Companies don’t generally buy enterprise resource planning (ERP) software on a whim or snap decision because it’s a complex application that requires due consideration to deployment, training, compatibility and other factors. With that in mind, Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) is making sure potential buyers and those who might want to upgrade from the current version of the company’s Dynamics AX ERP, get advance notice of what they can expect in the forthcoming Dynamics AX “6” (codename) release. Microsoft says AX 6 will include new technologies designed to simplify and speed development of third-party applications on the platform. “[We’ll also have] a unified ERP solution with pre-built capabilities for five industries and 38 countries,” Microsoft said in a statement. Developers are slated to be able to try out the new features coming in AX 6 beginning in February when Microsoft plans to ship a community technical preview (CTP)– a preview release that usually precedes beta test. Final shipment of AX 6 is planned for the third quarter. eCRM Guide has more details.