Know What is Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM: Complete Details Unveiled

You have landed on this page because probably you are looking for an in-depth knowledge on What is Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM. So, in this article, we have brought for the readers a crisp and enlightening guide on MS Dynamics 365 CRM.

Basically, Dynamics 365 is a cloud-based product line of two applications that are ERP i.e, Enterprise Resource Planning and CRM i.e, Customer Relationship Management. It was introduced by Microsoft in July 2016. Reportedly, it has been said that MS Dynamics 365 (Microsoft Dynamics CRM) can accumulate huge profits for all kinds of businesses and in any organization. This combination of ERP and CRM comes with utmost flexibility and extensibility but before proceeding let us know more about ERP and CRM.

Digital Changes with Microsoft Dynamics 365

Some digital transformations can be done in a business with a help of MS Dynamics in order to face the challenges in the market and to meet the requirements of the customers.

Dynamics 365 has basic four things to do:

• To engage the customers
• To empower the employees
• To optimize the operations
• To transform the products

Overview of ERP and CRM

ERP and CRM are similar as both of them aid in rising total productivity, sales, and efficiency of a business, however, their core functionalities are poles apart.

CRM is a system meant to manage interactions with a company with potential customers. It is used to automate, organize and synchronize sales, customer service, and marketing. CRM is developed so as to include the entire section of customer experience as well as customer happiness. In short, it is a procedure of finding able prospects, nurturing them and guiding them through sales process in order to close the business.

While CRM takes care of customer ERP takes care of business. ERP is a system meant to improve business process efficiency. Both ERP and CRM offers fast sharing of standardized information across all fields. All employees insert information into ERP system forming a real-time, enterprise-wide snapshot. By this system, issues in one area will automatically generate alarming alerts in other areas. As a result, different departments start planning for a problem even before it appears. And both ERP and CRM are stepping stones for an effective business process.

Role of a CRM

The main purpose of a CRM solution is to increase the profit in sales, marketing, and service divisions. A strong CRM solution is a versatile platform to develop, improve, and retain customer relationships data.

Fundamentals of a CRM

This management provides:

• Revise the pricing.
• Unified benefits across channels.
• Customize the products as well as services.
• Add efficiency and adaptability to the sales force.
• Improve the customer service quality and reliability.
• It also improves the ability to spot profitable customers.
• It connect the customers and all channels on one single platform.

After getting aware of ERP and CRM, let us come back to our main subject of discussion i.e, Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM. Microsoft already has its roots laid in ERP (Microsoft Dynamics NAV, Microsoft Dynamics GP, Microsoft Dynamics AX) and CRM. (Microsoft Dynamics CRM) Dynamics 365 is a fabulous fusion of the duo and is a motivating factor in the evolution of a combined ERP and CRM product. It will be a perfect beginning place for companies/organizations.

MS Dynamics 365 with a Common Data Model

Conventionally, enterprise software is made of a layer with complicated databases but Microsoft seems to drift away from such conventions as customized databases are hard to upgrade and integrate. Microsoft is influenced by consistency and standardization of database schema. They create new programs and customizations with a belief that their solutions would be utilized by the entire base of Microsoft. Customers will search these programs or applications in a new store i.e MS AppSource.

Dynamic 365’s common data model provides firm integrations with other apps like O365. MS Office 365, Cortana, Power BI are central to Microsoft’s value thesis of MS Cloud and Dynamics 365. A common data model is equipped by Microsoft as a result of which customizations of one company can be used at some other company without any issues. This rises repeatability, reduces cost, and makes Microsoft a luring option for users figuring out enterprise software.

MS Dynamics 365 is in Cloud

Microsoft’s rising devotion to cloud states the availability of their new application is not a shock. Its cloud possesses better control and standardization over Dynamic 365’s development. Enterprise edition of Dynamic 365 can be used on-premise, whenever required.

Editions of Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM

It’s two editions are Business Edition & Enterprise Edition.

• Enterprise Edition is a newly fused combination of MS Dynamics AX and MS Dynamics CRM. Basically, it is for medium to large scale organizations. Companies having more than 250 employees are recommended to use Enterprise edition. There are 6 modules of this Enterprise Edition in Dynamics 365:

1. Operations:
   This was previously known as Microsoft Dynamics AX. It has all operations and financial functionality of Dynamics AX.
2. Sales:
   It is a base functionality of Dynamics CRM having all sales process functionality and lead management that is required as a salesperson.
3. Marketing:
   Microsoft has introduced a partnership with Adobe for Dynamics 365’s marketing portion; given discontinuation of MS Dynamics marketing.
4. Customer Service:
   It merges with CRM, new, and current Parature functionality along with other MS partnerships.
5. Project Service:
   It offers scheduling and estimation of projects in Dynamics 365. It is amazing for professional services organizations. Earlier it was present as a Dynamics CRM extension.
6. Field Service:
   It controls the mobility of MS cloud and provides additional features to businesses with workers/ field agents. It was also there as Dynamics CRM extension earlier.
   

• Business Edition is an evolution of project Madeira i.e, a cloud-based ERP/CRM. Companies with 10-250 employees should use this version of Dynamics 365. This edition is used for small and medium business It has 3 modules:
• Financial:
  It gets its base from MS Dynamics NAV. Certain operations have been eliminated but mostly manufacturing.
• Sales:
  This gets its base from Dynamics CRM and optimized for SMB users.
• Marketing:
  It is yet to be released in Spring of 2017.

For a fact, MS Dynamics 365 ain’t Replacing Various MS Dynamics ERP or CRM Products. At least not every product. Reportedly, Dynamics NAV, SL, and GP will keep on enriching and licensing new customers. These products possess a huge user base and do a fabulous job that is of addressing on-site markets.

Few Closing Thoughts

After going through all the information regarding CRM, ERP product i.e, Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM is a proliferating and interesting innovation from Microsoft’s side. We willingly look forward to seeing what more Microsoft has in store for the curious users on Dynamics 365. This was a crisp knowledge bite on what is Microsoft Dynamics 365 and we have discussed its different editions and their supported modules along with this article.