Editor:
Denis Conway

Introduction:

The Microsoft Ignite 2023 conference has been a showcase of ground breaking AI advancements, offering a wealth of opportunities for the enhancement of ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) solutions. These technological strides are more than just innovations; they are pathways to augment the functionality, efficiency, and user experience of ERP systems.

Top 10 Insights and Opportunities for ERP Applications:

This blog explores how the top 10 key insights from Ignite 2023 can be leveraged to enhance ERP products, benefit their users, assist ISVs (Independent Software Vendors) in developing custom solutions, and support the core business users of these ERP systems.

1. Revolutionizing Productivity with Copilot in Microsoft 365:

Microsoft 365 Copilot:

This innovation is a testament to Microsoft’s commitment to enhancing workplace efficiency and creativity. Its integration across applications like Outlook, Excel, and Teams exemplifies Microsoft’s vision for a seamlessly interconnected work environment.

Opportunity for ERP: 

Incorporating ERP-focused Copilot plugins into M365 applications can revolutionize ERP workflows through the automation of routine tasks and the provision of intelligent insights from the ERP system for decision-making within the productivity suite. Such integration is poised to significantly boost time efficiency and improve accuracy for ERP system users.

2. Extending Copilot’s Reach:

Diverse Integration:

Expanding Copilot to aid in the completion of tasks across diverse roles and functions, such as business processes and IT administration represents a strategic initiative to integrate AI thoroughly into all facets of work.

Opportunity:

Expanding Copilot into ERP systems can provide tailored assistance in various ERP areas like financial planning, supply chain management, operations, human resources, commerce etc. offering a more intuitive and guided user experience.

3. Strategic Enhancements:

Bing Chat Enterprise Transition:

The transformation of Bing Chat into Copilot (copilot.microsoft.com) offers an opportunity for ERP systems to utilize enhanced external signals for improved demand planning, supply chain risk management, and support functions.

Copilot Studio:

This tool can be utilized by ISVs and ERP developers, enabling them to craft tailored AI solutions that integrate flawlessly with core ERP systems, thereby improving functionality and user experience. It also offers administrative capabilities to refine core ERP Copilot skills with additional grounding, topics, and more.

4. Data and AI Synergy with Microsoft Fabric:

Unified Data Handling:

Integrating Microsoft Fabric with AI tools and making this GA (Generally Available) is a significant step towards enhancing data-driven decision-making.

Opportunity:

Microsoft Fabric’s integration can enhance data-driven decision-making in ERP systems. It can unify data from various sources, providing a more comprehensive view for analytics and reporting within ERP systems.

5. Advancements in Azure AI platform:

Model-as-a-Service:

Simplifies the integration and customization of AI models, marking a significant advancement in AI application development.

New AI Models:

Introduction of GPT-3.5 Turbo, GPT-4 Turbo, and DALL·E 3 revolutionizes AI application development.

Opportunity:

The integration of advanced AI models like GPT-3.5 Turbo and GPT-4 Turbo into ERP systems can enable more sophisticated data analysis using tools like advance data analytics, code interpreter and predictive modeling, aiding in strategic business planning and forecasting.

6. Enhanced Cloud Infrastructure and NVIDIA Collaboration:

Azure Maia and Cobalt Chips & Azure Boost: 

These advancements supercharge AI workloads and improve storage and networking, enhancing ERP system efficiency and scalability.

NVIDIA AI Foundry Service: 

This partnership boosts AI model development, leveraging NVIDIA’s tools with Azure’s infrastructure.

Opportunity: 

These innovations enable faster processing and robust AI capabilities in ERP solutions, facilitating advanced analytics and decision-making.

7. Ethical AI Deployment:

Responsible AI Initiatives:

Emphasizing ethical use with initiatives like the Copilot Copyright Commitment and Azure AI Content Safety.

Opportunity:

The focus on responsible AI use ensures that ERP solutions remain compliant with legal standards and ethical guidelines, building trust among users and stakeholders.

8. AI Integration in Windows Experiences:

Windows 11 AI Tools:

Aiming to make AI more accessible and position Windows as the prime platform for AI development.

Opportunity:

Enhanced AI tools in Windows can improve the accessibility and usability of ERP solutions, offering a more seamless and integrated experience across devices and platforms.

9. Enhanced AI-Driven Security Solutions:

Microsoft Sentinel and Microsoft Defender XDR Integration:

Creates a unified security operations platform, enhancing threat protection.

Opportunity:

The integration of advanced security solutions can bolster the security of ERP systems, protecting sensitive business data and ensuring compliance with industry standards.

10. AI Skill Development and Credentials:

Microsoft Applied Skills Credentials:

Covering various aspects of AI, these credentials are crucial for validating expertise in this rapidly evolving field.

Opportunity:

Providing training and credentials in AI can empower ERP professionals to leverage AI capabilities effectively within Dynamics 365, enhancing the overall value and utility of ERP solutions.

Explore Further:

For a deeper dive into how these technologies are being applied, check out my other blog on the practical use of Copilot in Dynamics 365 AI ERP applications. Microsoft Copilot brings generative help and guidance into Dynamics 365

Conclusion:

Microsoft Ignite 2023 has opened a new chapter in the evolution of ERP applications, with AI at its core. By embracing these AI advancements, ERP solutions can be significantly enhanced, redefining how businesses leverage these systems for strategic and operational excellence.

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Learn More

Interested in learning more about Copilot’s in-app help guidance? Here are your next steps:

Read the Copilot Product Documentation:

For comprehensive and detailed information about Copilot’s capabilities and functionalities, be sure to check out our product documentation. You’ll find in-depth insights into how Copilot can enhance your experience with Dynamics365 Supply Chain Management –

Read the Responsible AI FAQ for Copilot and its capability of generative help and guidance.

Experience Copilot in action (For Existing Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management Customers):

 If you’re already using Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management, you can enable and experience Copilot’s capabilities to streamline your operations. Here’s how:

• Step 1: Enable Copilot Feature: Follow our documentation for existing customers to learn how to enable this feature. Once enabled, you’ll have access to Copilot’s powerful in-app help guidance within Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management.
• Step 2: Access Copilot – Locate the Copilot icon at the top of your screen within Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management, then click on it to open the conversational sidecar experience. Copilot will introduce itself and encourage you to ask questions.
• Step 3: Pose Your Question – In any uncommon or challenging task within the application, simply ask Copilot for guidance. For better results, especially when seeking documentation-related in-app help, consider starting your questions with ‘How.’
• Step 4: Instant Guidance – Copilot will provide you with step-by-step guidance; all responses are grounded by our public documentation.

Please note that Copilot’s capabilities are exclusively available to existing Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management customers. If you’re one of them, don’t miss out on the opportunity to enhance your user experience and streamline your operations with Copilot.

Join Copilot for finance and operations apps – Yammer

Stay informed about the most recent Copilot by becoming a member of our Copilot for finance and operations Yammer Group  . Share your Feedback and be the first to know about the latest enhancements.

The post Microsoft Ignite 2023 Insights & Opportunities for ERP applications. appeared first on Microsoft Dynamics 365 Blog.

Introduction:

In the ever-changing landscape of contemporary business, effective supply chain management is paramount. Central to this complex system is the critical process of demand planning and forecasting, which profoundly impacts a company’s capacity to fulfil customer requirements, optimize inventory, and maintain a competitive edge. This article explores the significance of demand forecasting and how Microsoft seamlessly incorporates it into its new demand planning in Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management.

The Crucial Role of Demand Planning and Forecasting:

Precise demand planning and forecasting play a pivotal role in diverse facets of business operations, yielding advantages throughout the entire supply chain:

1. Accurate Inventory Management: Precise demand forecasting optimizes inventory levels, finding the balance between excess stock and stockouts.
2. Customer Satisfaction: Accurate forecasting ensures products are available in the right place at the right time, enhancing customer satisfaction and brand loyalty.
3. Cost Reduction: Effective demand forecasting minimizes holding costs for excess inventory and reduces costs associated with stockouts.
4. Resource Allocation: Anticipating demand aids in efficiently allocating resources, including labor, production capacity, and raw materials.
5. Improved Collaboration: Accurate forecasting fosters collaboration across the supply chain, enhancing coordination between suppliers, manufacturers, and retailers.
6. Long-term Planning: Strategic planning benefits from accurate forecasting, aiding businesses in adapting to changing market conditions and trends.
7. Competitive Advantage: Organizations responding effectively to market changes gain a competitive edge.

Exploring a Range of Demand Forecasting Models:

Below is a concise examination of diverse forecasting models employed in general Supply Chain demand planning, accompanied by insights into their potential applications within a business context.

1. Qualitative Forecasting:
   • Delphi Method: In the tech industry, when forecasting the demand for a new product, experts from different fields like engineering, marketing, and finance may anonymously provide input through multiple rounds of questionnaires.
   • Market Research: A smartphone company might conduct extensive market research, including customer surveys and competitor analysis, to forecast demand for its next flagship device.
2. Time Series Analysis:
   • Prophet: In the retail sector, employ Prophet time series analysis for precise demand forecasting, enabling efficient inventory management, minimizing stockouts, and maximizing profitability.
   • Exponential Smoothing: A fashion retailer might use exponential smoothing to predict future sales based on the recent trend in sales for specific clothing items.
   • ARIMA: A beverage company could apply ARIMA models to forecast demand for a seasonal drinks during holidays.
   • Best Fit: In healthcare, ‘Best Fit’ involves selecting the optimum statistical model to capture dataset patterns. Applying best-fit time series analysis anticipates patient needs, optimizes resource management, and enhances operational effectiveness for improved outcomes and satisfaction.”
   • ETS (Error-Trend-Seasonality): Hospitality and Tourism, utilize ETS models to forecast hotel bookings and tourism trends, enabling businesses to optimize pricing strategies and allocate resources efficiently based on seasonal fluctuations.
3. Causal Models:
   • Regression Analysis: An automobile manufacturer might use regression analysis to predict the impact of advertising spending on the demand for a particular car model.
   • Econometric Models: In the energy sector, econometric models could be employed to forecast electricity demand based on economic indicators such as GDP and population growth.
4. Machine Learning Models:
   • Neural Networks: An e-commerce platform might use neural networks to predict customer demand for various products by considering factors like browsing history, purchase patterns, and customer demographics.
   • Random Forest: A retail chain could employ a random forest model to forecast the demand for different product categories based on historical sales data and external factors like economic trends.
5. Judgmental Forecasting:
   • Expert Input: In the pharmaceutical industry, stakeholders may provide expert opinions to forecast the demand for a new medication, considering factors like regulatory approval, market acceptance, and healthcare trends.

These forecasting models offer diverse approaches, catering to various industries and scenarios.

Demand forecasting in Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management

In the context of demand planning in Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management, the efficiency of demand forecasting is bolstered by a robust suite of features. The system taps into the potential of built-in out-of-the-box AI-powered algorithms, integrates existing models, utilizes the capabilities of Custom Azure Machine Learning (AML), advanced forecasting models, forecasting profiles, and streamlined data hierarchy management to enhance the precision of demand planning. Through the seamless integration of these elements, the platform guarantees the accuracy of demand forecasts, facilitates the smooth identification and handling of outliers, and adeptly oversees various facets of the supply chain.

Built-in AI Algorithms:

Access to pre-configured and out-of-the-box AI-based models like Arima Prophet, ETS, and outlier removal without the need for additional configuration provides users with a powerful and user-friendly forecasting solution. This feature enables businesses to quickly leverage advanced forecasting techniques, enhancing the accuracy of predictions.

Advanced Forecasting Models:

The platform supports advanced forecasting methods such as ARIMA, ETS (Error-Trend-Seasonality), Prophet, and Best fit, ensuring a high degree of accuracy in demand forecasts. Leveraging the capabilities of custom Azure Machine Learning (AML), this flexibility empowers businesses to customize their forecasting strategies based on the distinct characteristics of their products and the dynamics of their market.

Use your own Forecast Models

If you’ve created your own forecasting models or utilize Azure Machine Learning within Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management, you can leverage the collaborative editing features within the app to directly invoke your custom models. This allows you to seamlessly integrate your pre-built models alongside the out-of-the-box models provided, tailoring your forecast for optimal accuracy.

Forecasting Profiles:

Users can craft and manage forecasting profiles, streamlining calculations and facilitating the application of outlier removal techniques. This feature adds a layer of customization to the forecasting process, allowing organizations to adapt to specific business requirements and scenarios.

Outlier Detection and Removal/Handiling:

Detecting outliers in demand planning is a vital component of forecasting and supply chain management. The identification of outliers plays a key role in enhancing the precision of demand forecasts and ensuring the appropriate handling of anomalies. This process is streamlined through the intuitive Outlier Detection capabilities embedded in demand planning within Dynamics Supply Chain Management.Detecting and eliminating outliers is a pivotal stage in data preprocessing, essential for enhancing the accuracy and dependability of statistical analyses and machine learning models. Employ advanced methods, particularly the Interquartile Range (IQR) and Seasonal-Trend Decomposition using LOESS (STL), to skillfully pinpoint and preemptively manage outliers. This strategic approach contributes to improved precision and effectiveness in data analysis.

Outlier Removal/Handling Techniques:

• Leverage sophisticated approaches, notably the Interquartile Range (IQR) and Seasonal-Trend Decomposition using LOESS (STL), to adeptly identify and proactively address outliers for enhanced precision and effectiveness in data analysis.

Data Hierarchy Management:

Efficient data hierarchy management is crucial for granular forecasting and optimizing supply chain operations. Demand planning in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management provides comprehensive hierarchy management across products, locations, and time:

• Product Hierarchy: A retail electronics company organizes its product catalog with a hierarchical structure, starting broadly with categories like smartphones and laptops and becoming more granular with specific brands and models. This detailed hierarchy enables the company to forecast demand patterns at a specific product level, enhancing inventory management.

• Location Hierarchy: The company optimizes distribution based on a location hierarchy that spans global, regional, and local levels. Understanding variations in demand by region helps in strategic decision-making for supply chain management, ensuring efficient allocation of inventory to meet the unique demands of each location.

• Time Hierarchy: Capturing seasonality and trends through time hierarchy management, the company analyzes daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly variations in demand. This temporal sensitivity enhances the accuracy of predictions, allowing the business to adjust inventory levels and marketing strategies to meet fluctuating consumer preferences throughout the year.

Enhanced Integration with data:

Demand planning in Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management seamlessly integrates your data, further enhancing the capabilities of the demand forecasting solution:

Virtual Entities:

The platform supports the extension or creation of custom entities within Microsoft Finance and Operations, enabling integration with additional data sources. This flexibility ensures that businesses can incorporate diverse datasets into their demand forecasting models.

Finance and Operations Integration:

The smooth export of planned data back into Microsoft Finance and Operations marks the culmination of the supply chain planning cycle. This closed-loop integration guarantees that the generated demand forecasts are directly incorporated into the broader finance and operations context, promoting consistency and accuracy throughout the organization. Users have the flexibility to plan across various instances of Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations at a higher level and selectively export specific parts of the plan to designated locations.

Azure Data Explorer (ADX):

Efficient data storage, aggregation, and disaggregation in Azure Data Explorer optimize performance. This integration allows businesses to harness the power of Azure’s data capabilities for more robust forecasting and analytics.

Conclusion:

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management’s demand planning feature provides a comprehensive solution for demand forecasting. This solution incorporates outlier detection, advanced forecasting models, seasonality analysis, and robust scenario planning capabilities. The integrated approach enables businesses to make well-informed decisions, adapt to changing conditions, and maintain a competitive edge in a dynamic market environment. Demand planning and forecasting are crucial aspects of effective supply chain management, enhancing agility, responsiveness, and competitiveness in today’s dynamic marketplace.

The article explores various forecasting models and demonstrates their real-world applications. Dynamics 365’s features, such as built-in AI algorithms, advanced forecasting models, forecasting profiles, outlier detection, and data hierarchy management, are highlighted as key elements that improve accuracy.

Additionally, the platform’s integration capabilities with Azure Data Explorer and Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management are emphasized, creating a closed-loop system that optimizes forecasting accuracy and extends its impact across the organization.

To navigate the complexities of supply chain management, businesses can strategically leverage Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management. This proactive approach allows them to adapt to future challenges, gain a competitive edge, and foster sustained success in the ever-evolving landscape of modern business.

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Learn More

Access the demand planning solution, Documentation, and Workshop:

To access the demand planning Application and learn more about its features, follow the provided links. Additionally, don’t miss the upcoming demand planning workshop in Denmark to dive deeper into this transformative tool.

Access the demand planning in Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management:

To install the latest version of the demand planning application, ensure that you are using Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management, and then visit the Power Platform Admin Center. Search for the Dynamics 365 demand planning Application and follow the installation process.

Click here to access: Demand planning in Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management

https://aka.ms/DemandPlanningApp

Demand planning Documentation:

If you’re interested in learning more about our demand planning Application, we’ve prepared an extensive collection of highly informative documents for your review and easy access.

You can find them right here: Demand planning Documentation

Demand planning – Demonstration Videos:

We’ve taken extra steps to create a series of informative demo videos that will not only guide you through the application but also showcase a multitude of features available in the demand planning Application.

Demand Planning Insights Videos:

• Importing Data:
• Creating Forecasts:
• Planner viewing and working with Forecasts

Meet the Team: Onsite Workshop December 2023

The forthcoming demand planning Workshop, to be held at Microsoft’s facility in Lyngby, Denmark, is geared towards introducing the new demand planning application to both Customers and Partners. Furthermore, it will provide an in-depth exploration of the product’s features and capabilities.

The workshop will also cover various important topics, including:

• Exploring the contents of the Public Preview October 21st and December update.
• Engaging hands-on lab activities.
• Participating in a user experience (UX) study or exercise.
• Understanding how these developments align with the broader context of Supply Chain Planning.
• An overview of Copilot for demand planning.
• Customer insights and feedback.

Please note that a more detailed agenda will be provided to attendees as the workshop date approaches.

Date: 4th+ 5th December 2023

Duration: 2 days

Location: Lyngby, Denmark

Register here

Demand Planning Community – Yammer

Join our Yammer group to stay updated with monthly evaluations, scripts, and videos related to the demand Planning Application. Your journey to supply chain transformation begins here.

Preview Early Access – Demand Planning Application

The post Transforming Supply Chains: Exploring Advanced AI-Powered Demand Forecasting and Demand Planning in Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management appeared first on Microsoft Dynamics 365 Blog.

In today’s data-driven world, businesses rely on customer data to fuel their marketing strategies. They need to access, analyze, and act on this data to power personalized experiences that drive return on marketing investments. However, this comes with the challenges of (1) configuring systems like a Customer Data Platform correctly and (2) ensuring high data quality within these systems.

A Gartner research study¹ reported that high quality data provides “better leads, better understanding of customers, and better customer relationships” and that “every year, poor quality data costs organizations an average of $12.9 million.” This is why it is crucial to understand the current configuration state of your Customer Insights – Data environment and the quality of your data; addressing these challenges is the key to unlocking the most relevant and impactful insights about your customers. 

We recently shipped generative-AI powered features in D365 Customer Insights – Data to help organizations improve data quality and configuration with Copilot so they can empower business users with the best insights to deliver highly personalized customer experiences.

This blog post will share more information on how you can improve data quality and configuration with Copilot. With these features you can:

• Review the current status of your Customer Insights – Data environment,
• Understand the overall health of your data,
• Consult which insights can be generated successfully from your data,
• Act on recommendations to unlock more insights.  

To illustrate how these features work, let’s see how they can be used to improve the speed and quality of an email marketing campaign to target high lifetime value customers with a ‘thank you’ discount on their next purchase.  

Quickly know if your jobs have run successfully, and where to go if not with Copilot  

Contoso Coffee recently implemented Customer Insights – Data, which involved integrating source data from various systems and creating unified customer profiles. To ensure that everything was running smoothly, they checked the system settings. Environment Status Summary, a Copilot feature not only highlighted a recent issue, but also used AI to identify where the issue occurred and provided a direct link to investigate. Thanks to this feature, Contoso’s IT Team was able to quickly fix a skipped customer profile job that would have otherwise blocked them from generating insights for an upcoming email marketing campaign. With the problem resolved in minutes, they could focus on re-engaging high lifetime value customers in a timely manner. 

Understand your overall data quality with Copilot

Now that Contoso’s environment is running smoothly, they want to quickly understand the general health of their data estate.

They review a summary of their data quality on the Home Page by the Data Prep Report, a Copilot feature. This summary includes a data quality grade, which insights are available, the most critical data quality issues, and a link to a detailed data prep report to learn more. Using this summary, Contoso can see that their data quality is medium with a 75% score. They are able to generate some insights, but not the customer lifetime value prediction they want for their email marketing campaign.

If not for this summary, Contoso would have attempted to configure, train, score, and run a customer lifetime value prediction that would have failed completely or had low-grade results. The summary show where their data stands. Thus they don’t have to go through the frustration of trying to generate insights based on unusable data.  

See which insights can be generated successfully from your data 

Next, Contoso wants to deep dive the report to understand the next steps to build their email campaign. They click into the full Data Prep Report, which informs them that they can generate churn predictions, segments, or measures based on their current data. However, they want to pursue a customer lifetime value prediction to support their campaign. They filter the report to review the detailed issues and recommendations specific to customer lifetime value and see the issues listed in priority order from highest to lowest severity. The report gives them the targeted, easy-to-digest information they need to know how to proceed. 

Act on recommendations to unlock more insights 

Finally, Contoso engages their IT Team to act on the detailed issues and recommendations. The IT Team follows the recommendations by taking the suggested actions such as adding more data incorporating products with a sufficient number of purchases. With minimal time, effort, and ambiguity they are able to improve their data and light up the customer lifetime value prediction they want for their marketing campaign. 

Create and use high-impact insights in marketing campaigns 

With the help of Environment Status Summary and Data Prep Report, Contoso Coffee is able to get their Customer Data Platform environment set up correctly and resolve their top data quality issues effectively.  By improving data quality and configuration with Copilot they are able to instantly get rich insights, such as customer lifetime value predictions, which are conveniently available out-of-the box in Customer Insights – Data. This lets their marketing team focus on launching an effective email campaign that provides relevant and in-the-moment offers to their highest value customers to drive business results. Consult our product documentation and start using these AI-powered features today to achieve similar results!

What are some ways to engage further with Customer Insights – Data? 

• If you’re a new user, or want to test with demo data: Start a trial of Customer Insights 
• For more information, reach out via the Customer and Partner Voice channels or in the Dynamics 365 Application Ideas page.  
• The Customer Insights forums are also another great way to ask questions and connect with other partners and users.
• Discover Dynamics 365 Customer Insights W2 2023 capabilities.

The post Deliver higher-impact experiences with better data quality and configuration with Copilot appeared first on Microsoft Dynamics 365 Blog.

Navigating the complex world of business data in the age of AI presents unique challenges to enterprises. Organizations grapple with harnessing disparate data sources, addressing security and compliance risks while maintaining cost effectiveness. Overwhelming challenges often lead to inefficiencies and missed opportunities more than ever. Dynamics 365 and Dataverse are offering a unified platform for managing data effectively and securely at hyperscale, while empowering low code makers and business users of Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Power Platform.  

Customers in different industries, from finance to retail, have been trusting their data and processes with Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Power Platform for years. We are excited to announce multiple features for helping IT administrators navigate effectively with rising AI, data, and security challenges. With Microsoft Purview integration, data governance and compliance risks are significantly reduced. Azure Sentinel provides vigilant monitoring against threats, while enhanced logging to the Microsoft 365 unified audit log tackles insider threats head-on. With Dataverse Link to Fabric, administrators can enable simpler data integration for low code makers, without the need to build and govern complex data pipelines. Moreover, the introduction of Dataverse elastic tables and long-term data retention strategies promise a substantial improvement in both hyperscale management and ROI, reinforcing a robust, secure, and cost-efficient data ecosystem.  

Protect your data and assets in the age of AI 

Growing cyber risks and increased corporate liability exposure for breaches have driven an increased focus on security in many organizations. To address this, Dataverse provides a comprehensive platform to secure your data and assets. At Ignite 2023 we are announcing several new security capabilities:  

Govern Dynamics 365 and Power Platform data in Dataverse through Microsoft Purview integration 

Dataverse integration with Microsoft Purview’s Data Map, available shortly in public preview, enables automated data discovery and sensitive data classification. The integration will help your organization to understand and govern their business applications data estate, safeguard that data, and improve their risk and compliance posture. Learn more here: http://aka.ms/DataversePurviewIntegration 

Monitor and react to threats with Sentinel  

Microsoft Sentinel solution for Microsoft Power Platform will be in public preview across regions over the next few weeks. Microsoft Sentinel is also integrated with Dynamics 365, with recently added OOB analytics rules. With Sentinel integration, customers can detect various suspicious activities such as Microsoft Power Apps execution from unauthorized geographies, suspicious data destruction by Power Apps, mass deletion of Power Apps, phishing attacks (via Power Apps), Power Automate flows activity by departing employees, Microsoft Power Platform connectors added to an environment, and the update or removal of Microsoft Power Platform data loss prevention policies. Learn more here: http://aka.ms/DataverseSentinelIntegration  

Manage the risk of insider threats via enhanced logging to the Microsoft 365 Unified Audit Log 

To manage the risk of insider threats, all administrator actions in Power Platform are logged to the Microsoft 365 Unified Admin audit log, enabling security teams that manage compliance and insider risk management teams who act on events the ability to mitigate risks in an organization. Learn more here: http://aka.ms/PowerPlatformAdminAuditLogging 

Seamlessly integrate your Dynamics 365 data with Fabric and Microsoft 365  

Empower your users to do more with Link to Fabric  

We are excited to announce general availability of Link to Fabric, a no-copy, no-ETL direct link between Dataverse and Microsoft Fabric. If your organization uses Dynamics 365 or Power Platform with Power BI, Link to Fabric enables simple data integration, and allows low code makers to securely derive AI driven insights across business apps and data sources and drive action.  

Low code Makers can Link to Microsoft Fabric from the Analyze menu in Power Apps maker portal command bar. The system validates configuration and lets you choose a Fabric workspace without leaving maker portal. When you confirm, the system securely links all your tables into a system generated Synapse Lakehouse in the Fabric workspace you selected. Your data stays in Dataverse while you can work with all Fabric workloads like SQL, Python and PowerBI without making copies or building pipelines. As data gets updated in Dataverse, changes are reflected in Fabric, near real time. 

We are also excited to announce joint partner and ISV solutions with Dynamics 365, Power platform and Microsoft Fabric. Partners and system are leveraging the Dataverse Link to Fabric to provide value added solutions that combine business functionality with insights and built-in actions.  

MECOMS is a top recommended solution for energy and utility companies across the globe enables next generation cities with smart energy and utility solutions that manage consumption from “meter to cash”. MECOMS 365, built on Dynamics 365 and Microsoft Fabric, gathers smart meter data from homes and businesses, processes billing and reconciliation in Dynamics 365 and integrates with Dynamics 365 for customer engagement. Smart cities can not only provide billing and excellent service, but also provide insights to customers on how they can lower consumption and save money.   

Ian Bruyninckx, Lead Product Architect, MECOMS, A Ferranti Company 

ERP customers can extend their insights and reduce TCO by upgrading to Synapse Link  

If you are a Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations (F&O) customer, we have exciting news to share. Synapse Link for Dataverse service built into Power Apps, the successor to the Export to Data Lake feature in finance and operations apps, is now generally available. By upgrading from Export to data lake feature in F&O to Synapse Link, you can benefit from the improved configuration and enhanced performance which translates to a reduction in the total cost of ownership (TCO).

To learn more about upgrading to Synapse Link, refer to https://aka.ms/TransitiontoSynapseLinkVideos.

Reference Dataverse records with Microsoft 365 Context IQ to efficiently access enterprise data 

One of the most time-consuming tasks, for any person that uses email, is sharing information in your line of business applications with colleagues. You must jump out of your Outlook web experience, open your line of business app, navigate to a record, and then copy and paste the link into your email. This is an incredibly time-consuming set of steps and actions. 

We are excited to announce general availability for Dataverse integration with Microsoft 365 Context IQ a new feature that makes it possible for users to access their most recently used data directly from Outlook Web Client using a simple gesture.   

Please refer to the settings on how to Use /mention to link to records in Outlook web client – Power Platform | Microsoft Learn. 

Efficiently hyper(scale) your business applications  

In the age of AI, customers are challenged with managing data at hyperscale from a plethora of sources. As a polyglot hyperscale data platform for structured relational and unstructured non-relational data, Dataverse can support all your business scenarios with security, governance, and life cycle management, with no storage limitations.  

For very high scale data scenarios, such as for example utilizing third party data for time-sensitive marketing campaigns or driving efficiency with predictive maintenance for your IOT business, Dataverse elastic tables is a powerful addition to standard tables, supporting both relational and non-relational data. You can even optimize large volume data storage with time-defined auto-delete capability. 

Additionally, while Dataverse can support your business growth with no limit on active data, to meet your company’s compliance, regulatory or other organizational policy, you can retain in-active data with Dataverse long term data retention and save 50% or more on storage capacity.  

Click here to learn more about Microsoft Dataverse. 

The post Unlock new value with your Dynamics 365 data in Microsoft 365 and Fabric, while safeguarding your data and assets appeared first on Microsoft Dynamics 365 Blog.

Organizations want to get the best out of their agents by maximizing their utilization, distributing work evenly, and providing enough breaks between calls. Least active routing, formerly known as most-idle routing, is an assignment strategy that can help achieve this. It assigns work to agents based on when they end their last conversation. It gives agents who are working on longer or more complex conversations a chance to take a break, while distributing the new conversations to other agents. Doing so helps improve workforce utilization and engagement. 

How does least active routing help? 

Contoso Health is a multinational healthcare and insurance provider. It has a large customer support organization covering more than 20 product lines, handled by more than 5,000 agents worldwide. Customers call the contact center to get their queries resolved.

In the contact center, an agent can talk to only one customer at a time. Eugenia, the director of customer support at Contoso, observes that some of her agents are being utilized up to 95% in their schedule. Meanwhile, others are occupied only for only 70-75%, and she wants to solve this problem. While doing that, she also wants to make sure not to impact the key metrics like customer satisfaction and SLAs. She comes across the least active routing assignment method and tries it for a queue.  

Kayla and Finn are two agents working in a voice queue. Kayla has a call that comes in at 1:00 PM. Finn takes a call at 1:05 PM. Kayla’s issue is complex and takes her 15 minutes to close. Finn solves his customer’s problem in five minutes. The next call comes in at 1:20 PM. The round robin method would assign the new call to Kayla since it is her turn, and she is available. But with the least active routing, the system considers the idle time of agents and assigns the call to Finn, as his last call ended earlier than Kayla’s. This kind of assignment, considering the idle time, improves the agent utilization.  

The Least active option is available in the Assignment method section of the queue.

The least active routing assignment method is currently available only for voice channel queues and is the default selection for new voice queues. Least active routing can also be used as an Order by condition in the custom assignment methods. 

Build custom reports to monitor an agent’s last capacity release time 

The least active assignment method works based on when the agent ended his or her last call. This data about the agent’s last call end time or last capacity release time, is available in the Dataverse entity ‘msdyn_agentchannelstateentity’. Organizations can use the Model customization feature in Dynamics 365 Customer Service to build a custom report that provides a view of this data.

Learn more

To learn more about least active routing, read the documentation: Assignment methods for queues | Microsoft Learn

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