Anyone going to Directions 2006?

Alex_Chow

Is anyone going to the Directions 2006 in Atlanta?

Marije_Brummel

Yep. I'll be there.

ara3n

I don't know if I should go or not. If I they give out beta of v5 I might go. Otherwise I'm tired of seeing powerpoints presentation of v5.

Marije_Brummel

More information:

www.cronususa.com

I like the name

Alex_Chow

... Wierd thing is that Microsoft is having an event right after that from Oct 29 - Oct 31.

I saw the content, it's very similar to the Directions event.

Is Microsoft trying to squash Directions?

Marije_Brummel

Link please!

Savatage

https://microsoft-eventmgmt.wingateweb. ... c/event.ww

Click on the event to get details

North Dakota - end of Oct - Bring your mittens -

Alex_Chow

https://mbs.microsoft.com/partnersource ... BC1006.htm


This is the link for what Microsoft is calling "Business Building Conference".

You need to have access to partnersource in order to see it.

Marije_Brummel

I cannot see any link with Directions. Directions is a NAV only event, supported by Microsoft. It is even mentioned in the Partner newletter of this month.

The link you provide is a GP/SL and CRM event. There are loads of Microsoft events happening every day. There was also a SL event during TechEd Boston where SL was not present.

Anyways; I'll be going and if you are interested I will keep a daily report and post presentations.

Savatage

July 26, 2006, Fargo, ND – The Partner Channel® and Microsoft Dynamics™ announced today that it will be presenting The Partner Event - BBC.
To accommodate Partners’ schedules and maximize their investments, The Partner Channel and Microsoft are collaborating to provide one highly focused event in Fargo.

The same combination of sales, marketing, and leadership workshops, as well as valuable networking opportunities included at previous The Partner Event conferences will transfer to the new The Partner Event - BBC.

"From the start, our goal was to create a learning and networking event that captures the spirit of camaraderie and sense of purpose Microsoft Dynamics Partners have shared in the past," said Spider Johnk, president and CEO of The Partner Channel. "The Partner Event has done that by helping Partners hone their skills and accelerate opportunities in the marketplace. By merging our event with Microsoft's, we broaden those opportunities even further and improve the quality and scope of what we can offer Partners in the way of education and exposure to key Microsoft team members."

Johnk said both The Partner Channel and Microsoft plan to keep the event at less than 1,000 attendees, making it ideal for maximum personal contact and networking.

He said Fargo provides the right combination of facilities, hotels, restaurants, and entertainment for a conference this size.
The Partner Event - BBC will provide key learning from industry experts in the area of sales and marketing skills as well as strategies for growing Microsoft Dynamics Partners’ businesses.

"Working with The Partner Channel, we feel this will be something special for our Partners," said Jon Pratt, senior director of product marketing at Microsoft. "And we believe that what Microsoft brings to the combined event in the way of product knowledge and strategy will offer a great opportunity for our Partners to drive growth in their businesses."

http://www.thepartnerchannel.com/tpe/do ... elease.doc

Marije_Brummel

Are you sure this is not a AX event? Than the circle will be closed. Alex posted the other Dynamics products and Directions is NAV.

Fargo is also the AX HQ.

(The AX guys also like to call themselves Dynamics :-$ )

davmac1

I will be there too.

Dave Machanick

David_Singleton

Fargo is actually the GP head quarters. Tha AX people just moved there recently. SO I would guess that this is more a left over from the GP days, but it could also be an AX event.

Anyway on topic. Its pretty clear that Microsoft don't want to have product specific events. They want their clients to think in terms of Microsoft Dynamics, not Navision, Axapta and Great Plains. BUt the channel of course want events that are more specific to their needs.

The original concept of Directions was to a/ fill the gap left from the Anual Navision Pasport Event, and to b/ get a forum for Add-Ons, and other Navision related products that are not directly Microsoft. I have not understood why they have all the sales oriented stuff there, but my guess is that most NSCs seem to have plenty of budget to send sales people to these seminars, but very little for the techies, so I guess they are serving the needs of the market. My guess is that the Fargo event is somethign to replace Stampede, but who knows.

There are a lot of events happening these days, and its hard to know what to go to. I am going to Tech Ed and Convergence, but I now thing that Directions may be more usefull to me than Tech Ed, since I really want to get out of "techie stuff".

If you filter through all the fluffy salesie stuff, then Directions has a lot to offer, but it wont suit everyone. So decide if its worth it for you to go.

Mark I will look forward to reading you blog.