Dynamics Hotdish

This week we dig into the different ways you can bring data into Dataverse/Dynamics 365, from the out-of-the-box tools to various external solution, and evaluate the pros and cons of each.

Part 2 of our dive into Dataverse security continues this week with more tips and best practices. This week we expand beyond the "basic" security components to discuss extended features like column security, and form security. We also ponder some use cases - leave a comment if you have an example!

This week we got back to the basics and dug into security within Dataverse and Dynamics 365. We go through some history, discuss best practices, and some things to consider when setting up your security. We had so much to discuss that we have a part 2 coming up next week!

Somewhat late to the party, but the fourth episode of our diversity series this week is a conversation about how those of us in positions of privilege can be effective allies to those who are in marginalized positions or populations.  We even forgive Allie for working with Salesforce (*gasp*) because we appreciated her message and the way she helped define allyship.

This week we decided to pick up one of those ongoing topics that never really end or get the perfect answers - data quality.  Anyone with any sort of database (or even a spreadsheet!) has run into issues keeping data clean and organized, and a CRM system is certainly no different.  We cover a few tips that we've learned over time, a couple of tools that might help, and generally discuss...

On the podcast this week, we have the pleasure of talking to Matt Beard, a Microsoft MVP based in the UK, who is also on the organizing team for Scottish Summit. We discuss some of the details of Scottish Summit, including some aspects that make it a unique conference, and general fun conversation. Listen in to learn more! Visit www.dynamicshotdish for more information. 

Our episode this week brings us back into slightly more technical territory with a discussion on implementing sales processes into Dynamics 365 Sales. We cover the importance of starting at the process and bringing technology later, as well as considering the broader picture of what a process looks like outside of the CRM tool.  Have any best practices you'd like to share? Leave a comment! Vi...

Finding data in Dynamics 365 and Dataverse has always been a bit of a struggle - you had to search the right way in the right place or you might not find what you were looking for, and using Advanced Find was not for the faint of heart. Now, for the first time in over a decade, Microsoft has changed Advanced Find, and this week we discuss these changes as well as other changes to searching over ti...

Users and executives love dashboards, but as with most Microsoft solutions, there are a number of different ways to solve the problem.  This week we discuss using standard Dynamics dashboards or Power BI as different options to provide users with that one stop view of important data, with some pointers on how to decide which solution fits best. Visit www.dynamicshotdish.com for more informati...

For the third episode of our diversity series, we have a conversation with two Minneapolis-based entrepreneurs, Tayo Daniel and Nabil Ghebre. Both bring enlightening perspectives on bringing more diversity into the tech space, and both bring passion to this area with community-based action.  We also talk more about TechFluent, as both Tayo and Nabil are involved as well!

In the second episode of our diversity series, we have a conversation with DJ Baker, a Minneapolis business owner and entrepreneur, about some of the complexity in dealing with wealth inequity and why the wealth gap extends beyond simply having better jobs.  We also share a nonprofit organization that all of us are part of launching - TechFluent. Visit www.dynamicshotdish.com & www.techfl...

This week we are starting a new series focused on diversity within the Microsoft biz apps space, and what better place to start than with our guest, Lucas Diaz, co-founder of Ludia Consulting.  Ludia is one of the few (if not the only) minority-owned Dynamics 365 partners, and Lucas offers some compelling points on the benefits and importance of diversity in the team, as well as some instruct...

This week we take a look at a choice that many Dynamics professionals consider at some point in their careers and that is whether or not going independent is for you. Conveniently for our conversation, Liz went down this very path two years ago and gives us some insights on the benefits as well as the risks and things to consider when determining if becoming an independent consultant is the right...

Every single person who has ever looked at licensing for Microsoft Dynamics 365 or Power Platform has definitely had questions. Lucky for us, this week we have a guest on to help give us clarity - Jay Lendl from Microsoft! Jay helps explain the different licenses available, the intention behind each, and gives us a sneak peek into what might happen next with the Team Member license. If you have an...

As historically CRM people, we tend to approach the Power Platform and Power Apps mostly from a CRM perspective - salespeople, customer service, etc., but not very often from a financial or accounting lens.  Our episode this week goes into a unique financial tracking use case for a Power App, to manage a high volume of interest-bearing loans for a financial services firm.  It might give...

Have you ever felt like you don't belong in your role, or that you don't deserve a promotion so you don't pursue it? Commonly known as impostor syndrome, we discuss this week the idea of not feeling like you're good enough with our guest AJ Hawley, an independent consultant in the Dynamics space. AJ shares some great perspectives and some tips that he uses when he starts to question himself. &nbsp...

This week we take a departure from technology topics and discuss something more personal - the struggles that women can face working with (or for) other women in industries, like tech, where women are in the minority.  This is something that both Liz and Ashley have encountered and have worked to avoid doing themselves so it's close to home. We have some ideas on how to make things better, an...

We kick off the new year with a discussion of a (somewhat) newer feature in the Power Platform, dataflows. As Merlin has just been working hands-on with them and Ashley is currently in a project that uses dataflows, we dig in and discuss what they're good for, a couple of considerations, and at least one complaint. Leave your dataflow impressions in the comments! Visit https://www.dynamicshotdish....

As you might imagine, we're not always perfectly polished as you may see or hear on our podcast, so our parting gift for 2021 is blooper real. Probably best viewed on YouTube - enjoy! For more information on Dynamics Hotdish, visit https://www.dynamicshotdish.com. 

Earlier this fall, we decided to have our own book club and read a book over the quarter to discuss in an episode.  Here is that episode!  Here to wrap up 2021 is our casual discussion of this quarter's book, "Get Your Sh*t Together" by Sarah Knight.  We debate which of the Chipmunks we each align with and discuss the things that really stuck with us from reading it, and the things...

For our final installment of our DynamicsCon Live content encore, listen in as we discuss Dynamics 365 Customer Voice, the features it offers, and some use cases where it fits well. If you need to survey your customers, Customer Voice is a great option - and you may already own it! Visit https://dynamicshotdish.com/ for more information.

Continuing our DynamicsCon Live encore content, this week is Dynamics 365 Customer Insights. We discuss what it's good for, what it does and doesn't replace, and contemplate the best ways to get benefit from the product. Feel free to ask any questions you may have about Customer Insights in the comments! Visit https://dynamicshotdish.com/ for more information.

Our first encore of our DynamicsCon Live session, this week we jump into Dynamics 365 Marketing and discuss some of its capabilities, strengths, weaknesses, and why you might want to consider it (or not) now that it's grown up a bit. If you have any direct experience with Marketing, leave your thoughts in the comments! Visit www.dynamicshotdish.com for more information.

The shift to remote work made everything virtual, including training on new software or processes, which meant many organizations had to do virtual trainings for the first time (others have been doing it for years anyway). This week we discuss some of the key things to keep in mind that are different with virtual trainings as compared to a live, in-person session, and offer some suggestions to hel...

This week we return with a guest speaker, Matt Fleming, to discuss Azure DevOps (ADO) and the benefits of using it to keep track of your work in any project, but especially some benefits for use with Dynamics and Power Apps.  If you've been looking for a better way to keep track of the work you need to do and collaborate with a team (internal or hybrid with a partner), ADO might be the answer...