For media and entertainment companies operating in a changing environment, you need solutions that are quick to deploy, easy to use and can be accessed company-wide. Solutions which help you reduce operational costs, improve decision making and respond more quickly to changing customer and market needs. Solutions which enable different business models and quick adaption to a changing market environment based on a hub-and-spoke model rather than centralized architectures which require teams to adhere to standardized business processes. Solutions supporting the entire content lifecycle – from content acquisition throu business systems and content management and distribution systems, and Microsoft Dynamics AX is designed to enable this integration.

Microsoft Dynamics AXMicrosoft Dynamics AX for media is a complete business solution that integrates project, financial, rights and resource management capabilities to help companies increase revenues, explore new business models, streamline operations and contain risks. The solution enables media and entertainment companies to connect with customers and business partners more effectively to drive more revenue per customer, higher customer satisfaction, increase employee productivity and the flexibility required to seize new market opportunities.

Integrate content value chain and business support processes Connect disparate systems to integrate data and streamline company and project-related processes. By connecting people, processes, content, rights information, and editoral/program planning media companies can improve operational performance while reducing cost. Establish a flexible dynamic media environment with easy-to-use and easily accessible tools that change as businesses evolve.

Connect your business activities Link employees, customers and vendors to information and processes concerning your products and services, share data from various sources, and integrate cross-company management tasks to smoothly connect all your sales, financial, and supply chain activities.

Gain insight into critical business dataGather and analyze client and project-related (e.g. advertising campaign) information to gain valuable business insight, and use that insight to manage your business more effectively – with the ability to change processes or strategies at any time. View client, asset and licence details in real-time for an accurate accounting of progress and profitability and stay on top of project details to avoid cost overruns and allocation issues.

Benefits Summary Enable new business models by integrating the

content management and delivery systems with and business management systems

Maintain flexibility to respond quickly to changing requirements and new opportunities introduced by alterations in audience behaviour, streamlined production processes, new distribution channels, and new advertising models

Shorten deployment cycles and reduce Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) by employing a hub-and-spoke architecture rather than a centralized architecture

Speed up user adoption and increase team productivity with familiar user interfaces and easy-to-use functionality

Connect your business activities, gain insight into critical business data, and maintain tight control of business processes

Maximise usage of people and assets and ensure positive Return on Investment (ROI)

Respond quickly to changing market conditions or new opportunities Microsoft Dynamics AX can help you tailor your production management system to meet the changing needs of your process operations. By modelling your production capabilities and providing accurate capacity planning and production costing, you can capitalize on new opportunities as they arise while complying with the legal, regulatory, and market requirements of a given market and jurisdiction.

Maximise usage of people and assets Microsoft Dynamics AX for media & entertainment can control visibility over equipment and people alleviating scheduling conflicts or underutilization of people and assets enabling the management of program planning, assets, licenses, work orders and carriers in one integrated system.

Maintain tight control of your processesMaintain tight control of your company’s financial and operational processes by helping to ensure that teams follow corporate policies and that your processes adhere to industry best practices, client standards, and government regulations. Centralize the management of and provide access to critical company information to reduce the loss of valuable intellectual capital due to employee attrition. Define accounting structures to meet specific business needs, track and analyze transactions across your entire business – including multi-office and multinational operations – and drill down to the details you need to help you manage accounts effectively.

Enterprise Resource Planning for Media & Entertainment Companies

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Achieve a positive ROI Built on proven, reliable Microsoft technologies and with global support from Microsoft Dynamics, Microsoft Dynamics AX can help your business take advantage of existing IT investments such as Microsoft Office System applications and the Microsoft Windows Server System. Your company can also realise quick payback on your investment with significantly reduced implementation times and lower total cost of ownership.

Media & Entertainment Industry ScenariosIntegrated Business Management for Small and Medium-Sized BroadcastersEnables small and medium-sized broadcasters and production companies to manage their resources, their licenses, their program schedule and their library in one integrated system.

Integrated Business Management for Diversified Media CompaniesEnables media conglomerates with many small, diversified subs to manage their resources, their customer relationships, and IP in one integrated hub-and-spoke system.

Integrated Business Management for National and Multi-National BroadcastersEnables media companies to manage accounting, program planning, assets, licenses and carriers in one integrated system.

Resource Management for Broadcasters and TV Production CompaniesThis solution enables broadcasters and production companies to manage program planning, assets, licenses, work orders and carriers in one integrated system.

Rights and Royalties Management Enables rights & royalties societies and other IP owners, who manage and license IP rights and collect (and distribute) royalties, to cut their IT costs, streamline their IP-related business processes (include self-service portals for rights owners and rights users) and provide integrated services.

For additional information please visit our website at: http://www.microsoft.com/mediaandentertainment