Upgrading from AX to 365 Finance and Operations is a big deal for any company. It opens up a whole world of new features, scalability and cloud based solutions to drive business growth. But to make the transition smooth you need to plan carefully and follow best practices. This guide will walk you through the top best practices to make your upgrade successful and smooth.
Why Upgrade from AX to 365 Finance and Operations?
Before we get into the best practices, let’s first understand why this upgrade is important. 365 Finance and Operations has more capabilities than AX, including scalability, better integration with other Microsoft services and a more user friendly interface. By upgrading you can leverage these benefits to stay competitive and efficient.
Review Your Current AX Environment
The first step to upgrade from AX to 365 Finance and Operations is to review your current environment.
System Audit
Start by doing a full system audit of your current AX setup. Identify customizations, integrations and third party applications in use. This audit will help you to determine what needs to be migrated and what can be optimized in 365.
Data quality is key to a smooth transition. Clean up any old or irrelevant data in your AX system before you start the upgrade process. Good data quality will make the migration faster and more efficient and reduce errors.
Create an Upgrade Plan
A good upgrade plan is the foundation of a successful upgrade from AX to 365 Finance and Operations.
Define Your Goals
Define what you want to achieve with the upgrade. Do you want to improve system performance, better reporting or streamline business processes? Having clear goals will guide your upgrade strategy and help you measure success post migration.
Create a Milestone Plan
Create a detailed plan that includes all stages of the upgrade process from start to finish. Include potential delays and time for each phase, data migration, system testing and user training.
Select Your Upgrade Route
There are many ways to upgrade from AX to 365 Finance and Operations. The right one for you depends on your company.
In-place upgrade is upgrading your current AX environment to 365. This is for companies with minimal customizations and a simple setup.
Re-Implementation
Re-implementation is setting up a new 365 environment and migrating data from AX. This is for companies that want to re-do their system and leverage all the features of 365.
Get Your Team Ready
Your team is key to the success of the upgrade. Make sure they are prepared and on board with the transition.
Train Them Properly
Invest in full training sessions on Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations. They need to know what’s new and how it works so they can adapt quickly and get the most out of the new system.
Communicate Often
Keep your team informed throughout the upgrade process. Communication will help address any worries and keep everyone on the same page with the project.
Test Thoroughly – AX to 365
Testing is a critical part of the upgrade from Dynamics AX to Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations.
User Acceptance Testing (UAT)
User Acceptance Testing (UAT) allows end users to test the new system and see if it meets their needs. Do UAT with key stakeholders to identify any issues and make changes before going live.
Test Integrations
If your Dynamics AX environment is integrated with other systems, test those integrations in the Dynamics 365 environment. This will prevent any disruptions to your business processes post upgrade.
Rollout in Phases
Rolling out in phases can help reduce the risks of upgrading from Dynamics AX to Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations.
Start with a Pilot
Start with a small group of users to test the system in live. The pilot will allow you to identify any issues and make changes before the full rollout.
Roll out Gradually
Once the pilot is successful, roll out to the rest of the organisation. This will minimize disruption and make the transition smoother.
Post Upgrade Support and Optimisation – AX to 365
The work doesn’t stop once the upgrade is done. Ongoing support and optimisation will get you the most out of Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations.
Monitor Performance
Monitor your new Dynamics 365 environment regularly. This will help you identify any issues early and keep the system running optimally.
Optimise Continuously
Take advantage of the continuous updates and new features in Dynamics 365. Regularly review your system and business processes to see where you can optimise further.
Summary – AX to 365
Upgrading from Dynamics AX to Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations is key to staying ahead in today’s business world. Follow these guidelines and you’ll have a smooth transition and get the most out of the new system. Every step counts from assessing your current environment to post upgrade support. Go for the change and your organisation will be ready to get the most out of Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations.
