Tag Archives: Cost
Figure the Total Cost of Microsoft Dynamics 365/CRM with Our Quick Quote Tool
What a year this has been. Organizations are figuring out how to keep going and thrive despite difficult circumstances. Many businesses are using this time to map their path for the future. Now is a good time to position your organization for the days and years ahead.
Organizations of all types and sizes realize how valuable a comprehensive CRM (Customer Relationship Management) solution is to the growth and success of their business.
If you are increasing your client base, opening new offices, or expanding into new markets nearby or around the globe, you need a powerful, integrated system such as Microsoft Dynamics 365/CRM
Undoubtedly, you have read numerous articles or talked with consultants about the many features of Dynamics 365 and what it can do for your business. But one piece of information you’d like to have before you commit to buying is the price.
There is a difference between the sticker price of the software and the actual cost of the software plus installation plus ongoing costs. When budgeting for a new or upgraded solution, you need to know the total cost of ownership. That’s not always easy to determine.
The CRM Software Blog’s Quick Quote Wizard is here to help. This tool will provide a working estimate of the total costs involved in implementing and operating Microsoft Dynamics 365. Here’s how the Quick Quote Wizard works:
Look for the orange ‘Request Instant Quote Dynamics 365/CRM’ bar at the top right of each page of the CRM Software Blog. Click the bar, and you’ll be taken to a screen with a short form to fill out. You’ll be asked basic questions about your type of business, the number of employees who will be using the system, the level of support you’ll require (don’t worry, the questionnaire will help you answer these questions) and any concerns you have unique to your business. Include your contact information, and you’re done.
The Quick Quote Wizard will use your information to customize a quote which you’ll receive instantly as a PDF sent to your email. After you’ve received your non-binding quote, your contact information will be forwarded to just one of our expert CRM Software Blog members in your area who will be happy to answer any questions you may have. You can choose to work with that partner or not; it’s up to you. The estimate and the referral are a free service we provide for our readers.
The CRM Software Blog Quick Quote Tool can get you started in determining just how much your Microsoft Dynamics 365 system will cost you from the first licensing to long-term support. Simply fill out the quote request form and be well on your way to a deeper understanding of the total cost of owning a Dynamics 365 solution from Microsoft.
By CRM Software Blog Writer. www.crmsoftwareblog.com
5 Tips to Lower The Cost of Your Microsoft Dynamics 365 Quote
On a Microsoft Dynamics 365 implementation proposal, the cost of building custom reports can be substantial. As we mentioned in our previous post, there are ways that you can dive in and learn to do some of this reporting on your own. However, there are times when it is just better to leave it to the experts. In those cases, here are five tips we know that will help you to reduce the time, and therefore the cost, from your Microsoft Dynamics 365 Partner.
- Explain the why
I often tell my clients, “If you can’t explain why you need that report in a sentence or two, then you haven’t thought it through well enough.” There is a reason for every report.
We are doing two right now. Two identical programs, two similar reports for sales reps. Two completely different reasons why they want the report.
One guy does sales for other companies, and he wants to be able to provide metrics to his suppliers. He wants to show manufacturer A what he is doing for them. Then, he wants to present a completely different set of data for manufacturer B. Each personalized with their logo so he can do PowerPoint presentations.
The other guy wants a Power BI report to see how his salespeople are doing. He wants to analyze his team, to figure out where the holes are, where the trends are. They are using the same data for completely different reasons.
When we know why you want the report, we know how to build it. And we can even offer suggestions you may not even have thought of such as, “You want to see overall sales. Wouldn’t it be cool if we put a trend line on this report that showed you average sales on your bar chart? So, you can see, sales are going up, but over the past three years they’re trending down.”
So be able to explain why you need and who will read it.
- Get rid of the garbage
Everyone in the software industry has heard the phrase, “garbage in, garbage out”. Bad data gives you bad reports. So make sure you invest time for data cleanup. For example, a single wrong keystroke can make 2012 into 1012, and your results suffer. The Microsoft Dynamics Partner can do the cleanup, but it will be more inexpensive than if you do it on your own. Some companies hire interns to comb through the data so they can deliver crisp, clean files to their Microsoft Dynamics 365 Partner.
- Make a mock-up
If you can do a mock-up of the report you are looking for the results will always be better. You can draw it with crayon, on the back of a napkin, whatever. Translating the expectations you have in your mind, into a hard format, is priceless in the planning process.
- Don’t be afraid of the wish list
Some clients are afraid to admit they have a wish list. They think that if they tell me now, the focus will be lost, or the project will become too expensive. However, this can create expensive problems later on.
Think of it like building a house. Someday you want to have a pool, but you are not ready for it yet. If you tell the builder you might want a pool in the future, they can plan around that. It will be much less expensive to put the house in the right place now versus ripping it down and moving it later so you can fit that pool.
An example in the CRM world would be if you someday want to tie the data into a project management tool, an accounting system or a public-facing web portal. Or maybe right now you are only a few salespeople in the office, but a few years from now you want customers to be able to do their own ordering online and have those orders feed into the CRM system.
If you plan for this when you are building your CRM system, it can be structured a bit differently to make this happen. It could be something as simple as creating a table called users, instead of employees, which limits your options.
You want to think about where you want to be in five years and ask your Dynamics 365 Partner to build with that in mind.
- Watch and learn
If you are setting up Power BI reports that pull data from different sources, the first report is always the hardest. If you need several similar reports, you could choose to pay your Microsoft Dynamics 365 Partner to build the first one, then use the data that is sitting there to create your own. A good Partner can show you how to drag a chart over, and slice and dice the data in new ways.
There will be a learning curve on your side, but learning these skills can pay off in the long run.
P2 Automation can help you get the reports you need at an affordable cost. One way we do this is with a to assess your needs and meet your demands.
Read:
to learn more about our . We’ll be happy to help you draw out those crucial insights that you need to make more informed business decisions.
By P2 Automation,
4 Ways to Reduce the Cost of Custom Reports in Microsoft Dynamics 365
When estimating the cost of Microsoft Dynamics 365 projects, reporting can sometimes represent a significant portion of the quote. Many customers that want the Dynamics 365 system to fit within their budget ask if there are ways to reduce the project cost. If a large amount of effort is dedicated to building reports, it is an area worth revisiting. Often, the customer can take on the task of building some reports on their own, and reducing the overall project cost.
When you look at the cost of Dynamics 365 reporting you might ask:
- To what degree can a Dynamics 365 user develop, create, and run their own reports?
- Is SQL or SSRS (SQL Services Reporting Server) experience required?
- What is the difference between “reports” that users can create themselves and a report that has to be developed by and experienced Dynamics 365 Partner?
- What kind of data could be viewed in dashboards instead of custom reports?
The answer is that there are a number of options for creating reports in Microsoft Dynamics 365.
- Simple on-demand reports, i.e. push a button, get a report, can be easily created using the . If you understand the data and where it lives you don’t need SSRS skills to create insightful and actionable reports.
- More complex Microsoft Dynamics 365 reports would require SSRS skills, however, we have many customers who have come up to speed on SSRS and turn out some fairly complex reports. Having internal resources that are well-versed in creating reports is gold. It’s an area data driven companies will want to invest in.
- Another simple way to accomplish reporting is through dynamic filtered views. Views allow you to pull out groups of Contacts or Opportunities that have things in common, like location or sales stage. You can then tie views to charts and create some pretty compelling dashboards. Dashboards may also allow you to combine multiple reports into one view. You can also export views to Excel for great on-the-fly reporting.
- If the reports are well-defined in terms of layout, criteria and parameters….and you need SSRS reports, you could look to outsource the report development. If you work with a reputable, reliable resource well versed in SSRS, you could get your report development done at a fraction of the cost.
When you work with a , they will help you evaluate the realistic options to lower the cost of custom reporting, and still get the end results you need. The team can help.
If you are interested in evaluating Microsoft Dynamics 365 contact us .
By Ryan Plourde, Crowe, a Microsoft Dynamics 365 Gold Partner
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Microsoft Dynamics 365/CRM: Yes! But How Much Will It Cost?
Perhaps you’ve been planning to upgrade your current on-premise CRM (Customer Relationship Management) solution to a Cloud-based system that will offer more of what you need to drive your business forward. If so, it’s a safe bet that Microsoft Dynamics 365/CRM is at the top of your shortlist.
You’ve read a lot of information here on the CRM Software Blog and elsewhere about Microsoft’s Dynamics 365/CRM Cloud solution and the features that put it at the top of its class. You understand that Dynamics 365/CRM fully integrates with your ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system to enhance your business processes and provide you with invaluable BI (Business Intelligence) for successful decision-making.
And Dynamics 365/CRM gives your employees powerful tools that will be familiar and intuitive.
Now you want to know the bottom line: How much will it cost?
The good news is that getting a price quote for Microsoft Dynamics 365/CRM is easy, instant, and can be done right here on the CRM Software Blog.
Yes, in just a few minutes, you can get an instant price quote for a Microsoft Dynamics 365/CRM solution with the CRM Software Blog’s Quick Quote Wizard.
Here is how the Quick Quote Wizard works:
Look on the right-hand side of each page of the CRM Software Blog for the orange bar labeled: Request Instant Quote Dynamics 365/CRM.
Click on the orange bar to bring up the Quick Quote form.
Select the number and types of licenses you need for your team. Microsoft allows you to mix different license and user types, so you only pay for what you need.
Indicated the level of implementation support you require. Information is supplied on the form.
Enter your contact address, click submit, and you will receive an instant, automated Dynamics 365 Quick Quote outlining license and estimated services costs for an entire CRM project.
There is no obligation; the information and price quotes are a free service that we offer to our readers.
The Quick Quote Wizard is easy and free. Why not try it now?
Find a Microsoft Dynamics 365/CRM partner in your area.
By CRM Software Blog Writer,www.crmsoftwareblog.com
How Much Does It Cost to Own Microsoft Dynamics 365/CRM?
In today’s business world, all types and sizes of businesses can benefit from the efficiency of a comprehensive CRM(Customer Relationship Management) solution. If your company hopes to grow and expand, it’s even more valuable.
When you hope to increase your client base, open new offices, or expand into new markets nearby or around the globe, you need a powerful, integrated system such as Microsoft Dynamics 365/CRM.
There’s no shortage of information and articles about the features and functionality of Dynamics 365/CRM; you can find a wealth of articles right here on the CRM Software Blog.
But one piece of information you might have had trouble pinning down is the price. When budgeting for a new or upgraded solution, you need to know the total cost of ownership. That’s not always easy to determine. There is a difference between the sticker price of the software and the actual cost of the software plus installation plus ongoing costs.
The CRM Software Blog’s Quick Quote Tool is here to help. The Quick Quote Tool will generate a ballpark estimate of the total costs involved in implementing and operating Microsoft Dynamics 365/CRM.
Here’s how the Quick Quote Tool works:
Look for the orange ‘Request Instant Quote Dynamics 365/CRM’ bar at the top right of each page of the CRM Software Blog. Click the bar, and you’ll be taken to a screen with a short form to fill out. You’ll answer basic questions about your type of business, the number of employees who will be using the system, the level of support you’ll require (don’t worry, the questionnaire will help you answer these questions), and any concerns you have unique to your business. Include your contact information, and you’re done.
The Quick Quote Tool will use your information to customize a quote which you’ll receive instantly as a PDF sent to your email. After you’ve received your non-binding quote, your contact information will be made available to just one of our expert CRM Software Blog members in your area who will be happy to answer any questions you may have. You can choose to work with that partner or not; it’s up to you. The non-binding estimate and the referral are a free service we provide for our readers.
The CRM Software Blog Quick Quote Tool can get you started in determining just how much your Microsoft Dynamics 365 system will cost you from the first licensing to long-term support. Simply fill out the quote request form and be well on your way to a deeper understanding of the total cost of owning a Dynamics 365 solution from Microsoft.
By CRM Software Blog Writer. www.crmsoftwareblog.com
The Cost of Our Health
A study published this week provides hard facts about the truly bad deal the US is getting for health care. Simply put, the US for-profit health system costs four times as much than Canada’s single-payer system. Even though the two systems provide roughly equivalent results.
Why? Because of a veritable army of administrative workers who play no direct role in providing actual medical care, and the cost of paying dividends to shareholders of insurance companies. These administration expenses add up to an annual cost of $ 817 billion, which is an average of $ 2,497 out of the pocket of every American man, woman, and child every single year.
It is bad enough that we pay four times as much for the same thing, but keep in mind that the high cost of US health care is killing people. It also hurts our economy because in the US many of these costs are shouldered by private companies. In my personal experience starting companies and working with other startups, this makes it much harder to start new companies or keep small companies running. And as we all know, small companies are the primary engine of economic growth, providing two-thirds of net new jobs and driving innovation and competitiveness.
Also note that this study did not include the time and energy patients spend dealing with health insurance companies. I primarily live in the US, but I have also lived in three countries that have single-payer systems, and the amount of extra time I have to spend dealing with health insurance companies in the US is staggering.
When people claim that a single-payer system will cost you money, they are simply lying.
Chaos Theory And Cost Breakdown Analysis In Sourcing
Can a butterfly flapping its wings in Timbuktu disrupt your supply chain in the Mall of America, Minnesota? Chaos theory aficionados will answer with a resounding yes, as the butterfly effect, applied here, would dictate that the small wind from the butterflies can yield a snowstorm over time due to magnification.
Strategic sourcing professionals have numerous capabilities to leverage the butterfly effect: develop small changes that result in a dramatic positive impact on the business.
Let’s study one: cost breakdown analysis.
Cost breakdown analysis
A cost breakdown analysis (CBA) can help you understand the different components that make up the cost of a product. Its usual constituents are factors such as material, labor, overhead, etc.
You can get this information from multiple sources such as professional service providers, expert consultation, internal benchmarks, and so on. A key source of information can be your own suppliers. An in-depth understanding of what cost drivers influence your product thus helps to establish the cause-and-effect flow of various events on the product’s supply chain.
Getting cost data from suppliers
The days when suppliers were reluctant to share their cost information with the buying customer are over. The concern that the buyer would use strong-arm tactics for pricing negotiations is very much going the way of the dinosaurs.
Progressive, forward-looking enterprises are moving towards effective supplier collaboration in a multi-enterprise network environment. Your suppliers can be the best source of information to provide strategic insights for not just new product launches, but for high-volume, mature products as well.
Cost breakdown insights as part of sourcing
At the time you raise an RFQ (request for quotation), getting cost information pertaining to various cost drivers in different cost groups from suppliers can provide valuable insights. This can definitely alert you to take proactive steps in commodities markets to protect yourself from future disruptions.
Significantly more important is that it can highlight the differences in patterns from the average norm across different suppliers and can thereby provide untapped opportunities for cost savings and other KPIs (key performance indicator) improvements. The ability to cross-pollinate best practices and ideas across the supplier ecosystem results in a win-win situation for all stakeholders. Long-term, the relationships with stakeholders can evolve into different business models such as buy-sell, cost-plus, and other multi-tier cost/risk management strategies.
Cost traceability across the product lifecycle
As the product progresses throughout its lifecycle (in some cases, a multi-year lifecycle, or in the case of an Apple iPhone, as short as one year), detailed cost-breakdown analysis for all components is necessary to facilitate better margin understanding. Many organizations experience a “cost-gap” – missing information about product cost.
Developing a cost framework across this product lifecycle (from prototype to launch to high volume to retirement or next-generation) will eliminate cost gaps. This approach enables professionals to make the best decisions as the product traverses through various product milestones and decision gates while translating into improved product and supply chain sustainability.
In summary, cost breakdown analysis leads to a stronger, nimbler organization better equipped to handle the challenges brought by the flapping of the wings of a butterfly in Timbuktu!
For more insight, download the IDC whitepaper Achieving Competitive Advantage with Trading Partner Collaboration in a Global, Dynamic Supply Chain.
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Ready for Microsoft Dynamics 365/CRM? How Much Will It Cost?
If yours is a small or mid-sized business contemplating the purchase of a CRM (Customer Resource Management) solution or if you are a larger company and are considering upgrading to a comprehensive Microsoft Dynamics 365/CRM solution, your research has undoubtedly answered a lot of your questions about features and functionality.
Something that may be a bit harder to pin down is the total cost of the software. You can’t just look online and get answers to such questions as:
• How much does the software cost?
• How much does installation cost?
• What are the fees for training and support?
• Are there any ongoing fees that I should know about?
Of course, a qualified Microsoft Dynamics partner can answer your questions in detail when you are ready. But before you sit down with a salesperson, perhaps you’d just like a ballpark estimate to see if a Microsoft Dynamics 365 solution will fit into your budget.
We’ve got you covered
That’s where the CRM Software Blog’s Quick Quote tool comes in. With the Quick Quote tool, you can get a working idea of the total cost involved in a Microsoft Dynamics 365 solution, including software, implementation, training, support, and fees.
Here’s how it works:
On the right-hand side of any page of the CRM Software Blog, find the orange bar labeled “Request Instant Quote Dynamics 365/CRM,” Click on the bar, and you’ll be taken to the Quick Quote form where you can answer a few short questions about your CRM requirements. Add your contact information, click “submit,” and watch your email inbox for a fast, free estimate for your Microsoft Dynamics 365 solution.
There is no obligation, and the quote is not binding; it’s a free service that we provide for our valued readers. So why not try the CRM Software Blog’s Quick Quote tool today?
By CRM Software Blog Writer, www.crmsoftwareblog.com
Leveraging Your Restaurant’s PMIX to Reduce Food Cost
Posted by Brady Thomason, NetSuite Solution Manager, Restaurant & Hospitality
You may have heard it referred to as a product mix, sales mix, or a menu item sales report—a PMIX has many names, but one major purpose: to provide insight to effectively manage food cost. That insight changes when using the PMIX daily versus weekly and monthly. Many successful operators use it frequently, but perhaps not as comprehensively as they should. This deeper dive will help you leverage this valuable report to ensure your restaurant is achieving its best food cost possible.
Daily
The daily PMIX provides quick insight for managers, shining light on crucial metrics including daily prep usage and menu item performance by day of the week.
Daily Prep Usage
One leading practice to identify and stop waste is to check the variance between actual and theoretical prep usage. This exercise should be performed daily by someone who has an intimate working knowledge of ingredients, recipes and station prep schematics, like a kitchen supervisor or manager.
Start by checking how many of one item you sold on the PMIX, then compare that to actual prep usage in that specific station on the line.
Example: If you sold 12 orders of mahi mahi tacos yesterday, there should be an equal depletion of the prep for mahi mahi tacos on the line. So, if a full pan of cabbage mix yields 24 orders of tacos and the pan was full yesterday, there should be approximately a half pan left. If there is less on hand, you just uncovered a problem you need to research. Are the cooks adding too much cabbage to the tacos? Was
the cabbage thrown away due to over-prepping? Use the daily PMIX to pinpoint waste.
Menu Item Performance by Day of Week
Another leading practice is to keep your historical PMIX reports in a binder tabbed by day of week (i.e. Mon, Tues, Wed, so on.). When filling out your daily prep list, you can make informed decisions of how much of an item to prep based on trends.
Example: looking at the PMIX for the past four Sundays you notice that you sell 50% less buffalo
wings than on Saturdays. Since you spotted this trend, you’re able to flex your par for buffalo wing prep between Saturday and Sunday, consequently reducing waste and improving freshness.
Weekly
A weekly PMIX will provide insight into activities performed less frequently, like ordering or product shelf life analysis.
Ordering
Viewing your rolled-up menu item sales quantities for a full week will provide helpful insights into
setting order pars. It’s a good idea to start with analyzing your most expensive food items and adjust your order pars accordingly.
Example: if you know you sell an average of 100 orders of mahi mahi tacos per week and there is 4 oz of fish per order, you know you’ll need about 25 pounds of fish on hand per week, assuming a 100% yield.
Product Shelf Life Analysis
The magic balance in a restaurant is to produce fresh food without excessive waste and labor, and shelf lives help maintain that balance. The goal for operators is to prep enough of something to last its full shelf life. Analyzing the weekly product mix to make sure you’re prepping to hit the shelf life “sweet spot” will help you manage food quality, reduce waste AND save labor.
Example: if there are 20 ingredients in your ranch dressing and it has a 4-day shelf life, you can see how prepping ranch every day would be a waste of valuable time. Oppositely, if you’re prepping too much and it doesn’t taste as good after four days, you’ll risk wasting it or serving an inferior product to your guests.
Monthly
Running a monthly PMIX is a great way to analyze the performance of each of your menu items.
Menu Item Performance
The science of menu engineering is complex. Basically, it all starts by categorizing menu item
performance based on popularity and profitability. Knowing which category each of your menu items fall into will help you make informed decisions about what action to take to improve your menu’s performance. Here are the four groups along with examples of possible actions to take:
- Star: high popularity, high profit—this is a winner! Keep it.
- Plow horse: high popularity, low profit—think about reformulating the item to improve margin
- Puzzle: low popularity, high profit—highlight or reposition on the menu, or run a promotion.
- Dog: low popularity, low profit—replace with a different item on your next menu rollout.
by NetSuite filed under
Microsoft Dynamics 365/CRM: How Much Will It Cost?
CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software is a category of integrated, data-driven software solutions that improve how you interact and do business with your customers. CRM systems help you manage and maintain customer relationships, track sales leads, marketing, and pipeline, and deliver actionable data.
With Microsoft Dynamics 365, you get a flexible solution that’s customizable to suit your business requirements. Choose a stand-alone application to meet the needs of a specific line of business or use multiple CRM tools that work together as a powerful integrated solution.
Regular readers of the CRM Software Blog know about the many benefits of Microsoft Dynamics 365/CRM. What you may not know, but would like to, is the total cost of owning Dynamics 365.
To budget the total cost of a Dynamics 365 CRM project you need to know the license and maintenance fees plus the estimated implementation and services costs
That is where the CRM Software Blog Quick Quote Wizard can help.
Here’s how the Quick Quote Wizard works:
On the right-hand side of any page of the CRM Software Blog, locate the orange bar labeled, “Request Instant Quote Dynamics 365/CRM“. Clicking on that bar will take you to the Quick Quote request form.
Fill in some brief information on the form, and you will receive an instant, automated Dynamics 365 Quick Quote outlining software, maintenance, and estimated services costs for an entire project.
The estimate will arrive in your email inbox and comes without strings attached. It’s a free service that we offer our readers.
The Quick Quote Wizard is fast, free, and easy. Why not try it today.
Find a Microsoft Dynamics 365 partner in your area.
By CRM Software Blog Writer, www.crmsoftwareblog.com