Dynamics 365 is the Microsoft family of business applications. It promises to turn business process into business advantage for organizations everywhere. But what does that really mean?

Dynamics 365 launched in 2016 when Microsoft brought together Dynamics AX, its ERP application and the Dynamics CRM application. Microsoft was one of the first to make a move an offer an integrated solution. Given the dynamic nature of business and the likelihood of unique situations, it is becoming more and more important for software/solution providers to introduce applications that cater to the changing trends. Dynamics 365 is a comprehensive suite of services enabling all in one solutions so that you don’t have to pick and choose from the plethora of options available.

Are you looking to adopt business applications? Or do you have existing CRM or ERP solutions in-house? Perhaps you’re using cloud-based services or both? Microsoft Dynamics 365 and the business application platform in the cloud is an ideal solution for any organization, especially those that need the flexibility to scale up and scale down as needed.

What is Microsoft Dynamics 365?

Dynamics 365 is a collection of integrated, modular Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) apps and services that change and enable your core customers, workers, and business processes. It integrates your data, business logic, and operations, combining CRM and ERP features. Rather of having distinct, segregated sales and marketing processes, Dynamics 365 provides automated, integrated, and intelligent sales and marketing tools that connect, priorities, and convert leads into paying customers. It’s built on Microsoft Azure, which provides a secure platform as well as a diverse set of services. It’s also directly linked with Microsoft 365’s productivity tools, allowing you to manage people and services in one place.

advantages of dynamics 365

1-Highly adaptable apps

Dynamics 365 apps may be tailored to your company’s demands as well as unique departmental requirements. Each programme is meant to operate well on its own, but when used together, they are much better. You choose which app to start with and add others as needed to accommodate your users’ preferences. These browser-based apps may be accessed from any location and on any device, and there is also a large selection of mobile apps. You still have complete control over how the services and apps are configured to fit your business and security needs thanks to the administrator tools included in the box. The Microsoft Power Platform may also be used to create unique and automated experiences based on your data and procedures.

2-Always zero to minimal code and less risk

Dynamics 365 allows your users to build apps on their own by using the point-and-click app creation experience in Microsoft Power Apps. It is similar to building a PowerPoint, and the visual engine and workflow power are all automated. Built-in intelligence allows your business to derive fast and actionable insights that can be optimized even further with additional AI services, both on Azure and by leveraging purpose-built AI insights apps like Customer Insights.

3-Powerful visualization and analytics

You can utilise the AI builder to apply machine learning and enhance your business insights and processes using Power BI, which is a powerful data visualisation and analytics tool. With the inclusion of mixed reality, you can even update how your organisation interacts with apps by displaying information in real-world circumstances. For example, you may scale on-the-job training to assist your workers obtain hands-on help with Dynamics 365 instructions and improve their experience. Third-party platforms, such as DataRobot, might also be used.

4-99.9% Availability

Because Dynamics 365 is built on Azure, it takes use of Microsoft’s worldwide cloud fabric and data centres. These services are guaranteed to be available 99.9% of the time. If your users are dispersed around the globe, you may host your Dynamics 365 services and data in chosen data centre areas across the world, close to your users, to decrease latency. And your information is always your own; Microsoft does not use it for marketing or advertising purposes.

Individual access or security groups can also be defined using the granular administration controls. Alternatively, you may establish access controls within certain fields to hide sensitive data. There are other encryption options. This implies, for example, that you can safeguard data from illegal access, viewing, or export using your encryption keys. It’s also simple to add users to Dynamics 365 services and, if required, link with your current directory services, allowing you to establish single sign-on for users across apps, portals, and services using Azure Active Directory’s identity-based security.

5-Compliance

GDPR-compliant, Dynamics 365 complies with all important international, federal, regional, and industry standards. Dynamics 365’s services are compliant with relevant data protection and privacy regulations, and they meet your most stringent security and privacy requirements. This makes it simple for your business to comply with existing rules and adapt to new ones as they emerge.

You can use the Microsoft Service Trust Portal and Compliance Manager to access your current state or compliance, learn about recommended controls to implement against a specific regulatory requirement, and identify which controls Microsoft has in place or is working on.

6-Integrated experiences

Many data and computer services have separate data and logic capabilities, which forces you to create separate data and logic stacks for each app. This makes creating connected experiences and evaluating data from several applications difficult. The Common Data Service (CDS), a cloud-scale database, is used to address this difficulty by securely storing data while letting your apps and processes to interface with a single set of data forms and business logic.

CDS runs in Microsoft Azure and not only does it understand the shape of your data, it also knows how best to store different types of data. It automatically stores images, assets, and blobs as text strings in tabular data. And it aggregates values and associated activities. The themes used in the CDS are open-sourced and form the foundation of the Common Data Model (CDM). The CDM defines entities, attributes, semantic metadata, and relationships to provide consistency in how data is defined and connected across your applications.

7-Connect to existing services

Microsoft’s partners all around the world have added industry-specific common and relevant themes to the CDM. Other data sources can also be incorporated with the CDS. You may export data from CDS to an Azure data lake or to your own desired destination for analysis using Power BI data flows. You may also use Power BI data flows to convert your data into CDM format, making it available to CDS and other services. Hundreds of pre-built connectors for popular data platforms and apps are available, allowing you to connect to your existing systems for both read-only and read-write connectivity. You can use your office collaboration tools to access data. internal databases, external systems, such as Adobe and SAP, or even professional and social networks, such as LinkedIn and Twitter. You can also create connectors for your internal apps. And, if you would like more granular control, Microsoft Azure provides the development tools and language of your choice to perform more custom development.

8-Enable smart Business Transformation

Dynamics 365 provides the complete technology stack across applications, services, and tools to enable your business transformation and a connected, intelligent business application strategy that spans every department and organization. The Power Platform lets you create custom app experiences and automate processes in an accessible, connected way and in a fraction of the time. To find out more about how Dynamics 365 can transform your business, check out this video

Practical implementation of dynamics 365 in business

1. Gaining Insights Across the Student Lifecycle to Drive Actions

Company: Campus Management Corporation

Industry: Computer Software for Higher Education

Uses Dynamics 365 to improve collaboration with students and higher institutions

Campus Management Corporation provides a platform and services for higher education institutions to better engage students, enhance academic delivery, and run more efficiently. Microsoft named the organisation the winner of the 2018 Global Partner of the Year Award for Education. They needed a solution that addressed the particular nature of the higher education setting.

The team discovered that Microsoft was planning to create a higher education-specific extension to their Common Data Model. Campus Management is based on Microsoft technology, with Accelerator serving as the application foundation. They were ecstatic to be able to detect children at danger and act sooner, acquire fresh insights by working with data, and collaborate within the team and with other schools using a single platform.

2. Increasing CRM Adoption and Productivity of Brokers

Company: JLL

Industry: Commercial Real Estate

Uses Dynamics 365 to help their brokers work more efficiently

JLL is a Fortune 500 firm that focuses on commercial real estate and asset management. They used Microsoft Dynamics CRM and were looking for new ideas and the freedom they needed to expand. They intended to boost system acceptance among their 83,000+ employees and incorporate additional data into their system, which they had roughly 300 offices throughout the world.

“We need technology that grows with us and allows for customization across all business lines globally.” – Greg Adams, Managing Director of Information Technology for JLL

Our company integrated their Microsoft CRM into another product which helped to simplify the CRM usage.

The system allowed fast and secure integration of real estate data such as sales, leases, properties, and other opportunities which helped brokers work more efficiently.

Also, some customization was made to apply the requirements of specific locations. This increased the company’s workforce adoption by about 6 times

3. Keeping Up with the Rapid Data Growth and Going Mobile

Company: Copper State Bolt & Nut

Industry: Building Materials

Uses Dynamics 365 to become fully mobile

Copper State Bolt & Nut is a fastener and associated goods producer and distributor in North America. The selling process needed to be efficient because they had 37,000 distinct part numbers, sold roughly 125,000 goods, and served 6,500 consumers every month. Without a reliable cloud-based mobile CRM system, keeping up with the company’s rapid growth was difficult.

The company moved to Dynamics 365 CRM to become fully mobile and keep up with the complexity and rapid increase of the amount of data.

“One of the main advantages of going to D 365 is no more implementations.  They’re expensive, they’re time-consuming. This is the last time we ever have to touch any ERP system. We’re customers for life.” – Karl Spackman, vice president of finance for Copper State Bolt & Nut.

4. Improving Processes and KPI’s with Better Data in Hands

Company: Handicare

Industry: Hospital & Health Care

Uses Dynamics 365 to access better data on the go and reallocate the team

Handicare is a driving force behind mobility-related innovation. Slings, floor and ceiling lifts, bathroom safety devices, and manual transfer solutions are among the items they sell. The problem was that their system mix necessitated manual upgrades, and the front and back ends didn’t communicate effectively. The team needed a reliable solution that could handle their company and client demands all across the world.

Microsoft Dynamics offered such a solution with features like mapping and scheduling company’s personnel, tracking services agreements, and giving access to better data at the fingertips. This helped to improve KPIs significantly.

“Management and operation staff now has access to more accurate data and our processes have been greatly improved.” – Marcel Bloemraad, marketing & communication manager at Handicare.

5. Generating More Leads with a Practical Business Tool

Company: Stiles

Industry: Commercial Real Estate Development

Uses Dynamics 365 to boost their lead generation

Stiles is a full-service commercial real estate firm in the Southeast that specialises in development, architecture, real estate, property management, construction, tenant improvement, and finance. The problem they were up against was that the same prospects were being handled by separate departments without their knowledge. Stiles had been using Microsoft Dynamics CRM, but wanted to add more features, functionality, and a more user-friendly interface.

After the renovation, their CRM stores client data and allows file sharing between divisions. Lead generation strategies are now refined and dispersed teams are connected. The system has been transformed to become a practical business tool with an easy-to-navigate interface. As a result, the workforce adoption increased.

“The new system has proven to be an essential operating tool.” –  Adrienne Zalkind, head of marketing at Stiles shares her Microsoft Dynamics CRM success story.

6. Having a Player Management System to Serve NFL Players

Company: The National Football League Players Association

Industry: Nonprofit

Uses Dynamics 365 to uncover the best opportunities for NFL players

The NFL Players Association (NFLPA) is a non-profit organisation that represents NFL players. The NFLPA safeguards the rights of all professional football players, negotiates and monitors retirement and insurance benefits, and offers a variety of additional benefits and services to its members. The company needed a rapid way to handle player data so that almost 2,200 current and past players could find new opportunities. They also intended to save capital and maintenance expenditures so that employees could focus on new member offerings.

The solution was to create a single, shared CRM for players based on Microsoft Dynamics 365. This cloud-based system was equipped with a few modules for sales and other business functions. NFLPA got one set of player data along with useful reporting tools which allowed the staff to uncover opportunities for players easier and faster. Many manual processes have been automated, thus NFLPA employees now have more time for being creative and developing more opportunities for players.

“Empowering our employees to search our player database by specific parameters and get results in minutes is a major benefit for us. We now have the ability to reach out to more players with opportunities than ever before.” – Rich Persons, director of information systems at NFLPA.

7. Connecting Building Data with Company’s Personnel

Company: MacDonald-Miller Facility Solutions

Industry: Construction

Uses Dynamics 365 to consolidate all data in one place and speed up the decision-making process

MacDonald-Miller Facility Solutions is a full-service mechanical constructor in the Pacific Northwest.

They employ over 1,000 professionals, operate in 10 locations, and work with projects from lighting upgrades to planning an office building.

The team needed a solution that allowed service technicians to understand what was happening in the building and make informed decisions.

They wanted to have a tool to help them identify the type of problem that was coming in from the field and avoid wasted man-hours and downtime for their customers.

Microsoft Dynamics helped the personnel make sense of data with now everything available at one system instead of two or three different systems.

They decreased the amount of manual labor and speeded up the decision-making process for business and their customers.

It became possible to anticipate critical alarms and failures before customers even find out about them.

8. Consolidating Core Business Processes and Cutting Costs–

Company: TGI FRIDAY’S

Industry: Restaurants

Uses Dynamics 365 to integrate all core business operations and reduce manual work

TGI FRIDAY’S is a rapidly-growing restaurant franchise in the UK.

They have 80 locations and a lot of company functions to streamline, including finance, inventory management, human resources, and sales.

Because running six disparate systems was inefficient, their first aim was to unify all essential company functions and guarantee that the system could support their long-term growth strategy.

The implementation of the company’s financial system, according to management, went as well as they had hoped. The appearance and feel of Dynamics 365 was nearly identical to that of Office 365, which was extensively used in the firm. This was a solution that personnel could utilise without hesitation. Another advantage was the cloud-based tools, which allowed users to access the system from anywhere at any time.

Because data could be uploaded and processed immediately in Dynamics 365 CRM, the number of manual manipulations was decreased. The team is now saving around a third of their time, and with the new features, they will most likely half it.

“In addition to cost reductions, we now have all of the functional benefits we’ve never had before.” Whether it’s gathering data and obtaining insights from it, or passing it on to the right people in the company.” TGI Friday’s Finance Planning Manager, Christian Redford-Smith

9. Enhancing Company’s Efficiency and Recruiting Abilities

Company: Colliers International Indiana

Industry: Commercial Real Estate

Uses Dynamics 365 to attract top talent

Another excellent Microsoft Dynamics case study shows how a firm can utilise CRM software to improve its attractiveness as an employer. Colliers International Indiana assists customers with the sale, purchase, and relocation of properties. They are a rapidly expanding firm that needed to stay up with the competition while also customising their CRM for an unique workflow.

Moving to Microsoft Dynamics was the ideal decision since it helped them to support their workflow and enhance broker adoption, allowing them to recruit more effectively.

“The system is unlike any other; it keeps track of deals, communications, and knowledge specifically tailored to the real estate industry, putting our brokers ahead of the competition.” – Saimir Qalliu, lead for the Indiana office for Colliers International.

10. Creating Personalized Patient Experience

Company: Providence St. Joseph Health

Industry: Hospital & Health Care

Uses Dynamics 365 to personalize the experience for patients

Providence St. Joseph Health is a healthcare organisation with locations in California, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Washington, Texas, and Alaska that offer a wide range of services. They also offer a line that is available internationally. 119,000 caregivers worked to ensure that patients received the appropriate treatment in a timely way and that their experience was more individualised. The problem was that they didn’t know their patients when they called the firm.

The Dynamics 365 platform allowed patients’ journeys to be personalised. A caregiver noticed a screen flash up when a call came in, displaying who the patient was based on his or her phone number. Furthermore, careful data organisation allowed for the placement and availability of the appropriate physicians in a patient’s area.

“We’re able to capture insights on the patients that have been calling in to really help improve our health care organization. Whether it be through navigation, through online tools, or ensuring that we have the right physicians in place in different locations based upon demand.” – Kim Swafford, GVP Health Technology Strategy at Providence St. Joseph Health.

Struggling with Dynamics 365?

Do you want to repeat the above Microsoft Dynamics CRM success stories? We are here to help!

With over 12+ years of expertise in the CRM industry, Logyscal is a Microsoft Dynamics CRM consultant. We specialize in assisting organizations in getting the most out of Microsoft Dynamics CRM. The staff keeps track of system upgrades, such as the fact that Dynamics 365 for Sales is now accessible, allowing you to use the most up-to-date technologies with enhanced capability.

Our services include:

• Microsoft Dynamics CRM consulting services
• CRM customization, implementation, and Microsoft Dynamics CRM integration services
• Microsoft Dynamics CRM custom development

We know how to use the platform and have some great Dynamics 365 cases to share with you.

Hope next time you think before start your project in Dynamics 365. We provide experts and implement Dynamics 365 CE, CRM, FO, BC and Power Apps integrations for your business.