2020

Dynamics 365 Ecosystem Map October 2020

atotovic Dynamics 365, Power Platform , , , , , , , , ,

Recently I published a blog post about Dynamics 365 Ecosystem for April 2020 release. As I see many of you downloaded these images, but I also got a comments that this was outdated as a few days ago Microsoft announced October 2020 release (2020 Wave 2 release). Because of that I started with updating these graphics and I’ve just finished with all news.

Again, I want to mention and to say ‘thanks’ to Vadim Korepin who made this initial graphics. I used his initial slides and added all news from the last release. But even more, I found that one important part of Dynamics 365 ecosystem was not there – Industry Accelerators. They are very important parts of ecosystem and it can be very useful for some specific industries. This time I added them, and I hope we will have more and more partners using them.

If you want to collect images in the best resolution, download them (right click on the image) and you will get 3840×2180 images.

And let’s start with the first image where we have completely list of all Dynamics 365 solutions and other related solutions:

Then we can continue wit ERP ecosystem where we have some added features in each of them:

The same situation is with CRM ecosystem where we got some new features:

With modular solutions we have some differences as now we have Dynamics 365 Customer Voice as new solution:

Dynamics 365 AI solutions have some new features as well as Mixed Reality solutions:

List of Dynamics 365 services is extended for new service – Electronic invoicing Add-on:

And now new part – Industry Accelerators for specific vertical solutions. This is completely new page with accelerators details. Based on official documents, industry accelerators are foundational components within Microsoft Power Platform and Dynamics 365 that enable ISVs and other solution providers to quickly build industry vertical solutions. The accelerators extend Common Data Model to include new entities to support a data schema for concepts within specific industries.

And finally, platform again with some updates:

I hope you will use these images in daily business and especially when you need to explain connections between our ecosystem.

All Dynamics events in 2020 are going virtually

atotovic Business Central, Conference, Dynamics 365 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

All Dynamics events until the end of 2020 will go virtually… or they are cancelled. I don’t know what to say… if it is a good or bad. Definitely virtual event cannot replace live one and I’ll try to explain why. But with given circumstances, I think that going virtual is the best possible option… on the first place because of our health and not losing community work.

Right now, we have the following situation with all our Dynamics events:

  • First, we will start with D365 Community Summit. It will go virtual instead in Nashville and it will be held in period October 7-9, 2020. Agenda is already ready and if you didn’t register, you can see details and register here.
  • Directions EMEA and Directions Asia, instead of Prague and Bangkok will be organized as a common virtual event in period November 3-5, 2020. More information here.
  • Directions NA, Orlando is unfortunately canceled for this year. But as Directions EMEA and Asia will go virtually, it means there is not any limitations for colleagues from North America to join this even.
  • NAV TechDays is canceled somewhere on the beginning of Corona crisis and we will not have opportunity to meet before next year.

OK, I wanted to explain why I’m not a fan of virtual events… but to be honest it is probably better to have them in comparison with cancelation all these events. With virtual event you can still have an opportunity to listen prepared content and this is good. But… attending conferences is not all about content… content is important of course, but more important is an opportunity to openly ask what you need and not to get an answer only from presenter. You have an opportunity for discussion on sessions, but probably more important during the pauses. All these networking is not possible to be created in a virtual world… minimum it is not possible in this moment. And communication between presenter and attendees actually doesn’t exist in the virtual event. And when I’m talking about all of these, this is not problem only for attendees, it is not inspiring for lecturers as well (it is not the same when you have people in the front of you and when you have camera and laptop).

But again, with these circumstances, this is much better to have virtual events than not having them at all. And I must admit in a few digital events I’ve already participated, organization was really the best possible what somebody can make in a virtual world… and probably beyond my expectations. But again, this is not the same ☹.

And on the end, our hopes for the next year are that we can see each other in a live. I hope we will have much better health situation and we will attend minimum these already scheduled events:

  • Directions Asia, April 15-16, 2021 – Bangkok, Thailand
  • Directions NA, April 25-28, 2021 – San Diego, CA, US
  • Directions EMEA, October 7-9, 2021 – Milan, Italy,
  • NAV TechDays, November 16-19, 2021 – Antwerp, Belgium
  • …and hope others will schedule events soon.

Directions NA 2020 and what we heard

atotovic Conference, Dynamics 365, Microsoft Dynamics NAV , , , , , , , , ,

Directions NA 2019 has just finished and I’m writing this article in a plane on my way to home. It was great opportunity to meet 925 Dynamics professionals and not only from North America. It was amazing event and I’m happy because I had opportunity to speak here. We got a lot interesting information regarding Business Central Spring Release and to listen about experience of implementations of this solution here in US.

If you were there, you know what I’m talking about. If you were not be there, you can find all that news on Microsoft official document here. I’ll only emphasize some facts we hear from Jannik and Claus on a closing session as well as they will have a big impact on a future of BC.

  • In the future, ISV scenarios will include 15 objects for Team Members
  • From July 1st, we will get device license – CSP pricelist = 40USD
  • For On-prem transition to BC, user ratio is changed to 1:3 (for each concurrent user in NAV/GP user, they will get 3 named BC users) and this time this includes limited users as well
  • On-premises partners will get more internal users licenses
  • On-premises license will include one CAL for external accountant and one CAL for a system administrator, the same as we have in a subscription

If you read only these few facts, you can understand how important it is for partners and for clients as well.

We also heard that we will get new certification exams for Business Central functional consultants in FY20 as well as better differentiation through the Cloud Business Applications Competency and/or the Small and Mid-Market Cloud Solutions competency. Also, there will be secondary transition journey for clients who want to stay on-premises and to use cloud benefits or to migrate to the cloud (stay on BREP and purchase Midterm Offer).

And on the end, Directions NA 2020 (April 19-22) will be again in Orlando in Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress and for me it has a special place in my hearth, because in this place a few years ago, I had an opportunity to speak on Direction North America for the very first time.