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WHITE PAPER
BEST PRACTICES FORAN EFFICIENT DYNAMICS 365 IMPLEMENTATION
2 Best Practices for an Efficient Dynamics 365 Implementation Synoptek
Introduction
Key ERP Implementation Challenges
Businesses of all types can benefit from a successful
ERP implementation; however, it can be a
challenging task: from understanding the benefits
the platform can offer, to choosing the right ERP,
evaluating and selecting the right vendor, building
a project plan, carrying out the implementation,
supporting the system, and training users –
implementing an ERP is a time, effort, and cost-
intensive project. But when done properly, it can help
organizations manage the business more efficiently
by unifying data, fueling collaboration, and enabling
automation and innovation for accelerated results.
That’s what an ERP does – by improving business
processes, it provides greater control over operations
Many businesses face recurring issues with their
obsolete systems but are unaware of just how much
an ERP can really impact their bottom line. However,
the implementation of an ERP is not always simple;
considering how enormous the solution is, it can
and delivers the insights you need to maintain and
improve customer relationships. The result? Improved
productivity, reduced costs, and a greater scope of
scaling heights. One ERP that has been living up
to its name is Microsoft Dynamics, now known as
Dynamics 365 – an amalgamation of intelligent,
next-gen business apps that enable organizations to
bring customers and business together and run their
business from end-to-end.
A successful Microsoft Dynamics 365 implementation
not only helps in transforming business performance;
it also helps in gaining a competitive advantage to
support business today and tomorrow.
potentially create a lot of challenges depending
on the way it is implemented and managed.
Here’s looking at 5 common ERP implementation
challenges and what you can do to overcome them:
• Discuss key challenges that many ERP implementations face
• Provide an overview to Microsoft Dynamics 365 ERP and understand its significance in today’s digital world
• Provide a list of Dynamics 365 implementation best practices and key steps for a successful ERP implementation
• Look at the key benefits of a successful Dynamics 365 implementation
• See how organizations can benefit from a successful Dynamics 365 implementation
In this e-book, we will:
3 Best Practices for an Efficient Dynamics 365 Implementation Synoptek
No matter how sure organizations are about
bringing about an enterprise-wide change, the
truth is, ERP deployments always carry a sizeable
amount of resistance. Over the years, employees
become accustomed to using the legacy system
and to a standard way of working and they view an
ERP implementation as an enemy that will disrupt
their comfort zone. Such resistance often results in
poor ERP adoption, or even hostility in some cases.
Therefore, identifying the sources of resistance and
building a robust change management plan can help
in nipping this challenge in the bud.
Many organizations that dive into the ERP
bandwagon expect costs to be limited to license
costs. But in reality, getting an ERP on board is not
just about license costs; organizations also have to
plan for vendor, implementation, tools, training,
support and maintenance, and many other hidden
overhead costs that are accrued throughout the
implementation lifecycle. When budgeting, it is
important to be aware of the different costs and
allocate a realistic budget to achieve the desired
results.
The primary purpose of quality assurance is to
prevent defects, risks, or non-conformities that may
occur during the implementation process. But very
often, to quickly meet deadlines and bring their
enterprise up-to-speed, many organizations dodge
the quality assurance step which greatly impacts
their success rate. To get the most out of the ERP
investment, it is imperative that sufficient quality
assurance is carried out before the system is fully
implemented.
ERP implementations never reap benefits overnight;
expecting the implementation to be quick and users
to immediately become seasoned ERP users is sure
to do more harm than good. Since implementation
takes a whole lot of planning, effort, time, cost and
an army of expert resources to drive the project to
success, setting realistic expectations and working
towards what is practically achievable is essential.
The onus of a successful ERP implementation lies a
lot with the project management team. This team
plays a key role in assessing risk management and
resource allocation, two extremely important factors
to be taken into consideration throughout the
project. Therefore, active communication between
key personnel and ensuring they understand the
need to be fully involved goes a long way in the
success of the project.
1. Resistance to change: 4. Inadequate budgets:
5. Lack of quality assurance: 2. Unrealistic planning and expectations:
3. Poor project management:
4 Best Practices for an Efficient Dynamics 365 Implementation Synoptek
Microsoft Dynamics ERP has always been a much
sought-after ERP, across industry verticals and
organizations of various sizes. Over the years, it has
undergone several upgrades and modernizations,
so it can keep up with the changing demands of the
modern world and suit the unique needs of different
organizations. Today, the latest version, Dynamics
365 Finance unifies the capabilities of next-gen CRM
and ERP applications, while unifying data, delivering
insights, and empowering organizations to achieve
amazing results.
With Dynamics 365 Finance, organizations
can revamp their traditional global financial
management processes, automate tasks to increase
efficiency, and decrease operational expenses and
financial complexities while making decisions that
propel businesses to the forefront of excellence.
Introduction to Dynamics 365
• Assess the current health of the business, improve financial controls, and maximize financial visibility and profitability
• Leverage comprehensive, real-time financial reporting, embedded analytics, and AI-driven insights to make timely decisions
• Integrate finance with core business processes while automating administrative tasks to boost productivity
• Make the most of modern financial planning and analysis capabilities to minimize costs and optimize spending across business geographies
• Capitalize on guided, rules-based chart of accounts to quickly adapt to changing financial and legal requirements and minimize risk and complexity
With Dynamics 365 Finance, you can:
5 Best Practices for an Efficient Dynamics 365 Implementation Synoptek
Microsoft Dynamics 365 can take a business to a whole new level, if implemented successfully. Here are
some best practices:
Implementation Best Practices
SET YOUR GOALS
FOC
US O
N G
AP ANALYSIS AND RISK MA
NA
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ME
NT
MA
INTA
IN
CONTROL OVER KEY PROCESSES
EF
FECTIVELY TRAIN USERS
GET THE RIGHT TEAM IN
PLA
CE
Since the end goal of an ERP implementation is
to lower TCO and increase revenue, the first step
towards successful implementation is to have a
detailed and realistic project plan. How do you
want your business to work at the end of the
implementation? How will Dynamics 365 help you
reach those goals? Which resources will play a
crucial role in ensuring a successful implementation?
Carefully strategize your project plan and make
sure you consider all instances while circumventing
unproductive and time-consuming scenarios.
A successful Dynamics 365 implementation is a
result of cross-functional teams that have the right
knowledge and skills as well as and the commitment
to make the implementation work. Who will
comprise the project team? From what departments/
functions are representatives needed? What
responsibilities will they each have? What processes
will need to be put in place enable them to work
collaboratively? Having the right cross-functional
team will ensure inefficiencies are identified ahead
of time, bottlenecks are cleared, and quality control
issues are handled effectively.
1. Set your goals: 2. Get the right team in place:
6 Best Practices for an Efficient Dynamics 365 Implementation Synoptek
While implementing a large enterprise application
like Dynamics 365, there is a high chance that the
right processes are not in place or haven’t been
identified and established. What changes will you
have to make in your day-to-day processes? What
adjustments would users have to make while the
solution is being implemented? To keep processes
aligned and followed, you should analyze different
scenarios, consider various design alternatives, and
regularly develop and test code and performance.
No project can be successful if the users are not
trained efficiently with an ample amount of ramp
up time. Which users need to be trained? What
training modules will have to be developed?
What technology needs to be used to build those
modules? Since one of the most important aspects
of a successful Dynamics 365 implementation is to
get started quickly, you need to develop and deliver
the appropriate eLearning modules and training
guides to ensure timely and appropriate training for
widespread adoption.
The best way to begin a Dynamics 365
implementation project is with a strong focus on gap
analysis and risk management. What existing gaps
or challenges will the Dynamics 365 solution help fill?
What risks will the implementation bring about, and
what remediation plans do you need to have in
place to overcome those risks? How do you plan to
deal with the absence of management support or
poor organizational readiness or unclear objectives?
Identifying gaps ahead of time means you spend less
time responding to issues; consequently, you know
how to gain and maintain control of the project.
3. Maintain control over key processes:
5. Effectively train users:
4. Focus on gap analysis and risk management:
Dynamics 365 is an integrated, flexible platform
(cloud, on-premises, or hybrid) that provides your
business with the power and agility required to
stay a step ahead of the competition and support
ongoing growth. The latest release has built-in smart
intelligence and embedded analytics that helps
organizations move beyond traditional financial
management to a proactive way of making decisions
to protect revenue, mitigate risks, and reduce costs.
Accessible insights, augmented processes, and
simplified compliance means organizations can
streamline revenue recognition, automate credit
and collections, carry out intelligent budgeting and
forecasting, and achieve holistic financial reporting
and analysis. That said, let’s look at key benefits of a
successful Dynamics 365 implementation:
Key Benefits of a Proper Dynamics 365 Implementation
7 Best Practices for an Efficient Dynamics 365 Implementation Synoptek
With multi-industry capabilities, language support for
49 countries, and a scalable infrastructure, Dynamics
365 helps to cater to new markets, new customers,
and new geographies in fresh new ways, and thus
expand your global enterprise.
Automated workflows help in turning repetitive tasks
into multi-step workflows, saving you time spent
on manual tasks. The integrated framework and a
familiar UI offers the flexibility and convenience you
need to do business your way.
With crucial insights and access to the right tools,
and flexible deployment alternatives, Dynamics 365
helps you build solutions quickly and be prepared for
every business scenario.
Dynamics 365 smoothly connects employees,
customers, suppliers, and partners through its
integrated self-service collaboration capabilities and
the use of productivity tools. It provides novel ways
of communicating with those that matter, helping
you make critical business decisions – quickly and
efficiently.
Being part of a larger Microsoft ecosystem,
Dynamics 365 seamlessly integrates with other
Microsoft solutions: right from SharePoint, Power BI,
PowerApps, Teams, or Office 365 – so you can drive
greater value from Dynamics 365 investment.
Dynamics 365 offers a 360-degree view of
competitors, and aids in tracking trends and
anticipating future needs through built-in
intelligence. It helps generate data-driven predictions
across your business not only to forecast market
trends but also customer needs – so you can gain a
competitive advantage.
Since data from multiple sources, and systems is
unified, you get a comprehensive end-to-end picture
of your business, your markets, and your customers.
You can make informed, real-time business decisions
by gaining insight into data, and transform business
processes faster to enable sustained business growth.
Although the initial investment in Dynamics 365
system can seem high, in the long run, it helps
optimize costs (including IT and training) for your
organization and helps increase revenue. It brings
agility and efficiency to your business processes by
using an integrated solution that optimizes financial
planning and analysis.
1. Expand your global enterprise: 5. Save time and increase flexibility:
6. Support business today and tomorrow:
7. Better connect stakeholders:
8. Take advantage of other Microsoft solutions:
2. Gain competitive advantage:
3. Work better, smarter, and faster:
4. Reduce costs and increase revenue:
8 Best Practices for an Efficient Dynamics 365 Implementation Synoptek
Be the Game Changer
Most ERP implementation projects
fail not because the solution is
incompetent, but because of poor
planning and inadequate budget.
Although IT delays, unexpected
roadblocks, and uncontrollable variables
are unavoidable, following certain tips
and best practices will ensure successful
implementation of Microsoft Dynamics
365. Considering how Dynamics 365 has
transformed the enterprise software
market game over the years with
enhanced productivity, deep integration,
anytime, anywhere accessibility, built-in
intelligence, and superior automation, it
is critical for organizations to choose the
right implementation path to get the
most out of their investment and effort.
Careful assessment of business needs,
understanding each and every facet
of Dynamics 365 and how it can help
meet business needs, and choosing
the appropriate project team is critical
for guaranteed implementation
success. For a successful Dynamics 365
implementation, have a clear picture
of your goals, get the right team in
place, have a trust-worthy vendor
spearhead the project, choose the right
implementation strategy, and be the
game changer in your industry.
Customer: A leading supplier of single source specialty
chemicals
Business need: The supplier was using a non-supported
version of Dynamics AX 2009 to carry out day-to-day
operations. In addition, the presence of several disjointed
systems to manage operations across Warehouse
Management, Inventory Management, and Customer
Management led to mismatched inventory, SKU, and
customer/credit information.
The supplier was, therefore, looking to replace outdated
Warehouse Management System (WMS) and integrate
Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations WMS with the AX
2009 Live System.
Solution and approach: To carry out the warehouse
modernization project, Synoptek:
• Enabled AX 2009 cleansing
• Moved existing customization to Dynamics
• Carried out Dynamics 365 integration across Customer, Vendor, Item etc.
• Implemented Dynamics Shopping Connector
• Configured WMS to build advance pick and implement logic based on the Item Type, Location and Packaging type.
• Carried out required data migration
Business benefits: Under Synoptek’s guidance the
chemicals supplier was able to achieve a Technology
Platform Upgrade which enabled it to get rid of the
obsolete WMS systems and leverage the benefits of a
single, consolidated platform. It resulted in several business
benefits including:
• Faster inventory reconciliation
• Improved warehouse integration
• Faster integration of new business processes into existing business applications
• Improved data management
Case Study
9 Best Practices for an Efficient Dynamics 365 Implementation Synoptek
About Synoptek
Synoptek is a global systems integrator and managed IT services provider, offering comprehensive IT management and consultancy services to organizations worldwide. The company works in partnership with clients of all sizes – from mid-market to Fortune 100, and for over two decades, its focus has been to provide maximum business value to its clients, by enabling them to grow their businesses, manage risk and compliance, and increase their competitive position. Synoptek is committed to delivering improved business results and unmatched service to every client, every time.
19520 Jamboree Road #110 Irvine, CA 92612
888.796.6783
www.synoptek.com
salesinquiries@synoptek.com
How the Right Dynamics 365 Partner can Help
A qualified Dynamics 365 partner can offer a
complete suite of Dynamics 365 services to help
organizations maximize business opportunities, drive
innovation, and deliver value faster, including:
A Microsoft-Certified Gold Partner will have
several years of experience in implementing,
customizing, integrating, and upgrading Dynamics
ERP .Leveraging industry best practices and
implementation accelerators, a partner can help in
customizing the solution until it fits every need of
your business.
A partner can develop Dynamics 365 solutions that
are flexible to help you meet changing business
scenarios. By focusing on an agile-hybrid model,
it can help combine the work of onsite experts with a
highly qualified off-shore development team.
The availability of Microsoft-certified resources means
experience in executing multiple projects across
various industry sectors. These resources can help
increase productivity, gain business in-sights, and
stimulate growth through their continued efforts.
A partner can also provide comprehensive
Dynamics 365 support services to make sure your
organization’s investment in Dynamics 365 is fully
maximized. Seasoned, dedicated resources can help
troubleshoot, assist, and evaluate your 365 system.
Implementation best practices:
Adaptability and flexibility:
Resource expertise:
Complete suite of support services:
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