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Workflows, Part 2: Creation, Compliance, and Details
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Workflows in D365 Part 2: Creation, Compliance, and Details
Workflows in D365 Part 2: Creation, Compliance, and Details 700 500 Xcelpros Team

Custom Workflows in Dynamics 365

In the first part of our workflow series, we discussed workflows in Microsoft Dynamics 365 (D365), the stages involved in workflows, their benefits, and some use cases. This week, we will teach you how to create a workflow in D365. Finally, we will share how this technology’s workflows can help organizations comply with regulatory requirements to avoid quality assurance issues.

Dynamics 365 lets businesses tailor workflows to match unique requirements, ideally making processes faster and more efficient. With workflows in place, you can focus more on delivering exceptional customer experiences. A recent whitepaper by MSDynamicsWorld discusses how workflows give companies 100% control over orders, increasing gross margins significantly.

Creating Workflows in D365

If you are just starting with Dynamics and are unsure where to begin, you’ll want to consider partnering with a Microsoft CSP (Cloud Solution Provider) that can help. Your Microsoft Partner will be able to guide you through the decision-making process, helping you determine what parts of Dynamics 365 your company can utilize in terms of what software, and for what departments, etc.

Creating a workflow in Microsoft Dynamics 365 (D365) is very straightforward. You can easily set up simple workflows in D365 on your own in just a few simple steps. As this series is meant to be more of a summary about how simple workflows can be, not a comprehensive guide to setting them up, we’ll only look at a simple workflow. If you want to go deeper and learn about setting up complex workflows that span multiple departments, your Microsoft CSP will be able to help you get started setting up Workflows in D365.

If you already have Dynamics 365 or are in the implementation process, not to fear- you can set up workflows in D365 in a few simple steps. This is not meant to be a comprehensive guide to setting up workflows, but a summary of the steps involved so you understand how simple workflows can be.

Creating a Workflow in Dynamics 365

  1. 1.Defining the Process: Identify the process you want to automate via workflows and the steps involved.
  2. 2.Creating the Workflow: In Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations (F&O), go to the “Workflow” module area and select “New Workflow.” Give your workflow a name and define the parameters.
  3. 3.Defining Stages: Identify the stages or steps involved in the process you are creating a workflow for. Then, define the actions that need to be taken at each one of those stages.
  4. 4.Assigning Roles: Assign roles to each workflow stage to ensure that the right people are notified and responsible for completing the tasks.
  5. 5.Testing and Refinements: Test the workflow to ensure it is working as expected, then refine the workflow based on feedback and performance.

Workflows and Compliance

A critical need often overlooked by organizations is ensuring continuous compliance with laws and regulations. Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) provide a set of guidelines that employees can follow to ensure that every action taken within the business is consistent, reliable, and compliant with relevant laws and regulations. Thankfully, maintaining workflows and standard operating procedures (SOPs) directly in D365 is one of the best ways for businesses to track and maintain consistency, efficiency, and regulatory compliance.

Managing and enforcing paper-based SOPs has always been a complex and challenging task. Take advantage of Dynamics’ included workflow capabilities to manage SOPs digitally. This will simplify your business’s SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) compliance with streamlined processes and tasks.

Let us explore how workflows in Dynamics 365 effectively simplify SOP compliance.

Streamline SOP Management

With D365, you can centralize your standard operating procedures (SOPs), enabling easy creation, updates, and storage of SOPs in one place. Workflows are crucial in enforcing SOP usage by guiding employees through the necessary steps and ensuring adherence to established processes. This centralized approach promotes consistency and eliminates the risk of outdated or conflicting SOPs, ensuring your employees can access the most up-to-date procedures.

Simplify SOP Auditing and Reporting

Staying compliant with laws and regulatory standards often requires regular audits and reporting. D365 workflows help simplify collecting and organizing the data required to complete the audit process. By automating data capture and integrating it into the workflow process, your company can generate accurate and comprehensive reports on regulatory compliance and SOPs. These reports provide valuable insights into potential improvement areas, highlight non-compliance patterns, and ensure regulatory procedures are being followed throughout the organization. With workflows in place to simplify auditing and reporting, your organization can identify areas for optimization, strengthening your SOPs and other regulatory compliance processes.

Efficient SOP Approval and Review Processes

D365 workflows automate the SOP management process, reducing manual effort and potential bottlenecks. Whenever a new SOP is created or an existing SOP requires modification, workflows can be configured to automatically route the document to the appropriate department or team member for validation. This workflow-based automation streamlines the process, eliminates delays, and ensures that SOPs undergo thorough validation by the relevant individual(s) or department(s) before implementation. Businesses can maintain a smooth and efficient SOP management process by simplifying the approval and review processes with workflows.

SOP Task Assignment and Tracking Made Easy

SOP compliance involves assigning and tracking tasks related to specific procedures. D365 workflows can help your company automatically assign tasks based on defined roles and responsibilities. Each employee is assigned specific tasks according to their role and permissions within the workflow. This simplifies task management, ensures that individuals understand their responsibilities, and promotes compliance with SOPs. Additionally, workflows provide real-time tracking capabilities, allowing managers to monitor task progress, identify bottlenecks, and take corrective actions promptly.

Proactive SOP Notifications and Reminders

Another key benefit of workflows in D365 is sending automated notifications and reminders related to SOP compliance. For instance, when a task is due or a review is required, employees receive timely notifications. These proactive reminders within workflows help employees stay on top of their responsibilities, ensuring SOPs are followed and due dates are met. By reducing the risk of being out of compliance, workflows can reduce worry and improve overall compliance rates within your company.

Figure 1:Workflows, SOPs, and Compliance

Workflows, SOPs, and Compliance

Simplifying SOP compliance is a critical aspect of maintaining operational efficiency, regulatory adherence, quality control, and risk mitigation. Setting up workflows in D365 can empower your organization to achieve and maintain SOP compliance effortlessly. This helps foster a culture of adherence to regulatory and compliance issues and sets a foundation for long-term success in regulated business environments.

76%

of decision-makers reported that workflows have helped them reduce errors and improve consistency in their business processes, as highlighted in a recent article by SoftwareOne.

Source: SoftwareOne

More About Workflows in Microsoft Dynamics 365

As your business continues to grow and evolve, keeping up with the latest technology and software is essential. Microsoft Dynamics 365 is an excellent solution for efficient operations and improved productivity. Workflows are a critical software component to ensure operations run efficiently and tasks are completed accurately and on time.

As with any technology, there is always more to learn, so many resources are available to learn more about workflows in D365. From online video tutorials and articles to training courses and certification programs, you can use various resources to maximize your software investment (ROI). Learning about workflows will benefit you and your business, whether you are an experienced user or just getting started.

Dynamics 365 F&O Workflows: Conclusion

In today’s digitally driven world, knowing how to use corporate technology tools is essential in maintaining a competitive edge. Workflows in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Supply Chain are an essential part of this process and are more accessible than ever. From speed to scalability, Microsoft’s flagship Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system helps increase efficiency and profitability, enabling users to customize the platform based on their unique business needs.

In the first installment, we explored the basics of workflows, their key benefits, and some use-case examples. This week, we discussed how to create a workflow, how workflows can help keep companies in line with SOPs and compliance, and provided some additional facts and resources about workflows in Dynamics 365.

Take your business’s quality operations into the future with workflows in Dynamics 365. Workflows help businesses improve efficiency and manage compliance standards without expensive hardware or IT support needs.

Get ready for revolutionary results today!

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Also Read: Quality Management and Control – Best Practices

Workflows: Benefits, Stages, and Use Cases - D365 F&O
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Workflows in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Supply Chain: Part 1
Workflows in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Supply Chain: Part 1 700 500 Xcelpros Team

Introduction to D365 F&O and Workflows

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management (or “D365 F&O”) are two of the most critical modules in Microsoft’s flagship Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) platform.

Built-in the cloud, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations was designed to streamline operations and improve productivity for manufacturing and distribution companies. Dynamics 365 gives businesses access to modern tools such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) that help enhance supply chain processes with real-time visibility into several areas of your business. With D365 workflows, your company can accelerate financial reporting, gain more control over inventory, and optimize production processes from start to finish.

In today’s fast-paced business world, time is of the essence. Companies constantly strive to optimize processes to improve efficiency and save valuable time. Integrating digital workflows into everyday tasks is one of the best ways to achieve these results. Utilizing workflows in MSD365 helps companies save time, enabling employees to focus on more critical tasks. Not only does this increase productivity and compliance, but it also leads to a higher return on investment (ROI) for your business.

Integrated workflows are one way to ensure consistency in key performance indicators (KPIs) such as employee productivity, customer satisfaction, and on-time delivery (OTD). With the help of Microsoft Dynamics 365 and a Microsoft Partner, workflows can be easily integrated into existing systems, making transitions easy. In short, workflows revolutionize how businesses operate, enabling increased efficiency, accuracy, and success.

In this blog series, we will explore workflows in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Supply Chain (F&O), their benefits, use cases, how to create them, and the various stages they go through. We will look at one common workflow, Purchase Orders, and discuss how workflows help with compliance and regulatory issues. By the end of this series, we hope you walk away knowing how powerful workflows are and how they can benefit your organization’s efficiency.

What are Workflows in Dynamics 365?

Microsoft defines workflows in one of two ways: as a system or as a business process. In either of these contexts, a workflow is a series of steps or tasks executed in a specific order to complete a process.

A recent article by Getisoft describes workflows in Dynamics 365 as automation implementation for simple or complex tasks that one can manage within Dynamics 365 as a series of sequential methods or functions called stages.

No matter how they are defined, workflows in Dynamics 365 are used to automate business processes like invoice approvals, expense reporting, and purchase order processing. They are helpful with utilizing team member time efficiently and can be customized to meet your organization’s specific needs.

Have you ever wanted to skip the monotonous tasks you find yourself performing daily? Using workflows in D365 lets you automate those routine tasks. Besides eliminating the monotony in your daily routine, workflows significantly reduce manual errors and improve department communication. They can be created for critical business processes such as sales orders, purchase orders, customer service requests, etc. Automating these routine tasks for most businesses leads to improved response times, enhanced customer satisfaction, and an increased bottom line.

With a user-friendly interface and customizable options, workflows configured in D365 can be tailored to meet the unique needs of each business, making it a versatile solution for organizations of all sizes. Using built-in workflows, your company can streamline operations and gain a competitive edge in your industry.

Workflow Stages in D365 F&O

In D365, there are several workflow stages that a document or process can move through. The specific stages may vary depending on the type of workflow and the business requirements, but some common workflow stages are:

  • Draft: The document or process has been created but has not yet been submitted for review or approval.
  • In Review: The document or process is being reviewed by one or more approvers. During this stage, comments or changes may be made and the document may be returned to the creator for revisions.
  • Approved: The document or process has been reviewed and approved by all necessary approvers.
  • Rejected: The document or process has been reviewed and rejected by one or more approvers. The creator may be required to make changes or resubmit the document.
  • In Process: The document or process has been approved and is now in progress, such as a purchase order being sent to a vendor, or a project being initiated.
  • Completed: The document or process has been fully executed and completed.
  • Cancelled: The document or process has been cancelled or otherwise terminated before completion.

Benefits of Workflows

In today’s fast-paced and competitive business landscape, companies of every size are looking for ways to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and improve productivity. Implementing workflows is a powerful solution that enables organizations to streamline and automate complex business processes, resulting in significant benefits. Here are some key advantages of using workflows in D365.

Figure 1:Benefits of Workflows in D365 F&O

Benefits of Workflows in D365 F&O

  1. 1.Streamlined Automation: Workflows allow businesses to automate tasks and approval requests, ensuring they are automatically routed to the right individuals or teams. Eliminating manual handoffs and reducing the risk of errors lets workflows help companies save time and resources while improving operational efficiency.
  2. 2.Enhanced Visibility and Monitoring: With workflows, organizations gain visibility into the status of each process. This visibility is particularly crucial in addressing regulatory and compliance issues, as it enables better tracking, monitoring, and auditing. Businesses can ensure that processes are adhered to consistently and identify areas for improvement.
  3. 3.Consistency and Standardization: Workflows promote consistency and standardization across business operations. By defining standardized processes, companies can eliminate variations and ensure that tasks are executed consistently and compliant. This improves the quality of output and enhances customer satisfaction and trust.
  4. 4.Cost Reduction and Increased Productivity: Through automation and standardization, workflows help businesses reduce costs and increase productivity. By eliminating manual and repetitive tasks, employees can focus on more strategic and value-added activities, resulting in improved efficiency and higher outputs at the same time.
  5. 5.Customization and Scalability: Microsoft Dynamics 365 offers a flexible and scalable solution for organizations. With D365’s workflow capabilities, your business can customize workflows to fit the organization’s specific needs, ensuring that processes align with your company’s unique requirements. This adaptability can enable your company to evolve and grow without the constraints of rigid systems.

Implementing workflows helps provide companies with more than just the benefits discussed above. The customizable and scalable workflow capabilities of D365 can also help your organization achieve greater operational efficiency and competitiveness in today’s dynamic business environment.

Common Workflow Use Cases

Microsoft Dynamics 365 is revolutionizing Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software in many ways, one of which is the ability to support powerful workflows designed to automate different business processes.

These workflows can be customized to suit your organization’s specific needs, as mentioned above, and also to meet the needs of specific departments within your organization, such as accounting, sales, operations, purchasing, marketing, human resources, customer service, and more.

Here are some common use cases for workflows in D365:

Customer Invoicing:

You can create a workflow in your finance or accounting department to automate the customer invoicing process. This workflow includes things such as the generating invoices, tracking payment status, and sending reminders for overdue payments. By automating this process, businesses ensure timely and accurate invoicing, reducing the risk of missed payments and improving cash flow.

Inventory Management:

The purchasing team can create a workflow to automate the inventory management process. This workflow can include tasks like tracking stock levels, generating purchase orders when stock reaches a specified threshold, and managing supplier communication. Automating these tasks helps businesses minimize the risk of stock-outs and overstocking, optimizes inventory levels, and improves supply chain efficiency.

Sales Opportunity:

In the sales department, a workflow is designed to automate the sales management process. This workflow may include lead qualification, assignment to sales representatives, sales activity tracking, and updating the opportunity status. This workflow ensures that you manage sales opportunities efficiently, improving conversion rates and overall sales performance.

Employee On-boarding:

Human resources teams can create a workflow to streamline the employee onboarding process. This includes collecting and verifying employee information, assigning necessary training, scheduling orientation sessions, and generating required documents. By automating these steps, businesses accelerate onboarding, ensuring compliance with company policies and regulations and enhancing the employee experience.

Service Request Management:

Customer service departments benefit from workflows designed to automate service request management, including receiving and categorizing service requests, assigning tasks to appropriate team members, tracking request progress, and notifying customers of updates. By automating these processes, businesses can improve response times, enhance customer satisfaction, and streamline service delivery.

Conclusion

Overall, workflows in D365 equip businesses with the right tools to modernize processes and increase operational efficiency across the board. In this first part of our D365 Workflows Series, we went into the stages, benefits, and use cases for workflows in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Supply Chain.

In the next part of our Workflow Series, we will walk through how to create a workflow and discuss how workflows help companies keep in line with SOPs and compliance.

Contact us today and learn more about workflows and their benefits in Microsoft Dynamics 365

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Also Read : Workflows in D365 Part 2: Creation, Compliance, and Details

The Road to Success Implementing Microsoft Dynamics 365
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The Road to Success: Implementing Microsoft Dynamics 365
The Road to Success: Implementing Microsoft Dynamics 365 700 500 Xcelpros Team

In chemical manufacturing, the efficacy of a corporate enterprise resource planning (ERP) framework is one of the most important things businesses focus on. Does your current ERP allow you to effectively manage your operations without needing complicated 3rd-party software? These types of integrations will always be seen as weak links.

This is an area where Microsoft Dynamics 365 shines. With a growing list of robust capacities and functions, D365 gives businesses a clear path to upgrade operational processes, elevate efficiency, and stimulate development.

The first step to ensuring successful implementation is developing an appropriate approach and plan.

In this article, we will detail key reflections and leading approaches to ensuring Microsoft Dynamics 365 works as intended.

Research done by TechValidate revealed that 86% of corporations that used Microsoft Dynamics 365 F&O saw an enhancement in accuracy and completeness of their data. (Source: TechValidate)

Figure 1:Implementing D365 – The Road to Success

Implementing D365 - The Road to Success

Set attainable goals

Establishing realistic business goals is a major step to successfully deploying D365. These goals serve as a fundamental basis to ensure the software’s implementation is specifically tailored to the company’s distinct requirements and needs, thereby enabling the accomplishment of desired results.

To start, any KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) and essential processes for success need to be identified and ordered by priority. Once these objectives have been determined, the appropriate Microsoft Dynamics 365 modules and features that suit the business’s goals can be selected. This step calls for deciding which customizations and integrations are required.

A complete understanding of the company’s objectives and requirements ahead of time makes it easier to determine appropriate timeline expectations and allocate resources accordingly. This lowers the possibility of any unforeseen issues occurring during the deployment process.

Develop a Comprehensive Implementation Plan

Getting Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations software up and running can be a complex mission for the uninitiated, with several moving parts that must all come together simultaneously. This includes setting up the modules and features of the software, data migration requirements, system integration, personalization, training, and more. To guarantee a successful implementation, you will want a detailed implementation plan outlining all process stages, timelines, roles, responsibilities, and key milestones.

Producing a detailed implementation plan helps recognize potential issues and hazards that could arise after the process starts. A proper plan helps lessen or prevent untimely postponements, allowing the project to progress as expected.

A thoughtfully drafted plan should lay out all stages of the implementation, including data migration, customization, training, and system testing, setting timelines for every stage of the process, and marking out the essential milestones to permit progress tracking. Assigning roles and responsibilities at every step guarantees resource ownership and effective use.

Choosing the Right Implementation Partner

Ensuring you work with an experienced implementation partner is another essential puzzle piece for a successful deployment of D365.

You want to work with a team that understands your sector, business needs and functional requirements. Your best option is working with Microsoft Partners, with appropriate technical expertise, understanding, and background in implementing Microsoft Dynamics 365 for your unique business type.

A Solution Partner should be able to provide consistent support throughout the implementation. This can range from system configuration and data migration to training and various levels of post-implementation support. An experienced partner will provide important instructions and discernment, enabling you to make wise choices that match your corporate goals.

Develop a Strong Change Management Plan

The implementation of a new ERP system like Microsoft Dynamics 365 is a massive shift for any organization, with a resulting need a successful change management plan to guarantee a seamless transition.

A thorough change management strategy needs to focus on

  • Communication,
  • Education, and
  • Support needs.

A crucial part of handling the shift is communication; timely and open dialogue through the duration of the execution is essential. This can incorporate normal updates, feedback systems, and more opportunities to get input from personnel.

Proper instruction is another fundamental part of making sure employees are equipped with the required information and proficiency to work with the new system. Detailed instructions tailored to the demands of varied user groups – such as supervisors, end-users, and technical personnel – should be provided to each user as soon as possible.

Education should be addressed via several means, including classroom teaching, e-learning, and on-the-job aids.

Developing an effective change management plan that covers communication, education, and support requirements means there should be less resistance to change and helps guarantee your staff is prepared and capable of operating their new system.

Data Migration and Integration

The overall efficiency of D365 relies heavily on the accuracy and completeness of the data in the system. For this reason, some Partners consider it important to devise a separate plan just for data migration and integration tasks.

This plan should identify the necessary data to be migrated, focus on cleaning up any existing data issues, and map migrated data to the right fields of the new system.

This leads to better planning and execution of the integration processes, which includes specifying the systems to be connected, understanding the data flow and mapping, and putting protocols in place to handle data synchronization and transfer.

Performance Monitoring

Microsoft’s D365 Finance and Operations software is a long-term investment needing continuous maintenance to ensure ongoing success. As your business changes and grows, it’s good practice to monitor and assess your implementation to identify improvement areas diligently.

Keeping an eye on your data and KPIs lets you identify patterns, trends, and aberrations that signal regions that need enhancement. You can then address these matters and maximize your processes for more proficiency and success.

This can include frequent checks to guarantee that your new system operates in line with your goals and achieves your set KPIs. As the implementation progresses, you may want to modify your plan to incorporate new features, customizations, and integrations.

Monitoring your performance is just as important as ensuring your software has the most current updates and releases from Microsoft. Keeping your ERP up to date allows it to be validated and compliant.

Final Thoughts

Business success can be defined in several ways, such as achieving financial profitability, positively impacting society, establishing a strong brand reputation, or achieving personal fulfillment.

Regardless of the definition, success in any project can benefit things like job satisfaction, growth opportunities, increased revenue, and the ability to make a difference in the world.

A successful D365 implementation requires forethought, clear business objectives, and an action plan focusing on these objectives. This is where working with a knowledgeable implementation partner can make all the difference in the world, as their insight and knowledge become pivotal for achieving success. Just setting up an effective change management plan to manage data migration and integration and consistently reviewing and refining your implementation will guarantee success in the long term.

Not sure where to begin? Your partner can help you effectively plan and implement Dynamics to enhance your business operations to attain your goals—having trouble finding a partner that understands your needs? Our team can help you understand your options and ensure you are on the right path. Following the proper steps and being fully aware of the available features can help ensure a successful deployment of Microsoft Dynamics 365 and open the door to streamlined processes, boosted productivity, and high-octane growth.

Why wait? Schedule a demo call with our D365 experts today and get started on your own successful Dynamics 365 Implementation.

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Why You Should Upgrade to Microsoft Dynamics 365 in 2023
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Why You Should Upgrade to Microsoft Dynamics 365 in 2023
Why You Should Upgrade to Microsoft Dynamics 365 in 2023 700 500 Xcelpros Team

As industries like Pharmaceuticals and Chemicals become more and more connected, businesses need to make sure they’re using the right tools to keep up with the competition. As we start 2023, we’ve identified several reasons these businesses should upgrade to Microsoft Dynamics 365, which we cover in this post. We’ll look at how Microsoft Dynamics 365 can help you streamline processes, increase efficiency, and stay updated with the latest technology.

Reasons to move to Microsoft Dynamics 365

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) software has seen major changes in recent years.

With the growth of the cloud and the rise of powerful analytics, today’s ERP solutions are better than ever. Microsoft Dynamics 365 gives businesses power and flexibility to streamline their operations in a way that makes the most sense.

Businesses still struggling with an aging legacy system will see that Microsoft Dynamics 365 offers the right combination of price and performance. D365 is built on the latest technology and provides powerful insights into your business processes with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) enhancements that help you make better decisions. Its cloud-based architecture lets you access your data from anywhere at any time.

With older systems it will keep getting harder and harder to accommodate things like AI/ML, remote work or more complicated SOPs. Some of the top reasons you should say goodbye to your legacy system and finally make the move to Microsoft Dynamics 365 include

  • Aging legacy system
  • End of support for AX
  • Accessibility
  • Efficiency
  • Scalability

Figure 1:Reasons to Move to Microsoft Dynamics 365

Reasons to Move to Microsoft Dynamics 365

Upgrading to Microsoft Dynamics 365 gives you the opportunity to optimize your business processes, and make better decisions, faster.

Aging legacy system

It’s common to see businesses reliant on legacy systems that are no longer up to date. These aging systems can not only slow operations but can also cause an increased cost for the business. An aging legacy system may not offer the same features, functionalities, or reliability as modern solutions.

Businesses relying on an ageing legacy system will surely encounter more and more costly issues as the system grows older. Most notably, the cost to maintain the system will increase dramatically as parts become harder to find, outdated technologies require replacement and more complex issues arise. Additionally, the risk of data loss is ever-present due to system vulnerabilities and a lack of security updates. Moreover, the organization’s ability to scale with the market’s demands can be severely limited with a legacy system.

The need for modern features like AI/ ML increases as technology advances. An ageing legacy system won’t be able to provide the same support for new features as a more up-to-date system like Microsoft Dynamics 365. A legacy system may not be able to keep up with changes in the market, or even worse, and it can be missing out on features that could improve your business. By upgrading to Microsoft Dynamics 365, you can access these new features and keep up with the competition.

End of support for AX

Microsoft has announced the end of support for AX 2012 in 2023, making it an ideal time for these organizations to upgrade to Microsoft Dynamics 365. For businesses still using AX 2012, this is an opportunity to make the most of the latest technology and achieve greater efficiency and customer experience than ever before. With features like integrated AI capabilities, cloud-enabled analytics and business process automation, Dynamics 365 can help reduce operational costs and provide powerful insights that drive better decision-making.

Organizations seeking to upgrade to Dynamics 365 will find the most benefits by partnering with a Microsoft Partner. These Partners have in-depth knowledge and experience with Dynamics 365 and can provide comprehensive support throughout your transition process. This includes helping customize Dynamics 365 to meet your organization’s specific requirements and ensuring you get the most out of the platform. On top of that, Partners will be able to assist with data migration tasks and provide ongoing support for any post-implementation issues.

Accessibility

Microsoft Dynamics 365 offers businesses exceptional accessibility and convenience. D365 provides a secure and reliable platform for business operations, with the added benefits of mobile accessibility and cloud computing.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 is built on the cloud, allowing your data to be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection. Your employees and customers can access the system from any device with an internet connection, whether in the office or on the go, unlike AX, where remote users can only access the system with a VPN.

With Microsoft Dynamics 365, businesses have access to intuitive tools that enable them to monitor performance and develop strategies for improvement. You can customize the system for maximum flexibility in a tailored solution.

Efficiency

Microsoft Dynamics 365 is a powerful enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution that can help streamline SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures). From improved forecasting and analysis capabilities to automation, D365 makes it easy to reduce manual processes.

Combining multiple functions like CRM, ERP, and analytics into a single platform, D365 reduces the need for manual data entry and tedious paperwork.

This complete solution provides AI/ML-based analytics, giving you real-time insights into performance and trends – something you can’t fully get with legacy systems. Working with a Dynamics Partner, you’ll gain access to industry-specific understanding and advice on how to use D365 best to maximize efficiency and improve your bottom line.

Scalability

For businesses looking to expand their operations, scalability is key. Microsoft Dynamics 365 is designed to grow with your organization, allowing you to seamlessly transition from one stage of your business’s development to the next. This is especially important with legacy overhead costs continuing to rise.

As a cloud-based system, the scalability of Dynamics 365 is a major advantage for any business. With the help of your Microsoft Partner, you can gain access to additional support and resources when transitioning your organization to Dynamics 365.

Whether you’re launching new products or services, opening new offices, or exploring different markets, Dynamics 365 will ensure that your business can scale as needed.

Next steps if you’re ready to upgrade now

When your business is ready to start, the best way to upgrade to Microsoft Dynamics 365 is with the help of a Microsoft Gold Partner.

A Partner will provide expertise in utilising the best software, implementing it for your organization, and answering any questions about the system. They can also advise on which version of Dynamics 365 is best for your business. With a Gold Partner, you can be sure you are getting the most out of your technology investment and can use it to its fullest potential.

Upgrade to Dynamics 365 with the help of a Microsoft Gold Partner

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Once you identify potential partners, take some time to evaluate their services and expertise to ensure that you are getting the best deal. Talk to them about their experience in the industry, pricing structure, and any other details you may have questions about.

Your Partner will guide you through installation and provide support and training if needed. Once the software is up and running, they can provide additional resources and training on using it more effectively.

You’ll receive access to new features before they are released, helping you stay up-to-date on any major changes that may come along. With the right Partner, you can ensure a smooth transition to Microsoft D365 and reap the benefits of a powerful business solution.

Production Floor Management in Microsoft Dynamics 365
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Production Floor Management in Microsoft Dynamics 365
Production Floor Management in Microsoft Dynamics 365 700 500 Xcelpros Team

Efficient production floor management is an increasingly important part of any manufacturing operation. To keep production running smoothly, businesses need systems to track upcoming jobs and manage resources effectively. This is still a combination of legacy systems and manual processes for many businesses.

New products like Microsoft Dynamics 365 give businesses a comprehensive way to manage and automate their production floor operations, track jobs, and manage resources in one integrated system. This blog explores Microsoft Dynamics 365 and how it helps streamline production floor management.

Overview of production floor management

Production floor management is one of the most important parts of any manufacturing business. Production floor managers are responsible for day-to-day operations, scheduling, staffing, monitoring and control, quality assurance, and more.

Figure 1:Elements of Effective Production Floor Management

Elements of Effective Production Floor Management

Efficient Production Floor Management includes things like:

  • Scheduling: Planning and scheduling of activities and personnel on the production floor.
  • Staffing: Hiring, assigning, and managing personnel on the production floor.
  • Monitoring & Control: Ensuring that operations run smoothly and according to plan.
  • Quality Assurance: Assessing the quality of the products being produced.
  • Inventory Management: Keeping track of the inventory on the production floor.
  • Reporting & Analytics: Analyzing data from the production process to identify areas for improvement.

Production floor management involves communication between departments and being able to monitor and update existing workflows to ensure production is running smoothly and efficiently and that tasks are completed on time. Production managers spend a lot of valuable time ensuring compliance with industry standards and government regulations, all of which can positively impact a company’s bottom line.

These power users need a production floor management system that provides transparency into the entire production process and lets them monitor progress and make necessary adjustments. The right solution can help improve customer service and reduce overhead costs associated with production.

Production floor management tools make it easier for businesses to manage their production processes more effectively and efficiently. This system needs to provide real-time information about the status of each job or resource being managed. This helps organizations stay informed about their operations and decide how best to move forward.

Managing Production in Microsoft Dynamics 365

Microsoft’s Dynamics 365 products include comprehensive enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions that offer businesses a straightforward way to manage their production floor operations, resources, and more. Microsoft has spent years developing these products to help streamline and automate processes to improve efficiency.

Production floor management in Microsoft Dynamics 365 is easy to learn, simple to use and much more efficient than older, manual systems. Microsoft’s investments include millions of dollars to ensure their products are perfect for optimizing the flow of resources, reducing errors, and improving the overall efficiency of production processes.

The Production Floor Management module within Microsoft Dynamics 365 allows you to schedule and track jobs, manage resources, and gain insight into current and future production activities with a full range of tools and features to help you better manage your operations.

The Production Floor Management module allows you to easily create and monitor job tickets that list all the resources required for each production activity so you can assign tasks to specific resources, schedule jobs and check progress in real time.

This module also provides valuable insights on resource utilization, production efficiency, and capacity utilization. This helps you to optimize your production line, reduce wastage, and maximize profits.

On top of that, the Production Floor Management module gives you the ability to create custom workspaces for different types of users. These custom workspaces let you streamline complex production processes and provide an improved view of data.

Overall, Microsoft Dynamics 365 offers a comprehensive solution for managing your production floor operations. With its advanced features and tools, it helps streamline your operations and ensure efficient production.

Production floor management and Microsoft Dynamics 365

One of the most important benefits of production floor management in Microsoft Dynamics 365 is improving efficiency. With a single source of information, organizations can access accurate data from any location, helping to make decisions faster. Organizations can also access data in real-time to stay ahead of changes in the market.

By centralizing information and automating manual tasks, production floor management in D365 helps organizations increase productivity, reduce operational costs, and free up resources for more strategic projects. With better insights into operations, companies can make more informed decisions, often leading to significant cost savings.

Managing upcoming jobs

Production floors can be hectic, with countless tasks and jobs to juggle. Microsoft Dynamics 365 is designed to help production managers stay on top of their workload by providing a comprehensive view of upcoming jobs and the resources required to complete them.

D365 allows users to create job tickets for each new task quickly. These tickets provide detailed information about the job, including resources needed, estimated duration, and other relevant details. This information is used to create a timeline of upcoming jobs, giving managers a quick view of how their resources are utilized and when projects must be completed.

Users can assign tasks and resources to workers, allowing greater control over who is responsible for completing each job. This ensures that production floor operations are more efficient and reduces the chances of costly errors due to miscommunication. Additionally, job tickets can be customized with additional fields like a priority and special instructions, allowing managers to adjust workflow based on current needs.

With an intuitive user interface and powerful job-tracking capabilities, D365 makes it easy for production managers to keep track of their upcoming jobs and ensure they have the right people and resources to get the job done.

Managing resources

The ability to manage resources efficiently is key to successful production floor management. Microsoft Dynamics 365 offers many features and capabilities to help manage your resources.

D365 provides advanced tools for forecasting resource requirements that let you plan the resources needed for upcoming jobs and adjust staffing levels accordingly. This helps maximize resource utilization by scheduling jobs to ensure that resources are used as efficiently as possible.

You can monitor resource performance in real-time using dashboards and analytics to identify areas where performance needs to be improved quickly or resources need to be redistributed. D365’s resource management tools make it easy to ensure that your production floor is running smoothly and efficiently.

D365 allows you to track resource availability, check inventory levels, and schedule preventative maintenance to ensure that all necessary resources are in place when they’re needed and eliminates potential downtime due to maintenance issues. You also get the ability to control access rights, allowing you to control who has access to which resources and ensuring that only authorized personnel can access sensitive data.

Custom Workspaces

With custom workspaces, production managers can streamline their operations and stay organized. Custom workspaces in D365 can be set up in various ways to suit the production manager’s unique needs. For example, custom workspaces can include a dashboard that overviews current jobs, upcoming tasks, and other essential information. They can also display detailed data on different resources like employees, materials, and machines.

By creating workspaces tailored to their individual needs, production managers can easily keep track of their resources and jobs, enabling them to produce better results and increase efficiency. Furthermore, custom workspaces also provide a way to generate reports quickly and accurately so that production teams can make better decisions with greater confidence.

Custom workspaces in Microsoft Dynamics 365 allow users to monitor real-time performance and adjust as needed. This allows production managers to quickly identify any problems or issues and take corrective action before they become too serious. As a result, overall production performance is improved significantly.

Final Thoughts

Production floor management can be difficult and complex, especially for large-scale operations. Microsoft Dynamics 365 offers an effective solution to streamline this process and make it easier to manage jobs and resources.

Its intuitive user interface and powerful customization capabilities make it well-suited for managing all sizes and complexities of production floors. Production floor managers can easily keep track of upcoming jobs and resources and quickly adjust plans in response to changes in demand or capacity with a complete overview of the operations.

Features like custom workspaces provide the flexibility to customize the system according to the business’s specific needs. Microsoft Dynamics 365 helps production floor managers stay organized, maximize efficiency, and achieve better results. Contact us for more information.

Implement your ERP The Right Way to Boost your Company’s Efficiency
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Implement Your ERP The Right Way to Boost your Company’s Efficiency
Implement Your ERP The Right Way to Boost your Company’s Efficiency 700 500 Xcelpros Team

Running a business isn’t always easy, especially when there’s a lack of communication and no system in place to monitor data from your operations – problems all too common with legacy systems. The sooner businesses address these issues the better, and that means making sure whatever Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution you choose can support your business now, and in the future. Having the right solution in place will be the best way to ensure you’re able to keep meeting your goals.

Across industries, modern Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) implementations have become increasingly common. According to Deloitte, nearly 53% of IT executives say that effective Cloud ERP implementation is their top priority. A recent report from Allied Market Research expects the global ERP market to reach $117.09 billion by the end of 2030.

In this post, we touch on the importance of implementing a modern ERP – like Microsoft’s Dynamics 365 products – correctly and what they bring to the table.

Properly Implementing a Modern ERP

It’s true that modern ERP solutions like Microsoft’s Dynamics 365 Finance and Supply Chain Management open businesses to more possibilities. Microsoft’s ERP solutions offer Direct integration to Office products, enhanced collaboration, advanced analytics designed to generate actionable insights and boost efficiency, and more.

Often forgotten, though, is making sure you can implement a chosen solution properly – and this means collaborating with a Partner that understands the needs of your industry.

Figure 1:Benefits of Working with an ERP Implementation Partner

Benefits of Working with an ERP Implementation Partner

Important benefits of working with an ERP implementation partner include:

Fully streamlined and automated processes

With older systems, manual task allocation, tracking, and monitoring are becoming tougher and tougher as the system generates more data for every transaction. As workflows become more complex, organizations have to make significant investments to keep them up to date.

Microsoft’s D365 can automate and standardize even the most complicated workflows for efficiency.

Reduced cost

According to Deloitte, as much as 22% of operational cost savings happen with Microsoft ERP implementations. This has both a direct and indirect impact on overheads.

With powerful automation features, you can streamline how you schedule your resources. Microsoft’s D365 can easily automate tasks like task allocation, traceability, and report creation. This automation results in fewer errors and a reduced need for human intervention. This reduces organisations’ need to invest in third-party monitoring and optimization solutions.

Centralized data

Older, legacy solutions with siloed applications greatly hinder modern performance. This leads to excessive back and forth to access the correct data. This can be tough for any team, with the lack of instantly accessible data hampering performance and the ability to make quick decisions.

Advanced ERPs like Microsoft Dynamics 365 give users immediate access to critical data without additional effort or wasted time. All critical data is available from one platform where your teams can access whatever they need.

Performance monitoring and Real-time collaboration

Continuously finding and resolving issues is a crucial part of organizational growth. Microsoft’s D365 provides an extensive 360-degree view of tasks and workflows, allowing organizations to generate reports with actionable insights easily.

Teams that stay connected remain result driven. A proper ERP implementation means everyone in your organization will have access to performance data in interactive reports that users can share with other stakeholders. Users can share data, discuss goals, plan strategies, and work more efficiently with other departments.

Improved flexibility

D365 allows businesses to adapt to any changes in market demand quickly. This includes updating workflows as needed, allowing them to scale as your business grows.

This highly depends on your partner’s understanding of your industry and how your software is set up.

Best practices, reducing failures

A report from Deloitte revealed that nearly 55-75% of all ERP implementation efforts fail, citing poor system selection, incompetent data migration, and lack of implementation best practices – all related to your implementation partner.

To reduce the chance of failure and increase the possibility for success in any ERP implementation means following best practices:

Identify your ERP implementation objectives

Before starting any ERP implementation project, it’s important to have a good understanding of the following:

  • Why do you need a new ERP? What is your proposed timeline?
  • Will your new ERP need additional customizations?
  • What functionality is critical to your business?
  • What kind of downtime can you afford?
  • What is the budget for your ERP implementation?

Selecting an ERP that aligns best with your goals

You wouldn’t wear dress shoes to a construction job, would you? The growing ERP market has different solutions, each with specific features. Make the wrong choice, and you could be stuck with that solution for years and years – this is where an experienced partner could guide you in the right direction.

For example, you may be leaning towards a lower-cost option, but is that solution scalable? Does it include access to everything you need, or will it require a significant customisation investment?

Microsoft has gone to lengths to ensure their Dynamics 365 ERP is a perfect fit for different enterprise types, combining CRM (Customer Relations Management), accounting, finances, marketing, planning, supply chain management, and more, unlike lesser ERPs.

Migrate data with utmost diligence

Lost, misplaced, or duplicated data is another major cause of failed ERP implementations. Even a single piece of critical data can lead to expensive fines, damage to a business’s reputation, or worse. This is why following best practices for migrating customer data is so important.

Data integrity should be at the top of the list in any ERP implementation.

Prioritize training

You may have worked with a certain ERP in the past, giving you a clear understanding of how it works – but not everyone has had the same experiences. This is precisely where Change Management comes in. Even if your chosen solution seems easy to use, your team must be comfortable with its capabilities. This means ensuring sufficient, ongoing training is part of the plan for any implementation.

If your users don’t receive the training necessary to complete their work in the new ERP system, you’ll never be able to achieve the results you’re after.

Final Thoughts

There’s a lot that goes into making sure your ERP implementation goes according to plan. Make the wrong choice, and your business will be stuck with inefficient or sub-par functionality that requires heavy customization or the added cost of third-party add-ons – an expensive decision.

The best way to ensure you make the best choice the first time around is teaming with a partner that’s been there before.

Experienced ERP partners will understand the best practices for your industry and which solutions make the most sense. They’ll work with you to optimize your ERP implementation according to your needs, giving you the best chance for success and long-term enjoyment of a scalable solution.

Schedule a Call today to see how we can help.

Get the Most Out of Your Business with Microsoft Power BI
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Get the Most Out of Your Business with Microsoft Power BI
Get the Most Out of Your Business with Microsoft Power BI 700 500 Xcelpros Team

Introduction

In highly regulated industries like Chemical, Pharmaceutical, and Life Sciences – being able to analyze your data quickly has become critical for everything from ensuring a good customer experience to understanding changes in the market.

Microsoft Power BI connects your data to all the tools you use daily, from Excel and Outlook to Microsoft Dynamics 365 and dozens of applications in between, aiding collaboration and the generation of actionable insights. Compared to older manual processes, Power BI doesn’t just save you time—it helps you get the most out of your business, so you can focus on moving your company forward. Learn how Power BI Connectors can help you today by giving your business access to the data it needs to grow faster and reach new heights.

The future of analytics

Data and analytics have become increasingly important for a wide range of businesses, especially in recent years where adoption is growing.

Figure 1:Worldwide BI & Analytics Growth

Worldwide BI & Analytics Growth

Source: Apps Run the World; Statista 2022

While regulations have traditionally been enforced by a group of people inside a company, these regulators expect to see evidence-based decision-making from businesses at all levels. Maintaining visibility into data from various sources is essential to comply with certain regulations. Because of the number of data sources and systems that companies can use today – often including disparate technologies or providers – it can be not easy to extract data across platforms for analysis purposes.

In the Chemical, Pharmaceutical, and Life Sciences industries, where regulatory oversight has always been a top priority, the need for reliable analytical tools has significantly increased over time.

Immediately, you may not know what would make a difference in terms of driving customer behavior or improving customer experience without proper analytical tools, without data showing trends like customer purchases about prices and features offered by competitors, or where customers spend most of their time within your site, or which pages result in the highest bounce rates?

Data collected from marketing campaigns are used to help answer questions about customer engagement, usage habits, and preferences to improve engagement throughout the user journey. Understanding the general pattern of what makes your customers tick is necessary to gain insight into their behaviors and needs – even if they don’t give you direct feedback! Regular monitoring through powerful analytic solutions like Power BI makes this type of feedback easier than ever.

Where does Power BI fit in?

Power BI is a Microsoft cloud-based business intelligence and analytics platform that helps businesses run on multiple systems to get the most out of their data. Power BI has a growing library of connectors that helps businesses connect different sources to analyze data and create unique reports and role-based dashboards. Power BI can track key performance indicators (KPIs), monitor sales and marketing campaigns, and understand customer behavior.

Power BI can help businesses in the Pharmaceutical, Chemical, and Life sciences industries use their data more efficiently to make better decisions. For example, a company that manufactures chemicals for use in other products could run simulations based on different product characteristics and use Power BI to analyze the output from these simulations. If one type of product were found to be more profitable than another under certain conditions, they would know which products to produce more or discontinue producing altogether.

Additionally, a company that produces vaccines needs to know exactly how much demand there will be for their vaccine before it’s released into production; with Power BI, they can plot a forecast for where demand might be higher or lower than expected, letting them adjust their production accordingly. As Microsoft grows its library of Power BI connectors, companies will have easier access to all sorts of valuable data and insights.

What Are Power BI Connectors?

Power BI connectors are a part of the software that allows you to connect different data streams in one location – perfect for any business that runs on multiple systems. For example, suppose you’re a chemical manufacturer offering consulting or testing services. Power BI connectors could link the two systems together to generate automatic reports and analyses.

This lets you import data from one system into another system or export data into another. This makes it possible to see all your information at once without going back and forth between systems. Power BI connectors link data sources based on predefined rules and patterns. They also come pre-built with smart visualizations and customizable dashboards, allowing you to view all your information at once without switching between each company’s app or website.

Once you implement Power BI, you can use available connectors for free! The library of power bi-connector options continues to grow as more businesses find the value in using them for their purposes. These days, you can use Power BI connectors to do anything from importing bank statements into payroll management software to analyzing customer sentiment over time. There are many benefits to using power bi connectors.

One major benefit is the ability to analyze your company’s data in-depth without ever having to step outside of Microsoft Office 365. This makes it easier for employees who don’t normally share responsibilities related to finance or sales reporting, for example, because they know they can stay within their comfort zone while still getting the job done efficiently.

In addition, those employees will always know what needs to be done because they’ll always have access to relevant information and charts and graphs that provide additional context around certain trends.

What about security, privacy, and compliance

Regarding business data, security, and privacy are always top concerns. Microsoft is aware of this and has taken steps to ensure that the data it collects with Power BI is secure and in full compliance. For starters, all data is encrypted both in transit and at rest.

Power BI complies with major industry standards like HIPAA, SOC 2, and GDPR. It’s easy to see why so many companies trust their data to Power BI for their analytics needs. Data is processed on an isolated instance, ensuring there’s no possibility of a breach from a compromised network server.

To stay on top of any potential breaches that could arise from malware infections or unauthorized access attempts, administrators can monitor the system for any suspicious activity. They can also set up alerts and audit logs to track who accessed what data, when and where they did it from. If something happens, the company will have information about how it happened and what was lost, as well as how they could mitigate the damage.

Power BI works hard to keep your data safe by having dedicated security features designed specifically for businesses including:

  • A dedicated infrastructure architecture separates workloads into individual virtual machines and prevents cross-contamination.
  • Several built-in protections against SQL injection attacks.
  • Protection against cross-site scripting (XSS) via double validation tokens.

These protections help make sure you’re safe while you work on your dashboards!

Next Steps

While it’s true Microsoft’s Power BI is a powerful tool that can help businesses gain insights into their data, even across different systems, to get the most out of it you need an experienced partner who can implement Power BI seamlessly and connect it to your other systems. Working with a partner that understands your industry means less time is spent trying to figure it out on your own.

An experienced partner will help you maximize the value of Power BI and ensure that you are getting the most out of your investment. With an experienced partner, you’ll also have a strategic advisor who can advise on addressing your needs through customizations and integrations. Plus, they’ll help you keep your system up to date so that you’re always maximizing the value of your investment in power bi.

Maintaining an enterprise-wide analytics platform requires expertise from partners who understand not only what software does but how to use it as well. For instance, if a company has never used SQL before or has no knowledge about R scripting, you’ll want to investigate more experienced support.

Xcelpros offers hands-on industry experience implementing Microsoft Power BI analytics with custom extensions and connectors that provide customers with deep insight into their data and seamless integration between disparate business systems.

Schedule a call today to see how we can help you meet your business goals.

The Changing Landscape of BI tools and Microsoft D365 F&O in Manufacturing
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The Changing Landscape of BI tools and Microsoft D365 F&O in Manufacturing
The Changing Landscape of BI tools and Microsoft D365 F&O in Manufacturing 700 500 Xcelpros Team

Introduction

We’ve seen quite a few changes in manufacturing over the past two decades, with the next two promising to bring even more exciting things to come. As manufacturing continues to evolve, there are several trends that manufacturers need to be aware of that can either help or hinder the success of their business in the future. Business Intelligence software and tools will play an important role in the future of manufacturing. Microsoft Dynamics 365 F&O plays an important role in how this type of business intelligence information can be analyzed and used to guide business decisions for years to come.

Change in Operations

In today’s business climate, the ability to make data-driven decisions is more important than ever before. This means having access to the right business intelligence (BI) tools for manufacturers. With the right BI tools, manufacturers can gain insights into their operations that would otherwise be hidden. For example, they might discover an increasing trend of machine failures due to a manufacturing defect or determine which materials are most profitable at which price points. With so many BI options available on the market, it can be difficult for companies to figure out which ones will provide them with the best ROI.

Fortunately, Microsoft Dynamics 365 F&O provides a comprehensive solution for any size company looking for a comprehensive BI toolset. Specifically, Microsoft Dynamics 365 has four modules designed to meet the needs of manufacturers across all industries: Operations (also known as Production), Sales, Financials/Accounting, and Customer Service. These modules provide everything from real-time data visualization tools to automated dashboards – all designed with specific manufacturing needs in mind.

A Change in Dynamics

As the world of business intelligence (BI) changes, so does Dynamics 365. This is especially apparent in the manufacturing industry. Microsoft Dynamics F&O provides users with access to data that can help them understand what is happening in their business and take corrective action when necessary.

The software has become an increasingly important tool for manufacturers as they seek to understand their operations and make decisions to improve their bottom line. But, as new technological developments bring a shift from relational databases to machine learning algorithms, it becomes essential for these companies to find a BI platform that can evolve with them. With Dynamics 365’s cloud-based solution being constantly updated; it offers just that functionality needed by these businesses.

How people use BI tools also shifts over time, and with Dynamics 365’s modular design, there are no limitations on how you interact with your data. For example, you can use graphs or tables to show certain information at different times depending on the needs of your business. Suppose a user wants more advanced analytics like neural networks or deep learning capabilities. They are available through add-ons such as Azure Machine Learning Studio or R Server Developer Edition. There is no need to switch systems when you need more advanced analytics; all the options are right within Dynamics.

Business Analytics Tools

Today, data is more important than ever before. This is why more manufacturers are turning to Business Intelligence (BI) tools to help them make sense of the information they’re collecting. BI tools can help you track key performance indicators (KPIs), understand trends, and make better decisions for your business. And this will only become more important as regulations change, competition intensifies, and customer needs evolve.

As things continue to change, it’ll be essential for manufacturers to remain agile enough to adapt quickly – and that means looking at what Business Intelligence tools they’re using now and how their needs might shift over the next few years. For example, there’s been a significant shift from big Data Analytics over recent years as IoT (Internet of Things) solutions become more ubiquitous. As a result, analytics solutions designed for analyzing small datasets have fallen out of favor with larger manufacturing companies.

Industry Challenges

Tools aren’t the only important factor, either. The manufacturing industry is under constant pressure to improve productivity while reducing costs. To stay competitive, manufacturers must adopt new technologies where they can. With so many options on the market, it cannot be easy to know which BI tool is right for your business. Luckily, this question has been answered by a study from International Data Corporation (IDC). IDC’s 2018 Worldwide Semiannual Manufacturing Smart Machines Spending Guide revealed that artificial intelligence-powered analytics would become increasingly important over the next five years.

Figure 1:The Growth of Artificial Intelligence-Powered Analytics

The Growth of Artificial Intelligence-Powered Analytics

According to a report from marketsandmarketsblog.com, The global AI-powered analytics market is projected to grow from $10.5 billion in 2021 to $28.1 billion by 2026 – at a CAGR of up to 21.7% over the forecasted period.

What does this mean for manufacturing? Manufacturers need data about their performance – not just about their products or services but also about their employees and processes. Using intelligent systems like augmented reality or virtual reality combined with artificial intelligence-powered analytics will allow manufacturers to better predict outcomes and make data-driven decisions that drive profitability while improving employee engagement levels.

One organization already doing this is Caterpillar Inc., who implemented digital transformation into its retail stores through an AR application called CatAdvisor. CatAdvisor uses computer vision and 3D point clouds to help retailers sell more products, identify inventory gaps, analyze customer preferences and monitor store traffic patterns. And now Caterpillar is piloting sensors in stores using machine learning and IoT technology to get even more granular insights into customers’ preferences. With these AI-powered solutions available today, there really isn’t any excuse for a manufacturer not to embrace advanced analytics!

The Changing Role of Operations Management

Even operations management in the manufacturing industry is going through significant changes. In the past, the focus was on production efficiency and cost reduction. Today, the focus is on customer needs and market demand. To meet these new challenges, manufacturers are turning to business intelligence (BI) tools and Microsoft Dynamics 365 F&O. Together; these modern solutions enable better insight into product quality, reliability, compliance, and any other KPIs that impact the end customer experience.

Manufacturing companies can also use BI tools to gain insights into their operations with real-time data analysis that can be used for decision-making, such as material sourcing or capacity planning. These solutions allow manufacturers to increase throughput and reduce downtime. For example, a manufacturer may have a bottleneck at one part of the process because they can’t produce enough parts quickly due to the limited availability of materials. With BI, they could track down the problem by looking at lead times, inventory levels, and component dependencies. With this information, they could find alternative suppliers or renegotiate with existing suppliers to free up those materials so they can increase production volume.

The bottom line is this: Manufacturers need to know more about their supply chain than ever before – which means being able to access real-time data at any time in any location.

Power BI Connectors

Business intelligence tools are nothing new. They’ve been around for decades. But what is new is how manufacturers use them to gain a competitive edge. With the rise of Industry 4.0, manufacturers are turning to business intelligence tools to help them make sense of the vast amounts of data generated by their factories. And with the help of included Power BI connectors, integrating these tools into different systems has become incredibly easy.

Power BI Connectors are an innovative way to enhance manufacturing business intelligence data with minimal coding. Rather than manually inputting data into your business intelligence software, connectors automatically export data from other sources directly into Power BI without extensive development. This saves time and money by minimizing any manual processes and gets you up and running faster than ever before. You can choose from various pre-built connectors for industry-leading applications like Microsoft Dynamics, SAP, Salesforce, Google Analytics, Twitter, and many more. You can even build your own if needed.

These pre-built connectors make it easy to create dashboards and reports that analyze and display information from multiple data sources simultaneously. With the advancement of these connections, more and more enterprises have access to enterprise-grade business intelligence capabilities for whatever ERP solution they use.

Schedule a call today for more information to get the ball rolling in your favor.

Putting it All Together

At least for the rest of the decade, the manufacturing industry will undergo some big changes. One of the most significant will be the increased adoption of modern business intelligence solutions, giving manufacturers a view of their operations that was previously unavailable. We should also see Microsoft Dynamics F&O become a more integral part of manufacturing operations. This cloud-based solution will allow manufacturers to manage their business processes more efficiently and effectively.

As manufacturing evolves towards smart factories and advanced automation, keeping up with the latest trends will require a constant commitment to learning new skill sets. This includes expertise in coding and digital engineering design and mastery of traditional engineering disciplines like materials science and mechanical engineering. For the best support, companies should look for partnerships with consulting firms that specialize in training employees across all levels of skill sets needed for today’s manufacturing environment.

Conclusion

As the manufacturing landscape changes, so do the business intelligence (BI) tools that help manufacturers make data-driven decisions. To stay competitive for the rest of the decade, manufacturers should consider ramping up the adoption of modern BI tools that can take advantage of the available wealth of data. Microsoft Dynamics is one of the best tools available to help manufacturers streamline their operations and better use their data.

Partnering with an experienced provider who understands the manufacturing industry and can help you get the most out of your investment with full visibility is important. By working with the right company, manufacturers can better understand their customers’ needs and drive efficiency across all departments. A complete Business Intelligence solution should allow manufacturers to collect, store, analyze, and share information on every aspect of their business.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 for SMBs Is it the right ERP for you?
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Why SMBs should consider Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central?
Why SMBs should consider Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central? 700 500 Xcelpros Team

Introduction

Every business needs a reliable way to effectively manage its operations to remain profitable and grow over time, regardless of the industry. While large organizations have the resources to invest in dedicated solutions that help them keep track of their processes, small businesses often work with many different programs to get everything they need out of one platform.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central offers small businesses the flexibility and ease-of-use of an all-in-one solution that caters to many departments in their organization, including sales, finance, project management, human resources, service desk and more.

What is it? Why should SMBs consider using Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central?

Master planning, or master scheduling, is the formal process of creating a set of goals and strategies for an organization to achieve its vision. Master Planning is an essential business management practice used by many companies to maintain control and strategic direction.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is a complete business management software solution that can replace traditional desktop applications, making MD365 Business Central an effective alternative to other enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions.

Dynamics 365 Business Central includes analytics and business intelligence tools to let small businesses better understand how their business is performing and what areas could use improvement. This Microsoft software offers every business owner everything they need to run their firm efficiently, such as sales force automation (SFA), financials, customer relationship management (CRM), project management and human capital management.

Essentially, MD365 Business Central is designed to be a comprehensive system that provides its users with real-time information from all aspects of their business. MD365 Business Central was built as an easy-to-use business management solution so that small businesses can make better decisions and improve their daily operations.

The intuitive design of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central means anyone can quickly learn how to use it, reducing training costs and improving employee productivity.

One of the main reasons that small businesses should consider using MD365 Business Central is because it’s a complete business management solution that doesn’t require additional software. This makes MD365 Business Central an increasingly attractive option because its users don’t have to spend money on extra software licenses or pay hefty implementation fees.

Critical Features for Today’s Modern SMBs

Microsoft’s Dynamics 365 Business Central product is aimed squarely at mid-market businesses or SMBs. Some key features include a user-friendly interface and customizable dashboards that allow business owners to easily track their progress toward goals and monitor metrics such as sales performance, inventory levels and more.

The solution also offers financial management tools that includes a budgeting feature that helps businesses manage their cash flow by forecasting future expenses against projected revenues. Small businesses can take advantage of plenty of other benefits with Business Central, but they may be hard to see if you’re not familiar with how solutions like these work.

For example, using Business Central allows companies to quickly react to changing market conditions without making costly changes on an ongoing basis. This agility gives them a leg up over competitors who can’t move as quickly. It’s no wonder why Business Central is one of Microsoft’s fastest-growing business solutions.

This solution has been built with today’s businesses in mind, offering tools that make life easier and more productive than ever before. For example, small business owners can now complete payroll and HR management tasks through their mobile devices, allowing them to work when they want and where they want.

Microsoft Dynamics solutions have been built with today’s businesses in mind, offering tools that make life easier and more productive than ever before. When a business is just starting, there’s no need to spend thousands of dollars on the software they don’t need or have time to learn how to use. Business owners can now cover all of their basic accounting needs with Business Central at a fraction of what similar solutions cost just a few years ago.

Business owners also have access to an online community where they can ask questions, share ideas and connect with others working in similar industries—all without leaving their desktops or mobile devices.

Is Business Central right for you

Business Central is designed to be customized for each industry. Some industries have pre-built templates that are offered out of box, but other industries will need a custom solution that is tailored specifically to their business needs. For example, a family-owned construction company will have very different requirements from an S corporation than a fully distributed software development firm working out of cubicles in 3 different countries. Business Central is extremely customizable for every industry.

Microsoft continues to partner with top industry leaders in every sector including retail, healthcare, government and more to provide a customized experience in every iteration.

Common Considerations

Business owners need to be aware of the various business solutions available. Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is a suitable ERP solution that businesses can consider, especially if they are small businesses or startups.

There are several advantages with Dynamics 365 Business Central, including its many CRM options. SMBs need to consider these options and the other available solutions before choosing Dynamics 365 Business Central. In addition, they also need to ensure they choose the right level of customization to suit their company’s needs and ensure it is set up correctly before using it.

If your business is considering moving to MD365 Business Central from another software, then you should think about what’s important to your business and how you want your business run. You should compare and contrast each option based on functionality, cost, time frame for implementation, integration possibilities (especially with other systems), etc.

SMBs can use an assessment tool like Microsoft Power Platform to find out which features in Dynamics 365 Business Central might benefit their business. They also need to look at their specific needs before choosing a solution because they will get precisely what they pay for in terms of customizations, number of users and more.

Let’s take a look at why SMBs should use MD365 Business Central in more detail.

Let’s have a look

Final Thoughts

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is a good choice for SMBs because of its affordable pricing, ready-to-use business apps, and flexible deployment options. So much of small business success is about customization and Microsoft knows that.

Whether you want to add just a couple of new business processes or implement a complete digital transformation plan, Microsoft Dynamics 365 can help your business stay competitive with powerful functionalities designed for small businesses.

Microsoft has been an innovator in what’s now known as business process management—helping businesses succeed by streamlining their operations into repeatable workflows—for more than 25 years. Now, with MD365 Business Central, even small businesses can access previously reserved technology for Fortune 500 companies.

Also Read:

Dynamics 365 Business Central vs Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations: Comparison

References: Connect operations across your small or medium-sized business

Master Planning and Microsoft Dynamics 365
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Master Planning and Microsoft Dynamics 365
Master Planning and Microsoft Dynamics 365 700 500 Xcelpros Team

Introduction

You have your eyes set on an Enterprise Resource Planning solution and want to jump into the implementation phase without delay, but are you sure you know what will be necessary to make that happen? Dynamics 365 customizations can help make sure your ERP solution meets your needs exactly and helps you get the most value out of your investment in the software.

While each business’s plan will vary based on its products and services, it’s safe to say that all businesses have at least some level of plan in place. Microsoft Dynamics 365 takes this concept of planning and expands it into something called Master Planning where you can see your whole company – not just your current financial year, but your future goals as well!

What is master planning?

Master planning, or master scheduling, is the formal process of creating goals and strategies for an organization to achieve its vision. Master Planning is an essential business management practice many companies use to maintain control and strategic direction.

Master planning gives organizations a mechanism for achieving corporate goals and missions, through development of strategies that facilitate the use of available resources to accomplish those objectives.

It provides a framework for improving decision-making based on long-term priorities and helping make decisions about immediate actions that the enterprise should take. There are two basic ideas behind master planning: first, it enables you to organize your thoughts to create a plan or develop policies; second, it helps you identify problems before they occur.

When most people think of master planning, they may think of only one part: developing plans. While it’s true that most master plans include some strategy, there’s more to it than just making plans. The purpose of a master plan is to help you identify areas where change might need to occur and then help you devise ways to make those changes happen.

Benefits of master planning

Master planning helps businesses do a better job of meeting their customers’ needs, as well as helping to maximize profit along the way. Customers will always have to change conditions but having them captured as master data can make things easier for your business.

Master planning works by identifying and implementing core business processes. As such, they will help improve any customer-facing project by giving you a solid and reliable foundation. It also provides an efficient way to capture critical information that can be used throughout your company so that everyone has all the necessary details, no matter their division.

Because of these benefits, you may want to implement a master plan even if your business is already running smoothly, especially if there are new product lines or services you’re expanding into. Sometimes, customers who have been around for years may ask you to develop something new.

A good master plan can serve as a tool for helping you decide whether or not it makes sense to take on that kind of project. It allows you to examine how well each potential change aligns with your long-term goals and how much time and money each one would require.

Master planning and Microsoft Dynamics 365

Microsoft’s Dynamics 365 is a customizable enterprise resource planning solution that can fit the needs of any organization. The product’s functionality can be divided into three components: sales, service, and field service.

Within each of these components are critical business processes that can be further broken down into sub-processes, which help facilitate operational and strategic management within your company.

Companies looking to streamline their planning process and reduce manual work order requests can utilise the master planning module in Microsoft Dynamics 365.

Its tool allows you to handle complex tasks such as managing long-term orders, commissions, operational plans, multilevel hierarchy plans, event planning, and multiple resources assigned to the same job.

Moreover, Microsoft Dynamics 365 master planning allows customers to utilize predefined sets of calculations for material requirements to calculate actual material requirements on any given date. Customers can also make purchase requisitions from scratch and from existing purchase requisitions and create review orders from scratch and from existing sales orders.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 master planning gives users complete control of their operations at every level. Whether you need manufacturing, financial management, retail or wholesale businesses; Microsoft Dynamics 365 provides customized business solutions.

Organizations with any number of employees can use Microsoft Dynamics 365 master planning module, as it allows multiple roles within the organization to manage planning processes. For example, planner, analyst, approver etc.

The Planner role can create work orders and tasks, update plan data for specified plans and add planning events such as vacation requests.

Analysts can analyze historical plans for different periods based on planned order quantities (POQ), actual quantity per work order or quantity variance from planned quantity on a specific date etc.

Common risks involved in master planning

There are various risks involved in master planning, especially for chemical and pharmaceutical companies, with the initial setup and implementation of the system being one of the primary risks. This is due to the large number of stakeholders involved in the initial phases, who are all likely to have differing opinions on how to implement a system.

It’s important that all parties are engaged early on, and provide realistic requirements for their particular areas. The other major risk involves using incomplete or inaccurate data for master planning. If you don’t have accurate costs for your raw materials, it can impact your budgeting process and budget variances (costs outside your budget) may not be caught in time by management.

Once identified risks, they should be analyzed and quantified to determine which ones need addressing first. Another common risk involved in master planning is an inability to predict demand accurately. This can happen if you are new to a market or product line and need more historical data on how sales change over time or between seasons.

Master Planning helps with forecasting and provides accurate data for better decision-making. If your organization doesn’t use Master Planning, the bottom line is that you’ll most likely spend more money in the long run.

Without master planning, companies place themselves at risk of under- or over-production, which can lead to additional lost revenue, higher costs and product returns due to lack of demand.

For example, if a company does not have adequate forecast information for its sales team, it may sell products outside of the season or to customers who don’t want them. This results in lost revenue and extra storage costs when stock is held over from one season to another.

When you use master planning correctly, you get better production rates, meaning less stock has to be kept on hand, so there are fewer overall storage costs.

Let’s discuss more about the Master Planning in Microsoft Dynamics 365 and how it can help your organization.

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Final Thoughts

Hopefully the concept of master planning is a little more clear.

With master planning you can save hours of work each week by streamlining your processes. Master planning is especially useful for Sales and Operations Planning, but even if you’re not using that functionality, master plans are still extremely helpful to ensure consistency and compliance with existing policies and procedures.

Master planning can be customized to fit any business and provide benefits that are relevant to your specific business. The best part is that you don’t need complicated software for master planning. Many of our partners use standard programs such as Word or Excel to create their master plans.

As long as everyone knows how it works, you can use any process management method you want! There’s no excuse not to make your company more efficient with master planning.

References: Get Started with Master Planning

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