Everything about the Microsoft Dynamics Ecosystem

Microsoft offers an extensive range of solutions. For virtually any problem within an organization, a Microsoft solution is available. Additionally, Microsoft Partners also solve specific issues or enrich and further develop the platform. From time to time, we at Bluace receive questions about this design, and it’s not surprising that it can be challenging to see the forest for the trees. Therefore, we would like to provide you with more information about the Microsoft Dynamics 365 Ecosystem.

Various components within the Microsoft Dynamics 365 Ecosystem support similar processes

One of the processes for which the Microsoft Dynamics 365 Ecosystem offers multiple solutions is the sales flow. You send a quote, start working on the order, and then need to invoice it. Several Microsoft solutions support this process, including Dynamics 365 Sales, Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations (F&O), and Dynamics 365 Business Central. Understandably, you would then wonder which solution is best for your organization, and your specific needs largely determine this decision.

If your primary need is to register orders and record all communication, such as emails and phone calls, you will be best served by choosing Dynamics 365 Sales. D365 Sales offers extensive capabilities to capture and track all communication, providing significant added value for your entire organization. However, the financial and logistical handling of orders is the main task. In that case, it may be much more interesting to choose Business Central or Dynamics 365 F&O. The choice between these two applications then strongly depends on both the size of your organization and the complexity involved. Most organizations can manage very well with Dynamics Business Central. As soon as there are many intercompany transactions across multiple countries and you are dealing with a complex production process, Dynamics Finance & Operations may again be the better choice. If both communication and financial and logistical handling are necessary, a combination of Dynamics 365 Sales and Business Central or Dynamics 365 Sales and Finance & Operations is often chosen.

We also observe overlap in the Microsoft Dynamics 365 ecosystem across HR, sales, purchasing, projects, and service-related processes. For the right choice, always focus on what the product provides, rather than what you need. And not unimportantly: know that a mix and match of different solutions is always possible, especially with these Microsoft products that exchange data in the dataverse and can interact with each other.

Delve into the advantages and disadvantages of each solution

Furthermore, we also see the complexity reflected in the numerous processes offered by Microsoft. The solution recommended to you is often highly dependent on the Microsoft Partner you are in contact with. It is the case that a Microsoft Partner acts according to its product specialty, making it very important for you to carefully weigh the pros and cons of the suitable solutions against each other. It may feel strange because you are buying a Microsoft product, but it is not much different from buying a car. After all, at the car dealership, there are various models, and each has its own pros and cons. The challenge with a Dynamics 365 solution is that its advantages and disadvantages are not always easy to weigh against each other. For a different solution, you should consult a different Microsoft Partner immediately. Nevertheless, it is advisable to thoroughly familiarize yourself with the advantages and disadvantages of the solution at hand, as well as the comparable Microsoft solutions. Sometimes the distinction is simple, and sometimes it is a bit more difficult, but it is always worth making a well-considered choice.

Whenever possible, always choose standard software components

Additionally, we recommend being cautious of third-party solutions that claim to address problems already solved in standard Microsoft products. From time to time, we still encounter cases where a standard functionality of a Microsoft product has been recreated in another product to make that functionality available in that product as well. Sometimes there is a very good reason for this, but the advice is to be cautious with it. Microsoft is a major player and continuously develops its products. All the products they provide will continually receive improvements for the benefit of all customers and users. There is no one, and no Microsoft Partner, who can compete with this level of development power. So, is it not a unique functionality? Then always stick with the standard.

Download the folder of the Microsoft Dynamics 365 Ecosystem

As we mentioned earlier, Microsoft offers an extensive range of solutions. To clarify the matter further, we have created an overview of the entire Microsoft Dynamics 365 Ecosystem. Download it via the button below or click on the image.