How to Upgrade to Modern Technology from Dynamics GP and Cinch
While it may seem Dynamics GP and CINCH are working well enough for you to run your agribusiness, you’re likely falling behind without even realizing it. Like a small leak that eventually becomes a large one, relying on outdated technology can end up hindering business productivity and cutting into the bottom line. There are many benefits to moving to Dynamics 365 and Levridge. They give you the opportunity to take advantage of the cloud and modern technology. In this article, we will discuss how to plan and prepare for a transition from Dynamics GP and Cinch to Dynamics 365 and Levridge.
How to Begin the Transition from Dynamics GP and Cinch
When tackling any software project, it’s important to first set your expectations for the project, determine business drivers, and establish your overall vision for the future. Take the opportunity to really dive into what is working in your business now, and what could work better in the future.
Building the foundation for your project starts with assembling a budget and timeframe. Also, your company should consider what your IT investments look like in a cloud-based world. There is an opportunity to move away from investments in hardware and internal maintenance and to be more strategic and forward-looking.
Next, build your transition project team. This group will include key members of your IT department, a project manager, business process owners, and a team from your software partner. Keeping a variety of people from your team involved is important to all around project adoption and change management during and after your software transition. No one understands your internal business processes more than the people who perform them daily. Make sure to incorporate their feedback and thoughts throughout the entire process.
Assemble any pre-existing process documentation as you review your internal processes.
Evaluate Business Processes
Once your goals and your team are set, start evaluating your current business processes.
- What are the business processes for each of your departments?
- What are your unmet business needs?
- What type of software functionality do you wish you had?
- Are you currently using any ISV solutions along with Dynamics GP and CINCH?
- What strengths in your current software do you want to retain?
Business process evaluation will help establish a baseline for Dynamics 365 and Levridge and assist you in identifying the functionality you need immediately.
Examine Code and Reports
Frequently, Dynamics GP users have customizations or reports added to the system to meet their specific business processes. If you have custom code, compile a list of the customizations to your system. Your software partner can help you compare that required functionality to what comes right out of the box with Dynamics 365 and Levridge.
Reporting is a key component of any ERP system. Create a list of your reports within Dynamics GP and identify those you would like created within your new system. Additionally, compile a list of reports that you would like to have moving forward. With Dynamics 365, Levridge, and Power BI, the types of reports and information that you can compile is essentially limitless.
Analyze Data
Many ag companies using Dynamics GP have been long-time users of the system. With any legacy system, you likely have large quantities of historical data housed within your system. Updating to a new software solution is the perfect opportunity for you to evaluate your data and determine a master strategy for data moving forward.
Questions to get you started on this process include:
- What is the level of data integrity within your system?
- How important is your historical information?
- Do you have data duplications?
- What information should be purged or archived?
Once you have thought through your business processes, customization requirements, and data, you’re well on your way to successfully transitioning to a modern ag software solution. With Dynamics 365 and Levridge, you’ll have a better understanding of your full business operations and have access to real-time data and insights to help you make informed decisions to increase efficiency and profits.
Learn more about how Levridge can help your agriculture business thrive.
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