What's new in AX 2012 - Flash news 3 (Comparison of AX 2012 with AX 2009)

Changes in terminologies: (Please, let me know, if you have questions on my interpretations. I tried my best to be easily understood, with reference of AX 2009 wherever possible)

 

What is in AX 2009?	How is it in AX2012?
Item dimension – Configuration, size & color	Product dimension – Configuration, size & color
Item type – BOM, Service, Item & Formula	Product  type – Item & Service (Defined @ global level) Product sub type – New field in AX 2012 – to define whether or not the product is configuration enabled. If the product contains at least minimum of one dimension, then it must be created with Product sub type – Product master.
There is no product subtype equivalent functionality in AX 2009	Product sub type – Product & Product master Product – Any item created @ global level without product configurations. This is unique per instance. (It does not have product dimensions – Configuration, size & color defined.) Product master – Any item created @ global level with a minimum of one product dimension defined.
All items are created independently in the Item details form for each company. If it is an intercompany item, a company item number is created and associated for each item, thus, enabling the intercompany purchase and sales. However, associating the company item is an optional setup in AX 2009.	Each item is created as Product in the All products and product master form with or without product dimensions defined. (I would say, this is equivalent to creating a record in Company item form in AX 2009.) Consequent to this change, Inventtablecompany table no longer exists in AX 2012) Products are then released to individual legal entities (i.e., companies) in AX 2012. The released products are called “items” in AX 2012 and they are available in Released products form upon release from the All products and product master form.   If the user tries to create an item directly in the Released products form (which is fairly possible), he must define the product number and product name together with item number, Item name, Search name, Item model group, Storage & tracking dimension groups and Units. So, a product is also getting created simultaneously in All products form, when an item is created in the Released product form.   Separate number sequences can be set (or maintained manually) for both products and items in the Product information management and Inventory and warehouse management modules respectively.   In AX 2012, in general, any item you create, is an intercompany item.
Inventory Model Group	Item model group
Dimension group	Divided into three groups: Product dimension – Configuration, size & color Storage dimension – Site, Warehouse, Location & Pallet ID, Tracking dimension – Batch Number, Serial number   Note: Product dimension is at the global level, while the storage & tracking dimensions are at the legal entity level.
Product type (This field is available in AX2009, only if you have installed process industries add-on, You guys can check this field availability in Bimetal instance)	Production type (This field has become part of standard AX.
Product type – Planning item, Co-product, By-product & None (Guys worked with Process add-on are familiar with this field, as it is not part of standard AX)	Production type – Formula, BOM, Planning item, Co-product, By-product & None   By default – an item will be created with the production type – None.
Locked in journal (in COA)	Do not make manual entry (I welcome this change, as there is no ambiguity now)
BOM Line type – Production	BOM Line type – Pegged supply
Separate forms for Batch orders & Production orders	Only one form for both under Production orders – But, you have distinct buttons to create the respective orders in the Action pane.
FastTabs & Action buttons were not there.	FastTabs & Action buttons are introduced, to have feeling of Microsoft Office 2010
Multi-site planning – You can perform site-specific or company specific planning.	You can perform multi-company planning together with multi-site planning.

 

Following things are new in AX 2012

 

1.       A new model called moving average has been introduced in Item model group

2.       Item group is no longer a mandatory thing for creating or saving an item in the Released product. However, the AX system shall throw an error, when you make the actual inventory transactions, if you have not specified the item group until then.

3.       You have the flexibility to have different storage and tracking dimension groups across the legal entities. It means that an item can be batch number controlled in one company and it can be released without batch number controlled in another company. (Comprehensively, this is not a new thing, as this is fairly possible in AX 2009 too.)