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Microsoft Dynamics AX vs Microsoft Dynamics SL vs SAP ERP comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

Review summaries and opinions

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

Mindshare comparison

As of September 2025, in the ERP category, the mindshare of Microsoft Dynamics AX is 5.4%, down from 6.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Dynamics SL is 0.5%, up from 0.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SAP ERP is 17.2%, down from 22.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
ERP Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
SAP ERP17.2%
Microsoft Dynamics AX5.4%
Microsoft Dynamics SL0.5%
Other76.9%
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.
Cirvesh-Daga - PeerSpot reviewer
Simplify and streamline complex business processes, and good integration capabilities but lacks predictive capabilities
An area of improvement could be around automation and predictability. However, I'm sure Microsoft is already thinking about incorporating AI co-pilot features, which should be coming soon. The end person who will be looking at the report is the CFO, and CFO isn't just interested in static reports but in predictive information. Ideally, SL could use data from ERP, and CRM to provide some level of prediction. CoPilot is plugged into Dynamics, it'll be a plus and even a huge selling point over other solutions that are there in the market because now we have a component of AI. We can also give you some level of prediction. Even if it starts with a 15% confidence level, a CFO will take that because it still allows them to increase their bets to a certain extent. So, that's something that I I will look forward to whenever Microsoft introduces it.
Achmad Dimyati - PeerSpot reviewer
Long-term adaptation and evolution meets changing technology trends
SAP ERP is not really real-time. We use the HANA database which is supposed to be memory data in memory, but we are still not very happy. It is supposed to be real-time and come very quickly, but in reality, it still takes time to run. That is why we use BW of SAP, Business Objects, and now we have moved to the Analytic Cloud where we start using predictive AI. SAP recently implemented Databricks, and they started investing significantly in the analytic environment. SAP ERP has been left behind as they moved to S/4HANA with the HANA database. They restructured the whole table structure of SAP ERP, introduced simple finance, simple logistics, and moved HR to SuccessFactors. They have the BTP layer where they manage everything from integration to master data management. The challenge with SAP is that they move very fast to different products and buy different products. It requires significant investment and many skills to catch up because all of these have different sets of technology. The fundamental has changed differently. It is not monolithic anymore but different products under one name, SAP. You have to buy it model by model for additional models. Products such as SuccessFactors, Ariba for procure to pay, Concur for travel, and Facility Management use totally different technology. They try to integrate with each other, but it remains a challenge for SAP to make them have the same management, technology, and operational approach.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Almost all of the features that we use are efficient. Live master planning successfully handles all of our company's requirements."
"The most valuable feature for us is the manufacturing module. It addresses our product costing for tuna canning."
"Dynamics AX provides a lot of functionality."
"The product is easier to use and has more efficient workflow management features than other vendors."
"The most valuable feature of Microsoft Dynamics AX is that it fulfills our requirements. We haven't had any issues with performance."
"It is flexible and cost-effective."
"The stability is very good."
"The most valuable feature is the workflow of the modules."
"The solution has provided a good return on investment by ensuring our financial and operational information is accurate and timely."
"If I put myself in the customer's shoes, it's easier to use. Reporting would be a very valuable feature."
"It's pretty easy to set up."
"Well-integrated multilingual technology."
"The transactional integration of operations is the best-recommended feature of this product. It provides integration of all operational modules."
"The solution is scalable."
"It has been quite stable so far."
"The implementation is very straightforward."
"It's a good ERP system."
"This is a robust solution with a lot of control measures."
"It provides one overview of the capacity planning."
 

Cons

"The implementation was completed within one month."
"The support here in Turkey could be better. However, the international support is good."
"There is no Arabic interface in Microsoft Business Central, which is a big weak point."
"It is being decommissioned."
"There are so many errors."
"There is room for improvement when handling various currencies within the current Microsoft Dynamics AX system."
"The product must be made accessible online."
"It could be more scalable and stable. It would also be better if the interface were more integrated with the Microsoft ecosystem because 2012 is not really integrated."
"The product's primary improvement area would be its batch processing system."
"The licensing of the solution should be adjusted. The policies aren't ideal. They should make it easier to understand. Right now, it's too confusing."
"An area of improvement could be around automation and predictability."
"The UI could use improvement."
"The user interface could be improved. For example, sometimes you're missing some data and can't complete a task. There should be some built-in support and suggestions on how to solve your problem. I would also like the interface to be optimized to work better with mobile devices like tablets and smartphones."
"The integration with others application could be easier. There are many different features that this solution offers which could be easier to implement."
"The solution's graphical user interface (GUI) is outdated and could be improved."
"It's very difficult to find people who are well versed in it."
"It's difficult to code; structured language is difficult."
"SAP is not making a big effort to make it easy to integrate solutions from other vendors. It's not easy at all... Integration is what they can do better."
"The service could be more user-friendly in the area of transition codes."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"One license costs $1,000."
"The platform's price offering is good."
"It is not the cheapest solution, but it is also not the most expensive one. It's in between and is cheaper than SAP but more expensive than other local vendors. It is worth the cost."
"The solution is expensive."
"Licensing is stable, and overall, the users are satisfied with it."
"The tool's licensing model is based on user subscription. The pricing needs to be reduced for the Indian and South Asian markets."
"I don't know how much this solution costs off the top of my head, but I know that the cloud and SaaS solutions are cheaper."
"The tool is cheap."
"The licensing costs were reasonable."
"If the value proposition is clear for the customer, they won't see it as an expensive solution. A solution becomes expensive when it doesn't do what it promises."
"The on-premises licensing model comes with annual maintenance whereas the cloud-based licensing model is a yearly subscription. The tool’s pricing is normal and not expensive."
"The licensing costs are slightly on the higher side. They need to make it more competitive."
"The solution is expensive so I rate cost a five out of ten."
"The product has high pricing."
"The price of SAP ERP is high, but it is worth the money. The maintenance and support can be expensive. There should be a different price model for businesses that are not as large to be able to afford it."
"I don't know the price, but I know its licensing is on a yearly basis."
"It is less expensive than its competitors."
"SAP is quite expensive."
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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…
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
11%
Computer Software Company
11%
Comms Service Provider
6%
Retailer
6%
No data available
Manufacturing Company
14%
Computer Software Company
11%
Retailer
7%
University
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business29
Midsize Enterprise12
Large Enterprise17
No data available
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business31
Midsize Enterprise30
Large Enterprise76
 

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with Microsoft Dynamics AX?
I have faced challenges with Microsoft Dynamics AX, specifically localization; it's very challenging because we are f...
What is your primary use case for Microsoft Dynamics AX?
We are a customer of Microsoft Dynamics AX. The ERP system is used to keep tracking our processes. I am using Microso...
What do you like most about Microsoft Dynamics SL?
If I put myself in the customer's shoes, it's easier to use. Reporting would be a very valuable feature.
What needs improvement with Microsoft Dynamics SL?
The product's primary improvement area would be its batch processing system. Transitioning to a transactional process...
What is your primary use case for Microsoft Dynamics SL?
Our primary use case for the platform was managing our financial and operational processes across multiple companies....
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 a...
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 ...
What needs improvement with SAP ERP?
SAP ERP is fine as it is at the moment. It is difficult to comment on improvements for this version. I know HANA has ...
 

Also Known As

Dynamics AX, Axapta, MS Dynamics AX
Dynamics SL, MS Dynamics SL
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

ConQuaestor, D & H Distributing, Sunny Queen, Mesa Associates, Britax Childcare, Ibema, Arafa, Sabo S.p.A.
ASAP, Espartec, S.A de C.V., TGLT, Calder‹n Autopartes El_ctricas, GGS Systems, CLEAResult, Shared Spectrum Company, Scope Global Pty Ltd
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 SAP, Microsoft, Infor and others in ERP. Updated: August 2025.
867,445 professionals have used our research since 2012.