For the past few years, I’ve been teaching the Microsoft Dynamics Sure Step curriculum. My classes have been the fullest they’ve ever been in recent months due to the changes in the partner program. It’s great to hear about the various experiences of Dynamics partners (AX, CRM, GP, NAV, SL). Contrary to what many people think, it’s not just the “big” partners who have benefited from using Sure Step in their businesses. I’ve heard just as many success stories from small to medium-sized partners with one or two locations.

However, not all of the stories are positive, therefore I want to take this opportunity to clarify some common misunderstandings and myths about Microsoft Dynamics Sure Step.

“It’s all about the documentation”

I observe students in class constantly navigating to the documents tab in Sure Step to find information. The reference tab, on the other hand, is where Sure Step really shines since it provides insightful advice on project management concepts and activities. The tools, templates, and links pane at the top of Sure Step contains direct links to the templates and other resources.

“It only applies to large implementations”

I believe that this misunderstanding also stems from the misconception that documentation is the only aspect of Sure Step that matters. It also has to do with process. The scale of the project should determine whether tasks are carried out formally, informally, or not at all. Use Sure Step’s upper right corner’s project type filter to narrow the list of project tasks. For instance, choose Rapid to filter for the most basic set of activities, or Standard to increase complexity. And once more, it’s not necessary to finish every template. Concentrate on the procedure, and utilize the documentation that best supports your project’s objectives and strategy.

“I don’t know where to begin”

That’s a fair point. However, I have a few ideas. Select Information Flow- Key Documents from Sure Step’s Additional Resources section first. These papers and activities (indeed, the flow image has hyperlinks to the pertinent Sure Step activities and instructions) are a wonderful place to start because they symbolize the “backbone” of the Sure Step approach. I advise pupils to study this flow and consider the reasons why their businesses have failed. Choose a failure (or, if failure is too harsh of a term, something you could improve upon), and begin with that activity, advice, or document. You don’t have to implement ALL of Sure Step at once. Choose your battles and the ones that will be the simplest victories for your company. Are you constantly running into situations where modifications don’t quite match what the customer had in mind? Examine the design documents that were emphasized throughout the design process. During the diagnostic phase, were the criteria insufficiently clear to allow for the development of a reliable high-level budget for the project? To help with requirements gathering and scoping during pre-sales, look into the available decision accelerators.

“My customers won’t pay for this”

I sincerely get this viewpoint, and there are difficulties. But I believe that as advisors, project managers, and businesses, we must acknowledge that clients are not only purchasing software (which often has a fairly set price from partner to partner), but they are also purchasing our strategy. If you can prove that your strategy will lower their risk and cost while enhancing their levels of happiness with the implementation process and, ultimately, the software, I believe the case becomes simpler. The opposite side of this is that, in general, having a dependable procedure also boosts internal morale. Once more, I’m not arguing that it’s always simple, but it can be when you have a repeatable procedure that is consistently effective, and you can show this to your clients and potential clients.

If you’re planning to attend the GP Partner Connections conference in Orlando in October, be sure to check out the Sure Step 101 workshops and roundtable for even more general Sure Step information and adoption advice.