As Featured on MS Dynamics World: How well does Dynamics 365 Business Central fit a GP manufacturing user’s needs? Quantify it.

• GP was not designed for manufacturing.  GP was initially a financial and accounting solution, and third-party vendors added its inventory and manufacturing modules later. This means that GP may not have met the specific needs of many manufacturers, and they may have had to compromise or customize their systems.
  
• GP partners may not have manufacturing expertise.  The Dynamics GP partner network is well-known and respected but may not have a strong focus or experience in selecting and implementing manufacturing ERP solutions. This could affect their ability to advise and support GP manufacturers who want to migrate to BC.
  
• BC may not be the best fit for all manufacturers.  BC is a modern and cloud-based ERP solution that offers many benefits, but it may not suit every type of manufacturing. For example, BC may not have the functionality or flexibility to handle complex or multi-mode manufacturing scenarios, such as engineer-to-order, make-to-order, or mixed-mode.

• Summit North America Circle of Excellence Feedback:  I was the lead HandsFree consultant in the ERP Circle of Excellence (COE) Lounge at Summit NA. The COE was set up to offer ERP project advice to anyone with questions regarding their project, regardless of its stage or status. In that setting, I was approached by several former GP manufacturing companies regretting their selection of BC. In each case, I was able to diagnose the issue with one straightforward question: what type of manufacturing does your company do? For example: Assemble to Order, Process, or Engineer to Order (ETO).
  
• User Group Poll: I reviewed a recent poll conducted by a Dynamics User Group that asked GP companies what direction they were planning for their post-GP ERP solution. Two results stood out to me:
• Comprehensive Discovery Assessment: There is an engineering concept for looking at problems without an exact solution (investigating phenomena at the extrema). An ERP software selection is a problem without a clear answer. However, I gained many insights by investigating the fit of BC for an enterprise, multi-mode manufacturing company. That corresponding fit-gap analysis of critical functional capabilities was approximately 52 percent for BC and 88 percent for F&SCM.

• What type of manufacturing do you do?  Different manufacturing modes have additional ERP requirements. For example, discrete manufacturers need to manage bills of materials, routings, and work orders, while process manufacturers need to handle formulas, recipes, and batches.
  
• What are your critical functional capabilities?  Every manufacturing business has its unique processes and challenges. You need an ERP solution that can support your core operations and enable you to improve your efficiency, quality, and profitability. Providing a trusted fit-gap analysis requires an assessment of all relevant capabilities of the ERPs you are considering.
  
• What are your ERP project goals and expectations?  Moving to a new ERP solution is a significant undertaking that requires careful planning and execution. You need to have a clear vision of what you want to achieve and how you will measure your success. A structured assessment helps your executives set your ERP project goals and expectations and align them with the best ERP solution.

• Recommended modules based on your company's processes
• Defined list and analysis of your company's requirements
• Gap/fit analysis to Dynamics Business Central and FSCM (easily benchmark to non-Microsoft ERP solutions if desired)
• Implementation project estimates, including timeline, budget, and licensing costs
• RFP/RFI-ready documents
• ...and much more!