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The leader of ERP systems – Microsoft Dynamics 365

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The leader of ERP systems. This title was awarded to Microsoft’s Dynamics 365 solution in 2021. The title was awarded as part of the annual Nucleus Research ERP Value Matrix technology competition. Analysts researched the entire ERP vendor market. They also considered new players on the market. All vendors have been extensively researched and assessed for functionality and usability. And then divided into 4 categories. With its complete Dynamics 365 offering, Microsoft achieved the best results of any competing vendor. Thanks to this, this year he can be considered a “leader among leaders”.

In today’s markets, there is a plethora of choices if you are looking for a new ERP solution. So  where should you start your research? After all, adding all options to your longlist will create an unworkable situation. This is where analyst research like that of Nucleus Research comes in handy.

Market overview provided by analysts from Nucleus Research

The leader of ERP systems - Microsoft Dynamics 365

“Despite the disruption wrought by last year’s pandemic, we saw increased demand for ERP solutions across all industries, especially among mid-market companies. With work forces transitioning to work-from-home and hybrid set-ups, the pains of on-premises solutions, disjointed systems or manual processes now outweigh the costs of an ERP cloud migration for many businesses. ERP vendors are turning to a Platform-as-a-Service delivery model, where customers can build their own applications on top of a microservices layer for core capabilities including analytics, chatbots, data management, and API management tools. AI and IoT capabilities are table stakes at this point. And vendors compete on the extensibility of their platforms via no-code customization and application development.”

The leader of ERP systems – unique offers from Microsoft 365

According to Nucleus Research, Microsoft has two unique offerings: Dynamics 365 Business Central and Dynamics 365 Finance & Supply Chain Management. Thanks to this, it can be recognized as the leader of ERP systems.

The leader of ERP systems - Microsoft Dynamics 365


This is what the report says about Microsoft Dynamics 365:
“Microsoft leverages a customer feedback model that allows the vendor to continue its customer-first approach through numerous community channels and user studies. Updates throughout the year have centered on improvements to core functionalities and IT compatibility. The simplifying of dimension editing for tasks such as general ledger entries was initiated in response to past difficulties in correcting errors inputted by users. At-home employees were among the most to benefit, as the update allowed for rapid remediation without the need for IT personnel. The vendor continued efforts towards a user-friendly approach by enabling personalized app integration through improved VS Code and extension lifecycle telemetry for ISVs as part of the app submitting process onto the AppSource platform.”

Microsoft’s massive investment in research and development, continuous updates to improve core functionality, flexible expandability via app, fast and affordable cloud deployment, and ease of adaptation based on the NoCode approach, chatbots and innovative features such as artificial intelligence and IoT make Dynamics 365 Business Central an ideal solution for medium-sized companies that are already prepared for the future today. It is simply the leader of ERP systems for the SME sector.

See how Microsoft continuously improves Dynamics Business Central

In addition, with the Microsoft partner ecosystem and AppSource, Dynamics 365 customers have access to a unique offering across the entire business and technology stack.

It is therefore highly recommended making a position on your shortlist for Microsoft Dynamics 365.

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Project success – see how to prepare it!

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This is how you lay the foundation for project success in the preparation phase

In today’s markets, there are not many organizations who can allow their next ERP implementation or Digital Transformation initiative to fail. Unfortunately, there is a persistent misunderstanding that the preparation for this project success only starts when a system is shown. And you are connected to suppliers. But are you aware that the most important decisions that determine success or failure are taken in the beginning of the preparation phase? So where do you lay the foundation for your next project success?

New approach to preparation phase

Project success - see how to prepare it!

Major shifts have occurred in the past 5 to 10 years in the success and failure factors for software implementation projects. Over time, these factors have shifted from purely technical aspects (think: system failures and performance) towards organizational aspects. Including the willingness and ability to change business processes, mindset and company culture. With this shift, it makes sense to take a completely different approach to your preparation phase.

A solid preparation for an organizational project starts much earlier compared with the traditional, more technology-driven projects. And because of the nature of today’s projects, there is an urgent need to include different roles in your project if success is the only realistic option. Ideally, the main principles and preconditions for the project are already determined before contact is made with suppliers.

Project success – answer key questions!

Here are some important questions which are ideally answered in your preparation phase:  

  • What are the strategic goals that we want to achieve with this initiative?
  • How can we define these goals in an attractive format so that every single employee can understand them?
  • How can we secure active involvement from the complete management team?
  • Who is the active and skilled sponsor on board level that will be responsible for both success and (unhoped-for) failure?
  • Will this project be the only project with a 100 percent focus? Or will there be more projects running at the same time?
  • Are we adapting the new software to the way we work? Or are we open to change our business processes towards the best practices in the software?   
  • Are we opting for a ‘big-bang’ approach, or is a series of ‘baby steps’ a better approach?
  • Where are the greatest risks of failure, and how can we limit or even eliminate them?
  • How can we motivate our teams to share their best ideas with the project team?
  • How can we use communication so that we involve the entire company at an early stage?

It is of course of crucial importance to share the answers to these questions with the complete organization. An additional advantage of this approach is that you are able to inform your potential vendors. And implementation partners in a much better way about what you want to achieve.

Preparation is always ninety percent of the end-result. So there is a good chance that this new approach will contribute to better project results.

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Applications using artificial intelligence

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Microsoft helps to create intelligent business applications using artificial intelligence. During the My Build 2021 conference, Eric Boyd, Corporate Vice President, Azure AI, presented the company’s latest innovations in this area. He showed how the Azure platform simplifies the development environment. And presented how it enables the use of artificial intelligence in key applications of significance.

Azure AI – numbers speak for themselves

The best recommendation for Microsoft’s services is the number of users of the solutions. Every month, billions of users, transactions or messages are made thanks to Azure AI services:

  • 28 billion inferences per month with Azure Machine Learning
  • 53 billion transactions per month with Azure Cognitive Services
  • 24 billion queries per month with Azure Cognitive Search
  • 4 billion messages per month with Azure Bot Services

Applications using artificial intelligence – news from Azure AI

Applications using artificial intelligence - Azure AI

Azure Cognitive Services

New capabilities have been added to Azure Cognitive Services, a family of AI services and cognitive APIs. New capabilities make it easier to build intelligent applications: document translation and text analytics.

Document translation, the translator feature in Azure Cognitive Services, is now generally available. It allows developers to quickly translate documents while maintaining the structure and format of the original documents. The solution also allows you to translate complex documents into many languages.

Azure AI suppoerts medical applications

Document Translation in Azure Cognitive Services also serves developers to process and extract insights from unstructured medical data, including medical notes, medical journals, electronic health records, and clinical trial protocols.

Azure Metrics Advisor

Microsoft’s solution – Azure Metrics Advisor acquires time series data and uses machine learning (ML) to proactively monitor metrics to detect anomalies and diagnose problems in business operations in sales or manufacturing processes.

Azure Video Analyzer

Applications using artificial intelligence - Azure AI

Azure Video Analyzer combines live video analytics and video indexer into one service to help developers quickly create AI-powered video analytics from stored and streamed videos. Microsoft’s new service can be used to improve work safety, improve retail sales in stores, or manage digital assets.

Azure Bot Service

Thanks to Azure Bot Service developers can build advanced bots using the new integrated development environment. Azure Bot Service now offers a visual build canvas with extensible open-source tools. It allows developers to add speech and telephony capabilities and test, debug, and publish bots across multiple channels with minimal code changes.

Cognitive Services

Applications using artificial intelligence - Azure AI

Cognitive Services is built on existing Azure AI models. It uses artificial intelligence to extract meaning from text and add speech to the application. Eric Boyd emphasizes that service users can use them to easily create AI solutions. It emphasizes that the purpose of the solution is to provide the packages and structure that helps create AI solutions for business processes.

Applications using artificial intelligence – easier and faster thanks to Microsoft’s solutions

Presented news and solutions help to create applications using artificial intelligence. They make the work of programmers or developers much easier. And allow focusing on the most important parts of the application development process by simplifying and automating repetitive steps. New solutions make the applications even more streamline the work and everyday life of their users. They are adding much more than just business value.

See other articles from this year’s My Build

Azure Cosmos DB – the best NoSQL database service
Diverse SaaS applications with the Microsoft cloud

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Diverse SaaS applications with the Microsoft cloud

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Thanks to Microsoft’s solutions, you can create diverse SaaS applications with the Microsoft cloud. The company provides developers all over the world with modern solutions. Solutions allow programmers and developers to meet the rapidly changing requirements of an increasingly digital market. With Power Platform, Dynamics 365, Azure and Teams they can build modern cloud SaaS applications quickly and easily, and with industry-specific cloud industry components from Microsoft, act faster and focus on the unique challenges of your industry.

During the presentation of new solutions and updates that Microsoft dedicates to developers, the segment related to creating SaaS applications could not be missing. We present the most important information about the Microsoft cloud and creating SaaS applications with their help, shown during the My Build 2021 conference.

Diverse SaaS applications with the Microsoft cloud

Diverse SaaS Applications – The importance of the cloud is growing

Charles Lamanna, Corporate Vice President, Low Code Platform, talked about the Microsoft cloud. Charles emphasized that 70% of company leaders say that the pandemic has accelerated the digital transformation process in their organizations. This is very important because it changes the approach to the cloud, and thus the approach to the application.

Solutions dedicated to industries

To further simplify the work of programmers, Microsoft provides components typical for market sectors of the given industry sectors.

Diverse SaaS applications with the Microsoft cloud

With the entire Microsoft cloud at their disposal, developers can create solutions using repetitive elements and components, provided by Microsoft, that solve common challenges. Thanks to this, they can focus on building applications and on the most important areas.

By developing its cloud and tools to facilitate the work of developers, Microsoft is constantly introducing changes, following the latest trends. Currently, Microsoft supports binary coding, assembly languages, but also third generation languages.

Special clouds help specific industry sectors to work better

What is more, by trying to further improve the daily work of programmers and people creating applications thanks to low-code / no-code solutions, Microsoft offers access to special industry clouds that support specific industry sectors.

Diverse SaaS applications with the Microsoft cloud

In dedicated clouds, thanks to the combination of environments, you can easily edit fields, forms, send and update data.

Thanks to the combination of environments, you can edit fields, forms, send and update data in a very simple way. At almost every conference, Microsoft representatives emphasize and develop no-code and low-code solutions that simplify application development, even for people who are not professional developers.

Microsoft’s cloud elements support SaaS applications

As developers create the next generation of SaaS applications, every element of the Microsoft cloud can play a role in the life of these solutions.Microsoft 365 and Teams allow you to create new SaaS environments based on the user interface used by application users.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 is another starting point for SaaS applications. The solutions available in the system can be extended with the use of unique developing knowledge.

Microsoft Power Platform is a low-code platform that allows you to modify and adapt the solution to your needs. This makes SaaS solutions more flexible.

Summary

Microsoft is constantly developing its services, improving the work of programmers, developers and enterprises. It currently supports over 60 Azure regions around the world, employs over 3,500 security experts and holds over 90 international certificates. These are just some of the data proving that the future is in the Microsoft cloud.

Check out the latest news about Azure Cosmos DB – the best NoSQL database service

Azure Cosmos DB

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Microsoft is seeing another growth thanks to the cloud

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Microsoft cloud strength fuels third quarter financial results

Microsoft Corp. recently announced its results for the quarter ended March 31, 2021 with revenue of $ 41.7 billion (up 19% compared to the same period last year), operating income of $ 17.0 billion (up 31%) and earnings per share of $ 2.03 (up 45%). Net income rose 45% compared to the same quarter last year, reaching $ 15.5 billion. These results out-perform the analyst expectations.

Cloud revenue, up 33% year over year

Microsoft is seeing another growth thanks to the cloud

“The Microsoft Cloud, with its end-to-end solutions, continues to provide compelling value to our customers generating $17.7 billion in commercial cloud revenue, up 33% year over year,” said Amy Hood, executive vice president and chief financial officer of Microsoft. With this continuous growth, Microsoft’s cloud business remains larger than the combined cloud businesses of Google and Amazon.

Unlike other vendors, Microsoft and her Dynamics 365 partner channel seem to be little affected by the crisis. The revenue from the Dynamics ERP and CRM products and cloud services increased 26%, mostly driven by Dynamics 365 cloud revenue growth of 45%. This growth is about three times faster than the average market growth for ERP and CRM solutions.

Microsoft ERP and CRM

Constant growth of Microsoft

This sustained growth enables Microsoft to continue her investments in the field of Research and Development, personnel growth and continuous innovation. Speeding up its mission to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. This is an important message to all current and future Dynamics 365 customers since their digital transformation journeys have often just begun and only seem to accelerate further.   

“Over a year into the pandemic, digital adoption curves aren’t slowing down. They’re accelerating, and it’s just the beginning,” said Satya Nadella, chief executive officer of Microsoft. “We are building the cloud for the next decade, expanding our addressable market and innovating across every layer of the tech stack to help our customers be resilient and transform.”

Innovative future with Microsoft

The ongoing strong results confirm the confident that the Microsoft Dynamics 365 implementation partners and their customers have in an ongoing innovative future. And as a Dynamics 365 partner, we love to repeat this mantra: “a strategic choice for a Microsoft Dynamics 365 solutions is a choice for a stream of innovation that will never stop”. 

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Azure Cosmos DB – best NoSQL database service

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Microsoft makes sure that its applications work together as well as possible. With each upgrade or release, it further simplifies users’ work on various applications, making them gain a consistent experience. What’s more, each novelty is to facilitate or improve the work of users. In the case of news presented during My Build, it primarily facilitates the work of programmers. Many of the changes announced at the conference concerned the Microsoft Azure solution. In this article, we would like to focus on changes and solutions in Azure Cosmos DB.

Azure Cosmos DB

Azure Cosmos DB is a NoSQL database service that allows you to create new applications. After updating Azure Cosmos BD, developers can modify specific fields or properties in the document without having to read and replace the full document. Additionally, serverless Azure Cosmos DB is now generally available for all APIs.

Azure Cosmos DB – best NoSQL database service

The approach to fees has also changed. Microsoft has proposed a weekly billing where you only pay for resources you actually use.

Azure Cosmos DB – Operating systems and learning

Azure Cosmos DB – best NoSQL database service

The introduced changes are also improvements for Linux users. Now they will gain the same programming experience as users of other operating systems.

Microsoft has also allowed Azure Cosmos DB to develop, test, and learn free on Linux and macOS devices.

Cache memory

Azure Cosmos DB integrated cache is now in preview. Customers can optimize the cost of read-intensive workloads by configuring the integrated cache on their Azure Cosmos DB accounts. Importantly, the integrated cache optimizes costs and increases performance for read-intensive workloads by up to 96 percent and 300 percent, respectively.

Data Security

We have emphasized many times that security issues are very important to Microsoft. Always Encrypted for Azure Cosmos DB (Preview) enables customers to encrypt sensitive data in the application before it is stored in their databases, ensuring that sensitive parts of the data are only accessible to the right audience. The function also facilitates compliance with legal data protection requirements.

Azure Cosmos DB – best NoSQL database service

Azure Cosmos DB’s Enhanced Free Tier, now generally available, gives developers greater flexibility to innovate with bandwidth provisioned per 1000 request units and free 25 GB for monthly storage.

Other services and changes in Azure

Microsoft has released several updates to Azure AI services to help developers more quickly modernize common business processes.

Azure Bot Service

Azure Bot Service provides an integrated environment designed specifically for creating bots. Thanks to these changes, it now includes a visual authoring canvas with extensible open-source tools. This allows developers to add speech and telephony capabilities and test, debug, and publish bots across multiple channels with minimal code change.

Azure Metrics Advisor

Azure Metrics Advisor will be available to the public after the preview is available in September. The time series monitoring platform provides a set of APIs for data ingestion, anomaly detection, and diagnostic analysis without the need for machine learning knowledge.

Azure Video Analyzer

Azure Video Analyzer combines live video analytics and video indexing in one service. Now it’s in preview. It is intended to help developers quickly create video analytics based on artificial intelligence from image stored and streaming. Live Video Analytics allows developers to build intelligent video applications using the AI of their choice. Additionally, Video Indexer automatically extracts advanced metadata from video and audio content. Using Azure Video Analyzer includes workplace safety, in-store service, digital asset management, and content monetization.

Grouped Azure services

Grouped Azure services. Microsoft has grouped all Azure services, as well as Azure Cognitive Search, Azure Form Recognizer, and Azure Immersive Reader, into a new Azure AI category, which it calls Azure Applied AI Services. The services rely on the cognitive APIs from Azure Cognitive Services and Azure ML. Accelerate the development of AI solutions by providing additional task-specific AI and built-in business logic from Microsoft.

Soon we will present new products presented at the Microsoft My Build 2021 conference.

Get to know other Microsoft products better

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The path to the leader of new technologies and digitization

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The path to the leader of new technologies and digitization. Learn Microsoft’s history

The latest crisis has shown the importance of the level and quality of IT solutions in companies. It affects the resilience of the company, the reliability of processes and the introduction of necessary changes and the chances of survival on the market. The quality of these solutions is often associated with cooperation with strategic solution vendors. Is the vendor you work with able to survive the crisis on its own? And is their financial situation stable enough that they can continue to invest heavily in continual innovation of their products and services? These are actually worth asking when choosing an IT solution vendor. So let’s see how Microsoft questions is doing.

Rome was not built in a day. The history of Microsoft’s troubles.

The path to the leader of new technologies and digitization. Learn Microsoft's history

In 2013, Microsoft was perceived as an outdated and old-fashioned IT solutions vendor. It still had a strong presence and a large customer base. But it was fairly slow in responding to market needs. Moreover, at that time, despite large investments in research and development, Microsoft had problems with creating innovative products and services.

Microsoft is in full swing

In 2014, however, everything changed. And it was radically. Satyia Nadella was nominated as CEO of Microsoft companies. First of all, he introduced a new strategy “Cloud First, Mobility First”, which was quite progressive and innovative at the time. However, Nadella also changed Microsoft’s organizational culture. From a “know-it-all” approach at Microsoft, he moved to a “learning-everything” culture. Nadella’s management made the bottlenecks in the company disappear and cooperation between departments improved significantly. Thanks to Nadella, a large-scale growth focus was established at Microsoft.

It didn’t take long for the results of the changes and new strategies to appear. Thanks to focusing on cloud solutions, Microsoft has recorded a huge increase in cloud solutions. Additionally, it has signed contracts with its competitors such as SAP, Salesforce and Apple. Many powerful “single category products” have gradually become part of an attractive, intelligent cloud platform.

From zero to hero

Revenues and profits grew spectacularly, turning shareholders into happy investors. In the 7 years since Nadella took over as CEO, Microsoft’s market capitalization has grown from $ 300 billion to $ 1.9 trillion. That’s 6 times more in just 7 years. This is undoubtedly an unprecedented achievement!

Today, Microsoft is a true leader in digital transformation. Microsoft aims to empower every person and business on earth to achieve more. And that’s exactly what Microsoft does. The company is still the undisputed industry leader when it comes to investing in research and development. But Microsoft also has the courage to act fast when it comes to acquiring valuable pieces of technology. Strong innovations are being brought to market at a rapid pace, strengthening Microsoft’s powerful intelligent cloud platform.

Microsoft is not slowing down

One of the latest example of product development is the launch of Microsoft Viva, an integrated employee solution. Another example is the nearly $ 20 billion acquisition of Nuance Healthcare, the artificial speech technology company, the second largest acquisition in the company’s history.

Microsoft is ready to help your business make the most of its digital transformation and grow in the years to come. If you want to take advantage of Microsoft’s experience and products, get to know them better or arrange a consultation with an IT Vision specialist.

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The fastest growing ERP in the cloud – Dynamics 365 Business Central

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Dynamics 365 Business Central is growing at the speed of light. Microsoft’s cloud-based ERP system for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) recently surpassed the 15,000-customer mark. The growth of new customers for this solution is 1,000 new companies each month that decide to start working with Business Central. System is growing not only in terms of the number of new customers. The number of system users also increased by 200%. These numbers prove that most likely Dynamics 365 Business Central is the fastest growing ERP in the cloud in the world.

The fastest growing ERP in the cloud – huge number of customers

The fastest growing ERP in the cloud

The SaaS platform for Dynamics 365 Business Central is currently used by over 15,000 companies around the world. In addition, the number of system users increases by 200% each year. The data was presented by Microsoft’s general manager Mike Morton at the DIRECTIONS North-America meeting for Dynamics NAV and Business Central. In November 2020, Morton announced that Business Central exceeded its 10,000-customer milestone.

This data means that in just 5 months as many as 5,000 companies decided to implement Business Central. That’s 1,000 new Microsoft customers a month. This is truly a stunning growth rate! In the previous year, the monthly increase was only 5,000 new Business Central customers.

The number of Business Central users is growing every month

Not only the growth rate of new customers is impressive. The increase in the number of new Business Central users is also remarkable. As Mike Morton said, it results from many variables. First of all, companies grow and add new users. Moreover, new implementations of Business Central SaaS significantly increased the average number of users per system startup. Of course, as in previous years, many companies implement the system for 5 or 10 users. However, there is a growing number of companies which, by implementing the Business Central system, add 500 or more users to the system.

The pace of user growth even exceeds the growth in new customers. This is for several different reasons that Morton explained. One explanation is that existing customers add users over time. However, Microsoft is now also seeing larger Business Central SaaS deals, with a “significantly increasing” average number of users per deployment, adds Morton. While some new customers are still deploying five to ten seats, as most companies do in the product’s early years of use, Microsoft is also adding up to 500 new seats or more to customers.

Business Central SaaS is a source of good business decisions

Companies decide to use Business Central SaaS because they know that it can be the source of countless everyday small operational decisions as well as important strategic decisions. Many of them also use this solution as the basis for digital transformation processes.

The fastest growing ERP in the cloud – the best ERP for the SME

The fastest growing ERP in the cloud

Microsoft has a clear goal for the near future. The company devotes a lot of its activities and commitment to make Business Central “the world’s best ERP solution for small and medium-sized enterprises”. One of the areas that the development department focuses on is streamlining implementation – the “implementation process” as understood by Microsoft. The goal is to create both an easier, faster and cheaper implementation process.

This improved implementation process, coupled with the rapidly growing number of implementation partners and the ever-growing number of available applications, is likely to see Microsoft continue to see customer and user growth in the near future.

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10 reasons why you should choose Business Central

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10 reasons why you should choose Business Central

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Here are 10 reasons why you should choose Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central

10 reasons why you should choose Business Central:

10 reasons why you should choose Business Central
  1. Flexible, scalable, and extensible modern ERP solution
  2. Unified and intelligent data and processes
  3. Trust – 99.9% service SLA
  4. Only vendor to offer hybrid deployment options
  5. Run end-to-end business processes all from within Outlook
  6. Rapid deployment, onboarding, and quicker time to value
  7. Trusted Microsoft cloud and security
  8. Complete cloud vision
  9. Rich, global ecosystem of partners
  10. Recognized as an industry leader

In addition, Business Central is an “all in one” management system. It connects your entire business and helps you make good decisions. Additionally, it facilitates the easy start of the company’s growth. Business Central is one comprehensive solution that allows you to work anywhere. The system allows easy management and work from the level of Outlook.

You can also make better decisions with a holistic view of your business (end-to-end). Business Central also supports smart sales, increasing customer satisfaction and optimizing work results.

Business Central is tailored to your needs. It allows you to add new industries or business extensions. Thanks to this, it allows you to prepare your company for growth.

Discover Business Central

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Digital transformation is more than technology

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Why digital transformation calls for more than just technology?

Digital transformation is often too closely linked to just technology with less focus on technology’s ability to improve business functions. Other than the implementation of a single piece of software like ERP or CRM, digital transformation is the process of completely digitizing your business processes, your way of operating and even your mindset. Digital transformation gives your company the opportunity to reshape the organization, modernize the business processes and how your employees work together, improve your products and services and put your customers as the central focus of everything you do. 

Customers have the power

Digital transformation

In today’s world, customers have the power. The transparency of the internet gives them the possibility to switch to an alternative vendor within just a few clicks. These modern customers also have huge expectations regarding topics like pro-activity, transparency, speed, clarity and quality. The pressure to provide good customer experience is even higher as any mistake or bad experience can be quickly communicated to the public via social media and review websites.

For all companies who are putting their customers, prospects, members or citizens at the heart of the organization, modernizing business processes and brushing up internal mindsets is nothing less than a crucial move to secure a healthy future!

New technologies – old processes

The number one fail factor for digital transformation projects however, is transferring all your existing business processes, the outdated reports, the crude data and the old way of thinking from an on-premise situation to the cloud. Continuing to use your old processes and traditional mindset after embracing digital is the equivalent of keeping old wine in new bottles. Companies that select this scenario run the risk of losing time, budget, energy and momentum.

Success in digital transformation projects starts in the boardroom and not in your IT department!

Some crucial elements for achieving transformation success are a clear vision, true management engagement, time and budget for organizational change and good communication.   

If you have the impression that digital transformation is “just another IT project”, then it is high time to take action. Seek inspiration. Read books. Attend workshops. And make sure that your top  management is fully involved!

After all, it is better to gain these insights before the project starts than once the project has failed.

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Data security – cloud vs. on premise

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Data security is one of the key factors in choosing between cloud solution and on-premise. The conducted observations show that local installation of the system is often perceived as a safer solution. Very often, the feeling of data closeness and full control makes us perceive on-premise as a safer system. However, is this approach appropriate? What does data security really look like in both types of installations? Where is ERP data most secure – in your own data center or in the public cloud?

Data security is becoming increasingly important

Data security – cloud vs. on premise

Data security is becoming increasingly important. This is a very good trend. There are more and more entities that care about access, control and even data theft. In today’s highly competitive markets, companies are forced to be extremely cautious with data for several reasons.

Data security – where is the safest?

Here are the 5 main areas to consider when comparing data security in the cloud and in a locally installed ERP.

Where is the most valuable data safe? Consider this question by focusing on the on-premise situation.

Professionalism

The first topic to consider is the level of professionalism needed to secure your data. Hackers are rapidly becoming more sophisticated. Therefore, your security level must also be constantly increasing. Ideally, you should always stay ahead of a potential threat. At least one step ahead. Therefore, you should take into account the level of professionalism of IT employees, their experienced, security approach, budget size and the ability to fill vacancies.

Knowledge level

The second issue is the depth and level of knowledge of you and your employees. How much does the IT team know? When was the last time a new way of looking at security appeared in your company thanks to a new employee? What is your budget for training and inspiring employees? Is the current level of staff and knowledge sufficient to keep pace with the changes? Also consider what has been the trend for security budgets in recent years?

Knowledge and experience

The third topic is knowledge and experience. To what extent are you able to cover all the applications, databases, operating systems and reporting tools your company currently uses? Are you satisfied with the answer?

Data security – cloud vs. on premise

Server’s access

The fourth topic is physical access to servers. Do you really control access to the server room very carefully? Do you know exactly what employees and external suppliers are doing in this room? It is also worth remembering about additional staff, such as a cleaning company, which has access to the server room after hours.

Audits

Finally, it is worth discussing the issue of audits. How often do you perform a professional EDP audit? Carried out by an external company that will pinpoint where the weaknesses are in your security strategy. An additional question is this – are you implementing all the recommendations of the auditing company?

A rough estimate shows that 40 percent of all companies using on-premise solutions do not back up their data daily. Is this shocking news for you? Are you sure your business belongs to the remaining 60 percent?

Data security is crucial

Let’s face it. In today’s world, data security is crucial. You need to run the business and focus on customers, employees and the expected results. And data security is not your core business.

In 2020, Microsoft won the Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure contract awarded by the Pentagon, headquarters of the United States Armed Forces. This is probably the organization that values ​​credibility the most of all in the world. And he has the most to lose! This deal has the potential to remove the nervousness of many companies about cloud security. Microsoft employs 3,500 cybersecurity engineers and invests $ 1 billion annually in cybersecurity.

It goes without saying that security in Microsoft data centers is much better than in the server room and IT staff of an average company in the SME sector. Does this also apply to your business?

Meet Microsoft’s solutions

Microsoft Dynamics Systems

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Support for remote work from Microsoft

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Better remote cooperation for Business Central users

Remote work has become a reality in many companies. Home offices, hybrid work or working in many localizations require good cooperation and communication of coworkers. This also applies to the efficient data transfer. Microsoft develops support for remote work by improving its solutions. Microsoft’s tools for supporting remote work include the integration of Teams with Business Central and improved work with mobile devices.

Integration with Microsoft Teams

Support for remote work

Integration of Microsoft Teams application with Business Central system is mostly support for remote work in the field of work on the information contained in Business Central. Connecting those two solutions allows you to share views and data directly from Business Central in Teams application. In addition, it allows you to perform an operation on a given record from the Teams level.

More information about application integration:

Integration with Teams

Working on mobile devices

Support for remote work

Microsoft also cares about the comfort of using Business Central regardless of the device you run the system. You have the same view of data in every device. It’s a big support for remote work and working in the field.

More about using Business Central on mobile devices:

Mobile devices

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International offering – vendor’s offer

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Why it is important to select a ERP vendor with an international offering  

Until about thirty years ago you really had to be a large corporation to be active across borders. And to call yourself a ‘multi-national’. But since the introduction of the internet this has changed dramatically. In today’s world, medium-sized and even small companies can sell and deliver their products and services all over the world. That has of course an impact on the scope and the deployability of their IT systems. That’s why it’s important when selecting a new ERP solution to always check if potential vendor has an international offering.

International offering

Although our world is rapidly globalized over the last 2 decades, the differences between countries are still impressively large. And that is not limited to obvious aspects like language and currencies! Almost every single country has particularities in accounting, tax rules and specific reporting. And on top of that there are always the well-known differences in culture.    

The impact of these differences on international implementations are drastic. If you want to use a global ERP solution that is not localized for all your countries, you run the risk of not being compliant. Alternatively, using different local solutions for every country will result in a loss of overview, a complex organization and much higher cost.

It’s better not to fall into the trap of starting with a local vendor in your home country. And immediately run into problems on the first step across borders. Unfortunately, however, many companies have had to learn this important lesson the hard way.

International offering from Microsoft

Microsoft has an attractive international offering for its Dynamics 365 solutions, including:

  • Localized versions for its Dynamics 365 solutions for 49 countries around the world. (49 countries from April 2021). Localized means the local language, the local currency and the local laws and regulations – all on an ongoing basis;
  • The availability of local implementation partners in all these countries who know the localized version inside-out, speak the local language and understand the local culture
  • Access to a local helpdesk that delivers support in local language and in the local time-zone

As you can imagine, these are all aspects that will improve the quality of your implementation and international roll-outs.

Find out how to roll-out

Finally.

You might run a local operation today. And you might think that this message is meant for someone else. But for a minute, just consider where the future growth of your company is. In the next 3, 5 or maybe even 10 years from now. No idea right?

So when you’re selecting a new ERP solution, why should you limit yourself in advance? 

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Microsoft cloud strength drives financial results

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Microsoft Corp. recently announced its results for the last quarter of 2020 with revenue of $ 43.1 billion. Up 17% compared to the same period last year. With operating income of $ 17.9 billion (up 29%) and earnings per share of $ 2.03 (up 34%). These results out-performing the analyst expectations. Net income rose 33% compared to the same quarter last year, reaching $ 15.5 billion.

Cloud strength – Microsoft grows and develops despite the global crisis

Microsoft cloud strength drives financial results

Microsoft grows and develops despite the global crisis. The revenue from the Dynamics ERP and CRM products and cloud services increased 21%. They were mostly driven by Dynamics 365 cloud revenue growth of 39%. In Q1 2021, Dynamics products and cloud services revenue were up 19%. They were driven by Dynamics 365 revenue growth of 38%. This growth is about three times faster than the market for ERP and CRM solutions.

“Accelerating demand for our differentiated offerings drove commercial cloud revenue to $16.7 billion, up 34% year over year,” said Amy Hood, executive vice president and chief financial officer of Microsoft. “We continue to benefit from our investments in strategic, high-growth areas.”

Many providers of business software have been hardly hit by the current crisis. Their stagnating or even declining turnover often translates into savings on the R&D spending. The pace of employing new employees is slowing down and innovation is falling. Microsoft’s sustained growth enables the company to continue its investments in the field of research and development. And also in personnel growth and continuous innovation. Speeding up its mission to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.

Second wave of digital transformation

“What we have witnessed over the past year is the dawn of a second wave of digital transformation sweeping every company and every industry,” said Satya Nadella, chief executive officer of Microsoft. “Building their own digital capability is the new currency driving every organization’s resilience and growth. Microsoft is powering this shift with the world’s largest and most comprehensive cloud platform.”

Microsoft is a partner with a vision for the future

The ongoing strong results confirm the confident that the Microsoft Dynamics 365 implementation partners and their customers have in an ongoing innovative future. Dynamics 365 partners often say “a strategic choice for a Microsoft Dynamics 365 solutions is a choice for a stream of innovation that will never stop”. 

Microsoft’s shares have been on a steady rise, jumping 63% in 2020. This increase does not seem to be coming to an end. For the time being since Microsoft also announced stronger-than-expected revenue guidance for quarter that runs from January till March 2021. In reaction to these announcements, the Microsoft stock moved to an all-time high level.

Meet Dynamics 365 solutions

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The best ERP system for the SME sector

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Microsoft wants Dynamics 365 Business Central to be the world’s best ERP system for companies from the SME sector. This is a goal that Microsoft has set for itself recently. It results from the recent transition of solutions to the cloud and the creation of the Dynamics 365 platform. Microsoft took time to set a goal appropriate to the expectations of the rapidly growing market of ERP and CRM solutions for the SME sector.

Microsoft has been operating on the ERP solutions market since 2001. The company made its debut on it by taking over the American company Great Plains. A year later, it also acquired the Danish company Navision Software. Thanks to these activities, it offered 4 different ERP systems, some of the functionalities overlapping with each other. In later years, the company focused on its two most successful solutions:

  • Dynamics NAV (Navision) – for the small and medium-sized companies’ market
  • Dynamics AX – for the corporate account market

Because the integration of systems and solutions is the biggest IT challenge for small and large companies, Microsoft decided a few years ago to change its strategy. The company focused on a true platform approach, rather than investing in loosely coupled solutions. An important step was the decision to transform its flagship, most successful on-premise solution for the SME market, Dynamics NAV (Navision). Dynamics NAV has become the core of Microsoft’s intelligent platform strategy for the small and medium-sized enterprise market. The cloud-based ERP solution created on its basis was named Dynamics 365 Business Central.

The best ERP system for companies from the SME sector – Microsoft is ambitious!

At the end of 2020, Microsoft clearly defined its goal for the near future. Mike Morton, CEO of Microsoft’s D365 Business Central at Directions 2020, said he wants Dynamics 365 Business Central to become “the world’s best ERP solution for SMBs.”

One of the areas that the company improves to achieve this goal is streamlining the implementation process. It should be easier, faster and cheaper. All these aspects are important for companies from the SME sector!

Microsoft is a company with an established position on the market. It has the necessary financial background and R&D capacity to develop excellent solutions. In addition, it has marketing machinery and wide international distribution channels to market, sell and implement Business Central on a large scale. Recent history shows many examples of where Microsoft found real success as soon as it entered the game.

In conclusion: small and medium-sized enterprises that want to modernize their solutions and are looking for the best ERP system for companies in the SME sector, make the right decision if they seriously consider Dynamics 365 Business Central!

Meet Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central

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Microsoft ecosystem – benefit from cooperation

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Microsoft is a company that firs of all is partner-driven. Regardless of whether it is about selling, implementing, or supporting Dynamics 365 applications. Microsoft relies on its partners. The Microsoft ecosystem also allows you to benefit from this cooperation.

Achieving success in the implementation of an ERP system is a challenge. This is beyond doubt. You need good software to be successful. One that fits your business and its future processes. In addition, it is necessary to have the appropriate skills to help your company start working with the new system and implement new processes and mindset.

Microsoft ecosystem – benefit from cooperation

Software manufacturers also have different approaches to sales and distribution. Some of them sell the systems themselves. Directly to the customer. Others use the support of partners. The difference in performance on the market also applies to range. Some operate on the domestic market. Others in a foreign one. Some have a monopoly on adapting their solutions. Other vendors allow their partners to extend and enrich their solutions.

Microsoft ecosystem –how to benefit from cooperation.

Here are some examples:

  • Microsoft has thousands of Dynamics 365 VARs – Value Added Resellers. Working with the Microsoft ecosystem, you never have to deal with a “single point of failure” for deployment or support.
  • Partners from other countries or regions can help you implement Dynamics 365 solutions if you want to opt for an international roll-out. Partners know all versions inside out, speak the language of the country of deployment, understand the culture and live in the same time zone. All these aspects will improve the quality of your implementation.
  • Microsoft ecosystem also includes ISVs (Independent Software Vendors). They complement Microsoft’s offer with their activities and projects. As a result, they expand the offer by providing additional functions and knowledge about domains for target vertical markets. The advantage is that the seller doesn’t have to reinvent the wheel and can use his own capabilities for things that really matter to his customers
  • Microsoft platform is a very broad and complex environment. Moreover, it keeps growing. The platform’s partner ecosystem consists of hundreds of thousands of companies – each with its own specialization. Collaboration between the selected partner and other companies in this ecosystem can help discover new parts and functionalities without sacrificing quality.

Before you will choose a solution, check how the system provider works. Whether it will be possible to expand the system internationally or add new or unconventional functionalities can be crucial for the future success of your company!

Microsoft’s wide, rich, dynamic and fast-growing ecosystem can meet your IT needs. Both when it comes to ERP and wider functionalities. Locally and abroad. Now and in the future.   

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An impressive 250 percent growth for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central

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At the recent DIRECTIONS4PARTNERS event for all Microsoft Dynamics 365 partners in Europe, Middle East and Africa region, Microsoft published data regarding the performance of her new cloud ERP solution for small and medium business, Dynamics 365 Business Central. And there was all reason for happy faces! The number of organisations using Business Central grow with 250 percent compared to the same moment last year. An impressive result that gives all parties involved confidence for a prosperous future.

At last year’s DIRECTIONS event in Vienna, Microsoft reported over 4.000 customer organisations around the world who implemented Dynamics 365 Business Central. A great number considering that all the traditional Dynamics NAV partners had to prepare themselves to become ‘market ready’ for the cloud. Just think about training their staff and migrating their add-on solutions to the new and modernized development environment.

Microsoft announced an accelerated growth

This year, Microsoft general manager for D365 Business Central Mike Morton announced an accelerated growth to 10.000+ customers. So that is a growth of 6.000 new customers in total with an average of 500 new customers per month! All these organisations trust on Business Central SaaS to be their source for taking countless small day-to-day operational decisions as well as their important strategical decisions. Many of them also use the solution as the backbone of their digital transformation processes.

Microsoft did not only report a growth in the number of customers. The number of transacting Dynamics 365 BC partners also had a phenomenal growth. That number went up from 750 a year ago to 2.200 partner organisations today covering over 100 countries worldwide. This number is expected to keep growing since there are still many traditional Dynamics NAV partners on their way to this new product and the cloud. A tangible result of that is a growing number of certified D365 BC apps on AppSource – Microsoft’s global app store for Business Central. Today there are more than 1.000 of these apps certified, published and available for use.

Meet some interesting insights

Morton shared some more interesting insights with the partner community. While the focus of Dynamics 365 Business Central continues to be organisations with 10 to 250 employees, the largest BC customer today counts over 1.000 named users where the smallest customers have less than 5 named users. Most of the customers have between 20 and 40 named users.   

Clear goal for the near future

Microsoft has a clear goal for the near future. The company is committed to make Business Central “the world’s best ERP solution for small and medium businesses”. One of the focus areas for the development department is to streamline the implementation – the ‘onboarding process’ in Microsoft terms. The goal is to make the onboarding process both easier, faster and cheaper.

The improved onboarding process combined with the fast-growing number of reselling partners and the growing number of available apps holds great expectations for a further rapid growth in the near future.

Microsoft cloud strength fuels first quarter financial results

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Microsoft Corp. announced its results for the quarter ended September 20, 2020 with revenue of $ 37.2 billion. (Up 12% compared to the same period last year), operating income of $ 15.0 billion (up 25%). And earnings per share of $ 1.82 (up 32%). All results out-performing analyst expectations. Net income rose 30% compared to the same quarter last year, reaching $ 13.9 billion.

Azure revenue grew 48%, while cloud services and server products increased 22% overall. In the previous quarter, Azure revenue grew 47% on 17% growth overall in that segment.

Revenue from the Dynamics ERP

Despite COVID-19, the revenue from the Dynamics ERP and CRM products and cloud services increased 19%. Mostly driven by Dynamics 365 cloud revenue growth of 38%. While the revenue for the broader Productivity and Business Processes segment was $ 12.3 billion and increased 11%. Last quarter, Dynamics revenue overall increased 13%, with Dynamics 365 revenue growth of 38%.

This fast and unparalleled ongoing growth in business applications confirms the trust that the market has in the Microsoft Dynamics 365 solutions, in Microsoft’s intelligent cloud platform as in the overall Microsoft vision.   

Strong financial results

“Demand for our cloud offerings drove a strong start to the fiscal year with our commercial cloud revenue generating $ 15.2 billion, up 31% year over year,” said Amy Hood, executive vice president and chief financial officer of Microsoft. “We continue to invest against the significant opportunity ahead of us to drive long-term growth.”

These strong financial results combined with the positive outlook for the coming years will enable Microsoft to continue investments in the field of Research and Development. Therefore, the company can speed up its mission to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.

Stream of innovation that never stops

“The next decade of economic performance for every business will be defined by the speed of their digital transformation,” said Satya Nadella, chief executive officer of Microsoft. “We are innovating across our full modern tech stack to help our customers in every industry improve time to value, increase agility and reduce costs.”

For the Microsoft implementation partners and their current and potential customers, these ongoing strong results confirm the confident they have in a stable and innovative future. A strategic choice for Microsoft’s business solutions is a choice for a stream of innovation that never stops. 

Changes in the Microsoft Dynamics 365 system

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The annual Directions 4 Partners conference, which was different than usual this year, was a great example of how the world has changed. Changes in the Microsoft Dynamics 365 system were presented and it was shown that anyone who will adapt to the changes and use digital solutions can continue to operate and develop their business.

We talked with Paweł Prymakowski and Tomasz Woch about this year’s conference. However, we not only discussed the impressions. It is obvious that virtual experience can never 100% replace direct contact. But thanks to such opportunities, we can expand our knowledge despite the pandemic.

Changes in the Microsoft Dynamics 365 system

First of all, we talked about the changes that await future and current Dynamics 365 Business Central users. Tomasz emphasized that the main trend in changes is still “clouding” solutions for enterprise management. In addition, Microsoft has introduced a number of small solutions that improve work with the system.

Paweł, on the other hand, emphasized the essence of flexibility and mobility of systems and facilitating group work. He also emphasized the importance of adapting to the new reality and digitizing enterprises.

See the full interview and learn about the changes in Microsoft Dynamics 365

The interview with Paweł and Tomasz is the last in the series of interviews dedicated to the Directions 4 Partners conference.

With Sylwia Wójcik and Piotr Podgórni, we talked about how Microsoft supports remote work and whether cloud solutions will completely replace local system installations

With Tavares da Silva (QBS Group) we discussed how Covid-19 affected the way we run business, digitalization, and remote work. We also met new advantages of Microsoft system:

With IBSC representatives we talked about new functionalities in Microsoft solutions:

Inga Sartauskaite (from 1ClickFactory) related to her impressions of Directions conference and to the way we run business has changed. We also talked about the meaning of remote work.

Learn more about Dynamics 365 Business Central solutions

Dynamics 365 Business Central

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Management systems in remote work

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The world has always been changing. This year, however, the changes were more dynamic and unexpected than ever before. Especially those regarding the style and mode of working. Remote work, however, is not only about transferring employees from offices to their homes.

Changing the style of work brings with it many challenges related to data security, the possibility of remote access to all systems and easy communication between employees, customers and partners.

Management systems in remote work

Management systems can support this remote work. But they providers also had to find the right solutions almost overnight. Microsoft also supports its users in switching to remote work. Sylwia Wójcik says more about Microsoft’s support in the following interview.

Remote work and the current approach of system providers encourage companies to use cloud solutions. However, cloud-based solutions have some limitations. Piotr Podgórni talks more about those and the future of on-premise solutions.

The interview with Sylwia and Piotr is one of the series of interviews dedicated to the Directions 4 Partners conference.

We spoke to Nelson Tavares da Silva (QBS Group) about how Covid-19 has impacted the way businesses are run and digitized. We also got to know the new advantages of the Microsoft system

We talked about new features in Microsoft’s solutions with experts from IBSC. See what they say about the conference:

We spoke with Inga Sartauskaite (1ClickFactory) about the impressions from the conference and how the way of running the company has changed.

Learn more about Dynamics 365 Business Central solutions:

Dynamics 365 Business Central

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Advantages of the Microsoft system

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The advantages of the Microsoft system were one of the many topics discussed during the interview with Nelson Tavares da Silva from the QBS Group. We also talked about how Covid-19 has impacted the way we run business and digitalize it. Of course, during the interview, we couldn’t miss the summary of this year’s Directions 4 Partners conference.

The interview is part of a series of interviews summarizing the Directions 4 Partners conference. The conference is an event bringing together experts for Microsoft and its solutions. Importantly, the event is not only substantive presentations, but above all an opportunity to exchange knowledge and experience. During this event, you can learn about new solutions and functions of the Microsoft system.

See the full conversation with Nelson Tavares da Silva from QBS Group.

Learn about the advantages of the Microsoft system and learn more about the solutions:

Among other things, we talked to experts from IBSC about the new functions in the system. See what they say about the conference:

We spoke with Inga Sartauskaite (1ClickFactory) about the impressions from the conference and how the way of running the company has changed

Learn more about Dynamics 365 Business Central solutions:

Dynamics 365 Business Central

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News in Business Central system

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News in the Business Central system are always an important element during the Directions conference. This year, Microsoft has released 150 functionalities in two waves. Annual Directions allows us to better understand these features. We can also learn how to implement them and what the story behind them is.

The conference is an event bringing together experts for Microsoft and its solutions. Importantly, the event is not only substantive presentations, but above all an opportunity to exchange knowledge and experience.

Among other things, we talked to experts from IBSC about the new functions in the system. See what they say about the conference:

In a series of interviews that we have prepared, we talk to experts about the most important events, news and information that appeared during the Directions 4 Partners conference. We talked with Inga Sartauskaite (1ClickFactory) about, among other things, how Covid-19 affects the running of the company.

Learn more about Dynamics 365 Business Central solutions

Dynamics 365 Business Central

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Directions 4 Partners conference

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The Directions 4 Partners conference is behind us. Event aims to support and develop Microsoft’s partners – companies implementing their systems. The conference is for partners 3 days of intensive learning and expanding knowledge. During the meeting, new solutions and plans for further system improvements are also presented.

Directions 4 Partners conference – different than usual

This year, the conference was different than usual. There were no face-to-face meetings and 4-eye exchange of experiences. However, it abounded in many thematic sessions, speeches by experts and distinguished guests. The remote conference mode allowed more participants than ever to be gathered.

Microsoft Directions 4 Partners – a series of interviews

We prepared a series of interviews summarizing the Directions conference.

See the interview with Inga Sartauskaite from 1ClickFactory

Interview with Inga Sarauskaite from 1ClickFactory

The first interview we present is an interview with Inga Sartauskaite from 1ClickFactory.

Inga not only told about her impressions from the conference. In the interview, we can see how IT companies and their customers are dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.

Inga also emphasized the importance of digitization of processes and entire companies for effective work.

Learn more about Microsoft Dynamics

Dynamics 365 & Power Platform at Microsoft Ignite

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The Microsoft Ignite conference is behind us. During this year’s meeting, we dicovered a lot of news from the world of Microsoft. Alysa Taylor (Corporate Vice President, Business Applications & Global Industry) and Muhammad Alam (Corporate Vice President, Dynamics 365 at Microsoft) during the Ignite conference focused on a new approach to work and preparing Microsoft users for the challenges that the future may bring.

The Microsoft ecosystem is a range of different applications for all types of business.

Dynamics 365 & Power Platform at Microsoft Ignite

Each application or solution can be adapted to the individual needs of the company. Thanks to that Microsoft products are a good choice to support the daily work of enterprises. They can be easily scaled or extended with new functionalities.

Microsoft offers solutions that support building the resilience of enterprises at every business level and help meet today’s challenges. What’s more, they allow you to proactively stay ahead of future opportunities – to reimagine the future. At the Microsoft Ignite conference, new Microsoft Power Platform and Dynamics 365 features were announced to help make this vision a reality.

News from Ignite – Microsoft Power Platform:

  • Low code updates for professional developers with an integrated Microsoft Power Apps, Microsoft Power Automate, Microsoft Power Virtual Agents, and Microsoft Azure API Management experience to scale solutions through Power Apps with low-code and distribute through Microsoft Teams.
  • Power Platform SDLC (software development lifecycle) workflows and templates with GitHub Actions.
  • Power Virtual Agents and Microsoft Azure Bot Framework integration to build bots with no code, plus a simpler, one-click publishing experience on Teams.
  • Deeper Power Apps and Teams integration, including Power Apps authoring app within Teams, Project Oakdale for a free low code data platform, and Teams visual style support.
  • The preview of the Microsoft Power BI app for Teams which provides a central, personalized home for data in Teams will help customers scale insights across the organization by ensuring that insights are just a click away from where conversations are happening and where decisions are made.
  • Power BI is now natively integrated with Excel and is easier than ever to discover and work with trusted Power BI datasets that are refreshed, governed, and secured directly in Excel.
  • Two new Power BI offerings: Power BI Premium Per User as an entry point to Premium and a new on-demand capacity scale option for Premium customers.
  • The preview of Microsoft Power Automate Desktop, bringing robotic process automation (RPA) to every desktop.

News from Ignite – Microsoft Dynamics 365

Dynamics 365 & Power Platform at Microsoft Ignite
  • A new first-party voice channel for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Service, built on Microsoft Azure Communication Services.
  • New add-ins for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management: Cloud and Edge Scale Unit and Inventory Visibility.
  • General availability of Microsoft Dynamics 365 ​Project Operations.

Easy application development

This year’s Microsoft Ignite conference also focused on accelerated application development. To meet the growing trend of “fusion”, low-code or code first projects, Microsoft has made many improvements and investments. Thanks to them, it can ensure trouble-free cooperation between Power Platform, Microsoft Azure and Microsoft Visual Studio.

Power Platform

Power Platform is becoming more and more important product. The platform is constantly evolving to shape and scale the work with low code applications and new features. Changes in the Power Platform are intended to help professional developers quickly transform their business from scratch. All this using tools and languages that developers are already familiar with.

Apps from Power group

Microsoft has also made changes to Power Apps, Power Automate, Power Virtual Agents and Azure API Management. Thanks to the changes, all of these applications will now work together seamlessly. They will allow developers to scale low-code solutions with Power Apps and distribute via Microsoft Teams. Moreover, developers can create custom connectors and seamlessly upload them to dedicated Power Platform environments for easy discovery in Power Apps. In addition, Microsoft Azure Functions and Azure API Management can be used to enable individual developers to distribute Power Apps in Teams.

GitHub improves programming

To improve programming, Microsoft announced the introduction of the Power Platform to the platform where development teams collaborate on projects – GitHub. Professional developers can create their own SDLC workflows in the marketplace (software lifecycle) using GitHub Actions for Power Platform. They can also use preconfigured SDLC workflow templates.

Power Virtual Agents & Azure Bot Framework

In addition, Power Virtual Agents and Azure Bot Framework will now run seamlessly, allowing developers to build bots without code. Power Virtual Agents has also been improved to make it even easier for developers and users to publish to Teams with a single click.

Collaborative work extended with team insight into data. Allow everyone to make better decisions.

Dynamics 365 & Power Platform at Microsoft Ignite

Microsoft Teams is a platform that has become an integral part of our lives. Both professional and private. It is also used for remote learning. Interactions in Teams are not only between people, but also between data. Now, Power BI in Teams is evolving to help everyone find and work on insights.

Power BI app for teams

Microsoft has introduced a new Power BI app for teams that provides a more streamlined experience for accessing Power BI reports in Teams, making it easier to collaborate with data and combine action insight with sample reports, automation, and easy sharing.

A preview of the new Power BI app for teams has been announced on Ignite. The app will enable users to quickly find, search and discuss data without leaving Teams. It’s a central, personalized storage in Teams, ensuring that information is always one click away from where conversations are taking place and decisions are being made.

For example, PayPal moved to Teams and added a tab for Power BI visualizations to Teams meetings, providing an easy way to easily share a project’s current status and goals as people join.

Power BI Premium

In addition to upgrading the Power BI service, Microsoft also provides broader analytics choices and scalability with two new Power BI offerings: User Power BI Premium as the entry point to Premium, and a new on-demand capacity scaling option for Premium customers. All this to enable flexible scaling of Premium nodes.

Automation for everyone

Microsoft constantly invests in robotic process automation (RPA). The acquisition of Softomotive opened doors to pare Power Automate with WinAutomation, enabling anyone to automate manual business processes across both legacy and modern applications.

Microsoft has introduced a preview of Power Automate Desktop. The service enables the automation of local processes and tasks, from simple data transfers between systems or image search to more complex business processes and workflows. Everything is available from the computer.

Faster results at Toyota thanks to Microsoft

These updates show what Microsoft solutions can do when everyone (from professional developers to non-technical users) across the company has access to code-less or low-code tools.

Microsoft showed three ways Toyota Motor North America (TMNA) enables everyone in the enterprise to troubleshoot problems using the Power Platform.

Power BI, Teams & Microsoft Azure Synapse

For example, the team is using Power BI, Teams, and Microsoft Azure Synapse to monitor their network and analyze the immense amounts of data that is created as part of that process, including surveys performed by their field travelers that are responsible for different regions. Toyota harnessed the full suite of Power Platform features plus Microsoft Azure Cognitive Services to rapidly build and deploy a Vehicle Delivery Quality app that improved accuracy and efficiency for field travelers collecting information. Plus, it gave them 100 percent coverage across their dealers enabling Toyota to better understand what dealers are doing right and improve the quality and safety of vehicles delivered to their customers.

Dynamics 365 updates. Company resistant to change

Dynamics 365 & Power Platform at Microsoft Ignite

It goes without saying that every business must prioritize meeting customer expectations, even in times of change and uncertainty, in order to remain resilient and relevant to the marketplace. It now also needs to protect itself from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. To make it possible, Microsoft introduced new additions and updates to Dynamics 365 focused on the most critical customer satisfaction centers. The most important business areas today: services and supply chain, are specifically addressed in the appendices. These enhanced solutions are ready to use, yet quickly scale and adapt to create unique digital functions.

The first omnichannel solution, including native voice

Customer service is not just about building loyalty and customer retention. This is an essential way to understand how to better serve customers who rely on the company’s products and services. Nowadays, it is especially important to offer multiple ways of continuous communication. Dynamics 365 provides optimal customer service solutions for everyone in the company – from frontline employees and customer service management to solution implementers and administrators.

First-party voice channel

At Ignite, Microsoft announced the addition of a new first-party voice channel for Dynamics 365 Customer Service based on Azure Communication Services (available in preview). By integrating voice with existing multi-channel capabilities, the voice channel provides smooth, end-to-end customer service in a single cloud-based solution. The solution enables teams to deliver consistent, connected help across all channels. Features based on artificial intelligence help you solve problems faster, including offering real-time suggestions for employees and carrying out a sentiment analysis that starts working immediately (out-of-the-box feature). Moreover, with the Common Data Model, voice channel data natively integrates with pre-existing datasets – without data manipulation or reformatting.

Supply chain risk management and maintaining continuity of supply

This year, companies have had to deal with rapidly changing customer demand and severe disruptions in their supply chains. Most of them found it difficult to change quickly. In order to meet new requirements, companies are trying to increase flexibility and resilience in the way they operate by digitizing the entire supply chain.

New additions to Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management

Therefore, during the Ignite conference, Microsoft announced two new additions to Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management that will improve visibility and enable users to react quickly to changing demand and supply. They are: Cloud and Edge Scale Unit and Inventory Visibility.

Companies often struggle with latency and connectivity when running operations in remote facilities. Parallel, resource-intensive processes can lead to network latency and reduced productivity. New Cloud and Edge Scale Unit add-ons for Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management bring the power of the intelligent cloud to the edge. Add-ins allow companies to run critical storage and production workloads at the edge using Azure devices. As a result, they increase resilience and ensure 24/7 operation, even in the event of a temporary disconnection from the cloud.

Inventory Visibility

The new Inventory Visibility add-in for Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management enables high-volume retailers and manufacturers to easily handle millions of transactions every minute. It also allows for accurate, real-time multi-channel inventory determination. Enterprises can scale easily to fulfill orders from multiple channels on time and reduce shortages and excess inventory. The new feature is hyper-scalable and can also work with third-party systems.

Transform project-based services

The solutions Microsoft announced at Ignite share a common theme: they enable enterprises the speed and flexibility to adapt to change, build resilience in any industry, and exceed customer expectations. If your business has a project-based organization structure, it’s especially important to be able to adapt to the types of changes we’ve seen over the past few months.

Dynamics 365 Project Operations

Dynamics 365 Project Operations brings together and gives teams (Sales, Resource, Project Management, and Accounting) the visibility they need to deliver services to customers on time and on budget. Dynamics 365 Project Operations integrates with other enterprise systems. Thanks to this, it helps to drive business development in sales and delivery processes, without the need to integrate and replace existing systems. You can also easily scale Dynamics 365 Project Operations with Power Platform and other Dynamics 365 applications such as Microsoft Dynamics 365 Marketing, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Human Resources, and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Service.

Soon Microsoft will announce more news and solutions to better support companies in their daily challenges!

New business era with Azure IoT solutions

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Customers are looking for devices, insights and actions to help them meet their most pressing challenges. Azure IoT makes it possible.

Microsoft’s solutions help simplify the development of safe and reliable IoT solutions. It’s all thanks to managed apps and a flexible app platform that enable the complete IoT ecosystem to achieve business goals faster. Achieving goals is possible through connectivity, constant invitation, trust, and scaling.

IoT, or the Internet of Things, drives transformation everywhere. Moreover, the use of IoT opens the way to return to the workplace. It can be concluded that IoT is an endless list of advantages.

Azure IoT is everything

The Vice President of Microsoft’s Worldwide Internet of Things and Mixed Reality Sales said, “IoT is everything.” Especially in the context of returning to the workplace. But what does that actually mean?

  • Prevent – Deploy technologies to monitor and detect unsafe condition and activities.
  • Respond – Collaborate with medical communities and providers to support health directives.
  • Recover – Confidently reopen with technologies and workflows to protect workers and the public.
  • Rebuild – Invest in transformative solutions that increase efficiencies and maximize capabilities.
Azure IoT, Azure Security

Data security, also in the field of IoT, is crucial both for application users and their customers. As many as 97% of people have security concerns when implementing IoT.

Azure IoT, Azure Security

Rodney Clark, however, dispels concerns about Microsoft’s IoT security. Azure Security Center for IoT is unified security management and enables end-to-end threat detection and analytics.

Azure Security Center for IoT simplifies hybrid protection with unified visibility and control, adaptive threat prevention, and intelligent threat detection and response across edge, on-premises, Azure and other cloud workloads.

Azure IoT, Azure Security

Azure Security Center is:

  • Unified visibility and control.
  • Adaptive Threat Prevention.

Importantly, Rodney Clark points out that 85% of IoT decision makers believe IoT solutions are critical to the continued success of their business.

Dynamics 365 and Power Platform – intelligent business cloud

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Dynamics 365 and Power platforms are intelligent business cloud tools. This year working in the cloud has become even more desirable. That is why many companies have decided to migrate their solutions to the cloud.

The best developing companies around the world are using cloud solutions. 97% of Fortune 500 companies use the Power Platform, and 57% of Dynamics 365. These results show not only the huge role of mobile solutions. They are also a proof of great trust in Microsoft products.

Dynamics 365 in cloud and power platform

Alysa Taylor, corporate vice president for the Cloud Marketing Business Applications and Global in Microsoft emphasizes that customers want to see the value of implemented solutions as soon as possible. Not in years or months, but in a week or even days. Microsoft makes sure that this need can be met.

Read system startup in 1 day – LIAD

What are the advantages of Microsoft’s business applications:

  1. Fast time to get value.
  2. Intelligent solutions.
  3. Data driven business outcomes.
  4. Integrated and extensible solution.
Dynamics 365 in cloud and power platform

Intelligent business cloud and Power Platform

Inteligentna chmura biznesowa od Microsoftu to szereg aplikacji usprawniających pracę całego biznesu. Wspiera takie obszary jak sprzedaż i marketing, usługi, finanse i operacje oraz handel.

On the other hand, the Power Platform solutions include:

  • Power BI,
  • Power Apps,
  • Power Automate,
  • Power Virtual Agent.
Dynamics 365 in cloud and power platform
Find out more about Microsoft solutions

Microsoft Endpoint Manager

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Microsoft Endpoint Manager – productivity from any device, anywhere

Brad Anderson (Corporate Vice President of the Commercial Management Experiences) at Microsoft Inspire talked about the importance of Microsoft Endpoint Manager and Microsoft 365, the move to the cloud and the importance of cloud solutions

Anderson began by recalling what the pandemic has taught us as entrepreneurs.

  1. You have to be in the cloud for agility and access.
  2. The importance of conditional access and zero trust.
  3. Keep your remote users just as productive, secure and efficient (or more).
Microsoft Endpoint Manager, Microsoft 365

Changed spending priorities

Undoubtedly, the new situation has changed the priorities of spending. COVID-19 will have a major impact on the finances devoted to IT. 33% of companies predict that total IT spending in the coming years will be lower than forecast. By contrast, 41% believe they will stay the same.

Greater importance of safety and mobility

Brad Anderson predicts that due to the current situation, companies will increase and strengthen areas such as cybersecurity, remote work, infrastructure services, mobile end devices and company management mobility. All these areas can be built and extended around Microsoft 365. Productivity, management, identity, but also security can be built around Microsoft’s platforms(including Microsoft Endpoint Manager). Importantly, the solutions are appreciated by IT and users. They are also distinguished by high trust among everyone.

Microsoft Endpoint Manager, Microsoft 365

Anderson encourages you to move your work and solutions to the cloud. It is important to modernize solutions also among your customers. Moving to the cloud and becoming more and more digital companies is an opportunity for success in the current situation. The trend of migration to the cloud is already visible. Companies that fail to do so in time will have less chance of doing well in an age where more and more activities are carried out online.

Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Endpoint Manager undoubtedly increases work efficiency and user satisfaction.

In support of this thesis, Anderson cites some data on the use of Microsoft 365:

  • 85% reduction in boot time
  • Instant resume
  • 2x battery life
  • 85% reduction in crashes
Microsoft Endpoint Manager, Microsoft 365

Importantly, the improvements are noticed by users.

Microsoft 365 also affects employes:

  • 38% more likely to feel that their PC experience helps them best serve customers/stakeholders
  • 75-point increase in net promoter score.
  • 121% more likely to feel valued by their company.  
Microsoft Endpoint Manager, Microsoft 365

If you are not convinced yet, is it worth implementing Microsoft solutions? Click on the link and find out more:

LINK