Dynamics AX · Support and upgrade
Microsoft Dynamics AX Support and Upgrade in Saudi Arabia
Keep your AX system running safely, meet ZATCA rules, and move to Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations at the pace that suits your business.
- Support for AX 2009, AX 2012 and AX 2012 R3
- ZATCA e-invoicing without replacing your ERP
- Upgrade planned around your data and customisations
Where AX 2012 R3 stands with Microsoft
- 12 Oct 2021Mainstream support ended. No more regular fixes or new features.
- 10 Jan 2023Extended support ended. Security hotfixes stopped too.
- TodayYour AX is self-supported. Tax changes and security fixes are on you.
- Your next stepWe keep it safe now and move you to Dynamics 365 on your timeline.
What is Dynamics AX
Dynamics AX: the ERP many Saudi companies still run on
Dynamics AX is Microsoft’s older enterprise ERP. It handles your accounts, stock, purchasing, production, projects and people in one system. Its successor is Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations.
AX has been the backbone of many trading, distribution, contracting and manufacturing groups in the Kingdom. It looks and feels like other Microsoft software, so staff learned it quickly, and it can run several companies and countries in one place.
The catch is age. Microsoft has stopped supporting the common versions, tax and e-invoicing rules keep changing, and fewer people know the system. That does not mean you must move this month. It means you need a plan, and a partner who can run AX safely while you make it.
At a glance
- Also called
- Axapta, Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 / 2012 / 2012 R3
- Successor
- Dynamics 365 Finance and Supply Chain Management
- Common in
- Trading, distribution, contracting, manufacturing, retail
- Our role
- Support now, upgrade when you are ready
What we do
Everything you need to keep AX safe and useful
Practical help for the system you run today, with the upgrade always in view.
AX support and maintenance
A named team for incidents, user questions and fixes. We watch your system, find problems before users do and keep a clear record of every change.
Performance tuning
Slow posting, long reports or batch jobs that run into the morning? We find the cause in the database, code or setup and fix it.
Custom development
Fixes and small enhancements to your AX code, written and documented so the next person can follow them.
ZATCA e-invoicing
Phase 1 and Phase 2 invoices created, signed and reported from AX through an add-on layer.
Integrations
Connect AX to banks, CRM, e-commerce, payroll and government portals.
Reports and dashboards
Management reports in Excel or Power BI that finance trusts, built on your AX data.
Server and infrastructure planning
Sizing, backups and disaster recovery so AX runs reliably while you plan the move.
Your options
Stay on AX, or move to Dynamics 365?
There is no single right answer. Here is how the three realistic paths compare, in plain terms.
| Keep AX, supported by us | Upgrade to Finance & Operations | Move to Business Central | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Companies that need time or have a project coming up | Groups with many entities, complex supply chain or manufacturing | Smaller businesses with standard processes |
| Microsoft support | None. We support you directly | Full, with continuous updates | Full, with continuous updates |
| ZATCA e-invoicing | Through an add-on layer such as ezInvoice | Built into the upgrade plan | Built into the move plan |
| Effort | Lowest now | Largest, phased by entity or module | Medium, usually faster |
| Your customisations | Stay as they are | Rebuilt as extensions, some dropped | Rebuilt as extensions, many dropped |
| Main risk | Growing cost and fewer AX experts over time | Underestimating data clean-up and testing | Outgrowing it if you expand |
The upgrade path
How we move you from AX to Dynamics 365
Five steps, each with a sign-off, so you always know where the project stands.
- 1
Assess
We review your AX version, customisations, data volume, integrations and reports, and agree what is worth carrying over.
- 2
Plan
You get written options, effort, phases and risks, including whether Finance & Operations or Business Central fits you.
- 3
Rebuild
We recreate customisations as extensions, set up integrations again and rebuild the reports your team relies on.
- 4
Migrate and test
We clean and move your data, then compare balances and open transactions line by line with your finance team.
- 5
Go live
We manage cut-over, train your users and stay close through the first month-end and quarter-end.
Lessons learned
Why AX upgrades go wrong, and how we avoid it
Most problems are known in advance. We deal with them in the first weeks, not the last.
Plan your AX upgrade →Too many old customisations
We list every customisation with its owner and usage, and keep only the ones that still earn their place.
Dirty data moved as it is
We clean duplicates, closed items and wrong balances before migration, so the new system starts clean.
Forgotten integrations
Banks, payroll, e-commerce and tax portals are mapped on day one, and tested before go-live.
Users left behind
People who do the daily work join design sessions and get training on their own processes.
A risky big-bang switch
Where possible we phase by entity or module, with a rollback plan for the cut-over weekend.
Built for Saudi Arabia and the GCC
AX that keeps up with Saudi and GCC rules
Old software does not have to mean old compliance. These are the local needs we cover, whether you stay on AX or move.
ZATCA Phase 1 and Phase 2
QR-coded invoices, XML, cryptographic signing and reporting to ZATCA, added around AX without touching your core system.
Arabic and English documents
Invoices, delivery notes and statements that print in both languages with the right layout.
VAT and Zakat reporting
Reports your accountants can file from, matched to the ledger.
GCC groups
One AX or Dynamics 365 set-up serving companies in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman, each with its own tax rules.
Data location and access
We help you decide where your data should live and who may reach it, in line with Saudi data protection and NCA expectations.
Riyadh on-site team
Workshops and go-live support in your office, in your time zone.
Need only the e-invoicing part? See our ezInvoice ZATCA solution.
Modules
The AX modules we support
Pick a module to see what we help with.
Finance
Supply chain and warehouse
Manufacturing
Projects
People and payroll
Industries we support on AX
We know how each industry uses AX, so we do not need a long learning curve on your project.
Trading
Multi-currency purchasing and sales, landed cost, margins by item and customer, and consolidated reports across trading companies.
Distribution
Warehouse flows, replenishment, delivery planning and trade agreements for large customer lists.
Contracting
Project budgets, progress billing, retention and subcontractor cost control across sites.
Manufacturing
Production planning, bills of materials, shop-floor control and product costing.
Retail
Head office and stores on one system, with stock, pricing and promotions under control.
Services
Resource planning, time and expense, and billing for professional and field service firms.
Get a written AX recommendation
A short assessment of your version, customisations and data, followed by clear options with effort and risks. No commitment.
Explore Our Other Microsoft Dynamics Services
Each service works on its own and works better together. Here is the rest of what we deliver across Saudi Arabia and the GCC.
Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations
The parent platform: enterprise ERP for multi-entity groups, with the full Dynamics family around it.
View Service →
Microsoft Dynamics NAV
Support for NAV and a safe move to Business Central, with data and customisations reviewed.
View Service →
Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM
Sales, customer service, field service and marketing, connected to your ERP.
View Service →
Power BI
Management dashboards on live Dynamics, Odoo, SAP and Excel data.
View Service →
Power Platform
Apps, workflows, portals and chatbots built around your existing systems.
View Service →Microsoft Dynamics AX FAQs
What is Microsoft Dynamics AX?
Microsoft Dynamics AX, originally called Axapta, is Microsoft’s enterprise ERP system from before the cloud era. It runs finance, supply chain, procurement, manufacturing, projects and HR in one system. Its successor is Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations.
Is Dynamics AX still supported by Microsoft?
No for the versions most companies still run. Microsoft ended mainstream support for AX 2012 R3 on 12 October 2021 and extended support on 10 January 2023. Earlier versions ended sooner. Your system still works, but Microsoft no longer issues fixes or updates for it.
Can Dynamics AX meet ZATCA Phase 2 e-invoicing in Saudi Arabia?
Not on its own, because Microsoft no longer updates AX for new tax rules. We add a ZATCA e-invoicing layer around AX, such as our ezInvoice solution, so invoices are generated, signed and reported without changing your ERP. If you plan to move to Dynamics 365 anyway, we can build compliance into that move.
Can you keep our AX system running while we decide?
Yes. We support live AX systems with health checks, performance tuning, fixes, custom development and user support, so you can plan the upgrade without pressure.
How long does an upgrade from AX to Dynamics 365 take?
It depends on how many customisations you have, how much data you carry, how many integrations connect to AX and how many legal entities you run. We confirm a timeline after a short assessment instead of quoting a number up front.
Will our customisations survive the upgrade?
Some will, some will not. Finance & Operations does not allow changes to Microsoft’s own code, so customisations are rebuilt as extensions. During assessment we check each one and drop what standard Dynamics 365 now does for you.
Should we move to Business Central instead of Finance & Operations?
If you are a smaller business with one or two entities and standard processes, Business Central can be faster and cheaper. If you have many entities, complex supply chain or manufacturing, Finance & Operations fits better. We recommend what suits you, even if it is the smaller product.
Do you support Dynamics AX in Riyadh and across the GCC?
Yes. Our head office is in Riyadh, and we support AX and upgrade projects for companies in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman, with on-site workshops where needed.
Talk to a Dynamics AX specialist
Tell us which AX version you run and what hurts today. We will come back with a clear plan: keep, fix or move.
Not sure whether to keep AX or move?
We start with a short assessment of your AX version, customisations and data, then give you a written recommendation with options and effort.
- AX 2009, 2012 and 2012 R3 support
- ZATCA e-invoicing for AX
- Upgrade to Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations
- Riyadh-based team, GCC coverage