solutions for Microsoft DynamicsTM NAV and Microsoft DynamicsTM AX as well as other Microsoft Dynamics business management systems, create vertical applications quickly, and reduce the application development time for mobile implementations. Components of Microsoft Dynamics Mobile are also included in the release of Microsoft Dynamics NAV 5.0 SP1.
The Microsoft Dynamics Mobile release also contains Mobile Sales, which is the first mobile application for Microsoft Dynamics NAV and Microsoft Dynamics AX from Microsoft Dynamics Mobile. Mobile Sales is RoleTailored and task-oriented and an ideal solution for field sales representatives and other mobile employees who need to work in remote locations. The field sales representatives can plan visits, review relevant sales information, and create orders. Microsoft Dynamics Mobile is localized for Microsoft Dynamics NAV in 29 countries and for Microsoft Dynamics AX in 28 countries.
"Mobile Development Tools will accelerate delivery of mobile applications to customers around the world, making it easier for today's mobile workforce to access critical business information from their Microsoft Dynamics applications," said Mogens Elsberg, General Manager, Microsoft Dynamics ERP solutions at Microsoft.
There are now 26 days until the release of Microsoft Dynamics Mobile 2008! The team is working really hard on completing the work and is looking forward to shipping this product. The main theme of the release is integration to Microsoft Dynamics NAV 4.0 SP3 and 5.0 SP1. With this expansion, we believe that we enable a lot more of our customers with the ability to start working with these cool things.
The last steps towards release is stabilization, where we focus on quality assurance and meeting all requirements of releasing software. We believe that we have a very stable product! We have chosen to incorporate Mobile Sales Tasklets into our Mobile Framework to make it complete. This way, we provide a toolset that lets you focus on only the Mobile Framework if you wish to develop your own applications. We are also conducting the last reviews of our documentation so that we can better provide help and support.
This last phase is very focused and the team is highly motivated as to get this out of the door. We will release on PartnerSource on March 31, 2008.
We have also started to work on the next release and I can share with you that we are very excited. We are currently in the scoping phase but the release will without a doubt broaden our implementation. We will keep you posted!
Convergence 2008 Orlando will begin in just a little more than a week. You will be able to see our technology first hand in 9 unique session, and we'll also be present with 2 stands at the Microsoft Product Pavilion. Feel free to stop by and interact with us - we really value your feedback.
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Session Details |
Track |
Skill Level |
Session Type |
|
CRM106 Microsoft Dynamics CRM: Equipping Your Mobile Workforce
Business doesn't stop when you leave the office, and neither should your ability to access the right information at the right time. You'll learn how Microsoft Dynamics CRM mobile/offline solutions can fit businesses of all sizes. We'll discuss key scenarios for mobile/offline use across roles and functional areas, including sales, marketing and service. We'll highlight customers using these solutions across a wide range of applications and verticals. |
Microsoft Dynamics Mobility; Microsoft Dynamics CRM |
Introductory |
Concurrent Session |
|
IDMOB01 How Do I Get Started on Mobility?
Do you want to start to develop and implement mobile business applications but don't know how? During this session, you'll be able to talk with experienced Microsoft partners who have successfully developed and implemented a wide range of mobile solutions with their customers. Topics covered in the session will include: mobile opportunities, recommended partner and customer skills, best practices for partnering and mobile training. |
Microsoft Dynamics Mobility |
Intermediate |
Interactive Discussion |
|
IDMOB02 Is Microsoft Dynamics Mobile Something I Should Consider?
Do you want to learn if you should consider deploying a mobile solution? How would you know if it makes business sense? At this session, you can talk to the team behind Microsoft Dynamics Mobile and set the agenda. |
Microsoft Dynamics Mobility |
Introductory |
Interactive Discussion |
|
MOB01 Saving Money and Increasing Productivity with Microsoft Dynamics Mobile
In this session, you'll learn how to take greater advantage of your Microsoft Dynamics solutions by extending their reach to more of your employees by using mobile applications. You'll learn the benefits of deploying a mobile business application in your organization and the factors that should influence your decision. |
Microsoft Dynamics Mobility |
Introductory |
Concurrent Session |
|
MOB01R Saving Money and Increasing Productivity with Microsoft Dynamics Mobile (Repeat)
In this session, you'll learn how to take greater advantage of your Microsoft Dynamics solutions by extending their reach to more of your employees by using mobile applications. You'll learn the benefits of deploying a mobile business application in your organization and the factors that should influence your decision. |
Microsoft Dynamics Mobility |
Introductory |
Concurrent Session |
|
MOB02 Using Windows Mobile and Microsoft Dynamics Together
During this session, you will learn: why Windows Mobile is a top platform for mobilizing the Microsoft Dynamics platform, what's new with Windows Mobile 6, the latest devices coming to market and an overview of System Center Mobile Device Manager. This session will include specifics detailing the advantages of using Windows Mobile Developer Tools to develop and run successful Microsoft Dynamics applications. |
Microsoft Dynamics Mobility |
Introductory |
Concurrent Session |
|
MOB03 Leveraging Microsoft Dynamics Mobile to build RoleTailored applications - Part 1 (Client)
Have you heard that developing mobile applications requires a lot of work? Have you seen Mobile Sales, and are wondering how to use the same technology to build your specific applications. In this double session we'll introduce you to the product, while we build a new RoleTailored application for a fictitious demo company and integrate it into the company's ERP system. In these sessions you will get a clear view of what it takes to build a mobile solution for your company. |
Microsoft Dynamics Mobility |
Advanced |
Concurrent Session |
|
MOB04 Mobilize Your Sales Force Using Microsoft Dynamics Mobile
Is managing your field sales employees tough and often inefficient? Help boost the productivity and efficiency of your mobile employees by enabling them to perform their tasks while "on-the-go" - and get the results directly into your Microsoft Dynamics solution. This session will demonstrate how you can reconfigure the Mobile Sales client as your needs evolve and how these changes can be quickly deployed to mobile users. |
Microsoft Dynamics Mobility |
Intermediate |
Concurrent Session |
|
MOB05 Leveraging Microsoft Dynamics Mobile to build RoleTailored applications - Part 2 (Server)
Have you heard that developing mobile applications requires a lot of work? Have you seen Mobile Sales, and are wondering how to use the same technology to build your specific applications. In this double session we'll introduce you to the product, while we build a new RoleTailored application for a fictitious demo company and integrate it into the company's ERP system. In these sessions you will get a clear view of what it takes to build a mobile solution for your company. |
Microsoft Dynamics Mobility |
Advanced |
Concurrent Session |
|
NAV16 Going Mobile with Microsoft Dynamics NAV
During this session, you'll learn about extending the value of your Microsoft Dynamics NAV solution to your mobile workforce. The session will focus on using the mobile application framework to create mobile applications that can easily integrate to Microsoft Dynamics NAV. |
Microsoft Dynamics Mobility; Microsoft Dynamics NAV |
Intermediate |
Concurrent Session |
Looking forward to seeing you in sunny Florida!
With each Microsoft Dynamics Mobile product release comes documentation, which is subsequently made available in the MSDN Library. Between product releases, updated and more exhaustive documentation may be released to PartnerSource and made available as updates to the MSDN Library. To date, two documentation updates to version 1.0 of the Microsoft Dynamics Mobile products have been released to PartnerSource, and the latest of these is available in the MSDN Library at Microsoft Dynamics Mobile Development Tools Documentation
Our client product is built using .NET Compact Framework v2, which therefore needs to be on the device in order for the applications to run. We're also leveraging SQL Server 2005 Compact Edition (aka SQL Server Compact v3.1 aka SQL CE 3.1) for data storage. The procedure for getting these bits on the device differs depending on the version of Windows Mobile - and it is not completely obvious. We've had several requests from customers and partners in regards to this, so I've made this matrix to explain the process.
| OS version |
Instructions |
Windows Mobile 5.0
(Pocket PC and Pocket PC Phone) |
Install .NET Compact Framework 2.0
The device .CAB can be found within the .MSI located here. We have both SP1 and SP2 in our test matrix, but we always recommend taking the latest service pack. The NETCFv2.wm.armv4i.cab can be found in %program files%\Microsoft.NET\sdk\CompactFramework\v2.0\WindowsCE\wce500\armv4i after running the .MSI. Copy the file to the device and install.
If you want to get in depth error messages on the device from .NET Framework, either in English or a localized, you would also need to install a version of System_SR_[language]_wm.CAB (System_SR_ENU_wm.CAB for English). These files live in the %program files% \Microsoft.NET\SDK\CompactFramework\v2.0\WindowsCE\Diagnostics. Pick the one you need, and copy to device for installation. Installing this might help you in diagnosing connectivity issues.
Install SQL Server 2005 Compact Edition
The needed device .CAB's can be found within the .MSI located here. After installing jump to the %program files%\Microsoft SQL Server Compact Edition\v3.1\SDK\bin\wce500\armv4i folder on the machine where you’ve executed the .MSI and copy sqlce30.ppc.wce5.armv4i.cab and sqlce30.repl.ppc.wce5.armv4i.cab to the device and install. |
Windows Mobile 6.0
(Classic and Professional) |
Windows Mobile 6.0 comes with our pre-requisites loaded, so please do not try to install any of the .CAB files above on the device. The only reason for doing so is if a needed service pack is issued. |
Please note that we do not support Windows Mobile 2003 SE and older, nor do we support any version of Windows Mobile on Smartphone.
And then you might ask, what if I plan to have SQL Server 2008 running in the back-office? Or what is the story behind the different version numbers?. Our good friend Laxmi from the SQL Server Compact Edition team has a very good post outlining cross-connectivity.
For Microsoft Dynamics Mobile 2008 we've made it easier to connect a mobile application to an ERP system of your choice. Part of the work has been to implement out-of-the-box server connectors for Microsoft Dynamics NAV 4.0 and 5.0, on top of what we already had for Microsoft Dynamics AX. But we've also gone the extra mile and written a white paper that describes the work involved in building your own server connector.
As a key part of the mobile architecture (as shown below), the server connector facilitates the communication between mobile client and the business solution. The design and implementation of the server connector varies from business solution to business solution.
A server connector is a fairly simple .NET type implementing the IServerConnector interface. The white paper discusses this and the other things you need to know in order to design and implement your own back-end connection, including security, idempotency, and more. Get the document and read for yourself.
We're very much looking forward to receiving your feedback!
Friday we released a pre-release version of Microsoft Dynamics Mobile 2008 on Partnersource. The release contains loads of new features and enhancements, the most important being integration with Microsoft Dynamics NAV. With the summer 2007 release we started with integration to Microsoft Dynamics AX and there is no doubt the new release will enable us to reach more partners and customers.
The team has worked hard for this release and despite a very short release cycle (just 7 months after the last release) have been able to develop a lot of amazing features. We really look forward to get feedback on the release and hope that our customers share the excitement.
Dear reader,
I am very excited to be here in the age of “blogging” with a team of super passionate and engaged colleagues that are eager to jump on to the “blogosphere“.
The Microsoft Dynamics Mobile team live and breathe mobile solutions. The goal for us is to give access to Microsoft Dynamics products from mobile devices by providing a familiar and flexible mobile solutions platform.
In July 2007 we released version 1.0 of Microsoft Dynamics Mobile Development Tools that enable partners and customers to develop and customize mobile applications for Microsoft Dynamics solutions. The tools consist of a Mobile Framework that is an extension of Visual Studio where developers quickly can create mobile applications from reusable components called tasklets and Mobile Server that provides the infrastructure to connect the business application with Microsoft Dynamics.
In July 2007 we also released Microsoft Dynamics Mobile Sales. Mobile Sales is a RoleTailored and task-oriented solution (http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/newsroom/dynamics/mobilesales.mspx).
It is an ideal solution for field sales representatives and companies handling direct store delivery options. Mobile Sales consists of a range of reusable tasklets that can also be used within the Mobile Framework to develop new mobile solutions.
There is no doubt that the mobile Line of Business (mLoB) domain will grow exponentially in the coming years like we are seeing in the consumer space.
We believe that the Mobile Development Tools and mobile business applications from Microsoft Dynamics will help partners and customers grow and utilize their existing systems fully.
We have taken the first steps towards integrating and leveraging the first existing business management solutions, namely Microsoft Dynamics AX and are planning to release for Microsoft Dynamics NAV this spring 2008. Furthermore, we are investigating opportunities to expand to other Dynamics products such as Dynamics GP and Dynamics CRM.
In this blog we would like to share small and big thoughts about what we do, what we struggle with and any other stuff that we (and you) find interesting. We would like to get closer to our community and help spread the word about how important mobile is and how cool our solutions are.
We really hope that you will share your comments with us and that you also will find the mobile domain to be as fascinating as we do.
Thank you in advance for making this blog an interesting place to visit and please let us have your comments.
Thanks
Regards
Bjarne