Columbus IT presents the first Microsoft-certified Retail Solution for Microsoft Dynamics AX

Copenhagen – Columbus IT Partner A/S -
Retail Chain Manager solution developed by Columbus IT is certified by Microsoft and included in standard Microsoft price-list.

This solution is a part of the Microsoft Industry Builder Initiative when Columbus IT was selected by Microsoft to develop standard solution for retail. Retail Chain Manager is a result of years of Columbus IT experience working with retail-systems and building one of the largest worldwide Axapta customer base in retail solutions. According to Columbus ISV strategy the development of Retail Chain Manager is made by To-Increase, the software division of Columbus IT.

Based on an existing industry solution, the Retail Chain Manager is a complete retail system capable of handling all the functions needed by retail businesses, from processing point of sale (POS) transactions, customer analyses and inventory control to elaboration of purchasing plans, consignment management, price fixing and campaign management; it can support retailers with full outlet ownership and franchisee partners; furthermore, it is applicable for international companies.

“Passing Microsoft certification and to be included in Microsoft price list as a standard Microsoft Dynamics AX module is a major milestone for our company which will help us to increase number of installations and revenue of Retail Chain Manager. The development and certification process was done according to plan and we are happy to announce today the transition from development into execution phase,” says Vladislav Martynov, President of Columbus IT.

The newly released solution is the second Columbus IT solution in the Microsoft Industry Builder Initiative. Columbus IT (together with its software division To-Increase) is the only Microsoft Partner responsible for two global industry solutions development as a part of Microsoft Industry Builder Initiative: one for Retail and another for Industrial Equipment Manufacturing.

“Microsoft has selected us to develop a global retail solution as a part of the Industry Builder initiative. This is the highest recognition of our expertise and the quality of our solutions. Our main goal is to offer the highest quality solutions to our customers and I am sure that the joint efforts of Microsoft and Columbus IT will allow us to significantly change the competitive landscape for retail solutions,” says Vladislav Martynov.

Columbus IT has many customers using Retail solution, among them are Team Sportia (a large Swedish distributor of sports equipment), L'Etoile in Russia (chain of cosmetics supermarkets), Tommy Hilfiger (chain of cloth shops) and many others. “Retail Chain Manager meets all our requirements, says IT manager Richard Westerlund, Team Sportia. Now we have got a system which from the start is developed to our needs”.

“In this solution Columbus IT has combined a comprehensive industry expertise and knowledge with strong international experience. One goal for the Industry Builder Program is to create vertical industry solutions that make a significant difference for our customers all over the world. With Retail Chain Manager for Microsoft Dynamics AX we have succeeded in this respect, and I am looking forward to supporting Columbus IT to bring this new solution to market,” says Richard Barnett, Director, Microsoft Business Solutions.

The Retail Chain Manager solution is available from February on the Scandinavian market and from March 1, 2006 in the rest of the world.