The Msdw Podcast

The Microsoft technology community in the Philippines has grown and evolved over the years along with the products and business opportunities in the space. Now, a group of community leaders have organized a new conference in Manila with a focus on Power Platform and Dynamics 365 training and learning for professionals and students alike. TechBayanihan 2024 takes place on August 2 and 3 and promises a full schedule of sessions and activities, from Microsoft product updates to customer panels to plenty of networking opportunities.   Our guests on this episode, Microsoft MVPs Kris Ruyeras, Doher Drizzle Pablo, Ahmed Salih, and Cecile Dinh, are all part of the globe-spanning organizing committee for the event. They explain how they came together along with the rest of the team to conceive of and plan the event. They discuss the event's priorities, the organizing process, and interesting characteristics of the Microsoft tech community in the Philippines.   And listeners can help sponsor the attendance of more

This episode is sponsored by PayTrace.   Bringing embedded payments capabilities to a Dynamics ERP system can offer a range of benefits, but it is not always a simple transition. On this episode, our guests, Mary Miller and Sam Johnson of PayTrace, discuss what it means to accept payments within the context of ERP-driven business processes and how organizations are reaping the benefits.   Payment requirements in B2B scenarios are unique compared to the B2C world, and our guests discuss some of the goals that PayTrace clients seek when they invest in embedded payments. Mary and Sam tell us about the experiences of their customers that have expanded payments capabilities and insights into areas like AR, cash management, and analytics. And we discuss how conversations in the Dynamics channel between partners and customers are changing based on payments-related requirements. In short, partners need trustworthy tools that they can rely on to deliver supported solutions that meet client needs.   A message fr

Derik Bormann is president and director of learning at Myrium Technology Solutions, a founding principal and instructor at 365.training, and a Microsoft MVP.   Over the last few years, Derik has been doing a lot of work training and onboarding hundreds of new Microsoft technical specialists who needed the PL-100 and PL-200 skills as well as D365 Customer Service, Field Service, Sales, and Customer Insights. He explained why that particular training had to be tailored to the needs of Microsoft employees as opposed to other styles like classroom training.   But while he has been training others to get their certs some of Derik's own certifications have lapsed. He tells us about his work to prepare to re-certify on PL-200 and PL-600. PL-200 is one of the hardest certifications to get, Julie and Derik say, due to its broad range of knowledge across Power Apps, Power BI, and other services.   We also discuss some of the other Power Platform certifications that people can choose from, how Derik recommends peo

After a few years of relatively little change to certifications in the Business Applications space, Microsoft MVP Joe Griffin says he is encouraged by forward movement from Microsoft in new certs and new approaches.   In this episode, recorded live at DynamicsMinds 2024, Joe tells us about why he likes the Applied Skills approach through Microsoft Learn. He and Julie also share their experiences with the new incremental assessment capabilities of some certs and their opinion of the new D365 Customer Experience Analyst Associate cert that serves as something of a baseline for other more specialized areas.   Joe also offers a few predictions on the importance of Copilot Studio and role-based copilots and he discusses getting a broader and more diverse group of people involved with Power Platform.   Links & Resources:  Joe's Blog: https://crmchap.co.uk Joe on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joejgriffin/ Joe on X/Twitter:  https://x.com/joejgriffin See all Biz Apps Classrooms episodes here

The Biz Apps Classroom travelled to Slovenia last week for DynamicsMinds 2024, the Dynamics and Power Platform community conference in its second year, and we caught up with Microsoft channel expert Joe Corigliano to talk partner training and skills. Joe wears several hats in the Microsoft channel community, helping build connections, plan events like the partner track at DynamicsMinds, and working with firms on their Microsoft strategy via his role at Ciellos.   Joe talks with Julie and Jason about his work, his experiences at DynamicsMinds 2024, and his plans for future events and projects. He explained that partners face a range of challenges today in their Microsoft businesses, from administrative hurdles like optimizing the use of Partner Center to achieving the solution designations needed for maximum channel benefits. Certifications play an important role in those Microsoft designations, along with sales, utilization, and other metrics.   We also discuss other ways that partner firms are findings s

Julie and Jason took the Biz Apps Classroom to Denver to talk training and learning at DynamicsCon Live 2024. Our guest on this live, in-person episode is Nick Doelman, a Microsoft MVP and former Microsoft employee. AI was all over the conference, and we start by taking on the question of Microsoft Copilot's role in developing Microsoft technology training. Nick shares his perspective on the strengths and weaknesses of today's tools for creating learning plans, classroom training, and self-learning activities. His experiences point to Copilot as a tool, not a solution, and he explains why he still has trust issues with the technology. Nick also shares a recent experience of asking Copilot to develop a syllabus for a client. He had to balance the potential time saved, the skills a Microsoft consultant needs to properly review such AI output, and the risks of some people leaning too heavily on these tools.  Resources:  Power Platform Boost Podcast: https://powerplatformboost.buzzsprout.com/  MSDW's DynamicsCon

This episode is sponsored by Evenica.   Public sector organizations use Microsoft Business Applications for a broad range of solution needs, and the latest advances in Dynamics 365 Commerce have empowered municipalities and other government entities to transact and interact online in a compelling new ways.   In a recent panel discussion, Kelly Mazur of Microsoft partner Evenica led a discussion about what’s possible for municipalities today when they leverage the full capabilities of Dynamics 365 and Power Platform, including commerce.   Topics include: Evenica's outlook on Commerce in public sector How well Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations apps (including Commerce) fit in public sector organizations Unique commerce-related challenges of public sector and local governments Commerce in portals scenarios Easing the pain of RFPs   A message from Evenica: Over the past 20 years Evenica has defined Commerce as a category and become one of the leading implementers of Dynamics 365 Commerce. They w

Microsoft MVP and MCT EY Kalman joins us in the Biz Apps Classroom to discuss Microsoft's Applied Skills and Applied Labs, his view on the employment landscape, and some tips on making yourself a more attractive candidate.   Topics of the discussion include: Microsoft certifications and their value for landing a new job. Other ways EY's team evaluates candidates based on technology, roles, and other considerations. Why EY believes the PL-200 is a good starter exam for candidates, even if they are new to Microsoft Business Applications.  Whether college matters when hiring for Business Applications consulting roles. How to interpret the completion of Applied Skills by a candidate. Why Applied Skills can be a headache for more experienced Microsoft professionals EY's recent experiences finding skilled candidates to fill his firm's open roles Tips for building your skill set without an employer   Resources: https://thecrm.ninja See all Biz Apps Classrooms episodes here. Support the podcast a

With DynamicsCon Live fast approaching, we check in with Dynamics User Group's Ryan Harris for a quick update on the event, which runs from May 13 to 16.  Ryan tells us about the planning and offers some suggestions on how to attendees can take advantage of the event's layout and features to get the most out of the week. He also previews some of the schedule highlights like the TechFluent Gala on Tuesday, May 14. And listen closely to this short episode because at the end we explain how to enter to win one of MSDW's two free passes to DynamicsCon Live. 

Microsoft introduced three tiers of new partner benefits packages in January 2024 that were designed for partners to purchase to help meet different types of channel needs. Our guest on this episode, Microsoft MVP AJ Ansari of DSWi, has been looking closely at these benefit levels and joins us to share some of his observations about the elements of each offer, the value of different options, and how different kinds of organizations might be able to use them to their advantage. We also discuss what these offers say about Microsoft's channel engagement priorities today and how they differ from other programs and incentives.   Events and resources mentioned: Comparing partner offerings Directions North America DynamicsCon Live DynamicsMinds Days of Knowledge Central BCTechDays

Microsoft MVP Malin Martnes has spent considerable time exploring the Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Insights (Data) Specialist certification and its exam, MB-260, and she has discovered that the required subject matter is vast. In this episode, Malin tells us about her experience working with clients on the D365 Customer Insights Data application, her efforts to cover the topics of MB-260 on her blog, as well as more general Microsoft certification exam recommendations.   Show Notes 7:45 - Malin's view of with the MB-260 exam and certification: how it compares to others and whom it is for 10:30 - Who is well prepared to take it? 13:00 - How to organize your efforts toward preparing for the exam 16:00 - Why correct answers on Microsoft exams don't always seem logical 17:45 - Good entry points for this certification 23:00 - The challenge of getting customers motivated to use Customer Insights 27:30 - Malin's blogging plans for the year   Resources: Malin's blog - https://malindonosomartnes.com

This episode is sponsored by Leapwork.   Microsoft has recently adjusted the update schedule and policies for Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations apps, with the One Version strategy now driving the delivery for four service updates per year to customers, with limited pauses allowed. Given the regular cadence,  the short testing windows, and the need to accept multiple updates per year, customers must reckon with the realities of testing efficiencies.   As our guest, Sune Engsig, Field CTO at Leapwork, explains, manual testing against regressions for an application like D365 Finance or Supply Chain Management can take a heavy toll on an organization, adding time and cost while preventing an organization from investing in rolling out new improvements and new solutions.   Sune tells us about his experiences working with Leapwork clients, how both partners and customers engage with the company on deploying automated testing for Dynamics 365, and how Leapwork thinks about the ideal ways to share responsibili

TechFluent Academy is gearing up for a new class of students and the nonprofit expects a major increase in applications (the deadline is May 15) and participation. To learn more, the organization's founder and executive director, Liz McGlennen, spoke with Julie and Jason about their current enrollment, eliminating barriers to entry, and what it takes to prepare a student for a career in the enterprise software space.   Liz tells us about the origins of TechFluent, market demand for new hires with biz apps skills, the importance of mentorship and peer support, expanding to more Dynamics 365 solutions, and encouraging students embrace continuous learning.   Resources:   TechFluent - https://www.techfluentacademy.org/ See all Biz Apps Classrooms episodes here. Support the podcast and get a discount on an annual plan for 365.training by visiting  https://365l.ink/MSDW. Keep up with community content at  https://mydigest.365.training/

This episode is sponsored by Paymerang.   The world of invoice and payments automation continues to evolve, and our guests on this episode, Tiffany Allen and Brian Cook of Paymerang, join us to discuss their team's vision for serving the needs of organizations running Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central.   Paymerang's recent acquisition of KwikTag has created new opportunities for the company to advance their product roadmap, our guests explain. And with the buzz around AI and the company's focus on automation software, Brian and Tiffany also share their outlook on continuing to innovate in a competitive space.   We also discuss their perspective on industry specialization, share an update on fraud protection, and explain how Paymerang has gained a competitive advantage in the payments space.   Visit paymerang.com for more details, and check out our Paymerang overview for Dynamics: https://www.paymerang.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/SimplyAP-and-Payment-Automation-from-Paymerang-Overview-2024.pdf

How do you decide what's next in your learning journey in the Microsoft Business Applications space? The answer can depend on factors like your career plans, your employer's priorities, or your interests and skills.   Co-host Julie Yack has fielded this question many times and she shares some of the questions and concerns that she often hears from learners. We discuss some of the different options people have, from Microsoft's own training materials to conferences to working with trainers, and how to choose the right path forward. And we discuss some of the most interesting opportunities for people in the Dynamics and Power Platform ecosystem who are looking for a change.   Resources: See all Biz Apps Classrooms episodes here. Support the podcast and get a discount on an annual plan for 365.training by visiting https://365l.ink/MSDW. Keep up with community content at https://mydigest.365.training/

This episode is sponsored by Resco.   How does your organization handle mobility requirements on Microsoft Power Platform projects? Ivan Stano, SVP at Resco, joins us to help break down the realities of Power Platform mobility across a variety of use cases. We discuss the latest innovations to extend your Power Platform projects and grow your Microsoft business. Ivan also offers a peek into Resco's vision for Power Platform mobility and the simple steps to get involved.   Learn More: Join us in Vienna for Resco Next 2024 Visit https://www.resco.net/power-platform/, or contact ivan@resco.net to learn more about Power Platform & Dataverse with Resco

The Biz Apps Classroom welcomes its first guest on this episode, Microsoft MVP and partner executive Vlad Sarov joins us to talk about the work he, podcast co-host Julie Yack, and others have been doing on a project to bring Microsoft Business Applications skills to adults in Ukraine through an ongoing series of training cohorts. The program follows Microsoft's prescribed Business Application professional skilling collection, but the team have taken the extra effort to translate the learning materials, adapt the guidance to allow for online interaction, and develop automated translation capabilities to allow trainers who don't speak Ukrainian to still help educate the students.   Vlad and Julie share the program's history, the team effort that was required to launch it and keep it running, the outcomes for graduates, and how they hope to expand the training to more cohorts in Ukraine and perhaps in other parts of the world.   Show Notes: 1:30 - Vlad's impressions of last year's MVP Summit 3:45 - Hatch

This episode is sponsored by Vertex.   Tax engines have a unique role to play in the performance of mid-market businesses. Our guest on this episode, Pete Olanday, Director of Consulting, Vertical Solutions: Retail, Leasing, Telecommunications, at Vertex discusses how implementing a tax engine can help mid-market companies streamline processes, enhance scalability, and ensure compliance in the face of evolving regulations.   Pete discusses some of the biggest challenges that mid-market firms face related to sales tax and how those tie into other strategic initiatives like process automation, business expansion, and managing operational costs. Pete also offers context for how he sees Vertex clients aligning tax automation with their other ERP initiatives. He offers guidance for tax executives and IT decision-makers on what to expect from an investment in a tax engine and make suggestions about how to avoid common pitfalls that companies experience when trying to scale their tax solutions.   From Vertex

On this episode, we are talking role-based training: where it works well, what roles tend to benefit, and how the concept has evolved in the Microsoft Dynamics and Power Platform ecosystem.          Role-based training in the Biz Apps space coincides with changes in Microsoft certifications, and that that has helped shift the focus of learners away from memorizing facts about software and toward developing skills, says our co-host, Julie Yack. And while Microsoft have their own overall approach to role-based training and certification, it is not the only reference out there. Julie shares some of her experiences training people in a range of roles and settings.          Show Notes: 1:00 - How Julie thinks about roles from the perspective of a trainer 2:30 - How to think about the trend toward role-based training in the broader context of jobs, hiring, and certification paths 3:30 - The context and history behind role-based certifications from Microsoft - transition to a focus on outcomes 5:00 - How the emerge

Microsoft just released their plans for 2024 Release Wave 1 of Dynamics 365 and Power Platform, and the Finance and Operations suite will be adding a range of process and data-themed capabilities. Generative AI is part of that roadmap too, of course, but our guest on this episode, Microsoft VP Georg Glantschnig, shares that his broader focus is on improving automation, solution composability, and data-centric capabilities.   Georg discusses some of the highlights of the current release wave and, while this is not an "all AI" conversation, he explains that Copilot will continue to be a priority for the Dynamics 365 team in the future. His team's approach of bringing customers and partners into preview and GA cycles should help Microsoft launch new AI-based capabilities that users want, he believes. And he shares his outlook on how Copilot could become more advanced over time, from today's productivity tools toward a future where autonomous systems handle end-to-end processes, asking users for help only in e