Many of our clients ask about the global readiness of platform. They want to know if it can truly span multiple geographies and how difficult it is to implement in more than one country. Finally, they want examples of companies that have gone global to better understand the capabilities and success factors. Here are some thoughts and ideas to help you decide if your company is a good candidate for a global implementation of Dynamics 365.
Is Dynamics 365 global-ready?
In a word, yes. There are utilizing the Dynamics 365 suite of applications. The capabilities exist today to support language translations, monetary currencies, multiple legal entities, varying accounting practices, global rollups, and unified reporting. Many companies are motivated by a need to support Business Intelligence (BI) across a global and diverse organization. Others implement today in one geography with future plans to extend as they grow. Whatever your goals, there is no need to wait based on concerns about capability or scalability.
What should I think about before implementing Dynamics 365
At Western Computer, we believe in the value of conducting a thorough needs analysis before embarking on a global implementation. This assessment should include both local and global requirements, in order to create a common data structure to support Business Intelligence (BI) across the globe. This is a great opportunity to improve current processes, with a global design mindset that is both simple and elegant. It is also important to allow for flexibility since changes will happen such as people move, local statutes, etc. Finally, make sure you include senior leadership so that the design not only works today, but also aligns with future trends and growth.
Which software is best for a global implementation?
First of all, you need to consider for your organization’s global needs. Dynamics AX/365 is better for managing large-scale global operations for enterprises needing to view inventory in various international locations and have visibility into all areas of a large organization. Dynamics NAV is also an effective ERP solution for growing international businesses that don’t yet have such a complicated organizational structure. Both Dynamics NAV and Dynamics AX/365 provide your organization with excellent business agility, intelligence, and analytics. Both solutions are available as hosted ERP solutions or a combination of hosted and on-premises solutions. Choosing the cloud-hosted model further increases the agility, breadth and scalability of both. Lastly, there are a plethora of tools (Microsoft built-ins, add-ons, and 3rd party) that can assist you with a global implementation. These tools can help you quickly build custom apps, automate workflows, and bring additional data insight into your business among other things. Western Computer can help you understand the choices and make the right decisions for your organization.
Is there an example of a successful global implementation I can check out?
A great example of a global implementation is the Compass Group, a multinational food and support service organization operating globally across 50 countries with a revenue that exceeds £25 billion. They needed a flexible yet reliable platform in order to maintain consistent customer service throughout such a de-centralized organization; for this, they harnessed the versatility of Microsoft’s Dynamics 365. They have rolled it out in over 40 countries using 8 different languages and find the cloud model flexible and easy to use. As well as making global implementation possible, Dynamics 365 is already revealing other benefits for Compass Group including sellers consistently hitting their targets. For more information, .
How can I get help with a global implementation?
One of the advantages of using the Microsoft platform is that it can be customized to meet your specific needs and integrated with a large number of business applications—ideal for managing global operations and finances. The flip side is that can also become very confusing without help. To ensure your global implementation starts on the right track from day one, we always recommend contacting a reputable Microsoft partner for guidance. Of course, we hope you will choosing the right applications and platform to achieve your goals, but the important thing is to work with a partner from the beginning who can provide not only the technology but also all of your upgrades, training, custom development and integration, cloud expertise and ongoing support.
