Making the Journey from Microsoft Dynamics SL to Acumatica ERP
Is It Time for You to Make the Switch to the Modern Acumatica ERP?
If you’re using Microsoft Dynamics SL, you already know it’s a great ERP for a wide range of industries. You may also know that its numerous, flexible add-ons meet the needs of manufacturers, distributors, and services firms. What you definitely know is that Dynamics SL has undeniably helped you grow your business.
But at this point, your business may have outgrown the capabilities of Microsoft Dynamics SL.
If your organization is ready to move beyond pure growth and achieve true evolution, it may be time for you to choose a modern, evolution-ready ERP solution like Acumatica ERP.
Has Microsoft Dynamics SL Reached Its Evolutionary Limit for Your Company?
Microsoft Dynamics SL has been around since the 80s and, though the ERP has modernized significantly since it first launched, certain aspects of the software are unlikely to ever fully modernize because it would be prohibitively expensive for Microsoft to update these aspects. (Or, rather, it would be expensive for Plumbline to update these aspects; they’re the outsourced company that handles everything having to do with Dynamics SL development these days.)
Unfortunately, one of the biggest aspects that’s unlikely to change is the underlying code for Dynamics SL– and that’s a major problem in today’s hyperconnected business landscape because Dynamics SL’s proprietary code can be extremely costly to integrate with modern add-ons and other agile solutions.
If your business needs to connect to the latest cloud-based solutions to gain insight into real-time reporting and updates from anywhere; or if you require integrations with specific cloud solutions, datasets, or apps… well, your best bet may be to switch to a modern ERP like Acumatica ERP.
What Does a Modern ERP Do?
Modern ERP solutions like Acumatica ERP deliver the same business-building tools and functions you’ve come to rely on from your Dynamics SL ERP, but they also deliver the connected, mobile experience modern companies need to succeed.
- Modern ERP connects your front office with your back office…and its business management applications (such as Financials, Distribution, CRM, Manufacturing, Service Management, Project Accounting, and Business Intelligence) are fully integrated.
- Modern ERP creates a single source of truth for your data… and also makes it easy to securely update your data from anywhere, at any time, and from any device.
- Modern ERP offers a wealth of add-on functions to meet your precise business needs… and the low-cost and fast installation of today’s API-enabled add-ons make it feasible to use different, tailored solutions during different stages of your company’s evolution.
- Modern ERP provides predictable pricing with low CapEx… and also delivers unique and flexible deployment and licensing options that make it easy to handle your data on your terms and scale at will.
Best of all, modern ERP offers the cutting-edge capabilities that can keep your business ahead of the curve, now and in the future.
Your Journey to a Modern ERP
By this point, you’ve probably heard about Microsoft’s option for cloud-connected software. Dynamics 365 is the latest version of the Dynamics line, and it is a modern solution. However, to be honest, its current capabilities fall short of its users’ requirements.
To be blunt: Microsoft Dynamics 365 simply doesn’t have the ERP functionality that Dynamics SL users need… though Microsoft says the functionality will exist sometime soon.
As we see it, companies that are currently using Dynamics SL can choose one of two options:
- Keep using Dynamics SL while waiting for Dynamics 365 to mature into what you need it to be (which may never happen)
- Transition to a “future proof” modern ERP solution that runs on the cloud and currently meets the needs of Dynamics SL users, yet also has the flexible platform it requires to grow and evolve with your company in the years to come
Since you’re a busy person, you may be tempted to go for option 1 and just wait until a newer, better version of Dynamics 365 comes out. That’s fine if that’s your choice… but the important thing to remember is that deciding on either one of these options is a choice that your business must make.
Sitting on your current Dynamics SL solution may seem like a non-action, but it is a choice. And that means you have to exercise due diligence.
As in all business decisions, especially the decisions about high-ticket items like ERPs, you must carefully weigh the pros and cons of each option, so you know that your eventual choice is strategic and best serves the goals and objectives of your company.
Therefore, before you make a choice, you must follow 3 steps:
- Do your research and learn the value of Acumatica, today’s most modern ERP for mid-market companies. (Check out this helpful guide if you’re looking for an in-depth comparison between Acumatica and Dynamics SL.)
- As you move forward using your current Dynamics SL solution, look at additional distinctive players in the market that could meet your needs as well or better. Acumatica is by no means the only solution available; as you know, there’s also Dynamics 365 and many other ERPs. Learn what they offer.
- Pay attention to what you find yourself wishing your Dynamics SL system could do. Note these desired capabilities and add them to your assessment of other ERP solutions.
If you find that none of the available ERP solutions on the market meet your exact needs, look around for solutions that offer flexibility, adaptability, and a philosophy of openness, like Acumatica.
Acumatica’s modern ERP provides users with:
- Flexible deployment options. Choose private cloud or fully managed cloud, with the ability to change your mind later as your needs change.
- Unlimited learning opportunities. From the free Open University, which offers hands-on learning with a free copy of Acumatica, to the regional user groups, the free Acumatica Help Portal, and more, you and your staff can keep building your skills.
- A robust, adaptable platform. The Acumatica Cloud xRP platform can act as the foundation to your client offerings, and it can also seamlessly meet your development needs for your Acumatica solution.
- Unlimited user access. Since Acumatica charges only for resources used, it effectively costs you nothing to add unlimited occasional users, such as partners, clients, vendors, auxiliary employees, and other part-time users. With this freedom, you can finally break down all your silos and promote a culture of openness at your company.
- An industry-standard development framework. Acumatica runs on the .NET framework, which almost every developer knows and understands. This cuts your development costs, boosts your third-party solution availability, and makes it easier for you to tailor-fit your ERP solution to your needs.
- A cutting-edge tech tool. As a technology company, Acumatica has 75% of their employees working in R&D. Because of this, Acumatica has the ability to bring the latest tech to mid-market businesses, including blockchain, machine learning, and natural language processing. Acumatica’s progress shows no sign of slowing.
These features are some of the top reasons why Dynamics SL users choose to make the leap to Acumatica’s modern ERP.
What Microsoft Dynamics SL Users Say After Switching to Acumatica ERP
Everyone has their own preferences on what they want their ERP solution to do, but Dynamics SL users are particularly impressed with the increased flexibility they get from Acumatica.
Here are just a few comments we’ve heard from companies that recently migrated from Dynamics SL to Acumatica ERP:
- A professional services firm said:
“With Acumatica, I can just start typing the name of the company and it fills it in for me. You couldn’t do that in Microsoft Dynamics SL. I spent countless hours looking for vendor ID’s. With Acumatica, I can type the vendor name instead of the vendor ID. I am so happy about that. What I really, really like is how everything is connected [in Acumatica].”
- A nonprofit organization said:
“We were attracted [to Acumatica] by the flexibility of the [multi-currency] financing and by Acumatica’s unlimited user licensing model—whether we chose to host it ourselves or be on their Cloud, we could always have a fixed price.”
- A manufacturing company said:
“…at the headquarters, we now have exact knowledge of all daily sales activities on the field and real-time information including product display at hundreds of thousands of outlets… Real-time visibility into daily business activities and timely business data now empowers every decision…”
Your Journey to Modern ERP: Acumatica ERP
If you’re ready to transform your business with the flexibility, performance, and cutting-edge capability that a modern ERP like Acumatica offers, you’ll be glad to hear that there are migration options available to help you transfer your data from Microsoft Dynamics SL to Acumatica ERP.
You just have to have the right migration partner assisting you with your transition.
SWK Technologies has helped businesses across a wide range of industries implement and tailor both Dynamics SL and Acumatica ERP. With our extensive team certified in both Dynamics SL and Acumatica, SWK Technologies has the knowledge and experience to assist you with your smooth and successful migration to your modern ERP.
Contact SWK Technologies to set up a meeting,
so you can review your current Microsoft Dynamics SL situation and determine the next steps on your journey to Acumatica ERP – the modern ERP.
Still have questions? Then take your time and learn more about cloud ERP, research ERP solutions, or evaluate the ERP systems you’re considering.
