Overview of Dynamics 365 for Retail April '19 release

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Important

This content is archived and is not being updated. For the latest documentation, see Microsoft Dynamics 365 product documentation. For the latest release plans, see Dynamics 365 and Microsoft Power Platform release plans.

Note

These release notes describe functionality that may not have been released yet. To see when this functionality is planned to release, please review What’s new and planned for Dynamics 365 for Retail. Delivery timelines and projected functionality may change or may not ship (see Microsoft policy).

Today’s consumers demand great and integrated shopping experiences across channels. Traditional channels are getting disrupted while new ones are emerging constantly. Retailers need a modern, flexible cloud solution that will help them be nimble, compete better, and build lasting relationships with their shoppers.

Dynamics 365 for Retail provides an end-to-end integrated solution for retailers that includes back office processes (merchandising, inventory, and so on) as well as front office channels (in-store, call center). In addition, Dynamics 365 for Retail also provides an omni-channel, fully extensible “headless” commerce engine that is leveraged by all channels including partner-led e-commerce channels.

The investments will span the following core pillars.

Unified commerce

  • Customer-centric experiences that honor and differentiate a retailer's brand.
  • Enhanced in-store experiences building on current solution capabilities.
  • Omni-channel capabilities including payments, loyalty, and more to enhance experiences across channels.

Core capabilities and fundamentals

  • Retail Cloud Scale Unit: Multiple scale units spanning multiple Azure regions with active-active support to deliver scalability, reduced latency, and downtime during servicing and phased rollouts.
  • Extensibility and improved developer experiences: Enhanced extensibility across all channels and components.
  • Broadcast and push updates for retail cloud-deployed components.
  • Regulatory and compliance-related enhancements to provide service in all supported countries and regions.

Intelligence and insights

  • Distributed Order Management enhancements that provide intelligent order orchestration capabilities to reduce costs for retailers while improving speed of delivery for shoppers.