Topic: CRM

Transform donor engagement: Omnichannel service for nonprofits

Transform Donor Engagement: Omnichannel Service for Nonprofits

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Enhance Your Nonprofit’s Communication Strategy

In this presentation, Sunrise and the Microsoft Elevate team showcase how Microsoft Dynamics 365 Contact Center uses AI and automation to deliver exceptional experiences, improve team productivity, and reduce operational complexity.

Why Nonprofits Need Modern, Unified Communications

Nonprofits are navigating rising expectations from donors, volunteers, and beneficiaries. Supporters want quick answers, personalized outreach, and seamless experiences across voice, chat, email, SMS, and social channels. At the same time, internal teams are managing growing volumes of communication with limited staff and resources.

Modern engagement is not just about responding faster. It is about recognizing that every interaction is an opportunity to deepen trust and reinforce mission impact. To do that well, nonprofits need more than additional channels. They need a unified platform that connects engagement, operations, and data on a shared foundation.

The Cost of Fragmentation

Many organizations have built their service stack over time. Voice lives in one system. Email lives in another. Chat was added later. Reporting happens somewhere else. Each tool may work well on its own, but together they create friction.

When systems are disconnected:

  • Staff toggle between platforms to piece together donor history
  • Conversations lack context across channels
  • Manual handoffs slow down resolution
  • Experiences feel inconsistent to the people you serve

That internal complexity is felt externally. Donors who repeat their story. Volunteers who wait for follow-up. Beneficiaries who receive delayed responses. Fragmentation erodes the very relationships nonprofits work so hard to build.

A unified service strategy eliminates those silos by bringing CRM, case management, knowledge, automation, analytics, and AI together on one data platform.

AI Should Amplify Human Ingenuity

Here are four practical recommendations for organizations that want to build a stronger foundation for AI:
Both teams at Sunrise and Microsoft emphasize one core principle: AI should always amplify human ingenuity, not replace it.

In a nonprofit contact center, staff and volunteers engage with supporters during meaningful moments. AI’s role is to reduce friction and surface insights so teams can respond with empathy and confidence. This evolution can happen in stages:

Level 1: AI as assistant.

Copilot drafts responses, summarizes interactions, and surfaces relevant data.

Level 2: AI as digital teammate.

Intelligent routing, automated case creation, and knowledge retrieval streamline workflows.

Level 3: Human-led, agent-operated service.

AI manages defined workflows end-to-end with human oversight.

Organizations move at their own pace. The goal is not automation for its own sake. It’s about building a smarter, scalable model that strengthens relationships over time. 

How Dynamics 365 Contact Center Delivers a Unified Experience

Dynamics 365 Contact Center brings voice, chat, SMS, email, and AI-driven assistance into one connected interface. From the moment a supporter reaches out, agents can see a complete profile that includes:

  • Contact information and preferences
  • Donation history and active payment schedules
  • Event participation and volunteer qualifications
  • Open and past cases
  • A full interaction timeline across channels

For example, For example, when a donor calls to register for an event, their information is automatically identified based on phone number. Agents see open cases, previous notes, and participation history in real time. Registration for an event can be completed directly within the same system, and the interaction is logged instantly on the timeline.

AI adds another layer of support:

  • Real-time transcription and sentiment analysis highlight how the conversation is trending and allow supervisors to step in if needed.
  • Copilot case summaries condense complex histories into clear, actionable insights.
  • Knowledge suggestions surface relevant event details or policies without forcing agents to search multiple systems.
  • Email drafting and tone adjustments help staff send polished follow-ups in seconds.

 

On the chat side, agents can review AI-generated conversation summaries before joining, use quick replies to save time, and update recurring donations directly from the contact record. Previous transcripts, cases, and giving history are accessible in one place, eliminating guesswork.

The system also supports automation at scale. Cases can be created automatically from inbound calls, chats, or shared mailbox emails. Donations can trigger automated acknowledgments, receipts, and follow-up surveys. Chatbots can deflect routine questions, allowing staff to focus on higher-value conversations.

Importantly, Contact Center can integrate with existing CRM, ERP, telephony, and payment systems, giving nonprofits flexibility in how they modernize.

 

Bringing It All Together for Mission Impact

Unified communications are not just an operational upgrade. They are a relationship strategy.

When contact center and omnichannel capabilities work together on a shared data platform, nonprofits can acknowledge gifts promptly, recognize loyal donors, and empower volunteers. Every call, chat, or email becomes part of an ongoing conversation, not an isolated event.

With Dynamics 365 Contact Center and Omnichannel, nonprofits can ensure that donors, volunteers, and beneficiaries feel seen, appreciated, and essential to fulfilling your organization’s mission.

Need Help Optimizing Your Organization's CRM?

Contact us today for a free systems assessment to help you get the most out of your Microsoft technology. 

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Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement vs. Salesforce

Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement vs. Salesforce

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When you’re shopping for a new CRM, Salesforce is usually the first solution that comes to mind. But when you compare Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement vs. Salesforce, some clear differences emerge, especially when it comes to integration, total cost of ownership, and how much flexibility you get out of the box.

Both are powerful cloud-based CRM systems designed to help companies improve sales, marketing, and service performance. But Microsoft’s Dynamics 365 CE offers significant advantages for organizations that value connected data, seamless collaboration, and a unified platform that scales across their entire business.

Comparing the two cloud CRMs

Salesforce and Dynamics 365 CE share many of the same goals: a single view of customers, improved productivity for sales and service teams, and AI-powered insights that help leaders make smarter decisions.

Table of Contents

Where the two platforms diverge is in their ecosystem and integration philosophy. Dynamics 365 CE is part of the broader Microsoft Dynamics business applications suite, which connects seamlessly with Microsoft Office apps, Teams, and Dynamics 365 ERP apps like Finance and Supply Chain Management. Salesforce, while strong as a standalone CRM, relies heavily on third-party tools and paid connectors to achieve the same level of integration.

That distinction has big implications for cost, scalability, and IT complexity, especially for growing organizations that want one platform to run their entire business.

Dynamics 365 CE overview

Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement is Microsoft’s suite of intelligent applications for managing sales, service, marketing, and field operations. Because it’s built on the Power Platform, Dynamics 365 CE allows organizations to automate processes, build custom apps, and analyze data without additional licensing or complex integrations.

Dynamics 365 CE includes dedicated modules for:

  • Sales
  • Customer Service
  • Marketing (Customer Insights – Journeys)
  • Field Service
  • Project Operations 
  • Customer Insights – Data 

Each module shares a common data model, which means customer information flows naturally across departments…no manual imports or duplicate records. This unified data layer is a major advantage over Salesforce, where many customers find themselves managing disconnected objects or relying on costly middleware. 

Salesforce overview 

Salesforce is one of the most recognizable names in the CRM world and has long been praised for its clean interface and ease of use. It offers modules for sales, service, marketing, and commerce, with advanced analytics through its CRM Analytics and Tableau products. 

However, Salesforce’s strength as a best-of-breed CRM comes with tradeoffs. It’s not part of a larger business management ecosystem like Microsoft’s. Instead, Salesforce customers often rely on a combination of connectors, third-party integrations, and additional middleware products, such as MuleSoft, to integrate to their ERP, reporting, or collaboration tools. These added layers can increase cost and complexity over time. 

Salesforce also lacks any native ERP component, which limits its ability to support truly end-to-end business processes. 

Capabilities: side-by-side comparison

Module Dynamics 365 CE Salesforce 
Sales Yes Yes 
Customer Service Yes Yes 
Marketing (Customer Insights – Journeys) Yes Yes 
Field Service Yes Yes 
Portals Yes Yes 
Project Operations Yes No 
Customer Insights – Data Yes No 
CPQ No Yes 
Order Management No Yes 
B2B & B2C Commerce No Yes 

Dynamics 365 vs. Salesforce: Detailed feature comparison 

Below are more detailed breakdowns about the functionality between Dynamics 365 and Salesforce. As a Microsoft product, Dynamics 365 CE integrates more easily.

Ease of integration with Dynamics 365 CE: Native Excel imports 

Dynamics CE can leverage built-in Excel capabilities that Salesforce does not have. With CE, users can update and create data with the Excel Online feature directly in the platform. This gives them the ability to make modifications in an Excel window within CE and save those modifications without ever leaving CE. Salesforce users must prepare a file with the appropriate record ids and use Salesforce’s import function or a 3rd party tool to import or bulk-update data. This typically limits these kinds of updates to system administrators or power users.  

Dynamics CE: Teams integration 

Dynamics CE has built-in integrations with Microsoft Teams that allow users to send notifications to individuals or groups, perform approval processes through Teams, or quickly collaborate with other members of their organization on records in the system. Salesforce did purchase the Slack tool; however, this is not as natively integrated within the platform at this time. 

Dynamics CE: ERP integration 

Dynamics CE comes with the ability to easily integrate with Dynamics Finance & Operations via Dual Write which carries no additional cost to the customer. There are many out of the box maps connecting core data such as Accounts, Contacts, Orders, Projects, Assets, etc. The tool also allows for custom maps and flexibility to integrate data sets seamlessly.  

Salesforce has no ERP capabilities and therefore relies on connectors with the various popular ERPs. However, these connectors typically come at a cost and are not easily customized, leading many organizations to build custom integrations that do not scale over time or purchase a platform such as Mulesoft to accommodate. This is one way that Salesforce drives up the cost by pushing Mulesoft as an ESB to support customers’ tech stacks.  

Dynamics CE: Integration with Office 365 Apps 

Many CRM implementations require some level of document generation. While more advanced documents, such as contracts, typically require an ISV, many documents can be generated using the Microsoft Word capabilities directly within CE. Salesforce does not have any native document generation tools which leads to entirely custom HTML code or the requirement to purchase an ISV.  

Licensing, Environments, and Storage costs 

Salesforce’s base license prices may look appealing initially, but costs often rise quickly once customers account for storage, sandboxes, and add-on tools. 

Dynamics 365 CE provides more value across the board: 

  • Lower storage costs: Additional database capacity is roughly $40/month per GB versus Salesforce’s $125/month per 500 MB. 
  • Included sandboxes: Dynamics provides full or partial sandboxes as part of your total storage capacity, while Salesforce charges up to 30% of annual spend for a full-copy sandbox. 
  • Attach licenses: Microsoft’s attach licensing model allows users to access multiple modules at a reduced price, something Salesforce does not offer. 

In short, while Salesforce may seem cheaper at first glance, Dynamics 365 CE offers a far better long-term cost structure for organizations that plan to scale. 

Wrapping Up: Is CRM the ONLY App You Need, or Are You Looking for Integration Across All Your Business Applications? 

Both Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement and Salesforce are proven CRM leaders. But for businesses seeking a platform that grows with them, Dynamics 365 CE clearly comes out ahead. 

From its deep integration with Microsoft 365 and ERP, to its cost-effective licensing model and enterprise-grade analytics, Dynamics 365 CE provides a true end-to-end business solution, all on one platform. 

FAQs 

  • What is CRM?
    CRM stands for Customer Relationship Management. It’s software that helps businesses manage interactions with customers and prospects, track sales and service activity, and analyze performance. 
  • How much does Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement cost?
    Pricing varies by module and user type, but Dynamics 365 CE generally provides better long-term value thanks to attach licenses, included sandboxes, and lower storage costs compared to Salesforce. 
  • How can I buy Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement?
    You can purchase directly through Microsoft or through a certified partner like Sunrise Technologies, which can help you design a licensing and implementation plan that fits your needs. 
  • How does Copilot work in Dynamics 365 CE?
    Microsoft Copilot uses generative AI to summarize records, draft emails, and provide recommendations directly within the Dynamics 365 interface — all powered by Azure OpenAI Service. 
  • What industries does Dynamics 365 CE support?
    Dynamics 365 CE supports a wide range of industries including retail, apparel, consumer goods, manufacturing, and professional services. 
  • What are the benefits of using Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement?
    Organizations choose Dynamics 365 CE for its tight Microsoft integration, unified data model, AI-driven insights, and lower total cost of ownership compared to Salesforce. 

Dynamics 365: One Solution for Your Entire Business.

Trying to decide between Dynamics 365 and Salesforce? Contact us today for a free assessment. Our CRM practice experts can help you

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Get your team’s time back: How sales teams are using Copilot and AI to skip the boring stuff

Get Your Team's Time Back

How sales teams are using Copilot and AI to skip the boring stuff

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CRM: Is it helping you or just creating a digital to-do list?

For far too many organizations, CRM has become a slog. Sales reps spend too much entering data into systems, when that time could be spent crafting a strategy. 

Picture this: A sales rep wraps up a call with a prospect. They should be focused on next steps: tailoring a proposal, looping in additional contacts, or finding answers to the prospect’s questions. Instead, they spend the next fifteen minutes logging notes, updating contact records, and trying to figure out where this lead should go next. 

Here’s another scenario: A new lead sits idle in an organization’s CRM system for hours or even days because the CRM doesn’t have intelligent routing capabilities. No one knows which territory the lead falls in or maybe the request is a gray area between teams. So the lead just…

…sits there, and precious time slips by. 

Even when teams implement detailed processes for gathering data, like engagement history, meeting notes, and demographics, if it doesn’t translate into action, that data is just gathering dust. 

These aren’t isolated annoyances. They add up. And over time, they erode productivity, stall pipeline velocity, and wear down your team.

The Solution: Embedded AI in Dynamics 365

This is where embedded AI, specifically Microsoft Copilot inside Dynamics 365, starts to flip the script.

Copilot is already built into the systems your team uses every day. No extra logins. No third-party integration headaches. Just smart automation, right where your team is already working.

Out of the box, Copilot can:

  • Write follow-up emails after meetings
  • Summarize leads, opportunities, and accounts in plain language
  • Surface key insights like engagement signals and past interactions
  • Suggest next best actions to move deals forward

It works directly inside the CRM record, in Outlook, and even in Teams. It keeps reps focused and in flow.

Dynamics 365: More Than Just CRM

Dynamics 365 isn’t just CRM software. It’s a full platform that connects sales, marketing, customer service, field ops, finance, and supply chain.

Everything runs on Microsoft’s shared data platform, Azure. That means sales reps, marketers, and support teams are all working off the same customer data. No spreadsheets. No back-and-forth with IT. Just one system with a complete view of the customer.

Because Copilot is built into this platform, it surfaces insights in context, exactly when and where your team needs them.

Case Study: Center for Creative Leadership

Let’s look at what this actually looks like in the wild.

We worked with a mid-sized B2B sales team that had a familiar problem. Leads were coming in from multiple channels, but the follow-up process was messy. Some reps got leads immediately. Others waited days. Nobody had a clear picture of what was falling through the cracks or why.

Sales operations was stuck manually routing leads and trying to keep everything on track.

Here’s what we did:

  1. Turned on Copilot inside Dynamics 365. That gave reps immediate summaries of new leads, including company info, engagement history, and product interest.
  2. Built a Power Automate flow to route leads automatically based on geography, vertical, and urgency. Leads from key accounts or hot territories went straight to assigned reps. Urgent inquiries were flagged and escalated.
  3. Layered in a lightweight Azure AI model to score leads based on likelihood to convert. This helped reps prioritize their time and gave managers visibility into pipeline quality.

The results within 30 days:

  • 80 percent faster lead response time
  • 35 percent increase in sales-qualified leads
  • Happier reps, clearer pipelines, and no more manual triage

And none of this required ripping out existing systems or launching a massive implementation.

Two Activation Paths for AI

Getting started doesn’t mean launching a huge digital transformation. Most teams start small. One workflow. One team. One pain point.

  1. Out-of-the-box Copilot

If you’re already using Dynamics 365, Copilot features are likely available to you now. With just a bit of configuration and quick team training, you can start using:

  • Auto-generated follow-up emails
  • Meeting summaries with action items
  • Inline lead and opportunity insights
  • Suggested actions inside CRM records

This is ideal for teams that want fast wins without changing their core processes.

  1. Custom Automation with Power Platform and Azure AI

For more complex workflows or integrations with marketing automation, ERP, or customer service, you can build:

  • Smart lead routing and alerts with Power Automate
  • Role-specific user interfaces with Power Apps
  • Predictive scoring and language recognition with Azure AI

These tools are low-code, quick to launch, and easy to scale. You can build what you need and evolve over time.

Want a Brainstorming Buddy? Get an AI Readiness Briefing

Not sure where to start? That’s exactly what the AI Readiness Briefing is for.

This free 30-minute session gives you:

  • A quick assessment of how your team uses CRM today
  • Clarity on where AI could save time and improve focus
  • A simple recommendation on which path to take
  • A realistic sense of what kind of ROI you can expect

It’s not a sales pitch. No pressure. Just a focused conversation to help your team get unstuck and move forward with confidence.

Get a free AI Readiness assessment

Contact us to speak with our Copilot and AI team today. They can help you identify AI use cases within your own organization, implement quickly, and realize value faster.

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Dynamics 365 licensing guide

Dynamics 365 Licensing Guide

Check out the latest edition of the Dynamics 365 licensing guide, released in May 2026. It’s a comprehensive resource for understanding how Microsoft licenses its suite of business applications across finance, operations, sales, customer service, and more. This educational guide explains the types of licenses available—user, device, and tenant—and outlines the latest pricing, purchase channels, capacity entitlements, and use rights. Whether you’re evaluating Dynamics 365 for the first time or expanding your current deployment, this guide will help you make informed decisions, avoid costly licensing mistakes, and align your investment with actual usage.

 

Do you have questions about your specific situation? Our experts can help you map out the most cost-effective way to license Dynamics 365 for your organization. Contact us for a free assessment and licensing blueprint.

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Start Your Journey with Sunrise Today!

Whether you’re exploring your options for new business platforms, or ready to get started, we are trusted business partners for some of the world’s most well-known brands. With over 25 years of experience with the Microsoft stack, we can help you understand all the capabilities Microsoft has to offer.

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Microsoft Dynamics 365 localization and global availability guide

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Localization and Global Availability Guide

Microsoft Dynamics 365 is localized, translated, and supported by Microsoft and made generally available in the countries listed in this guide. Translation is the process of adapting the software and/or documentation to meet the language requirements of a particular country. For any given language, some, all, or none of the user interface may be translated. Localization is the process of adapting software to meet country-specific laws or regulations. Many of Sunrise customers manage sites in North America, Europe, and Asia so out-of-the-box global capabilities make Microsoft Dynamics 365 a great option for global companies.

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Case study: Vera Bradley

Case Study: Vera Bradley

When Vera Bradley was ready to move its omni-channel business to the cloud, the team went all in. Embarking on an ambitious project to modernize operations and centralize its data, Vera Bradley replaced its legacy on-premise systems with Dynamics 365 Finance and Supply Chain and Commerce.

Today, Vera Bradley team members have a platform to carry this beloved brand into the future, built on the security of the Microsoft cloud and essential supply chain solutions from Sunrise. Read the case study for more details on why Vera Bradley chose Sunrise, implementation challenges, and its roadmap for the future.

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Start Your Journey with Sunrise Today!

Whether you’re exploring your options for new business platforms, or ready to get started, we are trusted business partners for some of the world’s most well-known brands. With over 25 years of experience with the Microsoft stack, we can help you understand all the capabilities Microsoft has to offer.

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Demos and guided tours of Microsoft Dynamics 365

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Demos and Guided Tours

Start your business transformation

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You’re looking for a solution to move your business into the future.
Consider Dynamics 365.

Dynamics 365 Overview: What makes this solution different from the rest…

Part of what makes Dynamics 365 so unique for businesses is that it tears down application silos, and connects everything together. This solution will help save your organization time and money, and will scale with you as your business grows. See for yourself! Please let us know if we can help answer questions.

Now, See Dynamics 365 in Action...

UNIFIED: Financials, Operations, Customer Engagement

ADAPTABLE: Industry Specific, Customizable, Flexible

…And How it's a Perfect Fit for Your Industry

MANAGE COMPLEX OPERATIONS

See how to solve the common challenges faced by consumer brands, manufacturers, and distributors:

  • Product variations
  • Multiple channels
  • Scarce goods allocation
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RETAIL IN THE CLOUD

The race to become a cloud retailer is fierce. See what a modern and delightful experience looks like in the cloud:

  • Cloud point of sale
  • Retail replenishment
  • Intelligent supply chain

NATIVE ECOMMERCE DEMO

FRAUD PROTECTION

CUSTOMER INSIGHTS

Dynamics 365 has Something for Everyone

No matter what your role is within your organization, Dynamics 365 has functionality to make your life easier and your work more efficient.  If you’d like a tailored demo experience, or to see Sunrise’s exclusive solutions for supply chain and retail, contact us.

There was no question when we selected Dynamics 365. Global supply chain, finance, omni-channel functionality — it was all there right out of the box. Selecting Sunrise was just as easy. We really liked their structured implementation approach and are completely confident in their ability to deliver on-time and on-budget.

Kevin Sonney — Vice President of Global Technology, 5.11 Tactical
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Laser-like Focus and Years of Experience

Our industry experts have been working with companies like yours for years. Solving complex global, omni-channel, supply chain problems takes skill and know-how. Invite us to help advise and guide you to your best industry solution.

Retail

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Footwear

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Home Furnishings

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Consumer Products

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Textiles

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Manufacturing

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Distribution

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Nonprofit

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Print and Packaging

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Apparel

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Fashion

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Private Equity

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Cosmetics

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Automotive

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Get Your Money's Worth

Save time and gain instant value when you deploy Microsoft Dynamics 365 with Sunrise industry extensions. Contact us today to ask questions or discuss next steps of how to start your project.

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Analyst Reports: Read what industry experts say about Microsoft cloud solutions

Considering Microsoft Dynamics 365? Get Insights from Experts

In the news, analyst reports, and discussions

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Nucleus Research ERP Technology Value Matrix

The ERP Value Matrix reflects the continued shift to the cloud, with vendors seeing accelerated adoption rates. Microsoft continues in its Leader position with Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Supply Chain, Enterprise Edition. All the enterprise capabilities in Microsoft Dynamics for Finance and Supply Chain, Enterprise edition are underpinned by Microsoft’s global delivery strategy that includes 36 geographies and over 60 language localizations. Additionally, the Microsoft business application platform delivers capabilities such as Power Apps, Power BI, Power Automate, and the Microsoft Dataverse (formerly Common Data Service), helping customers better collect and analyze their data as well as build applications to automate manual tasks.

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Microsoft, A Leader in the Magic Quadrant for Cloud ERP

Product-centric organizations are increasingly adopting cloud ERP platforms to standardize operations and drive intelligent automation. The 2025 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ recognizes Microsoft as a Leader for its ongoing innovation and proven ability to support scalable, composable transformation across finance and operations.

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The Total Economic Impact™ of Microsoft Dynamics Supply Chain

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management addresses key supply chain challenges. These include limited visibility, adapting to changing customer demands, outdated systems, and disruptions. The solution enhances visibility across the supply chain network, enabling better planning, agility, and asset uptime optimization, ensuring smooth operations even during disruptions. Forrester Consulting conducted a Total Economic Impact™ (TEI) study to assess the potential ROI of deploying Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management. The investment led to significant benefits, including:

  • Increased production volume capacity by 10% to 15% due to faster time-to-market.
  • Enhanced operational efficiency with a 2% to 3% reduction in unplanned machine downtime, worth over $1.5 million over three years and 500 manufacturing machines.
  • Increased developer productivity by 10% to 50%, reallocating developer time for higher-value tasks.
  • A 5% boost in revenue attributed to improved product quality, translating to more than $6.8 million in three years.
  • Infrastructure footprint consolidation of 35% to 65% by shifting from on-premises to cloud solutions, saving close to $11 million over three years.
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The Total Economic Impact™ of Microsoft Dynamics Finance

Microsoft commissioned Forrester Consulting to conduct a Total Economic Impact™ (TEI) study and examine the potential return on investment (ROI) enterprises may realize by deploying Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance. The purpose of this study is to provide readers with a framework to evaluate the potential financial impact of Dynamics 365 Finance on their organizations.

To better understand the benefits, costs, and risks associated with this investment, Forrester interviewed four representatives with experience using Dynamics 365 Finance. For the purposes of this study, Forrester aggregated the interviewees’ experiences and combined the results into a single composite organization that is a retail and wholesale organization with 120 finance personnel and revenue of $750 million per year.

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Above Average ROI from Dynamics 365

In analyzing the results of Microsoft Dynamics 365 deployments, Nucleus found that for every dollar spent, companies realized an average of $16.97 in returns. This is significantly higher than the average for both enterprise resource planning (ERP) and customer relationship management (CRM), which deliver, on average, $7.23 and $8.71 respectively. Nucleus found that companies taking advantage of Microsoft’s investments in cloud and usability, as well as integration and analytics, were able to achieve significant returns by increasing productivity and revenues and reducing costs. Microsoft’s integration of business capabilities such as ERP, CRM, and HCM with Office 365, Power BI, Power Platform, and Azure offer even greater value than the industry averages and as Microsoft makes further investments in integration and innovation, customers will benefit from the additional value provided by the cloud platform.

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The Total Economic Impact™ of Power Apps

Adopting Power Apps can transform a company’s IT function from a blocker to an enabler. One interviewee in the Forrester Total Economic Impact Study said: “We can now build once and deploy to different places….We can now make changes on the fly and support a very dynamic business.” Benefits included:

  • 74 percent less cost to develop an application
  • 188 percent ROI over 3 years, with a net present value of $6.1 million
  • Average payback period is less than 6 months
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The Digital Commerce Imperative

A staggering seventy-six percent of retail and CPG decision-makers agree that improving digital commerce capabilities is their most urgent business priority. And yet for many organizations running on legacy or disparate systems, this goal is far out of reach. Microsoft commissioned Forrester to evaluate how retail and CPG companies are approaching digital commerce improvements today. In this thought leadership report, read key insights about the state of the retail and CPG industries in a post-pandemic world, and how technology leaders plan to invest to make true unified commerce a reality.

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The Total Economic Impact™ Of Microsoft Dynamics 365 For Finance And Operations

Cloud simplicity, gained agility, improved user adoption, and enhanced security were a few of the benefits of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations. The quantitative benefits over a three year period included:

  • Increased wholesale revenue by 3 percent, retail revenue by 4 percent and decreased excess inventory and shrinkage by 10 percent
  • Operational efficiencies reduced cost of goods sold by 10 percent and improved gross margin by 2.4 percent
  • Employee productivity gains reduced shop floor staffing by 6 percent, increased finance productive by 20 percent, and increased sales productivity by 4 percent
  • Total benefits resulted in a 60 percent ROI and a 20 month payback period, including legacy license, maintenance, hardware, and admin cost avoidance
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The Total Economic Impact™ of Microsoft Dynamics Commerce

Dynamics 365 Commerce provides a seamless shopping experience across physical and digital channels. Customers using a network of disparate and inflexible legacy solutions stand to save significant time and money by moving to an integrated omni-channel solution like Commerce. Forrester’s Total Economic Impact study of Dynamics 365 Commerce found:

  • Improved inventory management to the tune of $3.7 million
  • Saved $1.9 million through decreased training time
  • Increased brick and mortar sales by $1.5 million
  • 25 percent eCommerce sales uplift
  • Payback period of only 17 months
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Microsoft Security a Leader in 5 Magic Quadrants

Gartner has named Microsoft Security a Leader in five Magic Quadrants. This is exciting news that we believe speaks to the breadth and depth of our security offerings. Microsoft was identified as a Leader in the following five security areas:

  • Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB) solutions
  • Access Management
  • Enterprise Information Archiving
  • Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) tools
  • Endpoint Protection Platforms
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The Total Economic Impact™ Of Microsoft Azure IaaS

Microsoft commissioned Forrester Consulting to conduct a study to examine the potential return on investment (ROI) enterprises may realize by shifting some or all their management and operations from on-premises, hosted, and outsourced implementations to Azure’s infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) offering. Benefits included:

  • Improved production efficiency
  • Reduced datacenter, IT resource, and outsourcing costs
  • Easier and faster software and hardware management (such as patching and support)
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A Platform for Today, Tomorrow, and Decades from Now

Microsoft offers a complete platform at a tremendous value. When you consider the billions of dollars invested in research and development, cloud growth, and long term viability, an investment in Microsoft makes long term sense.

Ready to learn more about what Dynamics 365 can do for your business?

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Private equity solutions with Microsoft Dynamics 365

Private Equity Solutions with Microsoft Dynamics 365

For private equity companies that invest in apparel, footwear, home furnishings, consumer products, manufacturing, or retail verticals, Sunrise offers a one-stop, end-to-end, global solution. Together, Microsoft’s powerful cloud technology and Sunrise’s industry solutions offer a lifetime of value.

  • Unleash portfolio growth
  • Deploy with industry best practices
  • Increase return on investment

This document explains a solution that can be deployed quickly, without all the cost and complexity.

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