17 May 2018
CRM, ERP, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales, Service & Marketing (CRM) No Comments Permalink

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Reporting Options

May 17, 2018 No Comments

There are many ways to report on information in Microsoft Dynamics 365 depending on the business requirements of the data consumers. The two main Microsoft tools for custom reporting with Microsoft Dynamics 365 are Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) using FetchXML queries and Power BI.

 

Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS)

Microsoft Dynamics 365 provides many out-of-box reports for viewing your business data. You can create custom reports using one of these reports as templates or can create a custom report from scratch. These out-of-box reports that are available with Microsoft Dynamics 365 are SQL-based reports. For security reasons, you cannot deploy custom SQL-based reports to Microsoft Dynamics 365 (online). Instead, you need to use FetchXML queries to retrieve data for modified or custom reports.

 

Another option with SSRS is to report off a local SQL database with a copy of the online data set. There are some limitations with FetchXML queries and how complex the data set it can handle, which is why some people will take a copy of the online data and store it locally for reporting. This process of making a local copy of the data can also be automated.

 

Microsoft Power BI

Power BI is a self-service business intelligence (BI) platform used to discover, analyze, visualize data, and share or collaborate these insights with colleagues.

There are several ways you can use Power BI with Microsoft Dynamics 365:

  • Load a Microsoft Dynamics 365 content pack and start using the Power BI service to display Dynamics 365 insights.
  • Customize a Microsoft Dynamics 365 content pack.
  • Use Power BI Desktop to modify and customize your reports and visualizations.
  • Embed a Power BI tile in a Dynamics 365 personal dashboard.
  • Use Power BI and Microsoft Office Excel together.
30 Mar 2018
Blog, ERP, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, Microsoft Dynamics NAV No Comments Permalink

Microsoft releases Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central

March 30, 2018 No Comments

Microsoft has released details for its forthcoming new release of the Microsoft Dynamics 365 platform for small- and medium-sized organizations. The solution, called Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, features customer service, finance, operations and sales modules designed to streamline business activities and allow companies of all sizes to take advantage of transformational business technologies. The software is the most recent addition to the ever-expanding, cloud-based Dynamics 365 suite. This marks the release of a unified code base for Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Financials Business Edition and Microsoft Dynamics NAV. This new cloud solution is sure to be the dominant backend Microsoft ERP system for modest yet growth-oriented firms.

 

“Dynamics 365 Business Central brings the full power of Dynamics NAV to the cloud,” Alysa Taylor, Microsoft general manager for business applications and strategy, explained in a company blog post. “As such, Business Central has at its foundation a set of trusted, proven technologies that have served 160,000 customers and millions of users worldwide.”

 

An outcome of product evolution

Microsoft in July 2017 publicized an ongoing project, codenamed Tenerife, that constituted the latest iteration of Dynamics NAV, ZDNet reported. Spokespeople for the Redwood, Oregon-based technology behemoth explained that the product would be built on the Azure cloud platform, empowering small- and medium-sized enterprises to embrace cloud-based backend systems and the operational possibilities that accompany them. In September during the Directions North America conference, Microsoft elaborated on the secretive solution still in development, revealing that it would be an end-to-end offering, according to ZDNet. Now, it seems, the product is finally prepared for primetime and will be available worldwide April 2.

 

Microsoft will offer two cloud versions: A $70 per-month, per-user Essentials option and $100 per-month, per-user Premium product. The Premium license adds manufacturing and field service capabilities for subscribers. For those preferring an on-premise solution, they can still purchase Microsoft Dynamics NAV, which is basically the same code base as Business Central but for on-premise deployment.

 

Brand-new backend opportunities

What can enterprises that implement Business Central expect? At the highest level, the solution facilitates operational integration via rich workflows incorporating Microsoft staples, such as Excel, Outlook and Word. Additionally, the product integrates with external modules Microsoft Flow, PowerApps and Power BI, allowing organizations to cultivate abundant data collection and sharing processes with transformational potential. In addition to these larger capabilities, Business Central boasts countless details that give it the distinction of being one of the most powerful SMB-oriented enterprise resource planning offerings on the market.

 

Perhaps the most striking platform feature included in Business Central is its user interface, which resembles the one found within Microsoft Office 365, according to a Fredrik Hietala, a Copenhagen, Denmark-based senior program manager for Microsoft. The UI allows users to build personalized feeds and switch on smart notifications, enabling streamlined system navigation.

 

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central Essentials

The Essentials offering centers on powerful financial management tools capable of catalyzing transformative results in multiple departments.

 

The base-level software includes general ledger, budgeting, accounts receivable and reconciliation tools. It also comes equipped with a powerful auditing engine that allows financial stakeholders to easily review financial transactions via expenditure descriptions and reason codes. Businesses operating internationally can use multiple currency types within the solution, as well. This feature lends enterprises using Business Central considerable accounting scalability, bringing the prospect of global expansion into the realm of reality.

 

Essentials also eases customer relationship management via bleeding-edge contact management, campaign monitoring and opportunity cultivation features, folding both existing customers and hot leads into the books with little outside assistance. Of course, this feature also integrates with Dynamics 365 for Sales, making it ideal for businesses already taking advantage of that CRM Microsoft Dynamics solution. Users navigating the basic iteration will also discover robust supply chain management offerings, including sales and purchase order management. The product includes a warehouse management feature that supports shipping and receiving monitoring processes of varying intensities.

 

Human resource is another mission-critical department that can leverage the Business Central Essentials to facilitate operational growth. The platform includes employee tracking and expense management functionalities that can help HR teams support employee populations of all sizes. Several payroll solutions are also available as add-ons for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central.

 

Last but certainly not least, Essentials offers assistance to users managing internal projects via resourcing, job tracking and timesheet tools. The project management feature also supports multiple languages and allows for the configuration of customized reason codes. It integrates with Outlook, as well.

 

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central Premium

The premium offering, which goes for an additional $30 per month, per user, includes two extra suites: a field service management component and a manufacturing suite. The former gives small- and medium-sized businesses the power to operate effective post-sales service operations through automated order request workflows, pricing and item management functionality and service contract oversight tools. Users can also assign employees to specific work orders and monitor job statuses. When the time comes to execute, dispatch personnel can view and schedule technicians based on availability and skill.

 

The manufacturing module that comes with Business Central Premium includes several powerful features designed to help small-to-midsized producers streamline and expand their operations. This component supports efficient production order creation and management activities, while also making it easier for production managers at all levels to track essential materials and routings. In addition to facilitating these common shop floor activities, the solution supports capacity and supply planning, as well as demand forecasting.

 

These critical business intelligence functions enable manufacturers to get the most out of their machinery and materials and meet their targets – all without setting aside considerable expenditures. Perhaps the most powerful tool contained within the manufacturing feature that comes with the Premium package is the agile manufacturing component, which allows organizations to schedule rush hours based on demand and rescale their operations to meet sudden changes in production requirements. With these capabilities in reach, small- and medium-sized manufacturers can harness the flexibility of their larger competitors and bolster their profiles in the marketplace.

 

In addition to these features, the manufacturing model includes a subcontractor management tool that simplifies collaboration, allowing firms to shuttle raw materials to supply chain partners or work with other outsourced process vendors to put the finishing touches on key offerings.

 

In all, Dynamics 365 Business Central offers immense potential and is likely to make a considerable impact among small- and mediums-sized enterprises upon release. Organizations interested in adopting the forthcoming product should consider connecting with The TM Group. With more than three decades of software implementation experience, we can help you get the most out of this innovative Microsoft solution. Contact us today to learn how we can leverage Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central to prompt growth within your business.

20 Mar 2018
Blog, Microsoft Dynamics GP, TM Group News No Comments Permalink
Cloud business software promotes startup growth.
Cloud business software promotes startup growth.

Want to Deploy Dynamics GP on Azure? Think again

March 20, 2018 No Comments

Organizations across myriad industries have embraced cloud computing. In fact, an estimated 95 percent of businesses are currently running applications in the cloud or experimenting with the Infrastructure-as-a-Service approach, according to research from RightScale. Of course, swapping on-premise servers for cloud-based alternatives is no easy task, as the process involves moving over complicated systems such as Microsoft Dynamics GP.

Roughly 47,000 companies worldwide use this celebrated enterprise resource planning system, according to ERP Software Blog. Many companies worldwide have also adopted Microsoft Azure, believing the platform to be the ideal choice for cloud deployments. But, is this the right option for deploying Microsoft Dynamics GP on the cloud? While these two solutions certainly complement each other, there are some drawbacks that come along with rolling out GP on Azure.

Service gaps
Azure alone is a powerful platform. However, effective enterprise cloud computing infrastructure is not enough. Organizations must have access to key cloud services to facilitate operational progress and maintain high network performance.

Unfortunately, Microsoft does not offer these ancillary services with its base Azure offerings. Internal information technology teams must oversee critical cloud setup and maintenance activities such as backup configuration and testing, password management and the deployment of Windows service packs, updates and hotfixes.

This is a significant task for companies with no or small IT departments. For those without internal technical specialists, managing these tasks in-house is virtually impossible, likely requiring many to seek assistance from managed services providers or other external IT assets at a significant cost. For example, roughly 55 percent of U.S.-based MSPs charge between $1000 and $5000 per month for base service packages, according to research from IT firm Kaseya.

No uptime guarantees
Uptime guarantee agreements are designed to hold the service provider accountable for events that may cause system downtime, and therefore, negatively affect businesses dependent upon their cloud environments. Most cloud technology companies and MSPs offer uptime guarantees in the 99 percent range.

However, Microsoft offers no such guarantee to organizations moving their GP to Azure. The company does not offer an uptime guarantee with its base-level Azure products. This means firms that use the solution are susceptible to service interruptions.

When Azure engineers install security updates or perform routine maintenance, virtual machines on the platform may simply go offline, which disrupts operations and weighs on the bottom line. In fact, one minute of unplanned system downtime can cost as much as $8,000, analysts for 451 Research found.

That said, enterprises migrating to Azure can take advantage of a 99.95 percent uptime guarantee via Microsoft by purchasing two of each cloud server type – Active Directory, Remote Desktop, SQL and Windows – and configuring these storages spaces into highly-available couplets. However, this approach to Azure adoption effectively doubles the implementation cost.

Azure and Dynamics GP may seem like the perfect fit, but there are better options.

Licensing complications
Businesses with existing GP workloads maintain on-premises SQL servers, each with separate licensing agreements. The same goes for other Windows services such as Office 365 or even early Azure installations. Most prospective adopters expect these licenses to maintain validity in new cloud-based Azure instances. Sadly, this is not the case.

Businesses moving Microsoft Dynamics GP from on-premise to Azure environments may have to license some new licenses. This, of course, causes immense budgetary and technical complications. In some cases, IT teams need to also upgrade to more expensive versions. For example, Azure requires users to adopt enterprise SQL services rather than stock options that cost less and offer business-level functionality. Azure Remote Desktops do require that you have an Enterprise version of Office 365. So, if you have a Business Edition license, you will have to upgrade it. Most other licenses of Office do not include cloud mobility, so you can’t run them in the cloud. For example, if you have an OEM version of Office that came preinstalled on your computer when you bought it, you cannot run that license in the cloud.

An alternative solution
Together, these variables complicate the Azure-GP migration equation, likely leaving many prospective cloud adopters wondering, “How can we move our GP workloads into a safe, compatible cloud environment without dealing with these costly implementation hurdles?”

TMG Cloud is the answer.

Here at The TM Group, we offer private cloud environments designed to support GP workloads of all sizes. Additionally, our TMG Cloud packages come with extra services that Azure does not provide.

TMG Cloud customers have access to top-of-the-line technical support through our managed services offerings. Our highly-trained staff can manage solution setup and maintenance for the lifetime of the installation. We even help clients deploy enterprise applications in private cloud environments unrelated to GP workflows. Additionally, TMG Cloud solutions are designed from the ground up to facilitate optimal business continuity. We offer 99.9 percent uptime guarantees, with no extra investment required. Finally, our IT specialists can easily migrate applications with existing licenses into private cloud environments, meaning adopters do not have to worry about purchasing new software just to switch to the cloud.

Is your organization ready to embrace the cloud and move your Dynamics GP workload to the cloud? Connect with The TM Group. Our TMG Cloud solution gives businesses the power to streamline their operations through cloud computing technology without incurring major costs. Contact us today to learn more about the TMG Cloud and our other products and services.

08 Mar 2018
Blog, Microsoft Dynamics GP, TM Group News No Comments Permalink

Microsoft Dynamics GP 2018: Understanding the New Platform

March 8, 2018 No Comments

Microsoft announced the forthcoming release of an updated offering for small businesses this past September during Directions North America. The software package, which was released in December under the moniker Dynamics 365, combines Dynamics CRM, Dynamics AX and the redesigned version Dynamics NAV into an all-in-one digital solution for burgeoning businesses looking to leverage the power of Microsoft to prompt organizational growth. Lost in the chaos of this announcement, which generated superfluous drama related to a controversial new white-labeling strategy, was the quiet release of an updated timeline for the rollout of a new iteration of Dynamics GP, according to ZDNet.

 

Microsoft revealed during the conference that the mid-market accounting software would receive an upgrade before the year was out. The new version of Dynamics GP hit the market fewer than four months later, as promised, ERP Software Blog reported. What can users embracing this new solution expect? Dynamics GP expert and Microsoft Escalation Engineer Terry Heley discussed the critical components included in the reconfigured offering, most of which were installed to improve the user experience, in a recent company blog post.

 

Comprehensive document attachment

Microsoft debuted the Document Attachment feature for Dynamics GP more than five years ago, giving users the power to fasten applicable written files to assets, customers, transactions and vendors. The component has evolved considerably since, culminating in the latest iteration, which boasts a shortened file attachment pathway. Now, users can clip attachments to Dynamics GP entries via a button located on inquiry, master record inquiry and transaction entry screens. This seemingly small change will greatly benefit Dynamics GP devotees who previously had to navigate multiple steps to perform simple tasks such as attaching W-9 documents to employee inquiries or pairing contracts with vendors.

 

Additionally, the new Document Attachment feature has automated capabilities. Information technology specialists with administrative access to the solution can configure the system so some pieces of uploaded content automatically attach to certain master record inquiries. This is done through an intraplatform feature called Flow, which is only available for use with customers, items or vendors logged into Dynamics GP, Microsoft Marketing Manager Pam Misialek explained in an organizational blog post.

 

Updated workflow capabilities

Like Document Attachment, the Workflow component contained within Dynamics GP became available with the 2013 release. The feature gives administrators the power to develop and deploy customized platform processes. In most cases, users leverage Workflow to create approval systems for documents, batches and master records. Microsoft last updated the component in 2015, fully integrating the once standalone, SharePoint-reliant feature in Dynamics GP, a welcome improvement among users, many of whom had lodged complaints over the clunky usage experience of the opening iteration.

 

Engineers at the company have once again improved Workflow, introducing new preconfigured processes centered on accounting and the management of purchase invoices, according to Heley. The latest version of Workflow also includes a streamlined copy step and reminder email configuration capabilities.

 

New business intelligence options

Of all the new additions included in the most recent Dynamics GP update, few offer as much transformational potential as the Power BI Content Pack. This add-on, which became available in January, includes financial, inventory, purchasing and sales report templates that pull in information from Dynamics GP to create eye-catching visualizations perfect for internal data-sharing activities. The feature also allows users to review data stored in calculated columns, such as credit, debit, profit and sales amounts.

 

Improved user experience

In addition to the larger changes covered above, Heley outlined some smaller UX adjustments that the Microsoft engineering team made in response to user feedback. For instance, this iteration of Dynamics GP includes streamlined financial and human resources modules that are easier to navigate. It also includes more user-friendly data search tools designed to facilitate fast information-based decision-making.

 

Businesses interested in adopting the new-and-improved version of Dynamics GP should consider connecting with The TM Group. With more than three decades of software implementation experience, we can help you get the most out of this powerful Microsoft solution. Contact us today to learn how we can leverage Dynamics GP to increase your earning potential.

 

07 Mar 2018
Blog, Microsoft Dynamics NAV, TM Group News No Comments Permalink
Microsoft Dynamics NAV offers simple solutions for data visualization.
Microsoft Dynamics NAV offers simple solutions for data visualization.

Dynamics NAV 2018 is Here

March 7, 2018 No Comments

Microsoft labored over the redesign and relaunch of Dynamics NAV for more than one year before announcing a finalized offering at the Directions North America conference this past September, ZDNet reported. The Redmond, Washington-based technology firm released the software fewer than three months later, surprising both vendors and loyal users who expected the product to hit digital shelves in Spring 2018. What did small business information technology specialists and operational stakeholders find upon downloading the new iteration of Dynamics NAV?

 

An exciting new feature set

Microsoft’s Technical Learning Project Manager Oksana Kuzmina covered the new features included in the updated software in a write-up published on the Microsoft Dynamics NAV community blog. Kuzmina led off the post with an explanation on the Ceridian payroll integration module that comes with the platform. The component allows users to import Ceridian Dayforce payroll files containing dates, payroll account numbers, descriptions and amounts into general ledger accounts. It also facilitates data validations via user-configured Dayforce rules and offers global support, meaning human resources staff can leverage the module no matter where they might be located, according to Ceridian. The new iteration of Dynamics NAV now supports Quickbooks file importing as well, Kuzmina wrote. The component gives users the power to pull in payroll information stored within Intuit Interchange Format files.

 

Robust application programming interface capabilities sit at the center of Dynamics NAV, allowing users to leverage representational state transfer web services to connect their solutions with third-party add-ons. The current version of the API publishes common enterprise information, including customer, employee or vendor data, product details and sales records. Kuzmina also touched on the Lexmark Invoice Capture Service synchronization tool that comes installed in the latest version of Dynamics NAV. Previous releases included this feature but these components did not allow for complete vendor synchronization. This is now a possibility with the updated platform as users can log into Lexmark ICS and transfer critical vendor data such as name, address, bank account number and VAT number straight from Dynamics, with no manual data entry required.

 

Workspace personalization is another critical issue engineers addressed in the most recent edition of Dynamics NAV. Although a seemingly minor concern, workspace layout can have a significant impact on productivity, according to researchers at Deloitte. With this in mind, Microsoft engineers introduced a new feature that allows users to move and change various user interface fixtures, including columns, fields, fact boxes and charts. They can also freeze columns so that key fields are always visible upon scrolling, Kuzmina wrote. She also touched on the report preview function, which enables Dynamics NAV users to easily review data sheets prior to printing without having to download them, helping organizations conserve both digital and physical resources.

 

This version of Dynamics NAV is included in the Dynamics 365 cloud bundle, meaning it can easily interact with the other applications included in this package. The Dynamics CRM is one of these programs, according to Kuzmina. Users can initiate background synchronization activities that ensure both systems contain up-to-date information. Plus, the low processing impact prevents any sort of system interruptions, ensuring that employees navigating Dynamics NAV can continue with their work even as the system retrieves and catalogs new data. Finally, the new iteration of the software comes equipped with an Excel viewing module that allows users to look over financial statements in fully functional spreadsheets. They can also export multiple reports in Excel format, including balance sheets, income statements and cash flow statements.

 

An extended road to release

The release of the new Dynamics NAV platform was a long time coming for Microsoft, which previewed the solution, then codenamed Project Madeira, back in 2016, according to ZDNet. The company announced the successor to Madeira during the Directions North America event in September – an all-in-one small-business solution combining Dynamics NAV and Dynamics 365 Finance, Operation and Business edition. This amalgam, called Tenerife, eventually made it to market in two forms: one available via the Cloud Solution Provider and another on a business application platform that can be installed vertically by software vendors.

 

More than 110,000 active users access Dynamics NAV daily, according to data from Microsoft published on ERP Software Blog. With the new features included in the latest version, there is a good chance a significant number of them will install the hotly-anticipated update. Users should keep in mind that Microsoft plans to release a cloud-based iteration of the platform sometime over the next few months, ZDNet reported. The company has also launched a public preview of another solution included in the updated Dynamics suite: Dynamics 365 for Marketing. The software empowers marketers at small and midsize businesses to pilot large-scale automated campaigns and leverage data collected via other Microsoft products to develop more targeted outreach efforts.

 

Firms interested in embracing the latest Dynamics NAV software should connect with The TM Group today. We offer robust Microsoft Dynamics NAV implementation services for businesses of any size. Contact us today to learn how we can leverage the powerful software to bolster your small-to-medium-sized business.

 

27 Feb 2018
ERP Implementation Tips, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central No Comments Permalink

Key cloud computing challenges all adopters must overcome

February 27, 2018 No Comments

An estimated 95 percent of organizations worldwide are running applications in the cloud, according to research from RightScale. What was once an enterprise technology trend is now standard across myriad industries. However, despite the prevalence of cloud computing technology, businesses are still working out the implementation and management kinks. In fact, most encounter issues along the way, experiencing the unique growing pains that come with swapping on-premise gear for cutting-edge cloud services.

Here are some of those common difficulties and proven techniques for addressing them:

Insufficient IT support
In many cases, companies moving to the cloud run into staffing problems – specifically, existing information technology personnel are not equipped to manage such services. There are multiple methods for dealing with this issue. For instance, many organizations enter managed service agreements, relying on external provider support. Others roll out instructional programs centered on the technology so internal technical specialists can get up to speed. 

Of course, the skill gap is not the only IT-related cloud conundrum. Existing workflows attuned to on-premises solutions often prove ineffective within cloud-based development ecosystems, CIO reported. In this case, the chief information officer should realign the IT department around the agile approach.

“Security is by far the most talked about subject among stakeholders considering cloud implementation – and for good reason.”

Security concerns
This is by far the most talked about subject among stakeholders considering cloud implementation – and for good reason. Cyberattacks continue to rise in number as hackers develop more potent methods for taking advantage of system vulnerabilities. Adopters normally address this issue on multiple fronts, according to CIO. Most implement extensive early detection and mobile management systems while ratcheting up internal data security awareness training to arm employees with the knowledge they need to operate safely in the cloud.

Resource provisioning
Controlling costs associated with the cloud has proven challenging for many firms, Digitalist Magazine reported. Why? IT teams must experiment in the backend to figure out how much space is actually required to run mission-critical applications and store assets online. Cloud provisioning levels and costs tend to fluctuate soon after implementation as a result. There is, however, an easy solution to this problem: partnering with a cloud services provider that can help estimate requirements and deploy the solutions.

Adopting the cloud involves far more than installing a solution. It requires long-term planning and customization. Providers must work with clients to design a cloud platform that fits the operation and therefore facilitates fiscal predictability.

Is your organization looking for a cloud provider capable of helping it navigate these common pitfalls? Connect with the TM Group today. We offer multiple cloud services options, including Microsoft Dynamics 365 and the TMG Cloud, a private cloud solution specially designed to implement Microsoft Dynamics GP via the cloud. Contact us today to learn more.

16 Feb 2018
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales, Service & Marketing (CRM) No Comments Permalink
Let Microsoft Dynamics 365 be your company's game changer.
Let Microsoft Dynamics 365 be your company's game changer.

One edition for all: Microsoft to eliminate Dynamics 365 business and enterprise editions

February 16, 2018 No Comments

Microsoft announced in September that they planned to eliminate the Dynamics 365 Business and Enterprise editions in an effort to simplify the much-lauded combined CRM and ERP management suite, according to an internal blog post. Alysa Taylor, general manager for business applications and strategy at Microsoft, explained that the decision was made following the Inner Circle Summit in Quebec and the Directions North America conference in San Diego, where solutions partners expressed some frustration with the existing software model. With this feedback in mind, Taylor and her colleagues elected to do away with the business and enterprise editions and move toward an application ecosystem featuring modules for finance, marketing, operations, sales, service and talent departments.

“Instead of offering separate editions, we will focus on enabling any organization to choose from different price points for each line of business application, based on the level of capabilities and capacity they need to meet their specific needs,” Taylor explained.

 

A new option for SMBs

In addition to rolling out this new overarching business model for Dynamics 365, Microsoft publicized new packaging for small and medium-sized business, MSDynamicsWorld.com reported. This package, a product of the company’s semi-secretive project codenamed “c,” combines Dynamics NAV and the Dynamics 365 Business Edition Finance and Operations applications. Since this newer Dynamics 365 ERP was actually a cloud enhance version of Dynamics NAV, this shouldn’t be too difficult a task to merge these applications into one unified code base which will be available as both a cloud and on-premise solution. Microsoft Dynamics SMB General Manager Marko Perisic told the publication that the combined solution will work well for businesses at all stages of the cloud adoption journey, an information technology an estimated 95 percent of businesses are currently navigating, according to research from RightScale. Even firms currently avoiding cloud computing will be able to take advantage of this new package.

“We will do everything we can to make cloud the more attractive and more profitable option for you but we give you the on-premises option for those who cannot go to the cloud,” Perisic said in an interview with MSDynamicsWorld.com.

 

Partners react

Implementation partners have long awaited these developments, both of which Microsoft previewed in July 2016, according to ZDNet. How did these individuals and organizations react to the formalized release of the new Dynamics 365 ecosystem? Respected Dynamics NAV consultant and trainer Arend-Jan Kauffmann praised the combined package for SMBs, highlighting the smaller implementation features that will reportedly accompany the platform and ease the configuration process – a boon for both partners and internal IT teams handling installation on their own.

Partners have had little to say about the new elimination of the Dynamics 365 Business and Enterprise editions. However, on the surface, this approach would seem to benefit enterprises, as they would be able to pick and choose which modules they believe would most meaningfully bolster business productivity. However, since there are currently two solutions called Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations (Business Edition which is NAV based and Enterprise Edition which was Dynamics AX), Microsoft is going to have to again rebrand or rename some solutions.

Microsoft plans to roll out the new, unified Microsoft Dynamics 365 SMB solution (NAV/Tenefrie) application in Spring 2018. However, the SMB Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Edition for Finance and Operations is available and we have several happy clients already utilizing the system. Firms interested in adopting the Dynamics 365 applications should collaborate with proven implementation partners to see the best results. Here at The TM Group, we have been managing Dynamics implementations for decades, providing businesses of all sizes with business specific, tailored services designed to generate optimal return on investment. Connect with us today to learn more.

31 Jan 2018
Blog, TM Group News No Comments Permalink

TM Group included in VAR Stars 2017

January 31, 2018 No Comments

Bob Scott’s Insights, an enterprise resource planning publication specializing in coverage of the resale market, has included The TM Group in the latest edition of the VAR Stars, an annual assemblage of the top 100 high-performing midmarket ERP firms. Financial services software influencer Bob Scott edits the online magazine, which put the Farmington Hills, Michigan-based company in the 59th spot, according to ERP Software Blog.

“Each year, 100 VAR Stars are picked from the best organizations that market financial

software,” Scott explained in a statement. “It is always an honor to recognize those who contribute to the development of our business.”

A cloud-based future
Cloud technology was the central theme of the 2017 VAR Stars list. In the report summary, Scott said few questions lingered over the deployability and effectiveness of cloud-based financial services software, concluding that this once-unproven innovation had entered the mainstream. Market data supports this point of view.

The cloud ERP space is expanding at a compound annual growth rate of 10 percent and is likely to surpass the $29 billion mark within the next three years, according to MarketsandMarkets. The financial software niche is driving much of this growth, maintaining the highest CAGR among all available specialty ERP products.

The Dynamics conundrum
In addition to addressing the entrenchment of cloud ERP technology, Scott took on the Microsoft Dynamics reshuffle that unfolded last year. The software giant is in a multiyear process of repackaging its Microsoft Dynamics CRM, Microsoft Dynamics AX and Microsoft Dynamics NAV products in an effort to consolidate its cloud product CRM/ERP offerings into an enterprise and small-medium business (SMB) offering. Microsoft finally unveiled the final cloud CRM/ERP SMB product, called Microsoft Dynamics 365 Tenerife (the new version of NAV), at Directions North America this past September. Unfortunately, the announcement was met with confusion, as resellers struggled to understand how the change would affect both their operations and customers.

While the company has since ironed out some of the details, it is clear Microsoft is navigating an extended internal shift centered on its cloud ERP products and changes continue to be rolled out regularly. It is very confusing for customers, but Dynamics partners like The TM Group can help them figure out Microsoft’s offering and what is right for them.

The pathway to success
Despite market shifts and vendor turmoil, The TM Group managed to find immense success in 2017, helping businesses of all sizes implement top-of-the-line Microsoft, NetSuite and Sage Intacct technology and achieve operational breakthroughs. The company managed to capture roughly $8.6 million in revenue in this span and solidify its position in an overly saturated industry.

The TM Group is expected to continue on this trajectory for the foreseeable future. The firm’s ground-breaking TMG Cloud offering, which allows organizations to deploy Microsoft Dynamics GP and SL in the cloud, is just one of the many products in its vast portfolio that separate from competitors and make it worthy of inclusion in the 2017 VAR Stars.

Are you interested in learning more about The TM Group and our industry-leading products and services? Connect with us today to see more detailed product specifications and learn how The TM Group can help you streamline your operation.

18 Jan 2018
Blog, CRM Implementation Tips, ERP Implementation Tips No Comments Permalink
Best-of-Breed or All-in-One eBook
Best-of-Breed or All-in-One eBook

Software Eating The World: Download Free “Best-of-Breed or All-in-One” eBook

January 18, 2018 No Comments

Software Is Changing Business And The World

In 2011, venture capitalist Marc Andreessen stated that software was eating the world. Society, Andreessen said in an op-ed published by The Wall Street Journal, was not only being consumed by software, but also traditional business models and industries were being revamped to take advantage of this brave, new world. To put the future into context, he said, companies in every industry need to assume that a software revolution was coming.

Fast forward seven years, and the revolution is the establishment. The notion that every company needs to think of itself as a software company has become clichéd. Business software is the norm, a multi-billion-dollar marketplace that will continue to get bigger as more companies increase their investments.

In 2016, for example, organizations spent more than $3 billion on enterprise accounting software, a market that is expected to experience a compound annual growth rate of six percent through 2021, according to recent research. And that is just one of the many enterprise resource planning categories that companies can leverage to collect, store, manage and analyze business-centric data.

Simple Questions Need Simple Answers

As software continues to be the catalyst for organizational change, the question that companies want answered is a simple one: What is the best software available? In other words, does a company want to integrate an all-in-one or a best-of-breed business process software solution?

As a leading provider of customer relationship management and enterprise resource planning software, The TM Group has been answering these questions since 1984. Taking that into account, The TM Group has put together an eBook that not only differentiates between the two distinct methodologies but also offers an insight into the implementation implications and advantages of an all-in-one versus a best-of-breed solution.

“Best-of-Breed or All-in-One” focuses on highlighting the differences between the two methodologies and approaches to ERP functionality.

Both of the potential paths under review come with unique advantages, a factor that the eBook will take a deeper dive into. In addition,”Best-of-Breed or All-in-One” will discuss the implementation strategy that companies need to consider before opting for either one of the two software suite options. The caveat is that there is no universal right answer for what business system platform works best in a given scenario, especially when you take into account that every company will have a different set of functional requirements.

In addition, the eBook will provide IT decision-makers with guidance as to which software vendor to choose. For example, if an all-in-one option is right for a company, then Microsoft is the market leader. On the flip side, if a company opts for the best-of-breed approach, then Sage Intacct, which has included pre-built connections to other leading best-of-breed software providers in its solution,are arguably an excellent choice of partner.

Tapping Into A History Of Tech Empowerment

The TM Group has a long and proven track record of providing ERP integration services to customers from global vendors and brands. Everything we do is driven by our mission statement—empowering organizations and people with technology—a company mantra that has not changed since 1984.

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29 Nov 2017
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Strategies for gaining user support during ERP implementation

November 29, 2017 No Comments

Analysts for Deloitte recently asked chief information officers from across the country to cite the biggest barriers for a successful ERP implementation. More than 80 percent said internal resistance to change. For professionals who have ever participated in an ERP roll out, this answer should come as no surprise. Employee pushback is often a serious problem for businesses pursuing top-down technology initiatives. Employees do not appreciate disruption, as most maintain familiar if not efficient workflows that, in their eyes, give them the power to be as productive as possible. Of course, an ERP solution can bolster their productivity, especially those utilizing outdated paper-based processes.

Unfortunately, many users tend to overlook new functionality that make an ERP implementation worthwhile and instead focus on maintaining their familiar ways of doing things and resisting process improvement changes creating unwelcome drama. In the end, the resentment can build to such a level that they demand recreation of inefficient processes or outright refuse to use the new system, no matter how useful it may be to the organization. Organizations pursuing ERP implementations can minimize this kind of scenario by focusing on user adoption from the very beginning and deploying initiatives that stoke internal user adoption. Here are some of the most effective strategies for gaining user support for an ERP:

Facilitate collective system design
Unfortunately, many businesses leave end users out of the ERP design and selection phase entirely, instead relying on IT personnel and executive stakeholders to configure key system requirements. This strategy often ends in disaster, as employees strike back against systems designed without them in mind. Adopters should avoid this tactic and instead bring them in on the ground floor of ERP initiatives, according to ERP Focus.

Everyday employees can provide essential insight into how prospective systems actually fit into day-to-day business operations, lending implementation teams the information they need to make informed decisions on system features and other variables. This, in turn, ameliorates any growing resentment among employees, as they feel empowered by having taken part in the implementation process.

Market the ERP internally
While ERP platforms are common across many industries, most professionals are unaware of the more granular features that propel these solutions and how they can impact the business. Enterprises navigating the ERP implementation journey cannot count on employees to research these platforms on their own and develop an understanding of the benefits they provide. ERP teams must instead market the solutions they are building and sell workers on the business benefits that accompany them, IT Toolbox reported.

This is a compelling technique. Why? The benefits of an ERP trickle down. With such a system in place, the business grows and gains a stronger foothold. This results in increased cash flow and more robust employee benefits. Additionally, the time savings that materialize as a result of ERP implementation can sway busy employees who may struggle to balance heavy workloads.

Offer system training programs

Training sessions help build support among users.

Employees are bound to resist software they cannot use effectively. Unfortunately, many firms do not understand this basic truth or downplay it in an attempt to save money on implementation. Either way, a startlingly large number of ERP adopters fail to properly train workers for the new system and suffer mass user opposition as a result. The solution here is simple: Businesses must provide ERP training prior to go-live, according to ERP Focus. Instructional sessions prepare employees for the change to come and give them the knowledge they need to embrace ERP-based workflows without sacrificing productivity.

ERP adopters that pursue these user buy-in tactics are bound to achieve sustainable success and avoid the massive costs that come along with project failure.

Is your organization prepared to adopt an ERP solution? Connect with The TM Group today. We offer implementation services for ERP platforms from a number of world-class vendors. Contact us to learn about how the TM Group can help your business grow.