On the 24-26 April, over 1,300 people attended the annual Dynamics Communities user summit in Dublin, Ireland.

This was the first time the Microsoft Dynamics AX, D365, and CRM user community came together to network and partake in over 260 keynotes and sessions. Data Masons was a silver sponsor at the event with a stand and presented 2 sessions. (You can watch on-demand versions of the sessions here.)

The keynote sessions emphasized how Microsoft Dynamics ERP and CRM software accelerates digital transformation.  Several customer examples were provided, and the recent spring release of D365 is full of new features and functionality to enrich the transformation journey.  Microsoft announced that major software releases will occur in the spring of every year, followed by a minor release in the summer. A very popular demo was Power Apps, which allows companies to develop custom apps for mobile devices without any software development.

We really appreciate the ‘no software development’ statement because it’s what we do for EDI. This message seemed to resonate very well with nearly over 100 visitors to our sessions and sponsor stand at the event.

In our conversations, we learned about companies putting a lot of time and energy into planning, and execution of the AX to D365 migration. These companies are also aware that they need to rebuild the EDI interfaces because the solution used with AX will not work with D365. This is because Microsoft changed the interface to get data in and out of D365, and the ability to develop EDI functions in D365 are slim to none.

Companies from retail, chemical, food and agriculture, and various types of manufacturing were enquiring about a simpler and fast approach to EDI.  A great majority of the conversations were in the automotive sector that require planning and forecasting, and other logic that is not standard in AX or D365.  For example, a DELFOR planning forecast could be arrive daily, and from this forecast you need to decide what to ship, update the internal materials plan, and ensure the quantities shipped on either end is the same.  We also learned that Audi is asking companies to replace VD4905 to VDA4984 by the end of 2018.

It was a great experience to meet with so many like-minded people, and share with them our EDI Made Simple approach.  We’re looking forward to ongoing conversations with our new community contacts, and we hope that Irish Luck continues for the community with successful ERP and EDI implementations.

Finally, we’d like to invite the D365/AX community to join us for a live webinar held with MSDynamicsWorld.com on EDI Integration Best Practices for Dynamics 365/AX on 5 June, 2018 at 12:30 GMT/14:30 CET.  Register here.

It’s the beginning of a new year and you may have either just gone live with your new Dynamics 365 environment or are well into your implementation. This implementation is just part of a corporate-wide initiative to improve operational efficiencies, maximize employee productivity and increase customer satisfaction. However, now it’s time to address your customer’s EDI mandates and requests, but you have no idea where to begin.

Selecting the right EDI solution can be a daunting task, especially when EDI is not a core competency within your company. Nothing can impact a new EDI project more aggressively than choosing a solution based on assumptions or “facts” not thoroughly researched, only to find out later that the solution you selected cannot support all your company’s needs and/or Trading Partner’s requirements. It’s an all too common occurrence, but by understanding some basic principles you can eliminate unexpected surprises, reduce risk, and maximize the overall performance of your new EDI solution.   

Here are a few items you should consider when selecting EDI software for Microsoft Dynamics 365 for full automation and integration:                                  

1. Choose a provider that specializes in EDI for Microsoft Dynamics
2. Choose a comprehensive EDI integration platform that is Microsoft Dynamics 365 Certified
3. Consider future scalability and performance needs for potential new EDI Trading Partners
4. Evaluate and understand automation needs to eliminate manual processes
5. Consider the importance of having complete visibility into historical document lifecycles
6. Consider future Dynamics 365 version upgrades and what impact that will have with EDI
7. Understand the ongoing costs needed to customize a tool(s) to meet ongoing compliance requirements
8. Understand the ongoing Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) when factoring in transactional fees

If you’re interested in learning more about EDI best practices and more detailed information to consider when selecting EDI software for Microsoft Dynamics 365, download this paper, “Dynamics 365 - A Radical Change for AX: Critical Information for Companies Upgrading Dynamics AX to Dynamics 365 for Operations”.

EDI and eCommerce Platform Has Met Microsoft’s Highest Standard for Partner-Developed Software Solutions AppSource:

Data Masons Software, LLC., the leading provider of integrated EDI and XML solutions for Microsoft Dynamics customers announced today that Vantage Point EDI, the first EDI and eCommerce platform listed on AppSource, is now also Certified for Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Operations. Certified for Dynamics 365 indicates the solution has met Microsoft Corp.’s highest standard for partner-developed software. By successfully meeting all certification requirements, Vantage Point EDI now carries the distinct Certified for Microsoft Dynamics logo.

The Vantage Point EDI and eCommerce platform delivers an all-in-one solution to EDI for Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Operations without customizations. The platform is available for immediate deployment in one of three possible environments, 1) in the Data Masons’ public cloud, 2) private cloud and 3) on-premise. The flexibility to deploy their EDI in a manner that best suits an organization’s business needs is a great benefit. Coupled with Data Masons’ huge library of existing connections and compliance maps, Data Masons can help Microsoft Dynamics customers quickly turn EDI into a competitive advantage through reduced overhead costs and rapid partner onboarding. 

“The certification of Vantage Point EDI highlights our continued commitment to the Microsoft Dynamics platform which we believe to be the premier cloud ERP solution available. Vantage Point EDI enables Dynamics 365 for Operations’ customers to meet the significant challenges of integrating their entire supply chain activities into Dynamics 365 without invasive ERP customizations,” states Glenn McPeak, Principal. 

Solutions that are Certified for Microsoft Dynamics are those that have demonstrated the highest level of development quality and compliance to best practices with Dynamics 365 for Operations. Additionally, customer evidence of successful implementations of the solution is also required and indicates the certified solution works well in real world environments. These solutions can be found on Microsoft’s AppSource, an online marketplace by Microsoft Corporation for enterprises to find and use SaaS solutions from trusted solution providers those that are Gold Certified with a validated solution.

About Microsoft Dynamics
Microsoft Dynamics is a line of financial, customer-relationship and supply-chain management solutions that helps businesses work more effectively. Delivered through a network of channel partners providing specialized services, these integrated, adaptable business management solutions work with familiar Microsoft software to streamline processes across an entire business.

About Data Masons
Data Masons specializes in EDI Made Simple® for Microsoft Dynamics and Macola customers by offering advanced, turnkey EDI & XML solutions. Certified for Microsoft Dynamics, Vantage Point EDI provides an end-to-end EDI processing platform with seamless integration and predictable ownership costs for cloud or on-premise environments - all without expensive and disruptive ERP platform customization. Data Masons' compliance services, product flexibility, extensive EDI and ERP integration knowledge, and partner-driven experience have made Vantage Point EDI the winning choice for high-performance business document integration at more than 1,500 customers.

Get the answers to your EDI for Dynamics AX and Dynamics 365 for Operations questions!

Microsoft Dynamics AX and Dynamics 365 customers have options when it comes to EDI or XML integration solutions. But without the right preparation and expertise, the effort can be riddled with expensive and complicated errors.

On Thursday, August 10, 2017 at 10am AEST (Australian Eastern Standard Time) join MSDynamicsWorld.com and Data Masons as we help you to understand the right questions to ask to make sure you're heading down the right integration path for your company:

• Should you customize Dynamics AX/365 or embed custom code to handle your requirements?
• Do prepackaged external applications work?
• Is a SaaS or an on-premise solution a better way to go? Can you have both?
• Do you really have to pay document fees?
• How do Dynamics updates impact your EDI process?

We'll cover these critical questions and more in this informative session. Come away from the event with information that can turn EDI and eCommerce into a strategic advantage at your organization.

Data Masons' Vantage Point EDI Solution for Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Operations is the First Dedicated EDI and eCommerce Integration Solution to be listed on Microsoft AppSource

Data Masons Software, LLC., the leading provider of Integrated EDI and XML solutions for Microsoft Dynamics customers, announces the availability of its Vantage Point EDI for Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Operations solution in Microsoft AppSource, an online marketplace by Microsoft Corporation for enterprises to find and use SaaS solutions from the company and its partners. Data Masons delivers the first dedicated EDI solution for Microsoft Dynamics 365 to be certified on Microsoft AppSource.

“For the past 17 years Data Masons has dedicated our development efforts on supporting the EDI and eCommerce integration needs of companies that utilize the Microsoft Dynamics AX, GP and NAV ERP platforms. Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Operations is a breakthrough cloud-based ERP platform and we are proud to deliver our next generation EDI processing platform for Dynamics 365. Our long-standing alignment with Microsoft’s go-to market strategy means we have the solution set and expertise to support Dynamics 365 around the clock and around the globe. AppSource is the marketplace for Dynamics 365 and being the first dedicated EDI solution available will certainly help drive new opportunities for our valued partners.  Additionally, we will enable companies running Dynamics AX using customizations to handle EDI inside AX to shed those customizations and accelerate their migration to Dynamics 365 for Operations” stated Glenn McPeak, Principal, Data Masons Software.

The Vantage Point EDI Platform delivers an all-in-one approach to EDI for Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Operations without customizations. Available for deployment in the Data Masons’ public cloud, private cloud and on-premise, our customers have the flexibility to deploy their EDI in a manner that best suits their business needs. Combined with Data Masons’ huge library of existing connections and compliance maps, the company helps Microsoft Dynamics customers worldwide quickly turn EDI into a competitive advantage.

Data Masons offers education on EDI for Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Operations in an Executive Brief, "Dynamics 365 - A Radical Change for AX: Critical Information for Companies Upgrading AX to Dynamics 365 for Operations." In this brief, Data Masons shares the vastly improved integration options that have been introduced in Dynamics 365 and compares them to the legacy technologies that were deprecated from the Dynamics AX era.

About Data Masons

Since 1996, Data Masons has specialized in EDI Made Simple^®, offering advanced, turnkey EDI & XML solutions for Microsoft Dynamics 365, AX, GP and NAV. Data Masons' Vantage Point EDI solution provides a complete EDI processing platform that enables users to become more competitive through tight EDI integration and ongoing compliance - all without the need for expensive and disruptive ERP platform customization. Data Masons' compliance services, product flexibility, extensive EDI and ERP integration knowledge and partner-driven experience have made Vantage Point EDI the winning choice for high-performance business document integration at more than 1,500 customers across North America. Additional information about Data Masons and its solutions is available at http://www.datamasons.com and follow the EDI conversation at #EDImadeSimple.