A few years ago, Microsoft revolutionized its strategy regarding Dynamics 365 Business Central. The new approach aims to make implementations and updates easier, faster, and cheaper. On one hand, Microsoft wants to make its offering more attractive to current and potential users. On the other hand, it aims to grow even faster and make Business Central the number one ERP system for SMBs worldwide. Let's see how the company plans to achieve these ambitious goals.
Microsoft's New Approach to Business Central Implementations
Over the past few decades, the industry has learned that the biggest risk factor in ERP implementations is the services area. This area is the main cause of exceeding time and budget. A significant portion of each implementation consists of repetitive tasks, typically performed manually by consultants whose availability is limited. In the age of rapid technological progress and artificial intelligence, it is surprising that this work is still being done in a traditional way. Microsoft has decided to approach this challenge differently. Here's what the company says about it:
"Setting up Business Central for a customer typically requires manual configuration by partners. Often, time is spent on basic settings that do not add additional value to a specific customer but are more general and relate to the customer's industry or type of business. This is costly for the customer and may be a bottleneck for the partner. Microsoft provides tools that can be used to speed up this process and enable the customer to learn to use the product more quickly. This saves costs for the customer and frees up consultants' time. The user onboarding structure in Business Central offers everyone a consistent experience in getting acquainted with the product. Partners can still use any preferred methodology, but the tools within the onboarding structure provide a native experience."
What does the user onboarding structure include?
Microsoft has created a user onboarding structure/framework, which includes several features such as:
- A checklist for beginners;
- Configuration questionnaires;
- Tips, tours, and highlights;
- Configuration wizards;
- Customer interviews;
- Configuration packages;
- Manual configuration.
As a result, most Dynamics 365 Business Central implementations are now measured in weeks or months, not years. Want to learn how the onboarding framework described above can help with easier, faster, and cheaper Business Central implementations? Don't hesitate to contact us today!
