Expert IT Leadership Blogs

When you think of a traditional ERP system, you think “big, bloated, expensive and complex.” Microsoft Dynamics 365, however, is not your traditional ERP solution. Dynamics is a suite of enterprise resource planning (ERP) and customer relationship management (CRM) software modules that has proven ideal for not only medium size companies but multi-branch and multi-national companies as well. Microsoft Dynamics can and has scaled to serve global enterprise needs flexibly and effectively, so when a mid-size company adopts Dynamics, they know the ERP they can afford today, will also painlessly scale to serve their needs of tomorrow.

Microsoft Dynamics adapts to your specific workflow in such a way that, with the right IT support, Dynamics can be configured for some serious competitive advantage. With the remarkably high level of customization offered by Microsoft Dynamics 365, by the time you’re finished with your implementation and modernization, it could be considered a form of proprietary solution – but for a fraction of the cost. That fact makes it almost unthinkable to adopt a proprietary software solution with the availability of such a robust and configurable platform.

Integrations have become very important in the ERP universe and another attractive aspect of Dynamics is that not only is it tightly integrated with other Microsoft products and services like SharePoint, Yammer, Office 365, Microsoft SQL database, Azure and Outlook, it also integrates with popular software platforms like ServiceNow.

It’s a story of cost vs. productivity. But it’s also a story about how a company’s status quo can be hard to budge. If you are in this situation let’s talk through the case to make.

• Putting separate point systems in place is better than doing nothing, but it won’t provide a lasting competitive edge for the investment you will make;
• You may think you can get the greatest competitive edge with a proprietary software solution, but not only will it be terribly expensive, it will be expensive to maintain and if your dev company folds, who will know the logic and history of your custom software? Honestly, the majority of companies don’t really need proprietary software;
• Microsoft Dynamics will allow you to increase productivity at lower cost because it is not proprietary, allows multiple departments to work together on the same system, and it can be tailored to your specific needs and workflow.

Who needs Microsoft Dynamics?

As your enterprise grows, regardless of growth phase, repetitive tasks become clear and are ripe for automation to unleash your true human capital potential. Once you relieve your valuable staff of these repetitive burdens, you will be surprised at the innovation that can be realized. To achieve this, you must have a deep understanding of what processes can/should be automated, the anticipated outcome and how you will measure success (and your return on investment in both productivity and cost savings.) This is where Dynamics and the right IT implementation partner can really drive innovation by relieving your best and brightest of repetitive tasks allowing them to focus on growing your company.

A good way to think about Microsoft Dynamics is as a "framework" where Microsoft provides the infrastructure/platform; and your implementation partner configures and optimizes your Dynamics components for maximum performance. SRS, being a Microsoft partner for many years and demonstrated experience in implementing Dynamics solutions can provide the strategy and skill to successfully scope and implement a set of workflow processes that are tailored to your specific needs and that align with a goal of growth and competitive advantage.

Selecting the right Implementation Partner

Making the decision that Dynamics is right for you is step one. Choosing your implementation partner is the second important decision.

A word of caution – if you have not thought through your processes and related workflow, automation alone isn’t going to get you very far (i.e., you can automate your existing workflow, but if it’s already producing mediocre results or bad outcomes, what automation will do is simply get you there that much faster.) For the truly tough challenges like taking a good hard look at your processes, it’s always good to have a fresh set of eyes – preferably someone who has tackled a similar project many times for other companies similar to yours.

Picking the right implementation partner is very important. If you already have a relationship with an IT Services provider you are happy with, they might be the best ones to handle your implementation. This is because, assuming they have the proper skillset, they will have already been through the discovery process and have a good understanding of the underlying logic of your company and processes.

Your IT Services partner isn’t just a vendor, they are truly a trusted partner. Your project has to finish on time. You must leverage your programmer resources – if a programmer leaves their replacement lacks the history. Relationships matter.

What is the cost of your status quo?

Every company is different, yet they share common challenges when it comes to system and process modernization. From the rising cost of legacy software to missed opportunities to create a more productive workforce by adopting today’s new technologies, here are some questions to ask:

• How much does unplanned downtime really cost your company?
• How much would it cost your company if you suffered data loss, corruption or ransom?
• Can your staff access the information they need quickly wherever they may be?
• Is it easy for your staff to collaborate between departments?
• Has your company developed a strategic records management system/process?

Productive employees want to access the data they need instantly – and they should be able to get the information wherever and whenever they need it – safely and securely. There are many features in Dynamics that allow you to create effective, well designed user experiences. Your staff desire a streamlined internal process and when you achieve that, that’s when you’ll start seeing a real impact on your bottom line from all that increased productivity and innovation.

//