Cloud ERP is here to stay

Organisations all over the world are steadily going digital and are actively seeking ways to not only streamline their business processes, but to do it remotely while gaining efficiencies and increasing productivity.

 

If you're wondering if it's time for your company to explore Microsoft Dynamics Cloud ERP options, ask yourself:

    • Are you growing beyond the capability of your legacy, on-premise software systems?
    • Are your current accounting and CRM systems obstructing your complete picture across finance, operations and sales?
    • Are you struggling to maintain business continuity by keeping your teams connected and working efficiently in a remote environment?
    • Is the cost of ownership of your existing legacy ERP solution costing you unnecessarily overhead and risk?

If you've answered 'yes' to any of those, then now is a good time to seriously consider making the shift to Microsoft Dynamics Cloud ERP.

The path to becoming fully-cloud enabled with Dynamics 365 Business Central

Like many Kiwi organisations, your on-premises version of Dynamics (NAV, GP, SL or AX) has most likely served you well. However, you might find that your current solution doesn’t have the flexibility or agility needed to quickly come up with answers when required, making it harder to navigate business demands while still striving to meet customer expectations.

The NAV, GP, SL and AX products have been 'orphaned out' - they're not part of the Dynamics 365 platform anymore, so they won’t individually provide the benefits you get with an integrated platform. Staying with one of these solutions puts your business at risk of eventually being left with an un-supported, legacy platform that is not delivering the benefits that your competitors may well be achieving and your customers and suppliers expect from you.

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So what’s next?


Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is the cloud hosted successor to Dynamics NAV, GP and SL, deployed through Microsoft’s Azure. It’s an online ERP solution that puts flexibility at the core of your business, enabling you to start quickly, grow at your own pace and adapt in real time. It has the functional depth from NAV, but new, strong integration to other Dynamics 365 components as well as being truly cloud-based.

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Explore the entire Microsoft Suite and all available options

We've prepared this guide to help New Zealand businesses navigate the world of Microsoft ERP and decide what's best. 

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Is your company ready for a shift to the cloud?

Retaining an aging solution, while maturing your business could be holding you back in ways that are costing you time, money and opportunity. With rapidly evolving technology and systems, it’s likely it’s time for your organisation to catch up.

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How can you tell if your legacy, on-premises Microsoft instance is keeping pace with your growth?

Eight signs that your company is ready to upgrade

  1. Sign #1: Your ERP system is constantly playing catch up.

    As your organisation grows in terms of customers, staff, processes - have you noticed an increasing need to automate to become more efficient?

    For example, you might be looking for ways to automate your AP processing and integrate directly with suppliers, so you can process transactions digitally.

    Keeping up with business growth is one of the main decision-drivers; your ERP solution should enable your organisation to thrive while seamlessly meeting increasing demands. If your current system has become too unreliable to handle the work you need done, then it’s limiting your growth potential.

  2.  Sign #2: You have a growing mobile workforce that needs a single data repository that can be accessed anywhere, anytime.

    If your teams are spread out or working remotely and need access to the ERP system wherever they are, a cloud-based solution is what you’re looking for. You might have sales reps and field teams working remotely, and 24/7 access to the system is critical for their day-to-day tasks.

    Microsoft Dynamics 365’s field service capability can provide insights and data to enable remote teams to work quickly and more efficiently. Any information collected on the go, like a work order or technical documentation, can be integrated into the ERP system, creating a holistic view of all operations across the business.

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  3. Sign #3: Your workflow and decision-making processes are manual

    Are you getting frustrated with paper going missing, EOM reporting taking too long, and wasting time following up on manual approvals? Have you noticed an increasing need for better and easier visibility, from outputs back to source?

    The need for more timely information and a strong, automated approval and workflow process is typically a major decision-driver when it comes to upgrading to a cloud hosted Dynamics ERP solution.

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  4. Sign #4: You’re paying high fees and not seeing enough ROI

    Are the costs of maintaining your current system continually on the rise? Take a closer look at your current ERP deployment fees (in-house servers or private hosting included) and maintenance, then compare these costs with what you’re missing out on in tools and technology.

    You could be in a situation where only your financials are being managed by an ERP system such as NAV, and other functional areas like sales or inventory are managed by a separate system. It's more cost-effective to consolidate all processes into one system. When your ERP system is in the cloud, you pay for what you need, when you need it - you don't have to anticipate it and wind up paying more than you should.

  5. Sign #5: You’re experiencing rising security and data breach concerns
    If you’ve been through the process of data recovery after a disaster or security breach, you'll know how time-consuming, frustrating and expensive it can be. You still might not have retrieved everything you need. Moving away from an on-premise system that has to be backed up and requires a huge amount of space to a managed, hosted environment where those worries are eliminated, significantly reduces stress and pressure on resources. Older versions of Microsoft ERP offerings may no longer be supported which can cause security vulnerabilities.

  6. Sign #6: Your ERP version is outdated and lacks vendor support.
    Moving to the cloud means automatic software updates as soon as they're available and ensure that you're well provided for in terms of disaster recovery. Microsoft phase out support for their older products with end of life plans for all on-premise ERP solutions. No vendor support and skipped upgrades leaves your organisation with a large-scale upgrade project which can get very expensive, very quickly. A strategic decision to move to Business Central now will save time, effort and money further down the road.

  7. Sign #7: The number of disparate ‘knowledge silos’ within your teams are growing 

    As your business grows, so does its processes. Inevitably, they can become more complex, often undocumented, residing in 'knowledge silos' and resulting in significant incompatibilities between data, processes and information. If this is something your organisation is facing, you might be thinking of ways to streamline processes and better manage process knowledge and documentation.

    The move to Business Central means you'll gain a comprehensive overview of your service tasks, workloads, and employee skills to effectively assign resources and accelerate case resolution.

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  8.  Sign #8: You need more trust-worthy data at your fingertips in real-time. 

    There’s a constant need for better, richer information to support quick decision making. Faster, more informed decisions enhance customer service, profitability, and reporting.

    Microsoft Power BI analytics improves the decision-making process and makes it more precise by providing detailed insights. Power BI integrates seamlessly with Dynamics Business Central, with a user-friendly interface enabling users to create their own reports and dashboards.

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How does your current ERP system measure up?

The insights we've gained from over 30 years of implementing ERP systems for clients, all point to a common expectation to move to a more modern, intuitive, simple system that's user-friendly and yet able to handle complex workflows and business processes.

Most new cloud applications are designed with this in mind, and that's certainly true of Business Central. Completely cloud-enabled, it combines CRM and ERP functions to deliver everything from sales, customer service, marketing, financials, operations and reporting – while allowing for customisation and flexibility depending on business requirements.

To summarise, people want more from their systems, technology and experience. If these signs ring bells for you, it’s a strong indicator that you’re ready for a change.

 

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Reimagine productivity with Microsoft Dynamics 365

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Transitioning from on-premises NAV, AX or GP to Dynamics 365 in the Microsoft Dynamics Cloud ERP

For any organisation, an upgrade to Microsoft cloud ERP is a strategic decision that involves key stakeholders. Plan ahead and keep in mind that support for Microsoft's legacy systems WILL end, and you want your move to the cloud to be complete before then.

Once you've made the decision and have set the wheels in motion, your current platform will remain operational while you migrate. This reduces risk and disruption sometimes incurred through short time periods when deploying a new ERP solution.

A migration to Business Central means your ERP system will be included in the ongoing development of a supported platform, and you’ll be able to access the additional benefits Dynamics 365 can provide.

Plus, you’ll benefit from the continuing extension of functionality, not only through Microsoft’s own development efforts, but also through the wider community of software vendors that build add-ons and extensions for the platform.

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A tailored journey to Business Central 365 – the Endeavour approach

Endeavour has evolved with the Microsoft ERP offering, building strong technical capability and, more importantly, an understanding of what’s suitable for New Zealand organisations. Because our aim is to enable you to make better decisions that drive growth in your business, we can provide focussed and effective advice.

      • Dynamics Partner specialising in ERP
        We're experts that will partner with you to scope, implement and manage Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central in your business.
      • Deep experience
        We have over 30 years’ experience in helping Kiwi organisations apply ERP solutions to ‘join the dots’ in their businesses.

When you partner with Endeavour, we will identify your requirements, including:

      • What new features will add additional value to your organisation’s operation and effectiveness?
      • With your current system, what do you want to lose, and what do you want to keep?
      • What are your pain points - what are the reasons an upgrade will provide real return and value to your organisation?
      • What resources are required on your part and ours to ensure a successful upgrade that delivers the outcomes identified

We then work with you on a plan to upgrade, implementing the tools that you need. Our approach is not one-size-fits-all; experience has taught us that all our clients have very specific, individual needs. We tailor and customise the solution to meet those needs.

 

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Read how Atlas Concrete migrated from an outdated and unsupported legacy system to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. Find out how the Atlas team are benefiting from the flexibility, accuracy and modernisation of their new cloud-based hub.

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If you’re a Microsoft Dynamics on-premises ERP user, then you’re cloud ready

Upgrading to Business Central means access cutting-edge technology, control costs and complexity. You'll also increase productivity by migrating your existing solution to the cloud, and you have no fears of being left behind in an ERP environment that's continually evolving.

 

Book a free ERP roadmap assessment for your organisation

Request a consultation about the right ERP for your business

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