5 Barriers to Success During Magento-Dynamics GP Integration

Magento CRM is a valuable, all-in-one customer relationship tool, but that doesn’t mean thatMagento CRM integrationis a trivial process. Though Magento CRM may be fast to deploy, it needs to be customized to your company’s unique requirements. Below, we share a few of the traditional barriers to success during aMagento CRM integration.

5 Barriers to Success During Magento CRM Integration You Need to Know

1. Not Creating a Proper Data Transition Plan

When transitioning your data to Magento CRM, you will often need a multi-phase deployment — initially transferring over your static information and later transferring your live data when your organization is outside of business hours. Data additionally needs to be verified to ensure that the transfer was done correctly.

2. Attempting Unsupported Third-Party Integration

Not all third-party solutions are able to be integrated with Magento CRM. In particular, legacy solutions or proprietary solutions may not be able to be integrated with Magento without some work. While a professional service may be able to create an integration between these systems, it will have to be developed specifically for your organization.

3. Committing to Training Too Late

Not all issues with Magento CRM are purely technical ones. A customer relationship management solution will need to be worked with closely by your employees. Training and familiarization needs to begin early on in the transition process if your employees are going to be able to adjust easily. Once the integration has been completed, your employees will need to have access to support as they continue to learn.

4. Failing to Transfer the Proper Permissions

When initializing a CRM solution, the proper permissions need to be given for each employee and administrator. Security permissions have to be given only on the level that each employee or administrator truly needs; otherwise you could create a security issue or make it difficult for employees to complete their work.

5. Not Leveraging Advanced Magento CRM Features

Magento CRM offers many advanced features in terms of analysis, accessibility, and integration. Organizations that transition to Magento CRM without guidance may only seek to duplicate the features that their previous CRM provided. By digging deep into dynamic GP Ecommerce and learning more about it, you can gain access to all of the power that the platform provides.

As with any radical adjustment to your organization’s infrastructure, it’s always best to involve a professional. A partner skilled and experienced inMagento CRM integrationwill make it easier for your business to transition to Magento CRM without any of the potential pitfalls listed above. To talk with an expert partner, contact us today.

Microsoft Great Plains Consulting: 3 Things to Ask Your Specialist

The easiest and most effective way to implement Microsoft Great Plains is to work with an experienced specialist. But how do you determine whether a Great Plains consulting specialist is the right one for you? Here are three of the most critical questions you should ask your future partner.

1. Do You Have Experience Building Solutions for My Industry?

Tailored solutions are far more effective than general, multi-purpose ones. One of the incredible advantages to Microsoft Great Plains is that it can be easily modified and customized depending on a company’s size, industry, and unique needs. When working with a specialist, you want them to know the ins and outs of your industry. You want them to know exactly what your company is going to need in terms of modules and features — and you want them to be able to implement them both thoroughly and quickly. Accounting firms are going to have entirely separate needs from construction companies. These needs have to be considered from the very beginning of the development process to the end, including maintenance solutions.

2. Do You Help With an On-Premise, Cloud, Hybrid Solution, Or All of Them?

Depending on your enterprise, you may want to go with an on-premise, cloud, or hybrid solution. The more experienced a specialist is, the more likely they will be to advise you on the appropriate infrastructure for your business. An experienced specialist will have the versatility to design a system that is right for your business rather than a system that they simply have personal knowledge of. On-premise, cloud, and hybrid solutions have very significant differences, and a specialist in one area may not necessarily be able to transition to another. In particular, security systems are often very different between on-premise, cloud, and hybrid solutions. On-premise solutions can be secured through physical hardware and comprehensive security protocols, while cloud-based solutions need to be secured through a software level.

3. Can You Ensure That My Solution Incorporates the Latest GP Updates?

Microsoft Great Plains is updated and improved very frequently. You need a specialist who will be able to provide continued support and who will be able to setup a system that doesn’t have to be regularly updated and monitored by your own staff members. A failure to frequently update Microsoft GP could lead to system vulnerabilities, inefficiencies, and other very serious issues. Otherwise, you may find that your company will need to invest its own personal IT time in maintenance and repair. By updating a system frequently, your specialist will also be able to continue tailoring the platform to your needs — especially as your business grows and changes.

You don’t just want a consultant with years of experience — you want one who is experienced with the challenges that your company faces. The more knowledgeable a consultant is, the better solutions they will be able to provide. If you’re looking for a Great Plains consulting specialist, contact IES for today for an expert consultation.

About IES — IES is a leading Microsoft software reseller, development, implementation, and business process consulting firm dedicated exclusively to Microsoft Dynamics partner, products, and supported services. Our expertise extends across Microsoft Dynamics CRM, MS Dynamics GP, Dynamics NAV, and beyond. We are based in the Miami and Tampa areas of Florida, but serve clients across the nation.

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Originally published at blog.iesgp.com.

4 Reasons to Add Dynamics CRM to Office 365

If your business is running Office 365 and you’re looking for a CRM solution, you may want to consider the addition of Dynamics CRM. Dynamics CRM can improve productivity, sales, and even customer service. Here are four of the best reasons to add Dynamics CRM to Office 365.

1. Improved Collaboration and Communication

Microsoft Dynamics CRM integrates directly with many of Office 365’s products, making it easier for employees to communicate and collaborate. Employees can easily message each other, video chat, and use digital whiteboards to express more complicated topics. The easier it is for employees to collaborate, the faster they will be able to complete their work. With other systems, employees may have to quickly switch through platforms and check multiple locations to get information. This can significantly hinder communication, as contact can be missed entirely.

2. A Single Authentication System

Rather than having to track multiple systems, employees will be able to connect to Office 365 and Dynamics CRM through a single authentication system. This has a few major benefits. Employees won’t have to memorize multiple passwords — and this means fewer trouble tickets with the help desk and better productivity. Even more importantly, there’s only a single system to secure. When you add Dynamics CRM to Office 365, your IT personnel will only have to track user accounts and activity through a single platform. With a different Dynamics CRM solution, it is more difficult to maintain security and provide support.

3. Secured, Mobile Accessibility

The more accessible a system is, the better productivity will be. Dynamics CRM and Office 365 can both be connected to though the Internet and through mobile devices, making it easier for employees to work while on the go. This is especially important for companies that have multiple geographic locations or employees who have to work from home. In addition to offering accessibility, Dynamics CRM is also a highly secured system. In an age when security is becoming difficult for all enterprises to maintain, built-in higher security levels are even more important.

4. Better Document Management and Sharing

Dynamics CRM and Office 365 will create a consolidated area that employees can use for document management and sharing. Employees will be able to work together on documents at the same time without potentially losing data. They will also be able to work closely and share this data regardless of where they are and what they’re working on. By creating a consolidated area for sharing, security is maintained and productivity is improved. Documents can also be directed to all integrated applications, such as Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, and more. Documents will also be safely backed up so that they can be restored as necessary, thereby adding another layer of data security and persistence.

Dynamics CRM is perfectly crafted to work well with Office 365 in a way that many other CRM platforms simply can’t compete with. Are you interested in integrating Dynamics CRM into Office 365? IES can give you the information you need to get started now. Contact IES today to learn more.

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Originally published at blog.iesgp.com.