UPGRADING FROM MICROSOFT DYNAMICS AX TO D365 FOR FINANCE AND OPERATIONS

EPISODE 1: THE SETUP

Early in our first AX to D365 upgrade project I realized that this was not like any project that I had seen in over thirty years in the ERP business. Looking for help I found either marketing hype or highly technical tidbits for isolated issues. Nothing to prepare a business decision maker for the expense and complexity they were about to encounter. So, we decided to create our own library of useful information.

EPISODE 2: CHOOSING A DEPLOYMENT MODEL

My initial thought that everyone looking to upgrade from AX to D365 would automatically select the cloud option was quickly proven to be incorrect. Almost everyone wanted to analyze cloud versus on-premise. Here is what we found helping companies with their decision-making process.

EPISODE 3: UNDERSTANDING THE COST

AX to D365 projects are complicated and expensive. Unfortunately, few people understand the true costs involved. We dig into the details.

EPISODE 4: HYBRID MODEL CONSIDERATIONS

Yes, the cloud is “amazing” but what happens when you have operations that run 24/7/365 or shop floor control devices that must talk to that cloud over sketchy internet connections? A sales answer to this question could ground your business.

EPISODE 5: PROJECT MANAGEMENT FROM THE FRONT LINE

If you have a hard go-live date but no project plan and project manager that adjusts the critical path daily your project will fail. Listen to actual partner and client project managers discuss their challenges mid-project.

EPISODE 6: A USER’S CLOUD JOURNEY, WITH A WAYPOINT

Typically, an upgrade project is linear, moving from the current version of the software to the latest and greatest upgrade. We discovered unexpected paths and options from customers and prospects forging their own path.

EPISODE 7: HOSTING AND CLOUD SERVICES

With Microsoft hoping to move everyone onto their cloud the question arose what place is there for private cloud providers in this brave new world. Surprisingly, there are many opportunities.

EPISODE 8: OVERVIEW OF THE MICROSOFT FASTTRACK PROGRAM

Possibly the crown jewel in our upgrade podcast series where we talk to Microsoft engineers that work on upgrade projects daily and get their input on challenges and best practices.

EPISODE 9: AXSMB’S

Microsoft Dynamics AX to Dynamics D365 for Finance and Operations upgrades are complex and expensive. This presents a problem for those small and medium sized companies that implemented AX because they required the advanced functionality of an enterprise platform. The cost and complexity for an upgrade is a particularly difficult challenge for this group of companies.

EPISODE 10: THE ISV ROLE

If an AX to D365 upgrade is complex and expensive, imagine the life of the ISV. Listen to issues facing ISV partners and how those can inform your upgrade plans.

EPISODE 11: SURPRISING INPUT FROM A “MICROSOFT SHOP”

Darren Goebel runs a “Microsoft Shop” with a long-time investment in AX with significant manufacturing requirements. Darren provides the most honest technical and functional overview regarding his detailed D365 FandO upgrade research leaving him with a difficult decision regarding his ERP direction.

EPISODE 12: MORE ISV THOUGHTS

Our second “ISV Role” podcast features Luciano Cunha and the challenges he faces as the Global CEO of a leading ISV with products that “live inside” of the D365 FandO code. He provides invaluable insight, especially for enterprise-level AX customers contemplating the upgrade to Dynamics D365 for FandO process.