What's new: Products

Article
11/29/2021

Important

This content is archived and is not being updated. For the latest documentation, see Microsoft Dynamics 365 product documentation. For the latest release plans, see Dynamics 365 and Microsoft Power Platform release plans.

Applies To: Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R3, Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2, Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Feature Pack, Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012

In Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012, new products can be defined and released to individual companies. Additionally, an item is now always based on a product definition. In Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009, you could create items without using a formalized definition process.

Overview

Item	Description
Required	Conditionally required. If you are using this feature in an earlier version of Microsoft Dynamics AX, significant changes have been made, and you must review this topic.
Feature areas affected	Inventory management Product information management
Stakeholders	Business decision makers Technical decision makers Implementation team members Independent software vendors (ISVs)/developers Partners

Required

Conditionally required. If you are using this feature in an earlier version of Microsoft Dynamics AX, significant changes have been made, and you must review this topic.

Feature areas affected

Inventory management

Product information management

Stakeholders

Business decision makers

Technical decision makers

Implementation team members

Independent software vendors (ISVs)/developers

Partners

New functionality

A product definition level is added as a mandatory step in the process for creating items, and all items are now associated with a product definition.

Special considerations

Items are based on product definitions. Therefore, product definitions are required for all items in AX 2012.

Comparison with AX 2009

The inventory process has changed considerably since AX 2009. AX 2012 includes changes to the following areas:

Products and product variants
Product release
Product translations
New division of the inventory dimension group

Products and product variants

What can you do?	AX 2009	AX 2012	Why is this important?
Create and maintain definitions for products, and master definitions for sets of products, at the shared company level.	The feature was not available, because item definitions were created directly in the item table.	Items are always based on product definitions, and product definitions can be shared across companies.	Product creation is centralized, and all the products and product variants that are available in the whole organization are displayed.
Generate product variants that are based on product masters.	Product variants were available as combinations of item dimensions. However, it was difficult to administer which legal entities had access to which variants.	New items can be created as product variants that are based on an associated product dimension setup.	An overview is provided of the product variants that are traded.
Configure product variants by using a product configuration technology.	The feature was available but did not include the configuration technology option.	Product definitions include information about when and how variants are configured.	A user can control the configuration strategy of an item through the product definition.
Standardize items by using product definition templates.	Not available	A product definition record can be saved as a template.	A product definition template can help standardize items.

Product release

What can you do?	AX 2009	AX 2012	Why is this important?
Share product definitions across companies.	Not available	Product definitions can be authorized for use in multiple companies.	A product repository can be centrally controlled.
Maintain open product releases.	Not available	A release can be repeated after an error is corrected, or the release of a product can be postponed.	The release process and the timing of product releases can be controlled.

Product translations

What can you do?	AX 2009	AX 2012	Why is this important?
Translate product names and information.	Only product descriptions were translated.	Product names, product variant names, and the description attributes for a product definition are displayed on a customer invoice.	This feature provides a better understanding of the actual product definition.

New division of the inventory dimension group

What can you do?	AX 2009	AX 2012	Why is this important?
Set up separate product, storage, and tracking dimension groups.	Items were associated with one inventory dimension group, where all three types of dimensions were set up.	The setup of inventory dimensions for items is flexible. The following dimensions are specified separately: Product dimensions for item characteristics that are associated with the product definition Storage and tracking dimensions for a location-specific setup that is associated with the physical handling of items in companies	The setup of the storage and tracking dimension groups can be either centralized or decentralized.

Set up separate product, storage, and tracking dimension groups.

Items were associated with one inventory dimension group, where all three types of dimensions were set up.

The setup of inventory dimensions for items is flexible. The following dimensions are specified separately:

Product dimensions for item characteristics that are associated with the product definition
Storage and tracking dimensions for a location-specific setup that is associated with the physical handling of items in companies

The setup of the storage and tracking dimension groups can be either centralized or decentralized.

More information

For more information about the address book framework, see the white paper Implementing the Item-Product data management framework for Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012.