Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2

Retail Licensing
Scenarios Brief
December 2012

Using This Guide

Use this guide to improve your understanding of how to license Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2 for Retail scenarios.
It is not intended to guide you in choosing Microsoft Dynamics products and services. The examples presented in this
guide are illustrative. Microsoft Corporation reserves the right to review and/or update the existing version without
previous notice.
In order to understand this document, is essential that you first read and understand the Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012
R2 Licensing Guide.
For help determining the right technology solution for any given organization, including the license requirements for
a specific product or scenario, consult with your Microsoft Dynamics Certified Partner or your Microsoft account team.
This guide does not supersede or replace any of the legal documentation covering use rights for Microsoft products.
Specific product license terms are detailed in the Software License Terms document, which is available on the on the
Microsoft Dynamics AX website.

Contents
Licensing the Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2 Solution ............................................................................. 1
Licensing for Common Retail Scenarios ......................................................................................................... 1
Scenario 1: Basic Retail Configuration ................................................................................................................................................................ 2
Scenario 2: Retail Configuration with Retail Services ................................................................................................................................... 3
Scenario 3: Retail Configuration with Mobile Users ..................................................................................................................................... 4
Scenario 4: eCommerce Configuration .............................................................................................................................................................. 5

The information contained in this document represents the current view of Microsoft Corporation on the issues discussed as of the date of publication. Because Microsoft must
respond to changing market conditions, this document should not be interpreted to be a commitment on the part of Microsoft, and Microsoft cannot guarantee the accuracy of
any information presented after the date of publication. This document is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED, OR
STATUTORY, AS TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS DOCUMENT.
2012 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2 Retail Scenarios Licensing Brief | December 2012

Licensing the Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2 Solution

Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2 offers specific functionality for Retail businesses. This brief focuses on the
required licenses for such Retail-specific configurations. In any of these scenarios, you must still be
properly-licensed for the underlying Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2.
For details, refer to www.microsoft.com/licensing/about-licensing/dynamicsax.aspx.

Licensing for Common Retail Scenarios

With Microsoft Dynamics AX 2102 R2, you can take advantage of components designed specifically for
Retail organizations, including Retail Server, Retail Services and eCommerce.
Retail Server
The Retail Server enables the powerful point of service and clienteling experiences possible with Microsoft Dynamics
for Retail to be managed centrally and run anywhere on any device. Hosted from an organizations headquarters, the
Retail Server manages devices like tablets and kiosks as well as Microsoft Dynamics for Retail POS running on
Windows Mobile. This frees you to move outside the boundaries of physical store locations allowing your
organization to offer the new shopping experiences critical in todays retail landscape
Retail Services
The Retail Services enable the powerful point of service and clienteling experiences possible with Microsoft Dynamics
for Retail to be managed locally in-store across any device form factor including tablets, kiosks, Microsoft Dynamics
for Retail POS on Windows Mobile, and more. This on-premises capability at each store enables your organization to
take advantage of the devices and scenarios expected by todays empowered consumers.
eCommerce
Microsoft Dynamics e-commerce is a joint solution between Microsoft SharePoint and Microsoft Dynamics delivering
the industrys first e-commerce/web store front solution natively integrated to a single solution that manages all of
the critical execution and fulfillment processes including omni-channel management for supply chain, catalog and
merchandising, order fulfillment, shipping, payment, shopping cart and more. This solution can run as a standalone
offer for your organization or be deployed as part of a complete end to end retail solution that also includes
integrated POS, store management, social commerce, ERP and more.

For more information about Retail-specific functionality, visit the Microsoft Dynamics AX for Retail
website.
The following applies to any configuration:

You always need to license the underlying Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2 solution.

If you are running the Retail Server or eCommerce components, you need a separate Microsoft Dynamics AX
2012 R2 Server License for each running instance of the software component.

If you are running only the Retail Services component on a server, you need to license the device with a
Functional Device CAL (or higher). You do not need a Server License.

Except for customers or external users (a.k.a. third-party users) connecting to your eCommerce front end
server, you must license any user or device that access the Microsoft Dynamics AX 20120 R2 with a CAL.

On the following pages, you will find examples of the licensing requirements for common retail-specific
configurations.

Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2 Retail Scenarios Licensing Brief | December 2012

Page 1

SCENARIO 1: BASIC RETAIL CONFIGURATION

In this configuration, employees in your store access the Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2 solution. There
are more than 80 Security Roles out of the box that you may use, from the HQ to the POS users and all
the staff accessing the retail solution. Accountants and HR users require an Enterprise CAL. Store
Managers assigned with the Retail store manager security role in AX require a Functional CAL. POS
devices connecting to the solution require a Task CAL.

Figure 1: Basic Retail Configuration

Note: This licensing model is very flexible and fits well the needs of the Retail industry. On one hand, if
your user count is higher than the devices they use, you can acquire Device CALs. On the other, if your
user count is lower than the devices they use, you can acquire User CALs. In any case, you can mix and
match Device and User CALs to optimize for your needs.

Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2 Retail Scenarios Licensing Brief | December 2012

Page 2

SCENARIO 2: RETAIL CONFIGURATION WITH RETAIL SERVICES

In this configuration, you are utilizing the Retail Services component. If you are running only the Retail
Services component on a server, you need to license the server with a Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2
Functional Device CAL.
Figure 3: Retail Configuration with Retail Services

Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2 Retail Scenarios Licensing Brief | December 2012

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SCENARIO 3: RETAIL CONFIGURATION WITH MOBILE USERS

In this configuration, mobile POS users connect to the solution and this requires the Retail Server
component. Regardless of whether the Retail Server component is running on the same server as the
underlying Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2 solution, or on a separate server, you need a Server License
for each running instance for the Retail Server software.
Figure 3: Retail Configuration with Retail Server

Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2 Retail Scenarios Licensing Brief | December 2012

Page 4

SCENARIO 4: ECOMMERCE CONFIGURATION

In this configuration, you are utilizing the Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2 eCommerce component. As
with Retail Server, regardless of whether the eCommerce component is running on the same server as the
underlying Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2 solution, or on a separate server, you need a Server License
for each running instance for the eCommerce software. Additionally, for any front end server through
which your customers will connect requires a Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2 Enterprise Device CAL. You
do not need CALs for your customers connecting to the front end server.
Figure 4: eCommerce Configuration

The information contained in this document represents the current view of Microsoft Corporation on the issues discussed as of the date of publication. Because Microsoft must
respond to changing market conditions, this document should not be interpreted to be a commitment on the part of Microsoft, and Microsoft cannot guarantee the accuracy of any
information presented after the date of publication. This document is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED, OR STATUTORY, AS
TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS DOCUMENT.
2012 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2 Retail Scenarios Licensing Brief | December 2012

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