You've probably done it before too; taken a generic ERP/CRM solution as a base and supplemented it with custom functionalities for your company. And that most likely worked fine! However, these custom features are nowadays all too often replaced by add-ons or applications. And to make that even easier for you, Microsoft developed AppSource. A portal where Dynamics 365 partners present their apps. This way, both customers and partners have a clear overview of all existing solutions.
Customization has dominated business software solution implementations for many years. It's naturally great to have something entirely custom-made that meets all your needs and “fits like a glove.” Who wouldn't want that? But customization also has a downside, or even multiple downsides. Building a custom solution takes time, a lot of time, and often a lot of money. The risks are greater because solutions are often less tested and documented. And the support for a custom solution doesn't always go smoothly either. But it's when upgrading the software that the real problems start. Suddenly, you're faced with a whole laundry list of unforeseen issues that can only be resolved with an extremely expensive re-implementation. This leads many organizations to continue working with older software versions, and that's tricky business.
This is how custom solutions are gradually losing their appeal. The world is evolving so quickly. Slow implementations are simply not acceptable. Everything revolves around time-to-value. And re-automating outdated business processes through custom solutions simply makes little sense.
That's why Microsoft launched several years ago AppSource, a store for Dynamics 365 apps. A marketplace, as it were, where independent software vendors (ISVs) from all over the world can showcase and sell their solutions. This marketplace opens up enormous possibilities for Microsoft resellers (VARs) and their customers. Projects can be endlessly supplemented with a whole list of add-ons to arrive at the best solution and achieve successful projects.
Currently, there are already over 10,000 apps available for various Microsoft solutions. All apps must meet Microsoft's high quality standards, as they are ultimately deployed as part of the Microsoft cloud offering.
This new way of working entails some changes for both your organization and your implementation partner. The solutions are not, of course, tailored exactly to your needs, so you will have to adapt to standardized business processes. Your partner is ready to bring supply and demand together from now on and will transform various sub-solutions into the desired end result.
But the benefits are enormous. Implementations happen faster. The quality of both the solutions and their support is higher. And all of this for very affordable prices.
Our Scaptanen are already convinced, and you? When will you start using AppSource? Do you have any questions about this or have you seen add-ons that you would like to use? We are ready for you! Or are you stuck on a custom project? We can still help you with that, of course. Give us a call and we'll see what's possible!