A365 for Microsoft Dynamics and Power Platform
ANNATA SOFTWARE LICENSE TERMS
The Licensee shall have the rights set out below provided the Licensee complies with the following license terms (the “Terms”).
By installing, having installed, or using the Software (as defined below), the Licensee accepts the Terms and any subsequent changes to the Terms relating to the Software. If the Licensee does not accept and/or comply with the Terms and/or any changes to the Terms, the Licensee must stop using the Software and is prohibited from installing, having installed or using the Software.
The headings of the Terms are for convenience only and shall not constrain or affect its construction or interpretation in any way whatsoever. Words importing the singular shall include the plural, and vice versa.
2.1 | The License to use the Software shall be purchased from Annata and/or a Partner. |
2.2 | License model. The Software may be licensed based on the following:
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2.3 | The Software. The Software may include the following:
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2.4 | The Licensee shall pay for the License subscribed under these Terms. The Licensee shall select the same type of license for Microsoft Dynamics as the selected type of License. |
2.5 | The Licensee shall have an equal number of licenses for Microsoft Dynamics or similar platforms the Software may be built for, as the Licenses for the Software. |
2.6 | The Licensee’s rights to use the Software are periodic subject to (i) the periodic payment to Annata or Partner of a License fee for use of the Software; and (ii) Licensee’s acceptance and compliance to these Terms. |
2.7 | When these Terms have been signed, returned to Annata and Annata has provided written confirmation of its receipt of the signed Terms, the Licensee is entitled to install and use the Software thereafter in accordance with these Terms. |
2.8 | These Terms shall supersede any other terms embedded or may be embedded in the Software. |
2.9 | No proprietary rights. Annata owns and retains all right, title, interest and ownership to the Software including without any limitation all intellectual property rights in and to the Software. Accordingly, no title or ownership of the Software is transferred to the Licensee. The Licensee’s ability to access the Server Software does not grant the Licensee any right to access and/or use any Annata Product and/or Software premised in such Server Software, unless otherwise permitted in writing by Annata. |
2.10 | No relationship. These Terms shall not establish any relationship of partnership, joint venture, employment, franchise or agency between the Parties. The Licensee shall not have the power to bind or incur obligations on Annata’s behalf. |
3.1 | The License granted is only valid provided the Licensee has a valid and active license with Microsoft for Microsoft Dynamics or similar platform providers on which the Software relies. The Software can only be used in conjunction with the version and update releases of Microsoft Dynamics or similar platforms indicated by Annata from time to time, for which the Licensee must have acquired the applicable user rights separately. |
3.2 | These Terms apply to the Software, including the media on which the Software is received, if any, and continue to apply to any updates of the Software and supplements for the Software provided by Annata from time to time. |
3.3 | Subject to the terms and conditions of these Terms and provided Annata or the Partner has received full payment of all applicable fees from the Licensee, Annata grants the Licensee a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, worldwide, terminable license to internally use, copy and display the License and to permit Licensee’s employees and contractors, to access and use the Software hosted on a Server controlled by the Licensee for the Licensee’s legitimate business purposes. |
3.4 | Documentation. Any person that has valid access to the Licensee’s computer or internal network may copy and/or use the Software and the Documentation for the Licensee’s internal purposes. |
3.5 | License keys. The Licensee may not duplicate license keys without Annata’s prior written consent. |
3.6 | Server Software. The Licensee may only use the number of Instances that the Licensee’s License permits. |
3.7 | Additional components. If additional components to the Software or a Product become available, the Licensee may only install the additional components which the Licensee has obtained a license for that Software or Product. The Licensee must obtain a separate license for each Product if the Licensee wishes to install an additional component for multiple Products which it has subscribed for. For additional information and License restrictions regarding additional components, please contact the Partner or Annata directly. |
3.8 | Terms relating to Microsoft Dynamics. The Licensee hereby acknowledges the following with regards to the use of Microsoft Dynamics in conjunction with the Software:
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4.1 | The term of the License will take effect from the date of signing of these Terms until the License is terminated. However, the License cannot be terminated by the Licensee for the first twelve (12) months from the date of signing these Terms. Following this period, the term of the License and these Terms will automatically renew for twelve (12) months, unless the Licensee gives Annata a notice of termination three (3) months prior to such automatic renewal. |
4.2 | A License can be terminated by either party giving thirty (30) days’ prior written notice in accordance with the following:
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4.3 | Effect of termination of License. Upon termination of these Terms, the Licensee shall:
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4.4 | Subject to section 4.3.5, if the Licensee continues to use the Software after termination, the Licensee shall pay Annata a penalty amounting to three (3) times the annual license fee for the Software as would be applicable to the Licensee according to section 2.2. Payment according to this section shall be made by the Licensee to Annata within thirty (30) days’ written notice from Annata. Notwithstanding this fixed penalty, Annata reserves the right to enforce and/or claim, without further notice, from the Licensee the full amount of losses and/or damages relating to the Licensee´s continued use by initiating legal action, including recovering all Annata’s cost incurred due to such a claim. |
5.1 | Multiplexing. Hardware, software or any other manual mechanism the Licensee uses to: (i) pool connections; (ii) reroute information; (iii) reduce the number of Devices or users that directly or indirectly access or use the Software; or (iv) reduce the number of Devices or users the Software directly manages, (referred to as “multiplexing” or “pooling”), shall not reduce the number of Licenses the Licensee is required to subscribe for. |
5.2 | Third party hosting. The Licensee may have a third party host the Software on the Licensee’s behalf solely for access by the Licensee. The Licensee shall not permit any third-party hosting vendor to allow access to the Software by unauthorised or unaffiliated third parties. The Licensee’s third-party hosting vendor must agree to be bound by these Terms and the Licensee is liable towards Annata for any breach of these Terms by such third-party hosting vendor. |
5.3 | Third party notices. The Software may include third party code that Annata, not the third party, licenses to the Licensee under these Terms. Notices, if any, for the third-party code are included for the Licensee’s information only. |
5.4 | Modification disclaimer.
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5.5 | Outsourced Software management. The Licensee may install and use permitted copies of the Software on Servers and other Devices that are under the day-to-day management and control of third parties, provided all such Servers and other Devices are and remain fully dedicated to the Licensee‘s use. The Licensee is and shall remain responsible for all of the obligations under these Terms regardless of the physical location of the hardware upon which the Software is used. |
5.6 | Microsoft Dynamics.
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5.7 | Complex Software. The Software is a complex computer software. The Software’s performance will vary depending on the Licensee’s hardware platform, software interactions, the configuration of the Software and other factors. The Software is neither fault tolerant nor free from errors, conflicts or interruptions. |
6.1 | The Software is licensed, not sold. These Terms only give the Licensee certain rights to use the Software. Annata reserves all other rights in and to the Software not expressly granted in these Terms. Nothing in these Terms assigns to the Licensee any ownership right in any intellectual property in the Software. |
6.2 | The Licensee may use the Software only as expressly permitted in these Terms. In doing so, the Licensee must comply with any technical limitations in the Software that only allow the Licensee to use it in specific ways which the Software was designed for. The Licensee may only use the Software for the Licensee’s internal business purposes. The Licensee may not:
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6.3 | The Licensee’s right to use the Software does not include any license, right, power or authority to:
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6.4 | To the extent that Affiliates of the Licensee use the Software, the Licensee remains solely and wholly responsible towards Annata with respect to the usage of the Software by its Affiliates in accordance with these Terms. |
6.5 | The Licensee agrees that to the extent that any applicable mandatory law gives the Licensee the right to perform any of the activities prohibited in these Terms without the consent of Annata to gain certain information about the Software, the Licensee shall first request such information from Annata in writing before exercising any such right and only if and after Annata partly or fully denies such right shall the Licensee be entitled to exercise its statutory rights. |
6.6 | License transfer. The Licensee may not transfer the Software to a third party without Annata’s prior written consent, subject to section 5.2 and to any mutually agreed charges for such transfer. |
6.7 | Downgrade. The Licensee shall not use earlier versions of the Software and Annata is not obligated to supply earlier versions of the Software to the Licensee. |
7.1 | License guide. The license guide is a dynamic document that governs how each Product is licensed from time to time. The Licensee acknowledges and accepts that the license guide may evolve and change over time as the Product or its underlying components continue to develop. |
7.2 | The licensing described in the license guide shall remain in effect for the duration of the licensing period which the Licensee subscribes to, until the Licensee’s subsequent renewal of its subscription to the Product. For the avoidance of doubt, the validity of such licensing which the Licensee subscribes to can apply on:
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7.3 | Subject to section 11 of these Terms, the Licensee is entitled to a limited and specific level of support allocated to its subscription of the License for the Software during the warranty period. The Licensee may elect to subscribe to additional and improved levels of support subject to payment of additional fees to Annata. Please refer to Annata and/or the Partner for more details on the levels of support services available. |
7.4 | Additional functionality. Annata may provide additional functionality for the Software. Other license terms and additional fees may apply in which case the use of any such additional functionality for the Software shall not be permitted unless such license terms and additional fees are accepted by the Licensee. |
8.1 | The Licensee acknowledges and agrees that the Software, Documentation, functions, structures, methods, charts, routines, characteristics, patterns, services, functional designs, test results and/or benchmarks, and all other related information as contemplated under these Terms (“Confidential Information”) are confidential and form part of Annata’s trade secrets and proprietary information. The Licensee shall uphold and guarantee the confidentiality of all such Confidential Information and shall ensure that the confidentiality of the Confidential Information and the intellectual property of Annata is protected and upheld to the highest standard of care and in any event, no less than the standard of care which the Licensee adopts towards its own confidential information and intellectual property. |
8.2 | With Licensee’s prior written approval (which shall not be unreasonably delayed or withheld), Annata is entitled to mention the existence of these Terms and therefore use the name and logo of the Licensee for marketing and communication purposes. |
9.1 | Subject to section 9.3, Annata will at its own cost defend Licensee from and against actions, proceedings, claims and demands that arise out of or relate to a third party alleging that the Software infringes any intellectual property rights and will indemnify Licensee for all established and proven damages, reasonable costs and expenses, including attorneys’ fees. |
9.2 | The Licensee shall immediately notify Annata, in writing, of any claim or proceeding, actual or threatened after the Licensee learns of such claim or proceeding and agrees to give Annata sole control over its defence and/or settlement. All such claims and proceedings which the Licensee may encounter shall be deemed Confidential Information and subject to section 8 of these Terms. The Licensee agrees to provide Annata with reasonable assistance in defending a claim, and Annata will reimburse the Licensee for reasonable out of pocket expenses that the Licensee may incur in providing such assistance. |
9.3 | Annata assumes no liability for any infringement claims (“IP Claim”) and Annata’s obligations will not apply to the extent that the IP Claim or any adverse final judgment is based on: (i) the Licensee’s continued use or distribution of the Software despite Annata notifying the Licensee to discontinue use of the Software; (ii) the Licensee combining the Software with a non-Annata product, program, hardware, data, business process, or other materials, including third party add-ons or programs; (iii) damages attributable to the use of a non-Annata product, data or business process; (iv) the Licensee altering or modifying the Software, including any modifications by third parties or at the Licensee’s direction; (v) the Licensee’s distribution of the Software to, or its use for the benefit of, any third party; (vi) the Licensee’s use of Annata’s trademark(s) without express written consent to do so or any other trademark infringement of the Licensee involving any trademark not applied by Annata or involving any trademark applied at the request of the Licensee; or (vii) for any trade secret claim, the Licensee acquiring a trade secret: (a) through improper means; (b) under circumstances giving rise to a duty to maintain its secrecy or limit its use; or (c) from a person (other than Annata) who owed to the party asserting the claim a duty to maintain the secrecy or limit the use of the trade secret. The Licensee shall fully indemnify Annata for any losses and/or damages that arise from these actions. |
9.4 | If Annata receives information concerning an IP Claim related to the Software, Annata may choose, at its sole cost and expense, in order to make the Software non-infringing, to do one of the following, (i) procure for the Licensee the right to continue to use the Software; (ii) modify the Software; or (iii) replace the Software with a functional equivalent. In case of an IP Claim the Licensee shall stop using the infringing part of the Software immediately. However, if the Licensee requires the use of and continues the use of the infringing part of the Software despite the IP Claim relating to the Software, the Licensee shall notify Annata in writing of its intention to do so and shall assume full responsibility for payment of any and all IP Claims directed at Annata (including cost) due to the continued use of the infringing part of the Software by the Licensee. If, as a result of an IP Claim, the Licensee’s use of the Software is enjoined by a court of competent jurisdiction, Annata will, at its option, procure the right to continue its use, replace it with a functional equivalent, modify it to make it non-infringing, or refund the amount paid for the License and terminate the License. |
9.5 | Entire liability. The provisions in this section 9 state the exclusive remedy of the Licensee with respect to any IP Claim. |
10.1 | The Licensee can recover from Annata only direct damages up to the actual amount of fees the Licensee paid for the Software in the preceding twelve (12) months from the occurrence of an incident resulting in a claim for damages, except for claims covered by section 9 of these Terms. |
10.2 | The Licensee shall not be entitled to recover any other damages, including consequential, lost profits, special, indirect, punitive or incidental damages arising out of or in connection with these Terms. This limitation applies to: (i) anything related to: (a) the Software, (b) content (including code) on any third party internet sites, and/or (c) third party programs; (ii) claims for breach of agreement, breach of warranty, loss of privacy, loss of opportunity, cost of recovery, loss arising out of use of the Software or damage arising from the Licensee participating in hosting or use of third party products or hardware, breach of guarantee or condition, strict liability, negligence, loss of data, damage to records or data, loss of goodwill, loss as a consequence of a business interruption, loss arising from any IP Claim, and/or any other tort to the extent permitted by applicable law; (iii) the use of the Software or the Documentation or the Licensee’s installation or importation of the Software however caused and on any theory of liability; (iv) if repair, replacement and/or a refund for the Software does not fully compensate the Licensee for any losses; and/or (v) if Annata should have known about the possibility of the damages. |
10.3 | The exclusions and limitations stated in this section 10 do not apply with respect to damages arising from fraud, gross negligence or wilful misconduct. |
11.1 | Limited warranty. The Software will perform substantially as described in the Documentation. |
11.2 | Term of warranty. The limited warranty covers the Software for one (1) year after installation by the Licensee. Annata issues regular supplements, updates, or replacement software as applicable (the “Updates”). Annata’s limited warranty for the Software is extended by ninety (90) days each time an Update is issued provided that the Licensee shall promptly install Updates received from Annata and stay current on all Updates in order to avoid significant degradation to the normal use of the Software. If Annata does not issue an Update, the term of warranty is twelve (12) months from the last Update. Licensee shall subsequently and promptly install such Update to extend the limited warranty as stated in this section |
11.3 | Exclusions from warranty. This warranty does not cover problems arising from the Licensee’s acts or omissions, the acts or omissions of others, including but not limited to, modifications or implementations made by the Licensee, a Partner, or any other third party acting on the Licensee’s behalf, or events beyond Annata’s reasonable control. |
11.4 | Remedy for breach of warranty. Annata will repair the Software, its supplements, updates and/or replacement software supplied by Annata. If Annata cannot repair the Software, Annata will refund up to the actual amount of fees the Licensee paid for the Software in the preceding twelve (12) months. If Annata cannot repair the supplements, updates and/or replacement software, Annata will refund up to the actual amount of fees the Licensee paid for them, if any, in the preceding twelve (12) months. The Licensee must promptly uninstall the Software and return any Documentation, media and other associated materials to Annata and provide written confirmation upon completion, to Annata’s reasonable satisfaction. These are the Licensee’s only remedies for breach of the limited warranty. |
11.5 | Warranty procedures. In order to invoke the warranty as described above, the Licensee has to submit written notice to Annata, supporting evidence and/or documentation and proof of purchase of the License (if not reflected in Annata’s internal records), in order to make a claim under this warranty within the term of warranty (section 11.2) which: (i) clearly shows that the functionality of the Software substantially deviates from the Documentation; and (ii) that the Software shows a significant defect (i.e. a failure which causes one or more critical functions of the Software not to work resulting in the Software not functioning as a stated in the Documentation. |
11.6 | No other warranties. The limited warranty provided under this section 11 is the only warranty given by Annata. Annata does not provide any other express warranties, guarantees or conditions. Annata disclaims any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose and non-infringement to the extent permitted by law. |
12.1 | The Software may include features that provide Annata with usage information which identifies the number of users accessing the Software, access rights and tasks run by each user compared to the number of Licenses subscribed for by the Licensee (this includes e.g. telemetry, access and usage reports but excludes personal data) (“Usage Data”). The Licensee acknowledges and accepts that Annata shall be entitled to collect, process and store such Usage Data and such Usage Data shall at all times belong to Annata. |
12.2 | Right to audit compliance. During the term of the License and for two (2) years post-termination of the License, the Licensee shall keep and maintain documents, records, and other materials relating to the Licensee’s use of the Software and the Licensee’s performance of its obligations under these Terms including, without limitation, reports, orders, invoices, volume reports and records related to acquisition, delivery and, if applicable, destruction of the Software. Annata shall have the right to audit the Licensee’s compliance of its obligations under these Terms, at Annata’s expense. The Licensee agrees to provide reasonable cooperation in the event of a compliance audit and shall provide access to any information and material required, and, where required, reasonable access to Licensee’s premises, for the purposes of Annata auditing the Licensee’s compliance. |
12.3 | Audit process and limitations. To audit the Licensee’s compliance, Annata will engage an independent auditor from an internationally recognized public auditing firm, which will be subject to confidentiality obligations. Auditing will be performed by an independent auditor with no less than thirty (30) days’ written notice to the Licensee, during normal business hours and in a manner that does not interfere unreasonably with the Licensee’s operations. As an alternative, Annata can require and the Licensee shall agree to complete Annata’s self-audit questionnaire relating to the Software and the License. |
12.4 | Audit frequency. Annata shall be permitted to perform annual audits of the Licensee’s use of the Software and compliance of these Term. If Annata discovers, upon completion of audit that the Licensee did not under-subscribe for Licences amounting to five percent (5%) or less, Annata agrees not to audit the Licensee for at least one year thereafter. |
12.5 | Use of results. Annata will only use the information obtained in its audit to enforce Annata’s rights and to determine whether the Licensee is in compliance with these Terms. By invoking the rights and procedures described above, Annata does not waive its rights to enforce these Terms or to protect its rights by any other means permitted by law. |
12.6 | Remedies for non-compliance. If an audit reveals that the Licensee has underpaid fees for the Software, in addition to other remedies provided for by law and in these Terms, the Licensee shall be invoiced for such underpaid fees, for all periods which the Licensee was not in compliance with these Terms. The Licensee’s user Access License shall be deemed the highest applicable Access License if the type of user Access License cannot be ascertained during an audit. The Licensee may also be charged with up to twenty five percent (25%) additional fee as a penalty on all underpaid fees. If the License shortage is five percent (5%) or more, the Licensee must reimburse Annata for the costs Annata has incurred in relation to the audit.i |
13.1 | Export restrictions. If the Software is an integrated add-on to a Microsoft product, then it is subject to United States export laws and regulations. The Licensee must comply with all domestic and international export laws and regulations that apply to the Software. These laws include restrictions on destinations, end users and end use. For additional information, see www.microsoft.com/exporting. |
13.2 | By signing these Terms, the Licensee hereby expressly accepts that any customer-specific information received by Annata on the basis of the benefirelationship regulated by these Terms, i.e. concerning the Software, including Serial No., NACE Code, Name of Licensee, Address, Tel. No., Fax No., E-mail Address, URL, Contact Name and the name of the Licensee’s supplier, may be used internally within Annata only for the purpose of internal administration of the License to the Software. |
13.2 | Governing law. Regardless of where the Licensee acquires the License for the Software, Icelandic law shall govern these Terms, regardless of conflict of laws principles. |
13.3 | Dispute Resolution. In the event of any dispute arising out of or in connection with this agreement, including any question regarding its existence, validity or termination (the Dispute), the relevant Parties to the Dispute shall first attempt to resolve the same by negotiation in good faith between the appointed representatives of such Parties (the Negotiation). |
13.4 | In the event that the Dispute shall remain unresolved within thirty (30) days of the start of any Negotiation, any Party to the Dispute shall be entitled to refer the same for final resolution to arbitration administered by the Nordic Arbitration Centre of the Iceland Chamber of Commerce (NAC) in accordance with the Arbitration Rules of the NAC for the time being in force (the NAC Rules), which rules are deemed to be incorporated by reference to this section |
13.5 | Unless the Parties to the Dispute unanimously agree otherwise, the arbitral tribunal shall consist of one (1) arbitrator to be appointed in accordance with the NAC Rules. The language of arbitration shall be English. The seat of arbitration shall be Iceland. All awards may, if necessary, be enforced by any court having jurisdiction in the same manner as a judgment in such court. The costs of such arbitration shall be determined by and allocated between the parties to the Dispute by the arbitration tribunal in its award. |
In 2020, Annata was chosen by a heavy truck manufacturer to assist in developing their business processes and the systems required to support them. The company has more than 400 employees to support its rapid growth as a leading automotive innovator in zero-emission vehicles and trucks.
After a rapid and intensive validation cycle, Annata was chosen because of Annata’s 20-year automotive industry experience and extensions to the Microsoft Dynamics platform that formed the basis of the manufacturer’s finance and manufacturing systems.
Designed with cloud scalability and agility built in, the solution covered all critical processes. To ensure a complete and compelling customer experience, Annata’s solution will ensure the organization is well connected to customer behaviors, both pre-and post-sale for years to come.
The company decided to engage in a multi-year partnership with Annata after the success of the solution implementation. Annata provided the manufacturer with industry insights and experience to drive more value in all its business processes.
A prominent material handling equipment dealer, with a network spanning over 60 locations across North America, is committed to delivering a comprehensive range of services, including new and used equipment, rentals, parts, service solutions, and training, with a strong emphasis on exceptional customer service.
The collaboration between Annata and Microsoft that led to the successful partnership with the customer was built on a foundation of team expertise and trust, ensuring a strong working relationship.
In their initiative to replace the current system, the company aspired to migrate to a modern, Azure cloud-based platform to optimize their Microsoft Dynamics investment. The primary goals included achieving business transformation, ensuring scalability, and eliminating system performance constraints.
The decision to upgrade to Dynamics 365 stemmed from challenges such as instability, poor performance, and growth limitations experienced in their previous solution installation.
The overarching objective was to address these issues and enhance the overall efficiency and stability of their operational environment. Annata’s offering stood out with its comprehensive equipment lifecycle functionality, addressing the customer’s specific needs in a tailored manner. System performance and adherence to Independent Software Vendor (ISV) compliance were pivotal aspects that contributed to the decision, assuring the customer of a robust and reliable solution.
Annata’s commitment to ongoing development, reflected in their ecosystem investment and roadmap, aligned well with the customer’s long-term goals. Microsoft’s Proof of Concept (POC) support played a crucial role in demonstrating the capabilities of the proposed Dynamics 365 solution.
The success of the partnership was further cemented by the strong collaboration and partnership ethos shared between Annata and Microsoft, ensuring a holistic and effective approach to meeting the customer’s requirement.
A privately-owned enterprise with a significant presence in the automotive industry, operates as a key distributor for a globally recognized automotive brand. As the largest independent distributor for this brand on a global scale, the division serves a network over 150 independent dealerships.
Previously relying on an outdated “Green Screen” system and managing a complex network of around 200 applications, the company recognized the need for a transformative change. The existing system, developed over 25 years, had become inadequate for evolving dealer needs, leading to technical debt rather than delivering value. To address this, the enterprise sought a modern solution to meet the dynamic requirements of the automotive industry and enhance overall operational efficiency. The Microsoft Dynamics 365 and A365 combination were selected to improve forecasting, streamline vehicle ordering processes, and reduce lead times from inspection to final delivery.
The enterprise now leverages the full A365 platform, including warranty management and rental services, to optimize its operations. The pivotal factor in selecting this solution was the ability to offer a platform tailored to the automotive industry, providing comprehensive visibility, management, and controls throughout the entire vehicle lifecycle. This capability formed the cornerstone of a compelling value narrative, resonating strongly with a diverse group of stakeholders.
The decision to choose Microsoft Dynamics and A365 exemplified a strategic approach, wherein technology was prioritized first, aligning subsequently with the market for a systems integrator. This decision underscored the strategic fit of the chosen technology to the specific needs of the enterprise, setting the stage for a successful implementation and business transformation.
Founded in 1963 in Latin America, this key player in the local automotive industry has solidified its standing among the top groups in the sector. Over six decades, the company has maintained consistent growth, establishing a robust financial foundation.
Central to their success is a commitment to transparent management, enabling them to overcome challenges. The company prioritizes key strategic pillars, including business sustainability, delivering exceptional customer experiences, nurturing a skilled workforce, embracing technology, and forming strategic alliances. These pillars reflect the company’s comprehensive approach to ensuring long-term success and resilience in the dynamic automotive industry.
To enhance their operations, the company opted for Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations combined with A365 and Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement combined with A365. In the evaluation process, various global and regional players were considered, with the chosen combination ultimately selected based on key factors.
The decision to choose this particular combination was influenced by factors such as embracing new technologies for future growth, an abundance of experienced consultants for technology implementation, a holistic solution with cloud hosting and flexible services, and an excellent cost-benefit Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) ratio.
Additionally, the choice of Annata was motivated by their extensive expertise in the automotive sector, a strong market presence, a robust research and development (R&D) plan, and certification capabilities with a cost-effective Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).
This combination of solutions was deemed the optimal choice, aligning with the organization’s strategic goals and ensuring a comprehensive and effective solution for their business needs.
The European automotive manufacturer was increasingly challenged with their internal reliance on their existing systems as they felt that they were losing a competitive edge by not having the ability to benchmark functionality, performance, and cost.
To address this, they started to investigate adding D365 as a second practice. They, however, soon found a need to bring in the Annata extended solution to fully understand the capabilities of the underlying D365 platform with the vertical extension for their specific business.
Through the roll-out, the manufacturer was able to move from local, siloed solutions to a common enterprise standard solution which drives down costs, mitigates risks, and improves the customer experience with a consequential uptick in sales.
In essence, the customer views the solution as providing the systems that run their captive fleet dealers in-country, as well as providing the integration from captive and non-captive dealers into the central solution.
A South African arm of a major importer and distributor of cars and spare parts was looking to expand the use of the solution into Dynamics 365 Sales. A365 Sales was selected as the preferred industry solution.
The reputation of Annata working with the Microsoft team in South Africa helped to land the deal. The underlying Common Data Model for Automotive was also an important factor in the decision.
The expansion of the use of Dynamics CE for sales was already planned but the business felt that the Annata Sales app would provide ‘out of the box’ functionality and save them a considerable amount of time and effort. The business estimated that implementing the Annata Sales app would save them up to 3 years compared with developing the functionality themselves.
The Annata Sales app provides functionality to handle vehicle configuration, and sales quotations including financing options, trade-ins, test drives, etc.
The Annata Sales app will hopefully be the first of several products that the business will implement. This includes D365 F&O; A365 for Dealer management; Customer service; Annata Dealer portal and; Annata Field Service. The 5-week implementation of the Annata Sales app was another compelling factor.
A division of a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer serving developing markets chose Dynamics 365 + A365 to replace all their current systems for their vehicle division across Africa and selected countries in Latam and Asia.
The implementation was complex as it involved replacing three heavily customized, on-premise solutions with a standard, (based on a global template), cloud-based offering. The complexity was further increased as the connectivity in some African countries can be intermittent, and delivering a project across many countries requires a great deal of experience and planning.
The solution implemented covered importation, dealerships, aftersales, and service, in addition to rental and fleet in specific markets. The device types cover all vehicles; from motorbikes to cars, lorries, tractors, construction machinery, etc. – and in some markets even boats.
D365 + A365 provided the manufacturer with the confidence that existing processes would all be supported and that moving to the Azure cloud would drive additional benefits.
The North American arm of a Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer, with a 450,000-square-foot bus manufacturing and forklift assembly facility, required an agile solution to manage its supply chain, assembly, dealer orders, and post-sales processes for parts, warranty, and dealer management.
The existing solution was unable to support these business processes cost-effectively with the same flexibility and agility. Annata’s automotive original equipment manufacturer (OEM) experience and track record of successful and agile implementations, particularly in the U.S. market were key to winning against other competitors.
Key decision makers of the manufacturer were primarily of Chinese descent, with some residing in corporate offices in China. Working with Microsoft China, Annata was able to leverage its insight into Chinese business culture and its relationships with the business’s corporate IT.
Annata’s ability to adjust to an unconventional sales process and accommodation for cultural differences, coupled with an implementation approach and agile solution that could grow with the North American arm, was key to winning the business.
A Swedish trucking manufacturer selects Annata and Dynamics 365 to replace their current wholesale and dealer management systems around the globe. By adding A365 to the Dynamics solution, the company is provided with the comfort to cover almost all its operational processes and drive additional benefits by moving to a cloud-based system.
The company’s primary challenge was that it was dealing with large sets of homegrown solutions and legacy vertical solutions with a separate outdated dealer management system that did not communicate with each other. The current on-premise portfolio needed to be replaced with a standard, cloud-based solution, that covers imports, dealerships, aftersales, and service operations, in addition to its rental and fleet-based markets.
Annata, Microsoft, and the manufacturer worked together to build a golden template and blueprint to be used in future rollouts globally. The solution combination adds future capabilities and support for ML, AI, IoT, and more automated business executions, which will have a positive impact on the ROI.
The manufacturer has transformed its dealer management system, replacing its outdated solutions with Annata’s integrated, cloud-based solution using Microsoft’s infrastructure.
Annata was chosen as a solutions provider to replace a 20-year-old heavily customized legacy system for an RV manufacturer. The systems in use were not supplying prompt information to the management team and model changes for production were painful to implement.
The implementation was vital to simplify access to data and increase service levels to its different dealers. The manufacturer selected Annata due to Annata’s global ISV status and strong solution functionalities to manage their critical workload, particularly those that require interaction with their dealer channel.
Annata’s robust dealer portal solution has improved dealer relationships with a quicker turnaround on warranty claim decisions and processing.
In parallel, the manufacturer can now leverage warranty rules and validations. The dealer portal is a win for the manufacturer in reducing warranty costs while improving dealer and customer relationships.
The manufacturer expects overall improved management reporting for executives and operations. Operational improvements include rationalized bills of materials, costing, and managing production change orders effectively. The manufacturer expects its dealers to have a more efficient process for warranty claims that will result in a reduced payment time, while still preventing fraudulent or duplicate claims.
As an existing customer of AX and Annata IDMS on-premise, the Swiss company decided to start its journey to the cloud in early 2020. Annata’s finance and operations solution was the core of the solution proposed to the company.
Annata’s full suite of capabilities was implemented and included extensive device management functionalities that support the entire lifecycle of a machine encompassing imports, sales, and lifecycle management with service/work order management, warranty handling, parts management, and rental.
In addition to a proven solution, Annata was the primary choice due to the strongly committed executive management team which is very much supportive of the strategic project goals.
The project enjoys a high focus at the executive management level and is supported by a strong change management approach aiming to avoid unnecessary customizations.
The industry competence of the Annata implementation team was well equipped to mitigate challenges typically encountered when setting up new customer solutions in replace of their heavy customized “homegrown” solution.
With a primary focus on excellent product quality and outstanding customer service, the equipment manufacturer made a company-wide decision to shift their business process to the cloud using Dynamics 365 and Annata’s Finance & Operations solution.
The solution was rolled out to several major markets within Europe and the Americas in a span of 3-4 years, before offering the industry template to their independent dealer network. Annata was selected as the preferred industry solution partner to move their on-premise solution within their headquarters to the cloud within three months, utilizing its extensive industry and digital competencies in the Annata team.
As soon as Annata engaged with the equipment manufacturer, it was clear to them that the industry IP was key to their goal to digitally transform their distribution channel.
Coupled with finance and operations implementation expertise, the equipment manufacturer was confident that D365 with Annata was the best to provide industry knowledge to help them make the right process choices and a full set of industry functionalities around the full lifecycle of their equipment.
A Mexican subsidiary of an international motor company was utilizing multiple and heavily customized legacy systems which were around 20 years old and did not improve the business. The financial reports generated caused many discrepancies in the business which dampened business decisions.
The management was looking for an Integrated system that was consistent and easily manageable, in which all users from different departments could manage business processes in a co-dependent and competent manner.
Annata’s extensive solution provided the Mexican subsidiary with a technology transformation through its transition to digitized workflows.
The new system enabled the company’s dealerships to seamlessly communicate and collaborate with suppliers and service partners, while the company focused on creating an integrated supply chain.
With Annata’s unified solution, the company benefited from providing accurate, analytical data through the implementation of key functions in cost management, inventory management, warranty management, sales, and service departments. It also provided the company with a range of business data (in real-time) for analysis at a reduced time rate and this provided the organization with major improvements in its management reporting.
In 2020, Annata was chosen by a heavy truck manufacturer to assist in developing their business processes and the systems required to support them. The company has more than 400 employees to support its rapid growth as a leading automotive innovator in zero-emission vehicles and trucks.
After a rapid and intensive validation cycle, Annata was chosen because of Annata’s 20-year automotive industry experience and extensions to the Microsoft Dynamics platform that formed the basis of the manufacturer’s finance and manufacturing systems.
Designed with cloud scalability and agility built in, the solution covered all critical processes. To ensure a complete and compelling customer experience, Annata’s solution will ensure the organization is well connected to customer behaviors, both pre-and post-sale for years to come.
The company decided to engage in a multi-year partnership with Annata after the success of the solution implementation. Annata provided the manufacturer with industry insights and experience to drive more value in all its business processes.
Operating in forestry markets of more than 40 different countries, the manufacturer had an IT landscape that was complex, fragmented, and varied greatly between countries. As part of their future-proofing efforts, they needed a platform to bolster them as they navigated into the future, providing them with the flexibility required to digitize their entire business.
Annata’s complete set of industry functionalities around the lifecycle of heavy equipment, the strength of the application and platform, as well as in-depth knowledge and vast experience within the industry were reasons why Annata was selected to support them along their transformation journey.
Annata also displayed strong awareness of future capabilities specific to the manufacturer’s needs aside from proving a strong partnership with Microsoft.
Annata’s flexibility, scalability, and capabilities to take on the ever-changing environment in the forestry manufacturing industry have since enabled the manufacturer to maintain a competitive edge digitally.
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