Spotlight: Is EDI Driving your business up or downhill?

Recently I had the change to virtually sit down with Glenn McPeak - Principal Architect for Data Masons. The focus of this spotlight could not come at a better time, with Convergence 2013 kicking off for some of us this weekend! Glenn takes us into a valuable point, one that Data Masons can truly help answer. To their credit Data Masons is the only Certified for Microsoft Dynamics (CFMD) EDI solution within the Dynamics Ecosystem. This is an attribute to their expertise in the field.


Glenn McPeak - Principal of Data Mason's

Now that Dynamics AX 2012 and AX 2012 R2 have hit the road, we’re engaging with more and more customers who are making the move to these latest versions, whether it’s an upgrade or a new implementation. Selecting the ERP is the hard part, but from an ISV viewpoint, we hope that AX customers apply the same level of evaluation they used when considering the ERP to selecting their add-on solutions. Microsoft put a tremendous amount of resources into creating a product that stood behind its strategy, and to insure your investment, it’s critical that the ISVs you engage share the same strategy.

Making quick decisions, or cost-based selections, or even just applying the “it gets the job done” attitude to choosing ISV solutions can lead your business downhill, causing you to lose the competitive ground for which Dynamics AX sets you up. To fully-leverage your Dynamics AX investment and to move your business forward, we encourage AX customers to take the time needed to put their ISV solution providers to the test.

How You Can Determine the Uphill Drivers When it Comes to EDI?

Have you ever met an EDI solution provider who did not claim to offer “tight integration” and “ease-of-use” among other commonly claimed capabilities? When it comes to selecting a Microsoft Dynamics EDI solution you have to know what questions to ask in order to differentiate between all of the available technology options. If talking with a salesperson, you can easily get confused as to which solution is the right choice for your business when they all seem to claim the same capabilities. But this perception could not be farther from the truth, as there is a wide gap between Dynamics EDI offerings, from the technology model through to the customer support guarantee.



The EDI for Microsoft Dynamics Evaluation Check List is designed to take you beyond the product data sheet and software demonstration to uncover the distinguishing factors between various Dynamics EDI options. For example, do you know if the solution is flexible enough to be deployed in the cloud or on-premise? If deployed in the cloud, is there any local software component? Does the solution provider offer a fully- outsourced compliance management service and the ability for you to manage your own mapping and compliance?

Is EDI Driving Your Business Uphill or Downhill?

No matter where you are with EDI – currently using a solution, evaluating different options, or considering an EDI implementation – we challenge you to put EDI solution providers to the test. By asking the right questions, you can save yourself time and resources in making the right choice for your business and set your business up for long-term, uphill success with Dynamics AX EDI.

I would like to take this time to thank Glenn as well as Data Masons as a whole. Thank them for the great value they bring to the Dynamics Ecosystem and for being a sponsor of this blog.

Well that is all I have for this post. Check back soon and often as I cover the upcoming Convergence 2013 event. I will be heading towards NOLA this Sunday morning, so I wish all of you that are going safe travels. Til Next Time!
Follow Me @:
       

"Visit the Dynamics AX Community Page today!"