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Microsoft Dynamics and Digital Commerce in the Wake of COVID-19
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Microsoft Dynamics and Digital Commerce in the Wake of COVID-19
Microsoft Dynamics and Digital Commerce in the Wake of COVID-19 700 500 Xcelpros Team

Introduction

The business world has changed dramatically with the rise of digital commerce, and companies have had to rethink their strategies and business models to accommodate it. What was once just an idea in science fiction has become reality, and the phenomenon’s significance cannot be overstated. Data-driven technology such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are at the heart of this change, quickly redefining how people buy goods and services—and companies operate. Microsoft Dynamics 365 has been at the forefront of supporting these shifts, but what does that mean for businesses?

Digital commerce reaches all industries

Before we get into how digital commerce has grown after COVID-19, it is important to recognize that it is not only retail and service industries where ecommerce channels are on the rise. For example, consider chemical and pharmaceutical firms. Many are using ecommerce channels to market and sell branded products, operate online stores, or promote product recall information. These companies benefit by limiting overhead costs like warehouse storage space, labor for packing and shipping goods, etc. And consumers benefit from convenience: shopping is available at any time on one website instead of having to navigate different websites for a particular product.

In addition to their brands’ products, manufacturing firms have taken advantage of grey marketing opportunities by selling private labels via sites like Amazon’s marketplace or Walmart’s marketplace seller platform. They can use these channels to capitalize on popular products before they’re out of stock or completely sold out and use them as a bridge to launch new brands.

While ecommerce channels were primarily used to sell direct competitors’ products, now many manufacturers can also sell their own branded products through these platforms. The manufacturer then takes care of logistics and fulfillment while taking advantage of the branding expertise required for success on these media types.

Regarding compliance and regulation, manufacturers must keep up with complex regulatory requirements like FDA 21 CFR Part 11 rules when designing an electronic record-keeping system. Part 11 mandates among other things rigorous change control procedures and audit trails to track data modification which may be difficult in dynamic environments.

These are all important reasons why you need a powerful solution for managing your supply chain management (SCM) processes – including business process automation tools such as Requisition Approval Management (RAM), Order Approval Management (OAM), and Warehouse Execution System (WES).

eCommerce after Covid

$571.2 billion in 2019 to $815.4 billion in 2020. An increase of $244.2 billion, or 43%.

Figure 1:Growth of eCommerce after Covid-19

Growth of eCommerce after Covid-19

Source: census.gov

It’s hard to believe that it has been just over a year since COVID-19 rocked companies and their business strategies the world over. With another year quickly coming to an end, it’s a relief to see more companies have been able to move on from recovery and start rebuilding and reinventing their digital commerce strategy. But there are key considerations for regulated industries like pharmaceuticals and chemicals.

COVID-19 came at a pivotal time for regulated industries with compliance obligations for data protection laws and supply chain requirements. Before the pandemic, executives were just starting to wake up to these regulatory trends with increasingly complex compliance mandates; but after Covid, many took note that this wasn’t a problem that would go away by itself. Industry players realized they needed to be ready for change.

This global event drove a significant change in eCommerce strategy for many industries, including B2C sales and B2B business-to-business interactions where some organizations’ data security practices may have been less diligent.

As businesses struggle with ongoing supply chain and staffing issues, many have been forced to look more closely at new ways to deliver their goods to customers faster, more reliably, and with increased safety from outside threats. The evolution of courier services has helped lead to changes in logistics processes – assisting regulators in maintaining visibility into product movement while enabling enterprises to protect themselves against potential attacks.

Another major shift has been focusing more on customer experience rather than simply looking at what can be done internally. Companies should now recognize that it’s not only about providing an effective process or product, but now more than ever, it’s also about delighting the customer – a point that’s become incredibly important.

These factors are just a few driving the need for an up-to-date solution that helps achieve both goals by ensuring transparency and traceability across every communication channel through integration with platforms like Microsoft Office 365 so your enterprise can reduce complexity without sacrificing efficacy or control.

For companies in highly regulated industries like pharmaceuticals and chemicals, it’s easy to recommend Microsoft Dynamics 365, designed specifically for global, large multinational enterprises operating in highly regulated environments who need real-time access to consolidated company data across multiple divisions around the world.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 and eCommerce

It’s no secret that eCommerce has been growing steadily for years. From big players like Amazon to newer start-ups, digital commerce is poised to make even more inroads into all corners of our economy. The last few years have also seen a dramatic change as retailers realize that online and mobile channels are needed to stay competitive. Of course, all this begs the question: what role does Microsoft Dynamics 365 play here? What can it do to support these new needs?

Microsoft is committed to helping organizations overcome today’s business challenges through the continued development of innovative solutions and services. The award-winning Dynamics 365 platform provides customers with powerful tools to drive success across their entire organization – empowering employees to do more daily with mobile access anytime and anywhere.

Overall, Dynamics 365 enables businesses agility, flexibility, and speed when developing new capabilities or meeting evolving customer demands. In addition, Dynamics 365 Ecommerce features can offer an out-of-the-box solution for any business—regardless of size or industry—to sell their products online with robust features and functionality.

With Dynamics 365, customers get access to powerful web store templates so they can create unique shopping experiences that resonate with their customers. These include customizable pages and easy-to-manage checkout options for buyers. And of course, Dynamics 365 includes advanced payment processing integration, so retailers have seamless access to existing payment providers without having to spend time building and maintaining these integrations themselves. So, while global economic developments will undoubtedly impact how digital commerce continues to evolve in different industries over time, Microsoft Dynamics 365 is well positioned today as a flexible platform that meets the needs of companies across regulated sectors who want to leverage this burgeoning channel without sacrificing security or compliance.

Beyond support for customer service operations, Microsoft Dynamics 365 provides robust enterprise resource planning (ERP) capabilities – including finance, accounting, inventory management, and production – which can make it easier for leaders within regulated industries to maintain compliance within the evolving landscape of privacy regulations without making compromises on productivity or efficiency.

As regulations continue to evolve, many institutions will find themselves reviewing their vendor ecosystems and assessing whether there are adequate controls in place should they be subject to regulatory scrutiny. Companies should take care to review how specific vendors’ offerings align with their current compliance requirements including data governance, confidentiality and protection of personal information (COPPI), anti-money laundering (AML) or know your customer (KYC) requirements.

Next steps

So, what are the next steps for businesses looking to utilize e-commerce channels?

It’s important to do some research – companies should research the types of technology that can be implemented to drive digital commerce. With any new change comes many opportunities and risks that must be carefully considered.

Talk to your partner business software providers You should consider the type of retailing experience you want customers to have by speaking with the IT vendors that serve those areas. Microsoft Dynamics 365 is a powerful business solution and partners with many leading companies in areas such as forecasting, supply chain management, order fulfillment, human resources, financials and more.

The continued success of this solution stems from its robust integration capabilities. As a Microsoft Partner, our clients don’t want to go through the process of switching between multiple systems; they wish to have one system to handle it all.

Schedule a call now to see how we can support your company’s growth.

Optimize Manufacturing Processes with Microsoft Dynamics
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Optimize Manufacturing Processes with Microsoft Dynamics
Optimize Manufacturing Processes with Microsoft Dynamics 700 500 Xcelpros Team

Introduction

Pressing on after the height of the pandemic, the manufacturing industry continues to struggle with workforce and supply chain challenges at every level, including increased costs for both physical goods and employee wages.

While we continue to be hopeful for significant growth in U.S. manufacturing, for many, optimizing their manufacturing processes has been vital to improving their bottom line and productivity and getting more out of their operations, helping them remain more profitable overall.

Working with the right partner can make manufacturing easier in many ways, whether it’s lower costs or increased productivity. A partner that understands manufacturing software and understands your business is most likely going to be able to deliver solutions that fit both your present needs and your future goals.

Technology and Modern Manufacturing

Technological advances have always been a boon to manufacturing businesses, helping them to increase efficiency and optimize even the most minor processes.

With rapid changes in consumer demand and the rise of globalization, companies need an integrated enterprise system that helps them manage their data more efficiently and productively. With a robust ERP solution and reliable hosting infrastructure, we’ve helped companies in industries like automotive, paper processing, consumer goods, textiles, distribution centers, and oil & gas manage global growth.

Today, most manufacturers choose Microsoft Dynamics to streamline their operations further.

Microsoft Dynamics is built on cloud architecture, which means you can access the same tools and resources on any device, no matter where you are or your company. And because Microsoft Dynamics is built on Azure – one of the world’s most significant clouds – customers get access to Azure’s security features, including comprehensive firewall protection, DDOS protection, and secure data transfers so critical information stays safe from cyber-attacks.

This flexibility is essential for manufacturing industries because it allows them to work anywhere in the world without worrying about backups or even localized power disruptions. That said, businesses should also consider offline capabilities when selecting a cloud ERP vendor, as they will help mitigate downtime while ensuring uninterrupted production flow during natural disasters or other emergencies.

Reasons For a Technology Partner

If you’ve been a manufacturer in business for even a few years, it’s fair to say that you know having a partner to help you optimize your processes can be the difference between success and failure.

By working with the right partner who understands your business needs and software like Microsoft Dynamics 365, you can ensure that you’re getting the most out of your technology.

Here are seven reasons why working with a partner who understands manufacturing and has experience with Dynamics 365 is so important.

  1. 1.Dynamic process optimization – It’s impossible for one person or team to optimize every process in their company. However, by collaborating with experts who understand how Dynamics 365 can integrate with other systems like transportation and compliance management, they can find ways to streamline business operations while cutting costs and increasing efficiency.
  2. 2.Better visibility – Some companies keep their inventory data in spreadsheets instead of a centralized system like Dynamics 365 which makes it difficult for managers to see where all the parts are coming from and going to. With the right kind of partners though, these manufacturers gain better visibility into their inventory levels which helps them avoid costly mistakes.
  3. 3.Outsourcing capabilities – Manufacturers often outsource work because there simply aren’t enough skilled workers available to do the job themselves. By outsourcing with a Microsoft certified partner, they can save money on labor expenses while ensuring quality control standards are met.
  4. 4.Streamlined processes – No matter what industry you work in, complex operations require expertise and knowledge outside of just one person or department. An expert will be able to map out an entire workflow more efficiently than someone without any experience at all.
  5. 5.Training & development opportunities – Manufacturers often have trouble finding time to invest in training because there always seems to be too much work on their plate already. A qualified partner will provide access to trainers who specialize in Dynamics 365, allowing employees to develop skills that benefit both the company and individual employees.
  6. 6.Saves time – Time is arguably one of the most valuable resources we have as humans. Working with a partner who knows what they’re doing saves everyone time and effort since it won’t take as long to figure out new software or new problems when they arise.
  7. 7.Builds relationships – The nature of manufacturing requires tight partnerships between manufacturers, distributors, suppliers, contractors, etc. One example is cross-training employees across multiple departments to create fewer bottlenecks and increase efficiency throughout the production process.

The Case for Microsoft Dynamics 365

If your main goal is optimizing your manufacturing processes, it’s important to utilize software that works for your business.

Figure 1:Technology of Industry 4.0

Technology of Industry 4.0

The world is changing and so is manufacturing. Industry 4.0, also known as the Fourth Industrial Revolution, is transforming the way we live, work, and communicate. It’s characterized by several new technologies and trends, including big data and analytics, cloud computing, IoT, artificial intelligence (AI), and 3D printing. Microsoft Dynamics 365 can help prepare your company for Industry 4.0 by providing features that support these new technologies and trends.

For example, Dynamics 365 can help you collect and analyze data from your manufacturing processes using IoT sensors, use AI to automate tasks and make predictions, and take advantage of cloud computing to improve scalability and flexibility.

In our experience, the best way to Optimize manufacturing processes has always been with Microsoft Dynamics 365. The reasons why more manufacturers are turning to Microsoft ERP solutions are simple: They’re designed from the ground up to streamline production and minimize errors – saving time and money in the long run.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 helps streamline several manufacturing processes:

  1. 1.Workflows – These automated tasks make day-to-day operations more efficient. You don’t have to remember everything since our system takes care of it.
  2. 2.CRM – Customer relationship management helps sales reps stay on top of their customer data, contacts, leads and follow-ups. All customer info is stored securely in one place instead of scattered across emails or office documents, which makes customer interactions more manageable than ever before. And if they’re not contacted within 24 hours after submitting a lead form, an email reminder is automatically sent to them.
  3. 3.Inventory – Keeping track of inventory items has never been easier. Just upload your item list and watch as they move through each stage of the production process until they are ready for shipping to customers. And if an item runs low on stock, an automatic notification lets you know when its reorder point has been reached.
  4. 4.Automation – Microsoft Dynamics 365 allows you to take advantage of pre-built integrations that save you time and effort. You can export sales orders directly into your ERP, automatically triggering production or assembly lines or scheduling work on manufacturing machines. When products are finished, send them to the appropriate warehouse and receive notifications when they arrive. You can also set up alerts to notify key personnel whenever an order arrives at any point during production.

No matter what type of manufacturer you are, there’s a Microsoft Dynamics 365 solution available for you. At Xcelpros, we consider the types of manufacturing processes you use and the size of your company before recommending the best solution. We’ll work closely with you so that we can be sure to understand all your needs before implementing a solution.

Additional Considerations

When working with partners to optimize your manufacturing processes, there are a few things to keep in mind. In addition to software considerations, like licensing and security, you’ll also want to consider things like reporting, data governance, and compliance.

Here are a few tips to help you get started

  1. 1.Determine if you need more than just business process automation – this is where Microsoft Dynamics 365 can be used for other use cases such as supply chain optimization or digitizing field services.
  2. 2.Understand that any IT project takes time, so start planning early by partnering with a company that has experience working with manufacturers and knows how to consider your specific needs.
  3. 3.Consider if what is being offered will integrate well into the business processes you currently have in place or if it will require additional resources for training or customizations to make it work seamlessly within your existing systems.

Next Steps

There may seem like a lot of things to consider when you start optimizing your manufacturing processes but taking the time to understand the challenges can make all the difference to the future of your business. While Microsoft Dynamics 365 is a powerful tool that can help you streamline your operations – it’s often more about working with a partner who understands your industry and unique requirements.

Do research, ask peers for referrals, and know what you want. With the right partner, you can optimize your manufacturing processes and take your business to the next level.

Contact us today to learn more!

References: What are Industry 4.0, the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and 4IR?

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.

What Chemical Companies Can Expect from increasing their Post-Covid IT Budgets
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What Chemical Companies Can Expect from Increasing IT Budgets Post-Covid
What Chemical Companies Can Expect from Increasing IT Budgets Post-Covid 700 500 Xcelpros Team

Introduction

Chemical companies across the board have been increasing their IT and technology budgets more than ever. This increase in funding isn’t just good for consumers looking forward to new features and a better experience; it also means that your company will be safer from malware threats and cyberattacks, which can be disastrous for any type of business.

Given how focused hackers are on Chemical companies, this increased attention to cybersecurity couldn’t come at a better time! Whether your company deals with energy or manufacturing, chances are you will benefit from these new investments in IT, so what should you expect?

A great time to increase investments in your technology

Today’s recovering economy is expected to be a boom for many industries, and chemical companies are no exception.

According to Garnter.com:

“Worldwide IT spending is projected to total $4.5 trillion in 2022, an increase of 5.1% from 2021”

Figure 1:IT Spend and Growth Forecast

IT Spend and Growth Forecast

With this kind if increased demand for their products, now’s the perfect time for chemical companies looking to invest in new enterprise technology. By doing so, businesses can streamline their operations, improve efficiency, and better meet customer needs. In addition, increased investments in technology can help businesses become more agile and adapt to changing market conditions. For example, it allows for easy updates that reflect new economic developments.

Many Chemical companies who have invested in tech recently reported being able to quickly adjust during these difficult times and make necessary changes when needed. Other benefits reportedly tied to increased investments in enterprise technology include an increase in productivity, fewer errors due to human error, greater visibility into business processes and inventory levels at all times (across multiple locations), better integration with accounting software like Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations and Business Central, improved security measures against hackers, and stronger safeguards against power outages or other environmental disasters that could impact data availability.

As any technology continues to change and evolve, investments in its latest innovations will always provide long-term advantages over outdated technologies. Considering these benefits, any company looking to thrive in this rapidly changing economy should consider investing in their technology sooner rather than later.

Bigger budgets help your business grow

Even today, the world is still uncertain, and businesses continue preparing for the worst while hoping for the best. One way that companies can set themselves up for success is by deciding to increase their IT and tech budgets. Bigger budgets mean better tools and software to help streamline processes and more resources for research and development. Additionally, increased IT spending could lead to improved customer service and support, which are essential for the chemical industry today. The companies that can adapt and grow their business will be the ones that thrive. Increased investment in IT and technology budgets could make all the difference in staying competitive in this fast-paced market.

Chemicals make up about 8% of GDP worldwide, so these companies need to stay innovative with their products to attract new customers. With an IT budget increase, these companies would have access to more reliable data systems and greater flexibility for expansion. These companies must keep investing in their infrastructure to compete against other firms like Bayer AG or Exxon Mobil Corp., which have also invested heavily in growing their technology departments.

Whether you’re a company like DuPont Co., Dow Chemical Co., or BASF SE, every penny counts for innovation. These chemical companies must maintain a healthy balance between maintaining their infrastructure and developing new technologies if they want to stay ahead of the curve.

Along with investing in R&D, there should be a plan for how your money will be spent. The introduction of cloud computing has made it easier for smaller firms to manage their cash flow; any company can now access massive computing power without paying hefty fees upfront. And not only does cloud computing allow for easy data storage, but it also allows users to remotely access applications without having any onsite hardware. Cloud computing services have reduced costs and opened the door for smaller enterprises looking to build their technological capabilities without worrying about making large capital investments upfront.

Leveraging technology to thrive

In today’s business world, technology continues to play a more important role than in the past. Chemical companies that don’t invest in modern, updated technology will be left behind, putting the future of their business at risk. The growing importance of tech is a trend that can’t be ignored, and only businesses that can keep up with changing times are likely to survive and thrive.

By increasing IT and technology budgets, chemical companies are setting themselves up for success now and in the future. From working on computerized project management systems to adapting current systems so they’re compatible with new tech, there are many ways that company leaders can start investing in their future right away—investing early in updating your systems means having access to some of the latest technology out there, not just what was available when your system was first created.

There are several cost benefits to investing in updated technology – it saves time and money by ensuring everyone is on the same page, reducing overall cost through improved efficiency, freeing up staff time by automating repetitive tasks like collecting data points or following up with suppliers, etc. With so many options available for companies looking to invest in new technologies and update their old ones (whether they have outdated software or hardware), there isn’t any excuse not to do so.

The challenges of scaling with limited resources

Scaling a business is easier with the added challenges of limited resources. With the right tools and technology in place, it is possible to overcome these challenges and scale your business successfully. In this post, we will examine some of the benefits that scaling a business with software can offer.

There are three main areas where new technology can provide an advantage over traditional methods:

  • Inventory Management.
  • Manufacturing.
  • Marketing.

These areas are all integral parts of running a successful business, and when they are handled properly, they can help you keep pace with the competition.

Inventory management is often a challenge for businesses of any size. But with effective inventory management software like our own S&OP application, which allows you to set alerts and schedules for orders and track purchases and sales at every level of the supply chain – raw materials through finished goods – managing your inventory becomes infinitely easier.

New technology simplifies complex processes like scheduling production orders, handling multiple batches simultaneously or even tracking job progress on production lines by integrating process data such as manufacturing flow sheets or operating instructions into one system. Thirdly, marketing has always been about creativity but unfortunately marketers don’t always have the time for creativity because their days are filled with tasks that don’t require creativity at all!

Things you should invest in first

As the world starts to come out of the Covid-19 pandemic, many businesses are looking at their budgets and wondering where to invest their money. For chemical companies, investing in IT departments and new technology is a smart move that will help them thrive in the post-pandemic economy.

For chemical companies to survive it’s becoming clear they need two things:

  • Reliable production lines.
  • A loyal customer base.

Modern technology can provide both. With new CRM systems, you can manage your client base precisely and ensure you’re keeping customers happy by providing them with what they want – when they want it. With the rise of e-commerce, this means being able to work remotely and deliver orders quickly via delivery drones or on foot. The software also helps ensure your production line stays running smoothly through alerts when there are any problems, so you don’t have to worry about bottlenecks or shortages.

If you want to empower your business with plenty of potential for growth and success, there’s no time to invest in an IT department and new technology!

Using your increased investment in enterprise tech wisely

There are many ways businesses have used their increased investment in technology wisely.

  • One way is using it to improve communication and collaboration within the company. This can be done through video conferencing, instant messaging, and document sharing platforms.
  • Another way businesses have used their increased investment in technology is by using it to improve customer service. This can be done through online chatbots, live chat, and automated customer service platforms.
  • Finally, businesses have also used their increased investment in technology to improve their marketing efforts. This can be done through social media, search engine optimization, and content marketing.

It’s important for business owners to make sure they don’t just focus on what they need now but instead plan for future needs as well. With an increase in spending on enterprise tech comes an increased need for cybersecurity experts as well. It’s also critical that a business not only invest in cybersecurity solutions but also in training for their employees so that they have a full understanding of how these solutions work. The most successful businesses will see the value of investing in all these areas no matter what because with every new change come new opportunities for growth and innovation.

Final thoughts

As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to lighten, it’s grasp more, and more businesses are seeing the value of increasing their IT and technology budgets. This is especially true for chemical companies, which have been hit hard by the pandemic. What’s the outlook for chemical companies looking to increase their technology budget? The answer depends on your situation, but there are some general things you can expect.

Firms already dealing with ongoing IT challenges will likely see their problems worsen as they attempt to cope with increased security risks, increased regulatory compliance costs, and more complex product development cycles.

In this case, it may be best to implement strategies like employee retraining programs and process automation that help decrease reliance on human labor in certain business areas.

On the other hand, if you’re currently on solid footing regarding tech advances in your company – or if you’ve just started out – then an increased budget could be just what you need.

Schedule a call today for more information or help to define your new technology budget.

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 D365 F&O Improving the Customer Experience in Chemicals
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Microsoft D365 F&O Improving the Customer Experience in Chemicals
Microsoft D365 F&O Improving the Customer Experience in Chemicals 700 500 Xcelpros Team

At a Glance

  • The manufacturing industry runs with the integration of people, tools, processes, and information. The data generated from these facets need to be quantified and analyzed.
  • In the manufacturing world, those who know their metrics tend to learn the game’s tricks.
  • The metrics that matter the most are the ones that help you and your manufacturing company gain essential insights regarding different functionalities and business areas to improve the manufacturing process continuously.
  • One of the most crucial aspects of knowing and managing manufacturing metrics is systematically optimizing the best results.

Introduction

The world’s best chemical companies focus on building expertise in their lines of business to enhance customer experience, and one way to do it is by streamlining their supply chain. That’s why many chemical companies choose Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations since it gives them access to modern tools they need to excel at managing their business and serving their customers better. With Microsoft D365 F&O, chemical companies can create higher quality products faster than ever before possible and will offer enhanced customer service.

The importance of Customer Experience (CX)

The recent focus on improving customer experience to increase profitability has made CX more critical than ever in several industries, including chemical and pharmaceutical. Companies are moving to modern technology like Dynamics 365 to help improve communication with customers, streamline processes, and enable data-driven decisions.

The result is a better overall experience for their customers, increasing profits. It is easy to see how improving customer experience can influence short- and long-term goals. While there are sure to be challenging when implementing these changes, it’ll be worth it in the end because of the benefits that include increased profits and happy customers. More industries should note how chemical companies are improving their customer experience with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations.

Why is the Chemical Industry Focusing More on Their Customers?

The chemical industry has recently begun to see the value of customer experience. This is because today’s customers are much more knowledgeable, with higher expectations than ever. To meet these expectations, businesses must provide a better customer experience – mainly with on-time, total shipments and competitive pricing.

It’s important to understand common misconceptions people may have about customer experience. It’s not about social media, marketing tactics, or creating a new app. CX includes understanding precisely what your customers want and then being able to deliver on those wants effectively.

Dynamics 365 F&O helps businesses in the chemical industry transform their data into actionable insights to help them understand exactly what their most valuable customers want, letting them improve their customer experience accordingly.

Some key areas that impact CX

CX has become a significant focus for businesses in recent years – happy customers are more likely to return and be part of your growth. They’re also more likely to spend money with a company they’re satisfied with.

More innovative pricing methods with coupons or discounts and supplying specialized packaging of chemicals are a few ways for companies to stay competitive in the market. Technology like Microsoft Dynamics 365 that accommodates these business needs can enable your business to stay ahead of the curve.

Microsoft’s cloud-based solution includes several CRM tools like managing contacts, tracking conversations and following up on leads, and analytical tools that can be tailored to meet your needs.

With these kinds of tools, businesses of any size can provide better service without hiring an expensive team of experts.

A better customer experience can:

  • lead to increased customer loyalty and customer satisfaction.
  • lead to increased revenue and market share for your business.
  • help you attract new customers and retain existing ones.
  • improve employee satisfaction and morale.
  • help reduce operating costs.
  • improve your company’s overall reputation.

Figure 1:Benefits of a Better Customer Experience

Benefits of a Better Customer Experience

How Microsoft Dynamics Fits In

With Microsoft Dynamics 365, businesses in the chemical industry can provide their customers with an experience that’s more efficient and effective. A robust suite of digital tools means companies can manage inventory and track shipments, and create invoices and sales orders. In addition, the software helps businesses track customer complaints and allows them to address them quickly.

Customers are looking for solutions that empower end-to-end business process automation. But not all enterprises have the right solution in place – usually, it’s a much older system still being used today, often held together with bits of string and tape. As one chemical company’s Chief Information Officer explains, Businesses today need more than just transaction processing—operational excellence and collaboration across the enterprise, whether in manufacturing or financial management. For many small and medium-sized businesses, Microsoft Dynamics may be the answer they’re looking for.

Maintaining control over processes has never been easier with Dynamics 365, which allows users to manage every stage of production from R&D through customer service, seamlessly and efficiently. With such an extensive feature set, enterprises of all sizes find it easy to customize the application according to their needs.

No matter what your business needs may be or how complex your operations are, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Financial & Operations provides you with everything you need to succeed!

Next Steps

To order to create the best user experience for your customers, one of the first steps is finding the right partner to help implement Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations. The right partner will deeply understand your industry and how to implement best and utilize this solution to improve your customer’s experience. They’ll also be able to help you customize the software to fit your specific needs.

For example, suppose you’re a manufacturer or distributor in the chemical industry. In that case, a partner can help you set up products to be compatible with your company’s inventory system and make changes to reporting that reflect your business practices. They can also help with customizing processes or reports that specifically cater to your customers’ needs.

When selecting an IT consultant or business partner to work with on implementing your new ERP, it’s essential to consider their depth of knowledge about this industry and their ability to work closely with you and modify the software to fit your specific needs better. With the right partner, the process becomes easy to follow:

  • Evaluate your business needs and understand how a new ERP can help you reach your goals.
  • Choose an experienced partner who understands Microsoft Dynamics 365 and can help you get the most out of your investment.
  • Train your employees in the new system, so they can hit the ground running and provide a better experience for your customers.
  • Go live with Microsoft Dynamics 365 F&O and start reaping the benefits of a more efficient and user-friendly chemical business.
  • Monitor your progress and ensure you’re getting a return on your investment by seeing an improvement in customer satisfaction levels.

Are you ready to enhance your operations? Schedule a call today to get started.

Pharma smart operations and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations: A perfect pair
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Pharma smart operations and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations: A perfect pair
Pharma smart operations and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations: A perfect pair 700 500 Xcelpros Team

Introduction

We see more pharmaceutical companies struggle to reorganize the available technology to maximise their operations’ efficiency.

Unfortunately, many companies need to catch up regarding their ability to use technology effectively and efficiently, especially with disparate systems in place. This can be especially dangerous considering how fast-paced these highly regulated industries can be, making it even more essential to find a plan that works well with your company’s specific goals and needs.

Innovative operations and the role of technology

Today’s pharmaceutical industry is a fast-paced, ever-changing environment emphasizing compliance and accountability. Incorporating innovative operations into your business model will save you time, money, and resources and help lower costs through increased efficiency. One of the ways this can be done is by implementing a lean manufacturing process within your company.

With the help of robotics automation, QR and barcode scanning, production data management systems, and more, companies in this highly-regulated industry can enhance and optimize their processes for maximum productivity in everything from order processing to shipping.

The Medicine Development Lifecycle is especially conducive to modern innovative operations strategies – from development through commercialization, because so many aspects of each process involve repetitive tasks that are susceptible to automation or streamlined with advanced technology.

One example of intelligent operations strategies to increase efficiency, lower costs, and increase profitability is GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). GSK has implemented lean manufacturing techniques for several years as part of its brilliant factory initiative. The goal was to make every aspect of production more efficient by reducing waste and optimizing processes throughout their facilities.

Smart operations are not just confined to pharmaceutical companies, though.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 can be used in a number of different industries, but it’s especially useful in sectors that require complex business processes and procedures.

Industry Challenges

Today, the battle for market share continues to be fierce. The constant challenges that large pharmaceutical companies face include the following:

  • Managing their complex supply chains.
  • Avoiding product recalls due to quality failures.
  • Keeping safety in check at all stages of the manufacturing process.
  • Reducing production time for new products.
  • Ensuring compliance with many regulatory authorities throughout the globe…the list goes on.

Because of these challenges—and many more—it has become increasingly difficult for these highly-regulated companies to successfully identify the need for new medicines early in development while keeping a firm grip on costs and timelines. This is precisely where innovative operations come into play.

So what can these businesses do to improve their efficiency? One key element of successful innovative operations implementation is integration between systems.

To properly track medicines and other products throughout their lifecycle, each system involved must be able to talk with all other systems engaged at every step. These companies can use advanced IT solutions like a Cloud ERP to address these challenges.

How Microsoft Dynamics 365 fits in

Microsoft Dynamics 365 for operations helps your business run smarter by integrating critical business systems. Here are some of the ways describing how Microsoft Dynamics 365 can be a natural fit with your company:

The model of intelligent operations is now an integral part of every enterprise as they look to innovate across all aspects of their businesses to maximize efficiency, maximize profitability, and accelerate growth; however, due to complex processes, there are often multiple systems used to complete an intelligent operation.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 for finance and operations helps you easily manage your finances, keep track of inventory levels, streamline your supply chain, manage projects more effectively, and much more. You can even use it to help you run clinical trials—helping you stay on top of data collection from start to finish.

As mentioned earlier, the entire industry is often under immense pressure to improve efficiency and cut costs to maximize profitability while maintaining a high level of patient care. However, these companies also need an easy way to make changes that will affect every aspect of their business – especially when undergoing rapid growth, a growing trend among companies of all sizes.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 offers you all these tools to easily streamline operations across all departments in your company, ensuring each department communicates effectively and works together towards one goal – business success.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 for finance and operations is an accounting system at its core, so it tracks how much money comes into your business and how much goes out of it daily. This data will help you determine what areas of your business are most profitable and where there might be room for improvement regarding efficiency or cutting costs.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 also offers several features specifically geared toward companies with complex supply chains, such as inventory management, order tracking, contract management, demand forecasting, production planning, etc., helping you keep everything organized from start to finish—no matter where any part of your supply chain happens to be located.

Next steps

Suppose your company wants to implement intelligent operations and partner with a tech firm with expertise in MSD operations management. The right partner can help you tailor your processes for success, guide implementation efforts to keep costs under control and provide support throughout the implementation of your new infrastructure.

In some cases, technology implementation can be accelerated by identifying internal resources that have demonstrated leadership abilities and a strong track record in operations-related roles. Partnering with an experienced operational systems partner will bring additional value to your investment by ensuring that you choose functionalities beyond what is available out of the box from your ERP provider.

Partnering with a suitable systems integrator who understands your industry can be valuable to your business. They can help make your processes smoother and navigate obstacles in your path that would typically slow you down. The result is streamlined processes that experienced, qualified professionals facilitate.

They are fast matters as much as accuracy and quality do—especially when getting new medicines approved for the market. Any delays in production or shipping could cause setbacks for clinical trials or delays in marketing approvals.

Contact us today to learn more

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.

Schedule Call

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

Customizations and Configurations in the Microsoft Dynamics 365 ERP
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Customizing Microsoft Dynamics 365 ERP
Customizing Microsoft Dynamics 365 ERP 700 500 Xcelpros Team

Intro to ERP Customizations

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

Here are some standard customizations to consider when implementing Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance or Supply Chain Management Enterprise Resource Planning solutions. What are common customizations? Why do companies customize their ERP implementation?

Should you customize your ERP?

While customization is technically possible with any enterprise software, it’s best to customize what you need. That’s because each customization is an additional layer of work that can cause things to go awry down the road. This doesn’t mean your new ERP will run without a hitch—but it should mean fewer and less problematic hiccups in implementation and usage over time.

If you are considering customizing, consider some important questions first: Will your customizations be well-supported by your vendor? What kinds of training do they offer? Are there customizable modules available for what you want to do? Should you customize you ERP?

You may have good reason to customize if one of your goals is streamlining business processes or integrating disparate data sources. It all depends on what you’re trying to accomplish and how far along you are in your overall project lifecycle.

In general, though, you don’t rush into customization just yet. Plan out how it’ll fit into your end goals before diving into development or taking on a project manager.

Start exploring ERP customization options

Microsoft recommends that the best approach to understanding what customizations exist for Microsoft Dynamics 365 is to begin by creating a customization request on the Dynamics Marketplace. The Dynamics Marketplace offers organizations pre-built or partially built business solutions, known as applications for Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations. Microsoft applications on the marketplace allow organizations to quickly get started with an out-of-the-box solution that can be customized to meet their specific business needs. They also offer organizations a way to familiarize themselves with how other customers have customized and extended Microsoft’s standard applications.

These samples can provide a good starting point, making it easier for new customers to identify opportunities to extend the capabilities of their implementations. For example, if you want to know how your customer could extend Microsoft’s standard application functionality, start with their existing sample apps. If you’re going to learn how they could leverage PowerApps or Flow to create more dynamic forms in real-time using the line of business data, check out sample apps developed by partners. When exploring these samples, remember that they may not fit your specific requirements but are valuable sources of information about additional functionality available from third parties that can augment your implementation project.

Microsoft D365 customization and configuration examples

An excellent example of ERP customization is the configuration of Microsoft D365 Finance or Supply Chain Management (SCM) so that only particular users can access everything in your system. In contrast, other users only see their specific parts. You can even create a separate security model for internal versus external use. This granular configuration means you’re not dealing with dozens of different user interfaces—you have one. Still, depending on your level of access, you see only specific tabs, pages, and menus. Since everyone sees what they need to know, it’s easier for everyone to work together.

Learn more about Customizing and Configuring Microsoft Dynamics 365 ERP.

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Some of the more common examples of D365 customization include:

Adding more functional modules

Dynamics 365 comprises numerous modules, each with its specific function. Organizations can easily offer users significantly increased functionality by allowing them access to different modules simultaneously.

Adding additional Fields

Often, based on the specific data your organization needs to collect, more than standard forms within D365 may be required. For this reason, Microsoft added the ability for Sysadmins and Power Users to include custom fields through the workspace personalization options. These supported field types are the easiest way to allow users to track additional data and can consist of, Text, Numbers, Decimals, Date/ Time, Date, Picklist, and Checkboxes.

Customizing workspaces

Users also can create their workspace with different functionality than out-of-the-box modules. Users can add Live tiles, Lists, Power BI tiles, and Links. This can result in a very focused workspace that lets users complete their job more efficiently.

Adding custom reports

Creating custom reports saves companies significant money during an implementation project. Microsoft’s D365 gives users several different ways to create custom reports. This includes simple Filtered views that can be exported to Microsoft Excel, the Report Wizard that asks the users simple questions before generating a statement, and SSRS for creating more complex reports.

Microsoft’s AppSource

Microsoft’s AppSource allows you to explore and try approved D365 extensions designed to add specific functionality or seamlessly tie in other third-party software solutions your business requires.

Custom solutions

Even in the same industry, business models can vary wildly from one company to another – For requirements that can’t be met by existing solutions available in Microsoft’s AppSource, customers can work directly with partners that have experience developing complex business solutions.

Self-service functionality

Companies can take advantage of increasingly valuable tools like Microsoft Flow, and the Microsoft Power Platform to help develop one-of-a-kind processes and integrations for whatever solution needs it most. These tools are some of the best ways to make your solution fit your specific requirements.

Final Thoughts on D365 Customization

Should you customize ERP? Yes. Of course, you should. Because the real question is, what customizations do you need to make your solution work best for your organization? Organizations that choose to implement Microsoft Dynamics 365 often know they will need to customize the software, but don’t always have a clear idea of how to approach it—they want to maintain standard functionality and ensure their data remains accurate as possible. The best way to go about customization is to understand why organizations are customizing in the first place.

While ERP comes with a lot of built-in functionality, that’s not to say you shouldn’t consider customizing it to fit your organization. ERP implementations are rarely perfect and require various organisational modifications to function correctly and integrate seamlessly. You might customize for various reasons—for example, if you’re using multiple ERP solutions or have different business units with unique needs—but one thing is for sure: customizing your implementation can save you time and money.

Whether you’re dealing with manufacturing companies, retailers, wholesalers or logistics companies, there are sure to be some everyday things to consider when customizing your new software implementation.

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