Community Summit North America 2023: 8 Key Takeaways
Community Summit 2023 is now history, and based on the attendance, content, and general energy level, it’s hard to believe that the event came back live just two years ago. Here is a quick look at the highlights and what we’re most looking forward to in 2024.
1. Getting back to pre-pandemic numbers
It was great to hear that registration numbers grew this year, hitting an estimated 4,500. Having so many members of the Dynamics community together in one place always means great networking. It was exciting to have the opportunity to connect in person again with customers, colleagues, partners, and Microsoft.
2. A partner pre-conference that started things off right
Microsoft held a pre-conference partner event before Community Summit 2023 that really set the tone for Summit. Not only was it full of great information for Dynamics partners, but it also underscored Microsoft’s clear commitment to Summit, the User Groups, and the entire Dynamics line. We were particularly excited to see a focus on SMB customers.
3. Clear commitment from Microsoft
This bears repeating because Microsoft’s commitment was communicated throughout the conference. Mike Ehrenberg, CTO of Dynamics Business Applications, discussed expanding cloud availability for Dynamics and Power Platform. Alfredo Ramirez, GM of Go-to-Market Strategies, dug into AI, demonstrating Microsoft’s commitment to the continued development of BC and all D365 applications and Power Platform and the integration of AI through Copilot.
He also discussed the importance of not waiting to act until AI is fully mature. With so much data out there and fewer skilled workers, he said, AI is a powerful tool to meet today’s challenges. Start by getting to the cloud, followed by assessing your AI readiness. Last but not least, the sheer volume of improvements in architecture, tools, and functionality of BC proves Microsoft’s dedication to SMB.
4. The return of local user groups
We have all missed the great local, in-person user group meetings that UG was known for. The great news is they’re coming back in 2024! More details to come on this one…watch for updates on the Dynamics Communities website
5. An inspiring keynote
The organizers could not have picked a better way to kick off the conference, in the home of NASCAR’s Hall of Fame, than with a race car driver. Julia Landauer, NASCAR Racer, Stanford graduate, and STEM advocate, closed out the keynote, sharing her story and three life lessons–your life is your responsibility, be intentional, and don’t be afraid to adapt, evolve, and change…feelings of discomfort and fear are finite!
6. A shout-out to award winners,
All-Stars, and Legends
As always, community members, which are the lifeblood of UG, were recognized for their contributions. Congratulations to all award winners this year!
- NAV | BCUG Ruby, Emerald, and Sapphire Awards were presented to partner and user members of the community who share their knowledge on the forum throughout the year and contribute to the community in various ways. These are known as the “Stone Awards” and are awarded annually.
- NAV | BCUG All-Star Awards were presented to Andrew Good, CEO of Liberty Grove Software, Jason Chance, Solutions Manager at LIDD Consultants, and Chris Warren, Director of IT at ivWatch. All-Star awards are a lifetime achievement and are awarded to those who have consistently contributed year after year.
- Legends Awards were presented to partner and user members of the community that have supported Community Summit for many years.
7. Great sessions (as always)
With community members from all walks of life, Summit has always been known for great sessions, and 2023 was no exception. This year, there were more than 500, so we can’t recap them all here, but we’d like to call out Chris Warren for his session on upgrading to Business Central, in which he stated after completing three upgrades in one year, “Upgrades for us are a non-event.” This is one thing the ArcherPoint team has been striving for, and to hear it is a reality for customers is priceless.
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8. Community Summit NA 2024
is already on fire
All the effort that went into Community Summit 2023 paid off—which was obvious based solely on the fact that, out of the 230 sponsors this year, 179 have already signed up for 2024. Congratulations to DCI, the programming committees, the presenters, and everyone who helped make Summit 2023 a huge success, and we look forward to next year in San Antonio.
Register now and save on Community Summit 2024!
Don’t miss out on the deeply discounted rate of $999, and sign up for Community Summit North America 2024 today! Expires October 31, 2023.
If you decide to wait to register, don’t forget to use the ArcherPoint code Archer10 to save 10% when Early Bird registration opens in 2024.