Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2016: Reducing the cost of upgrading
I would liken my experience with upgrades to that of Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz. She was looking to get to somewhere better, met some friends along the way, and they all thought their requests would be handled by the Wizard behind the green curtain.
Having been a part of the ArcherPoint Software Development office for many years, I needed a new challenge. My “somewhere better” happened when I was reassigned to the ArcherPoint Upgrade practice. I knew little of upgrades going in except somehow the data was “magically” put into a new version of Microsoft Dynamics NAV, and everything was fresh and new. If you wanted an upgrade, you talked to the Wizards—ArcherPoint’s Upgrade Technical Leads—and they made it all happen.
But recently our upgrade practice has changed. We met some new friends along the way. ArcherPoint opened an office in India. These friends, unlike those Dorothy met on her journey, already had brains, a heart, and plenty of courage! Our India teammates have become the heart of our upgrade practice, handling the merge, migration, code development changes, report upgrades, and nearly all technical areas of upgrades.
Like Dorothy and her friends, our team has gone through some trials and learned a few lessons. We’ve perfected processes and procedures, such as our issue resolution handling. We’ve also developed quality analysis of report conversions and made project status much more visible to our clients. We’ve gained our own dedicated project manager, sales team, consulting team, and issue handlers as well. And most importantly, we’ve learned that an upgrade is more than just a technical exercise; it requires thorough user training and support.
You may be wondering, “So, who gets to be the wicked witch in this analogy?” Well, if there is a wicked witch in an upgrade, I suppose it would have to be cost of an upgrade. She can be scary if you don’t know her weaknesses. Oh, but you see, I DO know her weaknesses! And I’m going to share it with you so that you are empowered to decrease the scariness of your next upgrade.
There are certain things that affect the cost of an upgrade. But with each, there are things you can do to soften the blow. Pay close attention to the following areas, and be prepared—with the help of your NAV partner—before the upgrade begins:
- Custom modifications
- Custom or customized reports
- Dataports
- Version jumps
- Database size
There are many ways to get you to the most recent version of NAV and make it cost effective. The yellow brick road doesn’t have to be a long one with the wicked witch of cost throwing flames at your feet and sending her flying monkeys to invade your business. Talk to our Upgrade Sales Team today and see what we can do to help you get to a newer version. Our goal is always to evaluate your current environment and requirements, and recommend improvements for your long-term upgrade benefit. This is where ArcherPoint is unique in our approach that an upgrade is not just a technical exercise, but more of a planning and strategizing exercise to ensure your upgrade paths in the future are less cost and less effort.
At the end of The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy awakens from her dream, happy, healthy, and appreciative of her home. That’s the outcome of an upgrade as well. Your business is healthier, your users are happier with the new tools and ease of use in the new version and with all Microsoft continues to add to NAV, and you will find…
“There’s no place like…
“
Talk to the ArcherPoint Upgrade Experts today to find out to request your free upgrade quote.