Moving from NetSuite to Dynamics 365 isn’t like flipping a switch. We can help you navigate the change.
Why Make The Switch
Not all CRMs are created equal. If you’re reading this, you already know that to be the case. But what does Dynamics 365 have that NetSuite doesn’t?
NetSuite vs. Dynamics
Dynamics 365’s main strength over NetSuite is its ease in integrating with a wide variety of other Microsoft programs. First-party offerings mean better support for your integrations and ease of connectivity. Microsoft also boasts an array of solutions for implementing machine learning and other forms of AI, making your CRM and anything connected to it smarter.
Dynamics also offers wider language support compared to NetSuite. This is ideal for businesses with offices in multiple countries or that have diverse customer bases.
Windows support comes with Dynamics 365, and they offer on-premises or private cloud hosting for your CRM.
And finally, Dynamics 365 has a monthly payment option. NetSuite’s pricing is available by quote only.
All of these features make Dynamics 365 an ideal choice over NetSuite for businesses that require more flexibility and room to grow. As an example, a business looking to go global would benefit from Dynamics’ flexibility and automation potential.
Planning The Switch
Are you convinced to make a move from NetSuite to Dynamics 365? You’ll find the process is a little more involved than installing new software and hoping it sticks.
Your discovery process should involve all the pain points of your current system and how to improve upon them. Also, consider what’s working for you in NetSuite and how you can recreate that in Dynamics. Here’s a guide to making your move smooth and seamless.
Involve Top And Bottom
This means you’ll want to get your business’ executives and end-users on board with the change. Those at the top will grease the wheels and put the software switch in motion. But it’s the end-users at the bottom who will be in the best position to guide you in planning how this system switch will work. Pay attention to concerns they have with NetSuite’s functionality and how Dynamics 365 can improve upon them.
First, decide how you want to host the final CRM. Dynamics 365 supports online, on-premises, and private cloud options. If your staff works from home often or is otherwise out of the office, online support will be essential. However, an on-premises CRM can be an attractive choice security-wise. Hosting on a private cloud can be the best of both worlds. The choice depends on how you do business. We recommend Dynamics 365 online.
Your end-users can give guidance on which integrations to use with Dynamics 365 for added functionality. Ask what changes they’d like to see in the new system, and we can help you find ways to implement them.
But you’ll also want to ask yourself whether you want to include new integrations now or add them later on. On the one hand, changing your workplace CRM is already a great disruption for your employees. Adding the integrations all at once can ease the transition by shortening training time and avoiding the need for your team to un-learn habits they just picked up. On the other hand, you may wish to speed up the initial migration and decide on new functionalities as your team learns to use the new software.
Timeline For Change
Carve out a reasonable time frame for the change to happen. You don’t want to rush the migration and deal with mistakes or unforeseen problems later. For a smooth transition, count on data migration to happen over the course of days or weeks, depending on the size of your business. Don’t try to get this done on a workday or even a single weekend. Our consultants can help you nail down a concrete timeline.
Clean Up Your Data
If you’re moving to a new home, you’ll probably set up a garage sale to clean up unwanted furniture and knick-knacks. A similar concept applies here with data cleansing. You’ll want to make sure your data is accurate and updated before moving it over to Dynamics 365. This makes for an easier transition and reduces errors once the import is underway.
Also, be sure to clean up old and stale reports before migrating. Take special care with custom reports, which may require a separate mapping procedure or need to be recreated on the Dynamics side. One of our consultants can help with any questions about your data or report cleansing strategy.
Map Your Data
Another important factor in ensuring a smooth transition is making sure your data goes to the correct place once it moves to Microsoft Dynamics. Mapping your data will be somewhat different depending on how you used NetSuite and how you plan to use Dynamics. Make sure to account for old and new integrations, custom data fields, and any attachments.
Making The Switch
You’ve done all the preparation and planning that you can. Now it’s time to start the official migration.
Back-Up All Data
This step is self-explanatory but vital enough to warrant a mention. Be sure to back up all your client data before exporting.
Export And Import
Unfortunately, NetSuite doesn’t make it easy to export all your data at once. If you’re having trouble running an export directly from NetSuite, it may be easier to run saved searches of all your records and export from there.
You’ll need a .xls or .csv for the final import.
New Integrations
You’ve now moved all of your data to the Dynamics system and are ready to go. Congratulations! Now it’s time to set up your integrations if you opted to add them.
Since Microsoft powers Dynamics 365, connecting to its many other software offerings is a breeze. Here are a few options for you:
Office 365: We’re all familiar with Office and its components. Connect these for handling attachments and making new ones.
SharePoint: For facilitating collaboration among your team. Useful for handling individual clients is a team effort, or someone needs to send client information across departments.
Portal: Create an employee portal to keep your CRM and other useful apps all in one place.
AI Builder: More of a ‘behind the scenes’ type of app that has useful AI capabilities to help automate your record-keeping, lead scoring, and more.
Azure Communications Services: Want to send a call or text to a client? Connect this app, and you can do so straight from Dynamics. Or set up a live chat service and have transcripts attached to your client files automatically.
Custom integrations are possible if none of the other offerings is a fit for your business.
Living With The Switch
The migration’s finished, it’s working properly, and you can take a breath. But before you go live, it’s time to make sure your team can handle the new system.
Training Sessions For Your Team
There are going to be differences between NetSuite and Dynamics 365 for your team to get used to. They’ll have NetSuite habits to unlearn and Dynamics habits to learn. Maybe you added some new functionality with the Dynamics migration that needs its own training course. Our consultants can help you with this.
We are Dynamics 365 experts with hundreds of successful projects under our belts. Testing and training sessions at every level – end-user, superuser, and admin – make sure that Dynamics is not only working properly for you, but your team can use it effectively.
Contact Dynamic Consultants Group
We can help set up a complete plan for migrating from NetSuite to Microsoft Dynamics 365. We go from initial planning and design to implementation and training to support after the migration goes live.
Modern technology is always changing. You need a consulting team to help you navigate the field, adapt, and ensure you come out ahead of your competition.
Dynamic Consultants Group is a consulting firm partnered with Microsoft for CRM and marketing automation. Schedule a meeting or fill out our contact form to see what we can do for your business.
