Businesses are constantly striving for operational efficiency and cost optimization to stay competitive and ensure long-term sustainability. However, one area that often poses a significant challenge is the maintenance of business applications. The costs associated with maintenance, be it preventive, corrective, or predictive, can quickly accumulate, directly impacting a company’s bottom line.

Maintenance involves not only direct costs such as labor but also indirect costs. These can include downtime, loss of productivity, disruption of operations, and sometimes loss of business opportunities. Furthermore, inefficient maintenance can lead to a shorter lifespan, resulting in more frequent investments to meet new law requirements, security, etc.

Given the high costs of maintenance, companies are actively seeking solutions to manage their applications more effectively and reduce these expenses. This is where Microsoft Dynamics 365 shines. Not only does it offer tools for more efficient application management, but it also provides data-driven insights that can assist businesses in making more informed decisions about maintenance. In this article, we have explored how Microsoft Dynamics 365 can address the challenges of high maintenance costs and how it can liberate your company from these financial burdens.

What is Microsoft Dynamics 365?

Microsoft Dynamics 365 is a comprehensive suite of integrated business applications that seamlessly combine ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) and CRM (Customer Relationship Management) capabilities. This platform is specifically designed to equip businesses with the necessary tools to operate more efficiently, make data-driven decisions, and elevate customer interactions.

• Integrated business applications: Dynamics 365 is not just a single application but a suite of applications that address different business areas, from sales and customer service to operations, finance, and talent management. These applications can function independently or integrate to provide a complete business solution.
• Flexibility and scalability: One of Dynamics 365’s main advantages is its ability to adapt to businesses’ changing needs. Organizations can start with what they need and add more applications or modules as they grow.
• Artificial intelligence and advanced analytics: Dynamics 365 incorporates artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities, allowing businesses to gain deep insights into their operations and customers. These insights can be crucial for predicting trends, optimizing processes, and improving decision-making.
• Benefits in asset management and maintenance: In the context of equipment maintenance, Dynamics 365 offers specific modules for asset management. These tools enable businesses to plan and schedule maintenance, monitor real-time equipment status, and analyze historical data to foresee future maintenance needs. By centralizing this information, companies can reduce operational costs, minimize downtime, and extend the lifespan of their equipment.

ERP software maintenance costs

Maintaining ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) software is crucial to ensuring smooth business operations and keeping systems up-to-date and secure. However, this activity involves a series of costs that, if not properly managed, can significantly impact an organization’s IT budget and profitability.

Direct costs: These are the immediate and tangible expenses related to ERP software maintenance. They include:

• Licenses and subscriptions: The cost of an ERP system license, like SAP Business One, can vary based on the licensing scheme.
• Updates: Newer versions of the software often require additional payments.
• Technical support: Technical support is a recurring cost, whether paid per incident or through a subscription.

Indirect costs: These costs are not directly related to maintenance activities but are a consequence of them. They include:

• Downtime: Periods when the ERP system is not operational due to updates or technical issues.
• Training: When new features are implemented or functionality changes, staff may need additional training.
• Integrations: There may be associated costs if the ERP software needs to be integrated with other systems.

Hidden Costs: These expenses are not always directly considered maintenance costs but can arise due to inadequate or insufficient maintenance. For example:

• Customization: Specific customizations may require additional development and incur extra costs.
• Data migration: If it’s necessary to switch to a newer version or a different system, there may be costs associated with data migration.

According to 2023 data, the cost of an ERP system will depend on the company’s characteristics. In 70% of cases, the price of an ERP is between $12,000 and $50,000. Moreover, it’s essential to consider that maintenance should not be seen merely as a “cost” but rather as an “investment.” An investment in less downtime, increased productivity, and a higher level of service.

How Microsoft Dynamics 365 reduces these costs

Microsoft Dynamics 365 has revolutionized how businesses manage their operations, especially concerning ERP software maintenance. Through its multiple functionalities and integrated tools, Dynamics 365 offers solutions that significantly reduce the costs associated with ERP software maintenance. Here are some of the ways Dynamics 365 achieves this:

• Process automation: Dynamics 365 can automate business processes, eliminating manual and repetitive tasks. This reduces the time required to perform specific tasks and minimizes human errors, which can lead to additional costs.
• Seamless integration: Dynamics 365’s ability to integrate with other business tools means companies can have a unified view of their operations. This eliminates the need for separate systems and reduces licensing and maintenance costs.
• Migration to the cloud: By moving to a cloud-based solution like Dynamics 365, businesses can reduce the labor costs of maintaining physical assets, such as servers and databases. Additionally, cloud solutions are typically more scalable and flexible, which can result in long-term savings.
• Technical support and updates: Dynamics 365 offers robust technical support and regular updates. These updates ensure that the software is up to date with the latest features and security fixes, reducing the need for manual interventions and costly customizations.
• Significant ROI: Implementing Dynamics 365 Business Central, for example, can provide a significant return on investment for businesses of all sizes. This translates into long-term savings and increased operational efficiency.
• Supply chain optimization: Dynamics 365 facilitates supply chain management, which can lead to cost reductions in areas such as inventory, logistics, and procurement.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 integrated AI

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has transformed how businesses operate and make decisions. Microsoft Dynamics 365 has actively incorporated AI capabilities to enhance business efficiency and decision-making. Below are some of the key AI enhancements in Microsoft Dynamics 365 for 2023:

• Dynamics 365 Copilot: Microsoft has introduced Dynamics 365 Copilot, an interactive AI-based assistant for CRM and ERP. This assistant helps users navigate the system, provides data-driven recommendations, and enhances overall user efficiency.
• AI-Driven Automation: Dynamics 365 has incorporated AI-driven insights directly into its applications, aiding in driving actions and automating manual and repetitive tasks.
• Integration with GPT-4: Microsoft has taken Artificial Intelligence to a new level in Dynamics 365, incorporating the powerful language model GPT-4. This allows for better natural language understanding and facilitates interaction with the system.
• Decision-Making Enhancements: Dynamics 365 uses AI to provide real-time insights and analysis, enabling businesses to make data-driven decisions and improve operational efficiency. For example, the new Conversation Control interface has icons with descriptions that help agents understand the use of each function without hovering over them.
• Sales Optimization: AI in Dynamics 365 Sales has revolutionized how businesses manage their sales, from automating tasks to providing valuable insights that transform sales.
• Integration with Power BI and Excel: Dynamics 365 Copilot has improved how users work with Power BI and Excel, providing AI-based recommendations and facilitating the generation of reports and analysis.

Do you want to hear more about Microsoft Dynamics 365 and how we can streamline your maintenance costs through effective migration? Contact us now!