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Microsoft Dynamics AX vs SAP ERP comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Jan 12, 2025

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Categories and Ranking

Microsoft Dynamics AX
Ranking in ERP
5th
Average Rating
7.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
55
Ranking in other categories
Activity Based Costing Software (3rd)
SAP ERP
Ranking in ERP
2nd
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
104
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of February 2025, in the ERP category, the mindshare of Microsoft Dynamics AX is 6.4%, up from 6.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SAP ERP is 20.2%, down from 22.7% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
ERP
 

Featured Reviews

SherifAnter - PeerSpot reviewer
The sales and distribution modules are robust, and reliable, and seldom encounter issues
In GP, there are certain features like financial reporting that aren't part of the core GP package. Users might need to install additional components for these features. For example, there's a reseller product called Management Reporter, but many users would prefer to have the reporting capabilities integrated within GP itself, rather than relying on external tools. The manufacturing module in GP is quite basic, and those who require more advanced manufacturing capabilities often turn to third-party modules or tools. Additionally, you might be aware that in 2028, GP is expected to reach its end of life. Microsoft has already ceased selling GP to new customers. It's essentially the same product, but this marks the final year for GP's availability.
Srinivasan Kuppuswamy - PeerSpot reviewer
The amazing, robust framework with unlimited scalability earns its #1 status
The solution is not ready for the current e-commerce environment. Its was built for large enterprises who need to predictably optimize their human, material, and financial resources. ERP has evolved and businesses are changing. There are not many large corporations. Most are small enterprises with the capabilities of large enterprises through networking and platform integration. Some companies promote products but get things done with other enterprises as a network. Companies do not want to create new capacity but want to leverage existing capacity with innovative products. They do not want to spend resources on duplicating capacity or facilities. I do not think any ERP product is ready to support this environment so ERPs as a whole might end up being used for back-office functions only. It is not easy to evolve an ERP product because its intent is to integrate functions and processes within an organization. Whereas, in the new business model, processes are not limited to one's own enterprise but cut across different enterprises. There is no enterprise solution as this point in time for the current e-commerce environment so companies must integrate with many solutions.

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"The accounting and inventory management features are valuable."
"If anyone is familiar with Microsoft products then they can handle it easily."
"We're using the solution for financial modules, specifically focusing on consolidation, financial configuration, management reporting for warehousing, sales. Most of the features of Microsoft Dynamics AX are good. The overall structure and functions are great. The solution is stable. The initial setup is straightforward."
"I am impressed with the tool's vendor collaboration. It is also easy to connect with third-party applications."
"It was an okay solution when we delivered hardware and we had to do maintenance."
"The stability is very good."
"It is stable, suitable for businesses, and covers all business needs."
"Dynamics AX is very simple to use."
"We like that we have real-time dashboard views."
"It is the best solution in the class of ERP products."
"The most valuable features of SAP ERP are its stability, industry-specific package, and adaptable configuration."
"SAP ERP is one of the most well-integrated solutions with all of the applications in my company, making it one of the most advantageous traits of the product."
"SAP ERP's interface is pretty easy nowadays, as it has evolved over time and has been made as user-friendly as a person would like it."
"The solution provides good production planning."
"This is a robust solution with a lot of control measures."
"The stability and performance are good."
 

Cons

"Microsoft Dynamics AX could be improved by having more features available. We are going to 365 now, to use all the modules, because we found that there weren't many new things we were able to develop with AX. There were a lot of things that weren't available, so we are moving and integrating other things. The customization of upgrades should also be faster. We would also like to see more security features."
"The implementation was completed within one month."
"The database requires a huge CPU and memory resources."
"They should include some modules related to solving customer problems or resolving support tickets from our customers — like a help desk for ERPs."
"Microsoft Dynamics AX needs to improve its support and the developer experience. Developing and programming are more complex. Automation and integration with other apps should be simplified."
"The user interface could be better."
"AX does take some time and maintenance."
"The manufacturing module in GP is quite basic, and those who require more advanced manufacturing capabilities often turn to third-party modules or tools."
"ERP could use better integration with other systems."
"It is not flexible for the users. SAP works in a specific way, and the users and the processes have to adapt to the way it works. It is hard to customize it to the level that we need for our work. It is not easy to get new extensions for process functions, modules, or activities."
"It is a little difficult to use."
"Technical support is an area that is in need of improvement."
"It needs a more complete guidance with complete processes. Right now, it only has single transactions."
"The initial setup of SAP ERP is complex and it took a lot of time."
"Implementing SAP ERP can be very costly, particularly for smaller organizations with limited resources."
"It has a high cost."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The price of the solution is high."
"We pay for licensing yearly to use Microsoft Dynamics AX."
"The product's pricing is expensive. The tool costs 210 USD per user for one month."
"The platform's price offering is good."
"The yearly licenses are priced okay."
"The product's license is expensive. My company is located in a region where we have to pay the most for the tool due to our currency and inflation scenario."
"The price of the solution could benefit from being less expensive."
"One client was looking at a $5M SAP proposal and we got AX in just under $2M, and they were very happy with it as they have several sister companies that face $500K SAP upgrades/maintenance seemingly annually."
"When you have a solution that is stable, reliable, and has a high performance as this solution, the price is going to be expensive. However, when you evaluate the service you are paying for the cost is quite reasonable for this solution."
"There is an annual subscription for the use of SAP ERP."
"Licensing can vary, but for educational institutions, there are often favorable conditions."
"We pay annually for the use of this solution."
"I rate the product's price a seven on a scale of one to ten, where one is cheap, and ten is expensive. SAP ERP is a costly tool."
"Some components are available at an additional cost, depending on the type of contract that you have."
"The licensing costs are slightly on the higher side. They need to make it more competitive."
"My company makes early payments towards the licensing costs attached to the product. There are no additional costs apart from the charges paid toward the subscription-based license offered by SAP."
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Comparison Review

it_user110085 - PeerSpot reviewer
Feb 1, 2015
SAP All in One vs. Oracle E-Business Suite vs. Microsoft Axapta
We put together an ERP evaluation for 3 proposed solutions. The top 3 packages considered for detailed evaluation – SAP All in One, Oracle E-Business Suite, Microsoft Axapta. The Key Criteria used for Evaluation are as follows: A. Functional Fit to meet current Business Requirements B…
 

Answers from the Community

VC
Mar 15, 2021
Mar 15, 2021
For starters, I would stop comparing tools, and start looking at my business and what I want to achieve. So identify objectives and what's blocking achievement, define quality outcomes for the obejctives you want to achieve and build your businesscase on efficiency improvement. What earnings, savings, benefits are achieved when meeting your obectives.Based on the blocking issues you identified...
2 out of 5 answers
GH
Jan 25, 2021
I think Panorama Consulting Group publishes some of their ERP shootouts comparing SAP/Oracle/Microsoft with Infor thrown in as a bonus.  Our firm is more of a boutique operation that compares internal company requirements then picks software known for its propensity to work well in those industries/environments. But if you get to the stage where you need some guidance on who some of the top partners and resources are for those software packages, hit us up. 
DR
Mar 11, 2021
Do you want to do it for a specific purpose or to tick a box?  Lets assume you are looking for system deployment. I would focus on the key areas of your business rather than what Gene has listed below, which is looking at point for point comparisons. (The Panorama report is SUPERB for getting up to speed....) Then look at weighting for specific key business differentiation opportunities - such as single global instance for multiple companies, integrated CRM into Finance and Operations, off-line capabilities for customer facing processes, seamless transfer of customer conversations from one channel to another. Then ask for client references to answer 5 key questions: - Are they live? - how was the deployment support from the OEM/partner and what was the % work split required to go live (as in your input vs partner vs OEM) - how many customisations were requried to achieve xxx (your key areas) - would they use the OEM again and what would they change going forward Then look at demonstration from the OEM and costing for the solution I would not go on a tender for each and every feature and function because we assume world class solutions have these typical areas covered. Happy to discuss how to do this practically if required. Daniel@liferocksconsulting.co.za
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
15%
Manufacturing Company
11%
Retailer
6%
Financial Services Firm
6%
Manufacturing Company
14%
Computer Software Company
12%
Retailer
6%
University
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with Microsoft Dynamics AX?
It is no longer supported from a security perspective, so it is not getting updated. Other than that, before it became obsolete, it did its job, and there were not any major complaints. However, it...
What is your primary use case for Microsoft Dynamics AX?
Right now, we are moving to a new ERP platform. It is in the cloud, and because of that, the cloud pushes updates every quarter, which could technically break our products. We are looking into an a...
Is Anaplan better than SAP ERP?
There are different aspects of both Anaplan and SAP ERP that I like and dislike. Anaplan improves forecast accuracy and drives up the quality of analytics. Rather than spending all of their time co...
What do you like most about SAP ERP?
The solution has made the most significant impact on our human resources function, specifically in HR operations and HR analytics. One feature of SAP ERP that I found most valuable is its use of co...
What needs improvement with SAP ERP?
There is a need for improvement in the business analytics aspect in financial reporting and also in sales and marketing analytics.
 

Also Known As

Dynamics AX, Axapta, MS Dynamics AX
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

ConQuaestor, D & H Distributing, Sunny Queen, Mesa Associates, Britax Childcare, Ibema, Arafa, Sabo S.p.A.
B&G Manufacturing, Unilever, Life is good Inc., Joy Global Inc., City of Cape Town, Bhopal Municipal, Corporation (BMC), adidas Group, Butcher & Packer Supply Company, Franklin Valve L.P., Evoshield, Prime Meats, a Norsan Group company, EMC Corporation, Varian Medical Systems Inc., FC Bayern Mªnchen AG, AkzoNobel Chemicals B.V., T¾V Rheinland, Pacific Drilling S.A., Fire & Rescue New South Wales, University of Amsterdam, Pa_alon S.A.
Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft Dynamics AX vs. SAP ERP and other solutions. Updated: January 2025.
837,501 professionals have used our research since 2012.