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Improve CRM Adoption by Asking Why

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Why is the sky blue? Why is water wet? Why do I have to go to school?

A study by The Telegraph shows that 4 year old girls ask an incredible 390 questions per day!  It’s how they make sense of their world and expand their knowledge base. Children are naturally curious. Somehow, as we grow older and theoretically wiser, we become less curious. And in the workplace, where one might think that “why” is a critical question, we’re often too inhibited to ask.  But to get your CRM solution adopted, it may actually help to be a little more like a 4 year old!

Best-selling author Simon Sinek pulls no punches when he elaborates on the importance of “why” in the workplace. Indeed, he explains, successful companies “start with why.” That’s because it’s not enough to understand what you do and how you do it. Everyone in your organization needs to understand why you do it.  (Click here for the YouTube video)

Start with Why to Improve CRM Adoption

Before you start evaluating CRM systems, before you choose and implement it, ask this question:

Why

has your company decided to implement a CRM system?

The premise is simple. If you can’t answer this question, how can you inspire your team to jump on board with you?

Why

would your team show any enthusiasm for the project if they don’t know its purpose? They probably know, at least rudimentarily, what CRM is and how it works. What they really need to know is

why

you’re

imposing

this on them.

I don’t use the word

impose

lightly. Because that’s what it feels like when you don’t understand

why

you’re being asked to do something. So let’s explore that.

Customer Experience Starts with Why

 

Why CRM?

Candidly, users don’t care about the benefits CRM systems offer to management, so let’s leave those kinds of reasons out.

There’s an old saying about the top 3 reasons that retail businesses succeed: Location, location, location. In the case of CRM, the top 3 reasons to embark on an implementation are: Customer experience, customer experience, customer experience. (This used to be called “customer satisfaction,” but “customer experience” is the trendier term.) Indeed, a superior experience is what customers demand. Poor customer service is the fastest way to lose business and even to go out of business, in which case you’d be out of a job. Perhaps that’s a selfish reason for adopting CRM, but it’s pretty compelling.

 

The statistics don’t lie

.

  • 71% of polled consumers said they would refer a company after a positive customer service experience
  • 65% of polled consumers said that they've completely stopped using a product or service after only one instance of bad customer service
  • The average rate of return for every $1 spent on customer relationship management programs is $5.60

The Internet is flooded with customer reviews on products and services. Not just reviews on restaurants and hotels, but on everything imaginable – from doctors and dentists to yo-yos and silly putty; from car services to funeral services. Mark my words: your business is being scrutinized. And the best way to avoid the disastrous impact of a negative customer review is to implement a CRM solution and make sure that your entire organization adopts it.

Starting and Ending CRM with Why

The C5 Insight team is a huge fan of the Start with Why concept. That’s why we’ve developed a “Why Sheet.” It’s an exercise in getting to the heart of your why. Whether you’re poised to implement a CRM system or a Microsoft SharePoint solution, completing this exercise will incrementally increase user adoption. Download our Why Sheet now to begin the process.

Contact us today to learn more. Give us a ring at

704-895-2500

or use our

contact form

to reach out.



A Better, Faster Alternative to SSRS Reports with Xpertdoc Document Generation

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Many business folks struggle with Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) - a server-based report generating software system that has been around for a while. In this age of digital transformation and automated report generation, it can make simple report generating tasks much harder and more complicated than they have to be, partially because it is meant for developers. But there is a much more user-friendly, modern alternative.  Enter Xpertdoc Smart Flows.

What are Xpertdoc Smart Flows?

Xpertdoc Smart Flows for Microsoft Dynamics 365 are easy-to-configure, automated processes for the generation, management, storage and delivery of business documents. With the embedded Smart Flow Builder, business users can visually model and deploy flows that leverage data from any available source, addressing the most complex document scenarios while eliminating the need for technical knowledge or coding skills.

So how do Smart Flows for Dynamics 365 zap the hassle of of dealing with SSRS reports?

  1. Anyone can use Xpertdoc Smart Flows: Who likes writing SQL sub theories? Not me! And not you, either, unless you are a developer and you do that for your job. Xpertdoc Smart Flows for Dynamics 365 are for business users. You don’t have to know SQL code – or any code, for that matter. Instead, you would start with the intuitive platform, create your data set, build your template using “drag and drop” functionality, and start your document flow.
  2. Xpertdoc Smart Flows are user-friendly and convenient: Our Smart Flows for Dynamics 365 offer dashboard-style reporting, so you always know where you are at a glance. SSRS has no such thing, as you are expected to have developer-level skills and interpret code for that information. Xpertdoc Smart Flows’ user interface is both web and mobile-ready. SSRS requires more work to run on mobile devices, as the capability isn’t built-in. Specifically, you would have to implement SQL Server Mobile Publisher. This is not for the average bear.
  3. Xpertdoc Smart Flows can combine multiple data sources: SSRS has limitations aggregating and sorting data, which makes getting the data into the documents for report generation problematic. Xpertdoc Smart Flows for Microsoft Dynamics 365, by contrast, can combine multiple data sources, so data can be moved from point A to point B. This functionality is useful when creating document flows, because it ensures data from different sources are routed into the automated document reports without a hitch.
  4. Xpertdoc Smart Flows don’t have upgrade issues: Despite an update in 2016, SSRS is hard to upgrade. So hard that when the subject comes up, most folks just start looking around for other options. In addition, the interface, with its outdated visualizations, is probably nearing end of the line, too. 2016 wasn’t yesterday. Our Smart Flows are new, and connected to Microsoft Dynamics 365, so upgrade issues are manageable if they come up at all.
  5. Xpertdoc Smart Flows fit in your system: SSRS can be a space hog, or “resource intensive”, meaning it can use up a lot of server resources. Xpertdoc Smart Flows for Dynamics 365 cause no system strain.

 

With their ease of use and powerful modern capabilities, our Smart Flows for Microsoft Dynamics 365 are definitely the better alternative for any business user.

 

To learn more about Xpertdoc Smart Flows for Microsoft Dynamics 365, request a free 30-day trial and follow us on Twitter: @xpertdoc or visit www.xpertdoc.com for more information.

The post A Better, Faster Alternative to SSRS Reports with Xpertdoc Document Generation appeared first on CRM Software Blog | Dynamics 365.

Embedding Canvas App on a Model-Driven App’s Form (Preview)

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Login to Dynamics 365 CE, open any of the Entity’s form and either pick any of the existing single line of a text field or sub-grid control or add one to the form. We will use Single Line of Text...(read more)

Hands On With Microsoft Dynamics GP 2018 R2 New Features: Checkbook ID Defaults on Check Batch

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Microsoft Dynamics GPThis post is part of the Hands On With Microsoft Dynamics GP 2018 R2 New Features series in which I am going hands on with the new features introduced in Microsoft Dynamics GP 2018 R2 (which was released on the 2nd October). I reblogged the new features as Microsoft announced them along with some commentary of how I thought they would be received by both my clients and I. In this series, I will be hands on with them giving feedback of how well they work in reality.

The fifteenth new feature is Checkbook ID Defaults on Check Batch. This feature means that when you create a new EFT payment batch in Payables Management, the Checkbook ID field will be automatically populated from Payables Management Setup:

Payables Batch Entry

Again, this is a small feature, but will save users time selecting the chequebook when creating a payment batch. It never really made sense that the chequebook would default in on a cheque batch, but not on an EFT one. This has now been remedied so both types of payment batch work the same way.

Click to show/hide the Hands On With Microsoft Dynamics GP 2018 R2 New Features Series Index

Read original post Hands On With Microsoft Dynamics GP 2018 R2 New Features: Checkbook ID Defaults on Check Batch at azurecurve|Ramblings of a Dynamics GP Consultant

MPOS Build Error: “10.0.10xxx.0” is not a supported value for TargetPlatformVersion…

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One of the errors I encountered recently when building the MPOS solution is the below error “10.0.10xxx.0” is not a supported value for TargetPlatformVersion. Please change it on the Project...(read more)

Synchronization state data is corrupt or otherwise invalid

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If you get an Unhandled Exception in your mailbox profile alerts, but no real information, where it comes from, then this post will help you. I got the following alert in my mailbox: <params>...(read more)

MB6-898 Schedule an interview

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To schedule an interview you first advance to the Interview stage and click “Schedule an interview” Then you go on to adding interviewers and setting the conditions. When you click...(read more)

How to set default fields to be available while using Excel add-ins

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Hi Folks,
As we know D365FO comes with a powerful architecture for all integration using DIXF. Data entities are the only way (in most of the cases) to communicate with D365FO through an external system.
In today’s post, I’m going to share a quick tip on how to set default fields to be made available while using Excel add-ins for CRUD operation. Yes, now you can use excel add-ins to perform all CRUD operation on a user interface. Let's take the example of customer master.
Below screenshot shows how to access excel add-ins on customer master. Go to Customer master and on right-hand side upper corner, you may found Office icon. Click on it and select
image

It will show you all the data entities which are available in the system based on customer (CustTable) as the main data source. Select the first one,
image

and it will open an excel sheet with Dynamics Add-ins. You might need to sign in using a valid user which have access to D365Fo application. Excel must look like below with a Dynamics add-ins in left.

image

You can perform all CRUD operation here and hit publish button on the left down side to publish your changes to the server. That’s it.
Now coming to the title of this post, (it's not too late Winking smile ) if you want to make any changes on these fields, like remove and add new or want to change the order, here is the trick.
Go to visual studio, open the data entity (in this case you need to create an extension of this entity). Go to field group > AutoReport. Here you must get all field which is showing on excel. You can do addition, delete, change the order of fields and that’s it. Once successful build changes will reflect when you use excel add-ins next time.

Cheers,
Harry

From the Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and NAV Blogs: D365BC/NAV history; Searching, Filtering; Azure DevOps; Web client

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A selection of the latest insights from the Dynamics 365-NAV blogs

Microsoft Dynamics Partner Roundup: Nonprofit; Channel Integration Framework; Vertical ERP; IoT Service Hub

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A selection of announcements from the Dynamics partner channel

Microsoft Dynamics Partner Roundup: Nonprofit; Channel Integration Framework; Vertical ERP; IoT Service Hub

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A selection of announcements from the Dynamics partner channel

Microsoft Dynamics Partner Roundup: Channel Integration Framework; Production IoT; Fashion ERP; Nonprofit partnership

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A selection of announcements from the Dynamics partner channel

Microsoft Dynamics Partner Roundup: Channel Integration Framework; Production IoT; Fashion ERP; Nonprofit partnership

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A selection of announcements from the Dynamics partner channel

How to create SAS Key for Azure Storage

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Navigate to your Azure Storage account Click on “Shared access signature” Select your date range ( on the end date SAS Key will expire ) Click “Generate SAS and connection string”...(read more)

Azure Attachment Storage in CRM

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If you are running out of space for your CRM; you might want to consider moving attachments from Notes and Emails to Azure Blob storage. Azure Blob storage is an cost effective way to storing attachments...(read more)

Create a New Record button for Activity Type entity using Ribbon Workbench: D365

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Problem Typically, when you create a new Activity type of entity and you want a Create button for the same, it just appears in the Other Activities fly-out button and not on the Main ribbon in Activities...(read more)

MB2-877 MICROSOFT DYNAMICS 365 FOR FIELD SERVICE MODULE 3 TOPIC – OPTIMIZE RESOURCE SCHEDULING

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This is the 13th blog of this series, before this I have created a blog from module 3 on the topic “Implement the Schedule Assistant” which you can check here: MB2-877 MICROSOFT DYNAMICS 365 FOR FIELD...(read more)

Azure Fundamentals Certification Study Group

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I am planning an online group learning program for Dynamics people wanting to take the Azure Fundamentals exam, AZ-900. This will be an online group starting in early 2019, that will meet 1-2 times per...(read more)

UnBoxing the Power Platform Model-Driven Form Designer Preview

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I saw recently on Twitter that the WYSIWYG Model-Driven form editor is in preview and I thought, “HEY, Why not do a video without ever opening and testing this functionality”… SO that’s exactly what I...(read more)

To Hybrid or Not To Hybrid

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“Hybrid development” is not a general accepted term in our world of “Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central”. The term Microsoft uses for this concept is “Side-By-Side” development.

But in a way, I find that “Hybrid” does more “right” to the term:: combining old technology with new technology (like C/SIDE and VSCode, or C/AL and AL, or internal combustion engines and electro motors.. ). Why anyone would to that, I’ll go into in a minute .. but now you at least know what I try to blog about ;-). But first, I’d like to start with a big fat …

Disclaimer

I very much realize that a lot of you will not agree with my opinions below. And that’s ok. I just want to share my opinion on “hybrid” / “side-by-side”. May be there are a few points you didn’t think of – or there are a few points that I didn’t think of that you are happy to share in the comment-section below ;-). All for the best – we are helping each other out by sharing experiences, opinions, touchpoints, things to take into account, realizations, whatever… .

In any case, the below opinions are my own, and my own only. And obviously – no judgement from my side for people that think different :-). You are already heroes to me just by taking the time to read my blog ;-).

Why would anyone start to combine development in C/SIDE (C/AL) together with Extensions in VSCode (AL)?

Well, very simple: non-existing events is probably the most important reason: you lack an event in the default app. So you create it yourself, and subscribe to it from AL.

Do know that Microsoft is very much working on new events in NAV. And we are already in a very good spot: the current version of AL has about 3337 published integration/business events! A massive improvement compared to NAV2018, which had about 1300 published events. If you need a new event, please apply for it here: https://github.com/microsoft/ALAppExtensions

Another reason to “go hybrid” would be to actually change code, like commenting a part of the default app. For example: commenting the deletion of sales orders while posting. With extensions, you obviously can’t do that anymore, since you can’t change code.

I can go on – like implement breaking changes. Like changing the primary key of the Invoice Posting Buffer. You can’t change primary keys anymore! But you obviously still can in C/SIDE, since that is “open source”.

But I will stop here with trying to find other reasons to “turn to the Dark Side“. Yes indeed – going further with this post, you’ll see that I actually think that hybrid development is very much to be avoided at all times.

How do I do Hybrid / Side-by-Side development?

Well, I won’t tell you :-). Mostly because – again – I don’t like it one single bit, but also, Microsoft has described it for you on Microsoft Docs. So why would I repeat that? ;-).

It comes down to:

  • Whenever you develop in C/SIDE, your symbols change
  • So you need to update symbols by generating symbols every time you change something in C/SIDE
  • Then you need to make the new symbols available to AL by downloading them from the serverinstance you created them

That seems easy enough. So why is this bad?

Well, may be before I continue, I need to explain my situation:

  • I am a partner,
  • which needs to support multiple customers,
  • with a repeatable product
  • that has multiple releases,
  • with a team of 15 developers.

Meaning: nothing special. I strongly believe most of us are developers that have multiple customers, servicing them with a product, that is being maintained as well. These customers need to be able to upgrade easily, and you probably are working in a team.

Right?

And if you don’t fit this profile, you are probably a freelance, working for a select number of customers, or an internal IT, with 1 database to maintain.

The difference between these two profiles is massive. And I’m taking conclusions in terms of my role and my role only (may be I should have put this in the “disclaimer” section as well ;-)).

Let’s drill down in a few parts of our lives, like:

On Going Development

The process to do both types of development on one environment is quite cumbersome, as I described above. But let’s just imagine you (as a person) can manage it. Thing is – you have a team – does your team manage it? Not only you have to have access to VSCode and the serverinstance (which many of us manage for our team of developers – sure there is Docker, but I can tell you, a lot of us development managers realize that we need to manage building environments for developers, because simply put: we want them to focus on the development job, rather than fiddling around with Docker – meaning, centralized development environments, branched per developer or not, doesn’t matter), but now you also need access to C/SIDE, NST, PowerShell and what not .. . System administrator don’t really like that, because simply put – developers usually don’t have enough knowledge of these technologies … .

It is not enough you know how it works – you have to make sure the team knows how to do this kind of “working around stuff” like hybrid development … and I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to focus teaching my developers about workarounds. I’d rather teach them real stuff.

Upgrades

One of the beautiful things about Extensions is the fact it is “rather” independent of localizations (if you build on W1), or very upgrade-safe.

But when doing Hybrid Development, you basically throw this advantage completely overboard: You are dependent on YOUR version of the database, and not on any other default database for NAV.

And on top of that – just think how your upgrade-process will look like. In stead of simply develop against the next version (CU) of Business Central, now you need to upgrade your C/SIDE in a classic way as well – for each CU! Let along localizations…

Doable for one environment? May be so .. but sure not straight forward.

But imagine in a few years, when you have a multitude of customers and environments … still doable? Not a chance!

Support

Supporting customizations has always been a challenge in a partner-environment. This is also one of the reasons why many of us (partners) have turned “customizations” into “applying repeatable solutions”. Usually in the form of a vertical. Sometimes in the form of horizontals. Many times in the form of “functional libraries”.

On top of that, many of us have to support a multitude on ISV solutions .. resulting into a wide range of combinations between all these solutions.

On then on top of all that – because NAV’s “simplicity” – we do customer-specific customizations, usually based on all these solutions.

Combining all this, every single customer usually is a unique case – which turns support into a challenge. A challenge many of us accepted, and are doing quite well.

Why? Because we know what we do, and we only have 1 environment (usually) to do it in.. : C/SIDE.

Just imagine: all the above, but hybrid .. do I need to say more?

When you have a problem .. where to solve it? C/SIDE? AL? How to find out? And when you finally found out – how do you deploy? …

Deployment

Yet another extra challenge you have.

Deploying an app is quite easy. There are some ground rules, some scripts you can write, … these days, you can simply “auto deploy” or make deployment part of a release cycle (with devops / continuous deployment).

But…

What if you went the hybrid-road? How do you deploy?

Remember you have a very “hard” dependency between your very own version of classic old NAV and Extensions. So you’d better deploy classic C/AL objects, together with your extension, at the same time, in one go. I’m not saying you can’t do that… PowerShell can do anything. But what if something is wrong? It’s kind of a multi-transaction-deployment – not like there is an easy rollback scenario… .

And – again map this to a few years later, where you need to do this for a multitude of customers.. ?

Multiple versions

We have a product. And that product needs to be localized. You know what that means: one codebase all of a sudden is a multitude of codebases which need to be tested and maintained.

For an AL-only-app, it’s easy – DevOps to the rescue! Set up build processes and you’re relatively safe.

In a hybrid environment, it’s not “just” a matter of applying your app to a different localization. It’s a matter of merging your changes from C/SIDE, deploying it, symbols, … Blebleh (I intentionally don’t want to give all steps here ;-)) .. and THEN start building and testing your app.

Conclusion

You guessed it right: Hybrid is evil! I strongly believe that we should do everything we can to avoid a Hybrid solution.

Hybrid cars make as much sense as hybrid development: none  – go electric ;-).

We have a very simple guideline in the company. We will never ever, in any circumstance, after ANY request from the customer, … go down the hybrid route (but I guess you got that by now). We will try to find another solution. And if we can’t find any .. we will not do it (and until now, we haven’t come across any situation we couldn’t solve … and yes .. we have been going into AL for quite a number of (big and small) projects.. ).

We even put the bar higher than that: we create all OnPrem solutions in AL as if they were either “AppSource” (for verticals) or “PerTenantCustomization” (for customer customizations) as Extensions (not “internal”). Which excludes other evils, like “DotNet” – but that’s for a whole other blogpost ;-).

Have a nice weekend! And this is probably my last post of the year, so –

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/business-central/dev-itpro/developer/devenv-get-started-al-for-onprem

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