Dynamics 365 guarantees to "transform business process into business advantage for organizations all over the place". However, what does Dynamics 365 actually do?
Microsoft (News - Alert) Dynamics 365 is a cloud-based business applications platform that combines components of customer relationship management (CRM) and enterprise resource planning (ERP), along with productivity applications and artificial intelligence tools.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 was built by Microsoftfor maximum flexibility and extensibility.
Dynamics 365 launched in 2016, when Microsoft combined Dynamics AX -- its ERP application -- with its Dynamics CRM application. Microsoft was one of the first major vendors to combine the capabilities of ERP and CRM natively.
Dynamics 365 Apps & Features
The Dynamics 365 suite is accessible in two editions, Business or Enterprise, each with different levels of features and applications.
Companies can choose from the following Microsoft Dynamics 365 applications and features:
Client Insights - Combines client information from Dynamics 365, Office 365 and third-party information sources, and enables clients to discover actionable insights from that data. Incorporates Power BI for analytics and visualization, and artificial intelligence tools to identify customer behaviors and provide predictive scoring.
Customer Service -Omni channel customer engagement tools, customer self-service and communities, and tools for support agents.
Field Service - Scheduling resources, contract management, inventory management, insight into internet of things-connected products and customer communications tools.
Finance and Operations -Financial management with reporting and analytics; manufacturing tools for project management, production planning, scheduling, and cost management; and warehouse and inventory control tools for supply chain management.
Marketing -Connects Dynamics CRM to Adobe (News - Alert) Marketing Cloud to provide campaign management and targeted, personalized marketing tools.
Project Service Automation -Project planning, resource scheduling, time and expense management, and service analytics.
Retail - Unified commerce tools, store and employee management, merchandise management and operational insights.
Sales-Provides intelligence on prospective customers, personalization and customer engagement, sales productivity and performance metrics.
Talent - Human resources cloud services is connected to LinkedIn (News - Alert) to manage all areas of HR, from attracting, hiring and onboarding new employees to managing HR programs.
Advantages of Dynamics 365
By combining Dynamics 365 CRM and ERP with Microsoft's productivity applications, users get a connected view of data intelligence on customer records, transactions, behaviors and preferences, along with information about orders, inventory and shipping, and in addition to predictive insight tools for decision-makers.
The greatest advantage of Dynamics 365 is tight integration with other Microsoft business applications. For companies that rely heavily on Office 365 and Outlook, or that run operations on Azure, Dynamics 365 provides more beneficial integration with sister products than most CRM systems, which rely on third-party plug-ins. Microsoft is also growing its stable of third-party applications to pair with Dynamics 365 through the AppSource store.
Additional Dynamics 365 benefits include a common UI throughout Microsoft's suite of business applications, enabling easier training and improved efficiency.
How A Dynamics 365 Consulting Partner Can Help
Evaluate New Solutions
Get help distinguishing the Dynamics 365 applications that best fit your requirements now and as your business needs change going ahead.
Tailor Existing Solutions
Transform or improve business processes with partner apps that add industry-specific functionality to the out-of-the-box capabilities of Dynamics 365.
Remain On Track
Get continuous help, consultation, and optimization recommendations from trusted advisors who are with you every step of the way.
Work with a trusted Dynamics 365 Consulting Partner to get the most value from your Dynamics 365 implementation—whether you’re simply beginning or hoping to upgrade existing solutions. Access an industry-driving Microsoft partner ecosystem that offers expert guidance and support in buying, implementing, and optimizing your Dynamics 365 applications.
About the Author: Errin is the Founder and Chief Architect for EPC Group and the author of four Microsoft Press books covering Power BI, SharePoint and Office 365. Errin focuses his efforts on implementing Microsoft Technologies in organizations throughout the country and around the globe.
Errin's latest book "Microsoft Power BI Dashboards Step by Step" by Microsoft Press guides you through creating world-class business analysis dashboards that integrate today's most widely-used data sources, using any of Microsoft's Power BI platforms, including the new Power BI Premium.
