How Microsoft is bringing its accounting software customers to one ultimate solution

YOUR FIRST BIG PROJECT

In my work as a telephone sales representative, I talk to a lot of people who find the first major project they’re assigned to when joining a new organization is, “find a better software solution.” 

WHAT?!! 

You come on board and you don’t really know your internal work flows. You don’t know how to operate the software that everyone’s using. And you’re not aware of the issues with those processes and tools.  But you are the selected leader whose job it is to research and implement a new solution.

The underlying problem may be that many organizations hold onto their software for literally decades. As a result, no one is likely to have a lot of software purchasing experience or knowledge.  But your job security may depend on making the “best” decision for your organization. No pressure, right?

SOFTWARE, SOFTWARE EVERYWHERE, BUT NOT A SOLUTION IN SIGHT

To make matters worse, there are a lot, I mean A LOT of software solutions that may or may not work for you.  Going to the review sites online can help, but there are challenges with them too. The search results pop up with a massive list of vendors and packages that you have to scroll through one-by-one with apples-to-oranges feature descriptions making comparisons difficult (read “impossible”) at best.

Here’s what some people do. One of the easiest remedies is for you to look at the software solutions offering name recognition. Software like “Microsoft.” It’s been said that “you’ll never lose your job selecting a Microsoft solution.”  While this may or may not be true, Microsoft is indeed known for great business software. They offer everything from Word and Excel to Outlook, CRM and the Dynamics suite of software solutions.

WAIT! Suite of solutions? But you only need one.  What in the heck is “Dynamics” and the extensions that they added – GP, SL, AX and NAV? By now you’re probably reaching for the aspirin jar.

REGROUPING TO MAKE PROGRESS 

Let’s take a deep breath. You can do this procurement project.  And Microsoft is a good option – no matter which of the acronyms you buy.  It fulfills your seamless integration requirement you were probably also made responsible for. Then too, Microsoft is known for high quality software that’s familiar to just about everybody, so you’ve cut down the training time for any software you choose. Your chances of success are looking better.  

So, all that’s left is to figure out WHICH Microsoft ERP software you want.

NEWS FLASH: MICROSOFT DEVELOPS A CLEAR FUTURE PATH FOR DYNAMICS

Recently Microsoft announced the release of “Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central” to help folks like us find our path to the Microsoft Cloud.  The SL and GP solutions will remain for anyone needing a traditional “on premise” solution while the NAV and AX become the backbones of Business Central. The initials represent valuable business software packages that have been around for years, but that were purchased by Microsoft early in the 2000’s:

• SL – Solomon Software
• GP – Great Plains Software
• AX – Axapta software (sold to very large corporations with large budgets)
• NAV – Navision (another European offering, but a very exciting “mid-market” solution built for most of us)

Since that major shopping spree, Microsoft has been working toward a solution that offers the best of all worlds in ERP operations.  They invested billions of dollars in research and development in order to become a leader in helping the majority of businesses move to the cloud with a true multi-tenant financial and business software at a fair price. Their motto has been “Cloud First, Mobile First” for almost 10 years.

Here are some other stats that Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central offers:

• Over 160,000 organizations use this software
• There are approximately 2.7 million people who can and do use Dynamics 365 Business Central
• The software is used in 195 countries around the world
• There is more than 30 years’ experience in this market with the accounting software this solution comes from
• The solution that Dynamics 365 Business Central is built on? Dynamics NAV or Navision.

YES, BUT WILL IT WORK FOR GOVERNMENT AND NONPROFITS?

All this Dynamics funneling to a single cloud-based solution is great, but nonprofits and governments need more than general accounting competencies. You also need what’s called an “embedded” solution that’s designed and supported by an industry expert who understands the features necessary for a true fund accounting software solution. Features like grant management for a nonprofit or procure to pay for a government organization. Tangicloud has the industry expertise to deliver these features. 

If you’re thinking about new software for your nonprofit or government (you brave soul, you) check out the multiple benefits of a solution that’s powered by Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. Contact Tangicloud and we’ll help you navigate the minefield of software options and have your project popping up roses!