Are you currently using Microsoft Dynamics AX? Are you considering an upgrade to Microsoft’s next generation business platform – Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations – but are not clear on the main benefits you will get from this upgrade?
Since Microsoft announced its new Microsoft Dynamics 365 platform in July 2016, the Dynamics ERP community has been questioning what the compelling reasons for this next ERP upgrade project are.
There can be significant benefits of Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations (formerly known as Dynamics 365 for Operations). The points covered in this article are by no means exhaustive, however with so much information being communicated, it’s good to clear the fog, and highlight some of the key benefits for those considering their ERP upgrade options.
Here’s our top 6;
- Reduced costs Eliminate the need for on premise servers and systems and reduce your employee costs to maintain the ERP system as Microsoft does this for you. This can free up resources to focus your energy on other value adding projects. This minimises the ongoing cost of running your infrastructure as Microsoft do more of the work, this even extends to disaster recovery and back-ups as this is all part of the package.
- Full Functionality Everything is under one roof with the Dynamics 365 range. Upgrading from Dynamics AX to Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations makes it easier to integrate your ERP, CRM, BI and IoT all in the Dynamics 365 range. This saves you time and money on training and has the added benefit of limiting the need for any customisations and any reliance on third party software. Microsoft will also be moving all future development onto the new platform and we expect to see enhanced features being added over time. The functionality increase is particularly noticeable for AX 2009 and AX 2012 RTM, R1 and R2.
- Better Access Dynamics 365 is powered through a native HTML5 browser based interface, which is available on any device, with any platform and any browser. With no need to rely on remote desktop or enterprise portal.
- Greater Flexibility You get access to scale your usage whenever you want. You don’t need to plan for any additional server space. You can also choose from Cloud (public cloud), Cloud + Edge (hybrid) or Local Business data (on premise) versions of the software.
- Simpler to keep up to date Straightforward updates with platform updates every 3 months and application updates every 6 months. Keeping your business on the latest technology to deliver for your customers, while removing the need for big implementations in the future. What’s new here; • A change to the way customisations are done, making it easier to apply the upgrades • Automation in the rollout of platform updates • A sandbox environment to allow testing of application upgrades
- Built in Analytics You now get as standard built in analytics powered by Microsoft Power BI. You can securely connect all your apps and have all your data in one place with easy to use dashboards and reports. This gives you more accessible insight to drive greater efficiencies across your business.
Overall Microsoft Dynamics 365 helps you engage customers, empower employees and optimise operations. With this next generation of intelligent business applications in the cloud, you can:
- Break down the siloes between ERP & CRM
- Incorporate the familiar productivity tools you use every day such as Outlook and Excel
- Reduce integration costs
- Accelerate your digital transformation to meet the changing needs of your customers, and capture the new business opportunities of tomorrow
The move from older versions will provide significant gains in functionality however there will be different considerations depending on what version you are on. Telefónica Tech can help you evaluate your options for ERP upgrade.
Get in touch with our team today to learn more.