A clear and interesting post on the next imminent releases of 106 2011 Polaris and Orion by Warren Butler from the preact.co.uk blog.
It will also support Safari on Mac following the December update. We understand Dynamics 106 support with Safari on iOS including iPad will be added in January 2013.
For on-premise customers, the new cross browser capability will be available with Rollup 12 for 106 2011.
This is where the release schedule between 106 on-premise and online begins to change.
As the above graphic shows, Microsoft are separating 106 releases between each edition and they'll lead with the cloud by releasing two annual updates for 106 Online.
Based on feedback from database administrators, Microsoft has changed the release cadence for 106 on-premise to one annual update. 106 rollups will continue to be available approximately every 8 weeks.
Beginning with the Polaris update, some enhancements will be released to Dynamics 106 Online several months in advance of the on premise edition.
Excluding cross browser support which will be available to all 106 users later this year, the remaining Polaris features will be released to on-premise users as part of the Q2 2013 released codenamed 'Orion'.![Microsoft Dynamics 106 Polaris Release]( "Microsoft Dynamics 106 Polaris Release")
This is a new process driven interface for sales and service teams that makes 106 more proactive by guiding users to an outcome when processing leads, opportunities and cases.
In the sales example shown below a lead record is placed in a 4 stage qualification process: Qualify, Develop, Propose and Close. Each these stages is customisable and can be changed as needed.![Microsoft Dynamics 106 Flow User Interface]( "Microsoft Dynamics 106 Flow User Interface")
As well as flattening 106 forms and removing pop-up’s (leads can now be qualified in the same window!) the Flow UI makes 106 a lot more prescriptive to suggest next action steps.
As Denis Michalis, general manager for Microsoft Dynamics stated, "This is not a re-skinning of 106. This is not ginning up a new user interface. This is pulling some information to the foreground, pushing other information to the background, and this is just the beginning."
The Flow UI will be opt-in so 106 users can to transition from the classic interface at a later time after the update is applied.![Microsoft Dynamics 106 Flow User Interface - Qualify Leads]( "Microsoft Dynamics 106 Flow User Interface - Qualify Leads")
The Polaris release will feature extended database administrator capabilities including bulk data load and more 106 support for custom assemblies.
On Premise customers will also gain the Flow UI, Skype integration, Bing Maps and other enhancements from the earlier Polaris release at this time.
Orion updates for Online and On Premise 106 users are scheduled to include:
• Exchange Server Synchronisation – reducing the reliance on Outlook clients to sync 106 activities and meetings on the server side to avoid delays waiting for remote users to sync their local data.
• OWA & MOWA Support – access to Dynamics 106 in Outlook Web Access and mobile app including 'Track in 106' email filing.
• Integrated marketing management - including the first examples of intellectual property from MarketingPilot being applied to Dynamics 106 following its recent acquisition by Microsoft.
• Extended Office 2013 integration
• Advanced Yammer integration
Orion will also feature another new interface with a fresh Windows 8 interface for sales teams.
![Microsoft Dynamics 106 Windows 8 Sales Team Interface]( "Microsoft Dynamics 106 Windows 8 Sales Team Interface")
With an emphasis on an uncluttered interface and using touch and slide controls the new interface will expose more sales data and is designed exclusively for Windows 8 tablets and mobiles.
For each sales opportunity the interface will roll up associated activity posts, feeds and enable all stakeholders to be identified and associated. As part of the process to make 106 more prescriptive and outcome- focused the app is also expected to dynamically recommend next actions steps based on sales stages, earlier opportunities and other factors.
![Microsoft Dynamics 106 Windows 8 Sales Opportunity Interface]( "Microsoft Dynamics 106 Windows 8 Sales Opportunity Interface")
We’ll have to wait a bit longer to find out more but the screenshots alone suggest the app will give mobile sales teams a great new resource to more easily manage opportunities in a crisp and clean interface.
Looking further ahead, Microsoft are planning to deploy similar Window 8 interfaces for service and marketing teams.
In the meantime enjoy the official Microsoft Dynamics promotional video and see the new Windows 8 106 interface in action!
Microsoft has shared more information about their updates for Dynamics 106 including the eagerly awaited cross-browser support.
So what’s up next?
Firstly, the next December 2012 release for all Microsoft Dynamics 106 Online and On-Premise customers will feature multi-browser support to make Dynamics 106 accessible by Chrome and Firefox browsers.
It will also support Safari on Mac following the December update. We understand Dynamics 106 support with Safari on iOS including iPad will be added in January 2013.
106 CROSS WEB BROWSER SUPPORT
For on-premise customers, the new cross browser capability will be available with Rollup 12 for 106 2011.
Rollups are typically released every 8 weeks. As Rollup 11 was published earlier this month we’re expecting to see Rollup 12 available in December.
Microsoft Dynamics 106 Online customers will also gain cross browser support later this year as part of a release with a wider set of updates codenamed 'Polaris'.
This is where the release schedule between 106 on-premise and online begins to change.
As the above graphic shows, Microsoft are separating 106 releases between each edition and they'll lead with the cloud by releasing two annual updates for 106 Online.
Based on feedback from database administrators, Microsoft has changed the release cadence for 106 on-premise to one annual update. 106 rollups will continue to be available approximately every 8 weeks.
Beginning with the Polaris update, some enhancements will be released to Dynamics 106 Online several months in advance of the on premise edition.
Excluding cross browser support which will be available to all 106 users later this year, the remaining Polaris features will be released to on-premise users as part of the Q2 2013 released codenamed 'Orion'.
'POLARIS' RELEASE
DECEMBER 2012
Along with cross browser compatibility the big enhancement in Polaris is a new Flow User Interface that we touched on in an earlier post.
This is a new process driven interface for sales and service teams that makes 106 more proactive by guiding users to an outcome when processing leads, opportunities and cases.
In the sales example shown below a lead record is placed in a 4 stage qualification process: Qualify, Develop, Propose and Close. Each these stages is customisable and can be changed as needed.
A similar interface will be applied to cases guiding service teams through a series of stages from issue identification to resolution.
As well as flattening 106 forms and removing pop-up’s (leads can now be qualified in the same window!) the Flow UI makes 106 a lot more prescriptive to suggest next action steps.
As Denis Michalis, general manager for Microsoft Dynamics stated, "This is not a re-skinning of 106. This is not ginning up a new user interface. This is pulling some information to the foreground, pushing other information to the background, and this is just the beginning."
The Flow UI will be opt-in so 106 users can to transition from the classic interface at a later time after the update is applied.
The Polaris release will also include:
• Microsoft Office 2013 Support
• Yammer integration – introducing enterprise social network integration enabling selected posts to be shared with Yammer users & updates posted in 106 which looks to be a major step up from the 106 activity feeds.
• Skype integration – connect with 106 contacts & leads by Skype from 106 leads and contacts
• Collaborative selling - track decision makers & influencers for leads & opportunities
• Bing Maps - embedded maps dynamically updated to show the address for the current contact
• Create multiple databases - additional 106 Online databases can be created - requires extra subscription
• Yammer integration – introducing enterprise social network integration enabling selected posts to be shared with Yammer users & updates posted in 106 which looks to be a major step up from the 106 activity feeds.
• Skype integration – connect with 106 contacts & leads by Skype from 106 leads and contacts
• Collaborative selling - track decision makers & influencers for leads & opportunities
• Bing Maps - embedded maps dynamically updated to show the address for the current contact
• Create multiple databases - additional 106 Online databases can be created - requires extra subscription
The Polaris release will feature extended database administrator capabilities including bulk data load and more 106 support for custom assemblies.
‘ORION’ RELEASE - Q2 2013
Scheduled for Q2 2013, the ‘Orion’ update will be released to Dynamics 106 Online and On Premise customers.
On Premise customers will also gain the Flow UI, Skype integration, Bing Maps and other enhancements from the earlier Polaris release at this time.
Orion updates for Online and On Premise 106 users are scheduled to include:
• Exchange Server Synchronisation – reducing the reliance on Outlook clients to sync 106 activities and meetings on the server side to avoid delays waiting for remote users to sync their local data.
• OWA & MOWA Support – access to Dynamics 106 in Outlook Web Access and mobile app including 'Track in 106' email filing.
• Integrated marketing management - including the first examples of intellectual property from MarketingPilot being applied to Dynamics 106 following its recent acquisition by Microsoft.
• Extended Office 2013 integration
• Advanced Yammer integration
Orion will also feature another new interface with a fresh Windows 8 interface for sales teams.
With an emphasis on an uncluttered interface and using touch and slide controls the new interface will expose more sales data and is designed exclusively for Windows 8 tablets and mobiles.
For each sales opportunity the interface will roll up associated activity posts, feeds and enable all stakeholders to be identified and associated. As part of the process to make 106 more prescriptive and outcome- focused the app is also expected to dynamically recommend next actions steps based on sales stages, earlier opportunities and other factors.
We’ll have to wait a bit longer to find out more but the screenshots alone suggest the app will give mobile sales teams a great new resource to more easily manage opportunities in a crisp and clean interface.
Looking further ahead, Microsoft are planning to deploy similar Window 8 interfaces for service and marketing teams.
In the meantime enjoy the official Microsoft Dynamics promotional video and see the new Windows 8 106 interface in action!