This episode is sponsored by enVista.

The devices and applications available to frontline workers continue to evolve. On this episode, Chris Tordi and Mark Laatz of enVista join us for to explore the integration of Microsoft Teams and Dynamics 365, RFID asset tracking, voice automation, and connected worker solutions. You will learn how tools designed for frontline workers enhance productivity, ensure compliance, and drive operational excellence across industries.

We discuss:

• The evolving role of the connected worker
• How D365 can be used to empower frontline workers.
• Advantages of using D365 on various devices, including enterprise mobile devices, tablets, and wearables.
• The latest advances in RFID and voice scenarios for frontline workers
• Meeting industry compliance and customer demands

More from enVista:

• www.envistacorp.com
• Are You Getting the Most Out of Your Mobile Devices? - https://envistacorp.com/blog/are-you-getting-the-most-out-of-your-mobile-devices/
• Benefits of Voice Automation in the Warehouse - https://envistacorp.com/blog/benefits-of-voice-automation-in-the-warehouse/
• The Power of Voice Automation with Microsoft D365 - https://envistacorp.com/blog/leveraging-the-power-of-voice-automation-with-microsoft-dynamics-365/

This episode is sponsored by ERP Mechanics.

ERP projects don't always go as planned. Project delays, technical issues, and user adoption challenges can all create serious risks to an organization.  Our guest on today's episode, Karolis Aleknavičius of ERP Mechanics, tells us how his firm has become a specialist in helping organizations to navigate their way to success after a Dynamics 365 project has experienced a setback.

As a specialist in Dynamics 365 Finance and Supply Chain Management and an ERP veteran, Karolis has seen projects at every scale and every phase. He shares both his personal history as a Dynamics AX and D365 F&SCM professional and his work since 2017 as the CEO of ERP Mechanics, where his team focuses on Dynamics 365 F&SCM implementations and rescuing troubled ERP projects. Karolis also explains why his team has developed a specialization in deploying document automation solutions with Lasernet by Formpipe. He explains how the capabilities of that platform align with the needs of many Dynamics 365 F&SCM customers.

More from ERP Mechanics:

Whether it’s a new or existing project, ERP Mechanics’ focus as expert D365FO & Lasernet developers, architects and consultants is to minimize risks, reduce costs and deliver your project on time. We offer a free consultation and trial of our services. Learn more about how we can help - https://www.erpmechanics.com/

This episode is sponsored by emfluence.

Marketers frequently lead the charge for better data and more connected systems in an organization, especially as it relates to customer journeys.

On this episode, David Cacioppo, president and CEO of emfluence, joins us to share some of his team's priorities as it relates to marketing automation strategy, especially in the Microsoft ecosystem.

As a firm that delivers both technology and digital agency services, emfluence has been working to align their worldview with the strengths of Microsoft Power Platform, especially Dataverse, David explains. And he discusses ways that emfluence's clients are increasingly looking for ways to bring insights from first-party data to bear across more industry scenarios and in campaigns that blur the traditional lines between B2B and B2C.

More from emfluence:

Sign up for a free 14-day trial of the emfluence Marketing Platform: https://more.emarketingplatform.com/msdw

This episode is sponsored FYIsoft.

In the Microsoft customer ecosystem, companies with complex financial structures often struggle to give their finance professionals the tools they need to create, deploy, and use effective reporting.

Requirements like multiple locations, companies, currencies, or ledgers can quickkly put extra burdens on both finance and IT teams that impact organizational performance and increase risk , says our guest, Jeremy Schaab, VP of software development at FYIsoft.

Schaab tells us about some of the common requirements the FYIsoft team hears from Microsoft users today and what the Microsoft product roadmaps will mean for both customers and ISVs. And he explains how his team has solved key technology challenges in order to offer elegant solutions for customers of different sizes and with different levels of complexity.

And we also discuss FYIsoft's product roadmap, which has important details that align with Dynamics 365 ERP applications, both functionally and technically.

More from FYIsoft:

• Download this whitepaper to learn more about the technology behind FYIsoft's solutions, and how your company benefits: https://msdynamicsworld.com/white-paper/fyisofts-technology-advantages-optimize-your-companys-microsoft-investment
• To request a demo of FYIsoft's reporting software for Microsoft customers, visit the company's website: fyisoft.com.

Microsoft MVP Kuldeep Gupta returns to the MSDW Podcast to help us understand some of the latest Copilot features coming to Dynamics 365 Project Operations. Kuldeep has a list of favorites and honorable mentions that he dives into, including an extra preview feature (they're all linked below).

He also tells us about his newly released digital course for organizations planning a move from D365 Project Service Automation (PSA) to Project Ops and the rapidly approaching deadline set by Microsoft for that transition.

Show Notes:

• 1:00 - About Kuldeep
• 3:00 - What Copilot in D365 Project Operations is all about
• 6:00 - Task Plan Generation Copilot
• 9:30 - Risk Assessment
• 13:30 - Project Status Report
• 17:20 - Resource Recommendation
• 25:00 - Blending assistance and automation scenarios
• 27:00 - Time entry agent
• 29:30 - Outlook on the Project Operations roadmap
• 38:30 - Kuldeep's course on migrating Project Service Automation to Project Operations

This episode is sponsored by PayTrace.

Community Summit North America 2024 offered Microsoft customers and partners a mix of education, networking, and the chance to contemplate the future of entertise software and solutions.

Our guests on this episode, Mary Miller and Sam Johnson of PayTrace, share their own highlights, observations, and experiences from Summit. This was PayTrace's second year exhibiting at the user-focused event. Their team heard from booth visitors about goals like increasing automation, decreasing complexity of multi-solution architectures, and planning for cloud ERP.

Mary and Sam also reflect on how different roles within a Dynamics customer organization are approaching their future technology needs. And they offered updates on what is coming next from PayTrace.

More from PayTrace:

• The PayTrace blog: https://paytrace.net/blog
• B2B Insights: Understanding the Credit Card Process - https://msdynamicsworld.com/white-paper/b2b-insights-understanding-credit-card-process

When today's guest, Guus Krabbenborg, talks to Dynamics 365 partners and their customers, he likes to ask them about some of the more challenging topics in a typical ERP project: what does success really look like when each party is being honest about their goals and motivations? And why do so many projects fail to meet those goals?

Guus shares his perspective with us on customer project preparation, some of the continuing challenges of cloud ERP projects, and the role he believes Microsoft should be playing in today's Business Central partner channel. He also shares customer anecdotes and his outlook on Directions EMEA 2024.

Show Notes: 

• 4:00 - What does project success really mean and why does the "on-premises way" still pervade partner perspectives?
• 11:00 - Why customer happiness should be a driving metric of partner success
• 13:30 - Presenting a direct message to customers and prospects - how Guus does it and why partners should get better at it
• 15:45 - The real guidance that partners need to give clients for success
• 19:30 - A story of an AX/F&O customer executive's mistakes
• 29:00 - Why partner success at Microsoft is still largely  focused on sales and revenue

More information

• More on ERP Masterclasses: www.erpmasterclasses.com
• A related customer story from Guus

This episode is sponsored by NMB Solutions.

For businesses involved in exporting from the US, AES has become a key program that spans multiple government entities and enforces key regulations. Our guest, Michelle Frenier, a strategic consultant for NMB Solutions in the aera of global trade, introduces us to the role of AES in global trade, with a focus on the key role that technology like Dynamics 365 plays in managing the rules and staying compliant.

We discuss:

• Common mistakes when filing export data in AES
• Consequences of incomplete filings
• How to prepare for potential audits
• Country-specific requirements for AES filing information
• Technology within Dynamics 365 Finance and Supply Chain Management that can address AES, and where it falls short
• NMB's solution to supporting AES filings in D365, including their partnership with AEB

More from NMB:

• Get the AES Buyers Guide from NMB
• Contact NMB Solutions to learn more

Learning new technology skills requires full concentration, but the task is even more challenging when it is being carried out in a learner's non-native language. Often in the business world, that training language is going to be English, and Microsoft MVP George Doubinski has seen firsthand the struggles that learners can face. George has had recent experiences training non-native speakers in an English language classroom. He explains why this is a common scenario and offers a range of suggested tools and techniques to help overcome typical headaches. We discuss vocabulary, pronunciation socio-political angles, and ways to gain comfort communicating in a business setting.

Resources:

• See all Biz Apps Classrooms episodes here: https://msdynamicsworld.com/biz-apps-classroom

• Support the podcast and get a discount on an annual plan for 365.training by visiting  https://365l.ink/MSDW.
• Keep up with community content at https://mydigest.365.training/

MSDW is previewing Community Summit North America 2024 with a new series of quick podcast episodes featuring exhibitors. In this episode, we speak with Mike DeGeeter and Sabrina Zimara from Velosio. 

With the recent end-of-life update for Dynamics GP, the Velosio team has ramped up their planning services and guidance for GP customers and will be offering Summit attendees 15 minute one-on-one consultations with specialists at booth 1452.

The team will also be showing off their Sales Velocity framework to provide comprehensive, pre-built integration of Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement apps and Business Central at no cost. 

Mike and Sabrina also reminded us of some of the firm's other recent news. Their new CEO, Robbie Morrison, has set a new vision for the firm focused on partnering with clients to create raving fans. The firm also has some new recognitions: they are once again Microsoft Inner Circle due to their sales success and they were named as a finalist in Microsoft's Partner of the Year award for Dynamics 365.

More information:

• ClearPath Migration Consultation at Summit Booth #1452 – Schedule here: ClearPath Consultation at Microsoft Summit
• Free BC + CE integration for Summit attendees who visit us at our booth! Mention the free integration to get signed up!