Moving from Dynamics AX to D365 Finance & Operations
If you still run Dynamics AX 2009 or AX 2012, the move to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations (F&O) is a decision about more than software. We help you choose the right path and deliver it, with people who have worked on the product since AX 2.5.
In short: Whether to upgrade or reimplement when moving from Dynamics AX 2009 or AX 2012 to D365 Finance & Operations depends on your system, your data and how much your business has changed. We help you choose the right path and deliver it.
Still on AX 2009 or AX 2012
Many companies have run AX reliably for years. The system works, the team knows it, and the customizations reflect how the business operates. So the move keeps getting postponed.
Over time, the costs of waiting grow. Infrastructure ages. People who understand the old customizations leave. New capabilities, including Copilot and other AI features, arrive in the cloud product rather than in AX. Integrations with modern systems become harder to build and maintain.
None of this means you must move tomorrow. It does mean the decision deserves a clear, senior view of your options.
Life-science company on AX? D365 F&O for life-science companies
Upgrade or reimplement: an honest comparison
There is no single right answer. The best path depends on your system, your data and how much your business has changed since AX went live.
Upgrade
For AX 2012, Microsoft provides an upgrade path that carries code and data forward into D365 F&O. An upgrade can make sense when:
- your processes still fit how the business runs today,
- your data is in good shape and the history matters, and
- your customizations are well built and still needed.
Even then, an upgrade is not a simple copy. Customizations must be rebuilt as extensions, because D365 F&O does not allow the overlayering AX used. Integrations, reports and security usually need rework.
Reimplement
A reimplementation starts from a clean design in D365 F&O and brings across the data you need. For AX 2009, the solution is usually rebuilt in D365 F&O, because its customizations can't be carried forward as code. Reimplementing can also be the better choice on AX 2012 when:
- your processes have changed significantly since AX went live,
- standard D365 F&O features now cover much of what you customized,
- your data quality or structure needs a reset, or
- you want to change your chart of accounts, legal entities or other core structures.
How we help you decide
We look at your current AX system: customizations, integrations, data, reports and how people use it. Then we lay out the options, with the trade-offs for each, in plain language. You decide with a clear picture, not a sales pitch.
How we approach data migration
Data migration is where many moves from AX run into trouble. We treat it as its own workstream from the start.
Decide what to move.
Agree on which master data, open transactions and history the business actually needs.
Map and cleanse.
Map AX data to the D365 F&O structures and define the cleansing rules.
Build the scripts with AI assistance.
AI helps us write and check the cleansing rules and scripts. The scripts then run on your data inside your environment. Your business data never leaves your environment, and AI never processes the data in your database.
Rehearse.
Run trial migrations until loads are complete and repeatable.
Reconcile.
Check migrated data against AX with your finance and operations teams before cutover.
A senior person reviews every script before it runs.
We know where AX came from
Our team has worked on the product since AX 2.5, through AX 4.0, AX 2009 and AX 2012, to today's D365 F&O. Across our careers, we have worked on more than 50 AX and D365 projects. When we review an AX 2009 or AX 2012 system, we understand why it was built the way it was. That matters when you decide what to keep, rebuild or retire.
The team you meet is the team that stays. We don't rotate people off your project, and everyone we assign is dedicated to it. We stay until your system is ready. The partners who start your project are the partners who finish it.
Questions about moving from AX
Can we upgrade directly from AX 2009?
AX 2009 customizations can't be carried forward as code, so the solution is usually rebuilt in D365 F&O, while your data can be migrated. Microsoft's tooling for AX 2009 has changed over time, so we'll check the current options against your system before recommending a path.
Do we have to rebuild all our customizations?
Not necessarily. Some are no longer needed because standard D365 F&O now covers them. The ones you keep must be rebuilt as extensions. We help you sort them into keep, rebuild and retire.
How much history should we bring across?
Usually less than people expect. We agree with your finance and operations teams on what is needed for daily work, reporting and audit, and plan how the rest stays accessible.
How long does a move from AX take?
It depends on the path, the number of legal entities, the scope of customizations and the state of your data. We'll give you a realistic view once we've seen your system, not before.
Our upgrade is already under way and struggling. Can you help?
Yes. Our one-week health check gives you an independent view of where the project stands and a plan for what comes next.
Where do we start?
With a free intro call. Tell us about your AX system and your plans, and a partner will suggest a sensible first step.