Ever since its launch Microsoft has claimed that Dynamics 365 can be a game changer. Apart from integrating the CRM and ERP functions in MS, the Dynamic brings together the MS stack — Outlook, Word, Office 365, Excel — to create a truly integrated solution. As Dynamics enters 2018, Microsoft has already upgraded its significant features.
But How Does It Helps In Business?
One of its particular proficiencies lies in the way we do business. The Dynamic 365 is a complete end-to-end business software — from marketing, finance to operations. Microsoft has also shown commitment to cross-platform functionality, from desktop to mobiles. Inclusion of apps is meant to further help in business workflow.
Any modern business today needs to not just manage its business efficiently, it must also change according to market expectations. Then there are the long-term goals of evolving and growing. The challenges faced by a modern business can be typically summed up as:
- Faulty or mismanaged inventory
- Demand and supply discrepancies
- Inefficient employee management
- Effect on productivity due to inefficiencies, employee management, competition and so on.
Many of these challenges are related to business operation and information integration. What is found lacking is an efficient database that is intelligent, scalable, accessible and goal-oriented. This is where the Dynamics 365 comes in.
It brings the functionality of the cloud with best of the CRM and ERP with customised apps for each of key business function, like marketing & sales, finance, customer relations and so on. The built-in intelligence of the Dynamic is meant to provide insight in the business workflow, bring efficiency and health in business forecasts — a necessary tool for bringing out business growth.
In effect, it will bring together MS massive stable in productivity services, enable IoT with the power of Azure. The dynamism comes from providing for and changing according to requirement, productivity issues and business decisions.
What Can It Do?
In business functions Dynamics 365 has six essential applications:
- Sales
- Customer Service
- Marketing
- Field Service
- Project Service Automation
- Operations
Originally the first six functions came under the CRM umbrella, while operations was part of the ERM stable. The apps come with a PowerBI license, which means that each has the ‘intelligence’ component. But what makes it even better is the App Source — the provision for third party software vendors, certified by Microsoft.
Dynamics 365: Business Edition VS Enterprise Edition
Microsoft trellised two version of the Dynamics 365 — the Business Edition and the Enterprise Edition. The two share a number of features, but the Business Edition is considered the ‘lesser version’.
Microsoft recommends the Dynamics 365 Business Edition for companies with workforce of 10-250 people. This is a much more simplified version that is easy to use and manage for small businesses. But the convenience comes at a cost. Many of its unique advantages, such as customisation and automation are compromised.
With Business Editions you have to buy the user right for any or all of the following services:
- Dynamics 365 for Sales, Business Edition
- Dynamics 365 for Customer Service, Business Edition
- Dynamics 365 for Marketing, Business Edition
- Dynamics 365 for Financials and Operations, Business Edition
- For the Enterprise Edition you must similarly buy user rights for the following services:
- Dynamics 365 for Sales, Enterprise Edition
- Dynamics 365 for Marketing, Enterprise Edition
- Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations, Enterprise Edition
- Dynamics 365 for Field Service, Enterprise Edition
- Dynamics 365 for Retail, Enterprise Edition
- Dynamics 365 for Talent, Enterprise Edition
- Dynamics 365 for Customer Service, Enterprise Edition
- Dynamics 365 for Project Service Automation, Enterprise Edition
This is obviously a much more high powered version. It offers a much more comprehensive solution for visually every service. In addition, it unlike the Business version, it also includes Project Service, Field Service, Retail and Talent.
To Recap, Here’s What You Can Get With Dynamic 365:
- We get to choose what we want. Just opt for the services we need and add apps according to our requirement. We control the expense and the pace.
- Opens up data collection and access across the business and not just limit it to the top management. This is grassroots action with a direct affect on decision making, productivity and efficiency.
- The integration of CRM and ERP in a standardised, unified, predictable and repeatable process.
- Bringing together the structured and unstructured components of a business in one seamless collaboration — the business workflow with the human factor.
- Get access to Business Intelligence — Cortana Intelligence, Power BI and Azure Machine Learning. Integrate it with Big Data for advanced analytics. Finally, this data is used for various business functions such as accurate sales predictions.
- Making IoT an integral part of business.
A truly dynamic software that is both adaptable and consistent. It remains scalable, giving users the ability to grow and evolve, while working independently.
