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By Steve Endow

Change Is Hard

It’s a cliché, I’m aware. That doesn’t make it any less accurate.

Let’s pause for a moment and acknowledge the difficulty of change.

Change can be unsettling, frightening, and stressful. It can be expensive, challenging, and exhausting. It can be inherently disruptive.

Often, it feels easier to disregard, postpone, or deny change. However, change is not always avoidable. Sometimes you have time to prepare, and sometimes it catches you off guard.

Consultants frequently observe the effects of change in the ERP world when clients implement new systems.

“My previous system could do X, why can’t this one?”

“I’m too busy to learn a new system. I have too much work!”

“I preferred the old system.”

Turnabout is Fair Play

However, every now and then, those consultants experience change firsthand.

Microsoft has undergone significant changes since acquiring Great Plains Software. Great Plains was rebranded as Dynamics GP, and Microsoft’s GP team dedicated considerable effort to improving the product by adding features and functionality.

However, in recent years, Microsoft has made substantial investments in its cloud computing strategy, focusing on Azure and Software as a Service (SaaS) offerings. As part of this strategy, Microsoft has also invested significantly in Azure-hosted ERP software as a service.

Dynamics AX has evolved into Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations, and Dynamics NAV has finally transitioned to Dynamics 365 Business Central. Notably absent from Microsoft’s Azure ERP SaaS offerings is Dynamics GP. It appears that it is our turn to embrace change.

Ahh, Memories

I’ve been working with Dynamics GP since 2004. Fourteen years with a product allows you to develop an intuition for it. It’s comfortable. It’s recognizable. It’s dependable. You have access to the resources and tools you need. You understand how to troubleshoot issues, assist users, and earn a living.

However, it’s 2018, and change is inevitable.

And change is difficult. (Have I already stated that?)

Despite my extensive Dynamics GP knowledge, learning Dynamics 365 Business Central feels like starting over. Yes, it’s simply another flavor of ERP software, but there are so many changes: licensing, login, user interface, terminology, architecture, data model, reporting, security, customization, and development tools. Everything is new and unfamiliar.

Even after 14 years with Dynamics GP, I’m always discovering something new. So now I wonder: how long will it take me to achieve basic competency with Dynamics 365 Business Central? And then how long until I am proficient? And how long until I am an “expert”?

Months? A year? Many years? A decade?

How many hours must be devoted to reach those milestones? Certainly hundreds for basic competency. A thousand or more for proficiency? Thousands more to even approach expert level?

But I can’t just abandon everything to focus solely on Dynamics 365 Business Central. I still need to work, generate income, and support my Dynamics GP clients.

And then there’s my Microsoft MVP status, which necessitates continuous learning, blogging, conference presentations, and community engagement. Even the MVP program has recently undergone a significant transformation, with a significant decrease in renewals for 2018 for reasons unknown outside of Microsoft. That’s yet another significant change I’m dealing with.

So now what?

So, now that we’ve acknowledged that change is difficult, what do we do?

Do we grab a huge slice of chocolate cake and binge-watch Netflix in denial? (Actually, that sounds quite tempting and delicious, even without the denial.)

Do we complain about how “unfair” it is?

Do we have panic attacks about how we’re going to reinvent ourselves, our careers, and our income? (Is this avoidable? Anyone? I’m open to ideas.)

These are probably not the best approaches (except for the chocolate cake; I’m confident that’s a winning strategy).

The world is moving forward, and it will not wait for me.

Moving Forward

Once you’ve finished the chocolate cake, which has prepared you for the journey ahead, it’s time to move forward.

Consider what you need to do to progress. Take steps to get started.

Establish a Dynamics 365 reseller account through an MSP. Enroll in a training program.

Examine the numerous online courses available on the Microsoft Dynamics Learning Portal.

Purchase a physical book and get out your highlighters.

Sign up for a new event.

Locate a new user group. Browse new forums. On Twitter, follow new people. Subscribe to additional newsletters.

Begin making commitments that will propel you forward. Rather than burdens, see opportunities. Instead of resisting change, embrace a new path.

Invest in your future.

Learn

As an ERP consultant, you undoubtedly already possess strong learning abilities. Learning is an ongoing process, and there is always something new to discover. It is a necessary skill for any successful consultant.

Begin by learning something new, even if it’s just a little at a time. Rather than investigating that unusual Dynamics GP quirk, consider Dynamics 365 Business Central.

While researching a Dynamics GP ISV solution, look into comparable ISV solutions for Business Central.

It will be a gradual process at first, and even if it appears to be an overwhelming amount of information to absorb, simply begin the learning process. Start from the beginning.

Set aside an hour per day to work on an online course. Better yet, set aside Fridays for learning. It will not be simple, but with effort, it can become a habit.

Schedule some alone time. Pick up a book and begin reading.

Be Curious

Learning does not have to be tedious. It does not have to be unpleasant. It does not have to be difficult.

Learning has the potential to be enjoyable. You know how satisfying it is to solve a complex Dynamics GP issue or have a significant insight? Apply the same attitude to your new endeavor.

Pose a few straightforward questions and attempt to find solutions.

Investigate how to carry out a routine Dynamics GP process in Dynamics 365.

Recognize the distinctions. Consider the advantages and disadvantages. Recognize the advantages and disadvantages. Strengths and flaws.

Draw on your years of experience implementing ERP systems for mid-market clients to discover new value to provide. Anticipate the issues and difficulties that your new customers will face. Consider whether and how your Dynamics GP clients could transition to this new environment in the future.

Many will argue that this is impossible — that Dynamics GP clients with numerous ISV solutions simply cannot migrate to the cloud. Take this on as a challenge.

Prepare a Reserve

What if becoming proficient requires 12 months of part-time study? What if it takes three years to become an “expert”? What if you need to spend extra money on classes and conferences?

What if you have to devote one day per week to learning rather than generating revenue?

What if your software sales decrease during that time period? What happens if your consulting revenue drops dramatically?

How long will it take to attract new clients? How long will it take to establish a new practice while continuing to support existing GP clients?

That process will most likely be stressful enough, so having financial reserves on hand to weather it is a good idea. Expect it. Make a plan for it. Don’t be caught off guard.

New Frontiers

It’s a new era for Dynamics GP partners and consultants. Several years ago, some partners began transitioning to work with other non-Microsoft products. Other partners have spent the last few years developing Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations practices. And some partners who invested in Dynamics 365 Business Edition are now adapting to the new Business Central offering. Many people will be late to make the switch. We will all be learning and adapting.

Aside from product knowledge and competence, the revenue model has shifted. The transition from perpetual license sales and high margins to subscription licensing and lower partner margins will not be compensated for by all the training and learning in the world. The consistent flow of annual enhancements has been replaced with a smaller revenue stream from client subscriptions.

Will this shift the emphasis to consulting hours and service revenue? Will this new revenue model put pressure on partners and necessitate consolidation?

Will the accessibility of Dynamics 365 commoditize both mid-market ERP software and ERP partners and consultants? Alternatively, will customers who attempt to purchase Dynamics 365 directly from an MSP face difficulties, recognizing the value that knowledgeable consultants provide?

Will the walled garden of SaaS ERP, with its limited access to back-end data and processes, frustrate former on-premises clients? Will this, in turn, create new opportunities for products, services, and inventive workarounds to meet customer demands? (Hint: Yes.)

I Don’t Know

How will I do? Where will I be in a year? Three years? Five years?

How will Dynamics 365 Business Central be received in the mid-market?

Will Dynamics GP users switch to Business Central? Will they look for other options? How will Business Central compete in the US mid-market, particularly against other options? Will competitive pricing be enough to persuade customers to switch?

I’m not sure.

However, Microsoft appears to be investing in Dynamics 365. They appear to have a semi-coherent, though incomplete, strategy for Dynamics 365 Business Central.

Microsoft is moving forward regardless. Each and every day.

I’m willing to go along with them for the time being.

And I’ll definitely bring the chocolate cake.

Steve Endow is a Microsoft MVP in Los Angeles. He is the owner of Precipio Services, which provides Dynamics GP integrations, customizations, and automation solutions.

You can also find him on Google+ and Twitter._

http://www.precipioservices.com