Category: INLOGICA products

Microsoft Licenses – Learn about cost differences – which model wins? Subscriptions or perpetual usufruct?

Post author By Maksymilian Śniegocki
Post date October 15, 2024

Table of contents

Business Central license fees
Advantages of subscription
A cost that won’t hit your wallet? See for yourself

In our previous article: Microsoft Licenses – Subscriptions or perpetual usufruct? Which option is better for your business we examined the strengths and weaknesses of both licensing models, providing a comprehensive comparison. Below is a detailed overview of the costs for these options.

Business Central license fees

The example illustrates a 5-year cost projection for a company using Business Central with 20 users. We calculated licensing expenses over this period to provide a clear understanding of the financial aspects associated with each licensing approach.

A comparison of licensing models often shows significant differences in cost structure, especially over the long term. The chart shows how the two models evolve in terms of cost.

The subscription model appears more cost-effective at the outset, with lower start-up costs, making it an attractive solution for companies that want to implement a system quickly without incurring a large one-time outlay.

In the holding model (perpetual license), the company must initially pay a larger sum to purchase the software. However, after a certain period, it no longer incurs regular licensing costs. The chart shows that in the long run, subscription costs start to equal the price of a one-time purchase, and after a certain point, the subscription may become slightly more expensive.

Advantages of subscription

However, it is worth noting that a subscription offers:

The subscription model is undoubtedly a better option for companies needing flexibility and regular updates. Unlike a one-time license, a subscription allows you to adapt the system to your company’s changing needs. The ability to spread the cost over smaller, regular payments makes the subscription model more affordable and flexible, especially for companies with changing needs and limited IT investment budgets.

Choosing the two models ultimately depends on a company’s needs, development plans, and budget. However, for rapidly growing companies, the subscription model offers greater flexibility and the ability to continuously adapt the system to new business conditions, making it a more attractive option.

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Microsoft Licenses – Subscriptions or perpetual usufruct? Which option is better for your business?

Post author By Maksymilian Śniegocki
Post date October 15, 2024

Table of contents

Available licensing models
Read a comparison of the advantages and disadvantages of the available licensing models-shortcut
ADVANTAGES of using subscription licensing- details
DISADVANTAGES of using perpetual licensing- details
Further doubts? See which industries are successfully using the subscription model.

If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s more cost-effective to subscribe to Microsoft products monthly or to purchase a license on a one-time basis, here’s a detailed analysis of both options. We examine the costs associated with acquiring and maintaining a license to help you make an informed decision.

Available licensing models

Perpetual Licensing or On-premises.

We offer perpetual licenses. The cost includes the license price multiplied by the number of users, the cost of dedicated modules, and an annual subscription of 18% of the license value, known as the Enhancement Plan. The customer has the option of using its own infrastructure or an additional paid cloud computing service.
Subscription Licensing

The offer is based on recurring fees depending on the number of users, quickly allowing you to adjust the number of users according to your needs. The infrastructure can be based on customer or cloud resources, with the environment managed by a partner. For example, the Business Central system distinguishes between users: total users and team members, offering free licenses for the system administrator and an external accountant.

Read a comparison of the advantages and disadvantages of the available licensing models-shortcut

ADVANTAGES of using subscription licensing- details

The choice of subscription licensing presents itself as significantly more advantageous for several vital reasons that make this model attractive to modern enterprises. Below are the arguments for choosing a subscription:

Flexibility and scalability: Subscription licensing allows companies to easily adjust the number of licenses to meet current needs. By arbitrarily increasing or decreasing the number of users each month, companies can effectively manage costs to suit the current situation and project requirements.
No significant initial investment: Unlike perpetual licenses, the subscription model does not require a substantial initial investment. Smaller, regular monthly fees are more affordable for a company's budget, making the technology more accessible, especially for smaller companies.
Constant updates and innovation: Subscriptions guarantee access to the latest software versions and updates, which is crucial in a rapidly changing technology environment. Companies using the subscription model are assured that their software is always up to date, which helps maintain high operational efficiency and data security.
Access to support and service: Subscribers are often provided with technical support and access to additional resources and tools that can help maximize software performance. Regular technical support and consultation can significantly reduce the risk of downtime and other operational problems.
Cost predictability: Regular monthly payments make budgeting and controlling expenses easier. Companies can forecast future IT costs more accurately, making it easier to manage finances and avoid unexpected expenses.
Response to changing business needs: The subscription model allows rapid adaptation to changing business and technology requirements. Companies can quickly introduce new technologies and services, promoting innovation and market competitiveness.

In an era of digital transformation, where technology is evolving rapidly, and flexibility and adaptation to change are becoming critical to business success, subscription licensing offers companies significant advantages. Subscriptions are a forward-thinking and strategic investment for any business, providing ease of customization, reduced upfront costs, and ongoing access to the latest technology and support.

DISADVANTAGES of using perpetual licensing- details

While perpetual licensing may seem like an attractive option due to its one-time payment and permanent right to use the software, several disadvantages can make this model less beneficial for today’s businesses:

High upfront costs: perpetual licensing requires a significant one-time investment, which can burden the budget, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises. Significant upfront expenses can limit a company's liquidity in the short term.
Lack of flexibility: This model needs to make adjusting the number of licenses easier to meet changing business needs. Reducing the number of users does not translate into lower costs, making the model less flexible than subscriptions.
Additional maintenance costs: To benefit from software updates and technical support, companies often must pay for additional plans, such as the annual Enhancement Plan, which generates further costs.
Risk of technological obsolescence: software purchased on a perpetual license basis can quickly become obsolete if a company does not continue to buy upgrades. This means that the investment may lose value, and the company may find it challenging to remain competitive.
Complexity of license management: Managing perpetual licenses, especially in large organizations with diverse software, can be complicated and time-consuming. Companies must keep track of which software versions are being used and their support and upgrade dates.
Lack of access to the latest technology: without continuous updates, perpetual license users may not have access to the latest features, tools, and security enhancements, which is standard with the subscription model.
Difficult to budget for the long term: while a one-time cost may seem beneficial in the short term, long-term maintenance, upgrade, and support costs can be challenging to predict and can significantly increase the total cost of software ownership.

These limitations can make perpetual licensing less attractive to companies seeking solutions that enable them to adapt and innovate quickly, given rapid technological change and a dynamic business environment.

Further doubts? See which industries are successfully using the subscription model.

The modern business world is leaning toward payment models based on regular monthly fees. Such a payment model has many benefits, such as continuous product improvements, regular updates, and the ability to customize the product based on customer feedback and experience.

Product subscriptions: Examples include subscriptions for cosmetics (e.g., Birchbox) or food (e.g., HelloFresh), which deliver monthly packages of products directly to the customer.
Amazon Prime: A subscription model that offers faster delivery and access to streaming services.
Allegro Smart!: A subscription service offering free delivery and other benefits to users.
Hebe Drugstore: Subscriptions for packages of cosmetics.

The subscription model provides numerous benefits, including flexibility, scalability, lower upfront costs, predictable monthly payments, constant access to the latest updates, improved customer service, better cash flow management, access to a broader range of features, the ability to cancel or adjust the service at any time, and easy integration with other services.

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Reports for Azure DevOps and add-on 7 pace Time tracker – Power BI

Post author By Maksymilian Śniegocki
Post date March 18, 2024
No Comments on Reports for Azure DevOps and add-on 7 pace Time tracker – Power BI

What is Microsoft Power Bi

More information about the application here: https://inlogica.com/en/microsoft-products/microsoft-power-bi/

An example of the use of the Power BI application at our client

The client’s organization heavily uses Scrum and Azure DevOps tool with 7 pace Time tracker add-on.

The client reported a need for automatic reporting of hours worked for recipients of their services and internal task oversight. Microsoft PowerBI turned out to be the natural choice. Ina very short period, our client received an entirely satisfactory result in the form of a flexible screen with reports.

It became extremely easy to distribute tasks and manage time.

Another added value was creating an automatic hour-reporting mechanism for customers. In this case, all that was needed was to use the PowerBI Report Builder tool and the Email Subscription function from the PowerBI service.

Customers received reports in real-time with information on what actions were taken and how much time it took. It also translated into easier invoicing for services rendered.

Summary

Reporting using the PowerBI tool has been rated by users as the best product on the market. It is competitive both in terms of visuals and ease of use.

Author of the text: Marcin Piotr

https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcin-piotr-448a001/

Why us?

Meet our team of experienced Microsoft Dynamics ERP implementation specialists

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Meeting room reservations – Power Apps

Post author By Maksymilian Śniegocki
Post date March 18, 2024
No Comments on Meeting room reservations – Power Apps

What is Microsoft Power Apps

Learn more about the app here: https://inlogica.com/en/microsoft-products/microsoft-power-apps/

Power Apps application example

Description of the application

The application is designed to book a meeting room with just a few clicks

Data source

The application’s data source is Office 365 Outlook and Office 365 Users.

The appearance of the application

The layout of elements and colors can be fully configured according to users’ needs. You can use ready-made templates or give your styles.

The user can edit an existing appointment or set up a new one.

In the application, there is a calendar. After expanding the list on the left, we can select the meeting date we want to modify.

When you select a date, the scheduled appointments will be displayed.

We can edit the date, time, and place once we select the meeting we are interested in.

Po kliknięciu przycisku pod wybraną lokalizacją spotkanie się edytuje.

For the option to create a new meeting, we proceed similarly.

Summary

This presented application is just the tip of the iceberg of possibilities Microsoft Power Apps offers. There are many options, and the appearance and functionality of our applications depend mainly on the goals and requirements we set before creating them.

Why us?

Meet our team of experienced Microsoft Dynamics ERP implementation specialists

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Automatic data import from Excel – Power Apps

Post author By Maksymilian Śniegocki
Post date March 18, 2024
No Comments on Automatic data import from Excel – Power Apps

What is Microsoft Power Apps

Learn more about the app here: https://inlogica.com/en/microsoft-products/microsoft-power-apps/

Application of Power Apps in importing data from Excel – example

Description of the application

The application is designed to automatically import data from Excel and present it to the user in an easy-to-read form.

Source of data

The application’s data source is an Excel spreadsheet stored in the Microsoft OneDrive cloud. Example data presenting statistics of website positioning – SEO:

The data entered in the sheet is automatically retrieved by Power Apps. The data in the sheet must be stored as a table.

App Appearance

The layout of elements and colors can be fully configured according to users’ needs. You can use ready-made templates or give your styles.

The user selects the date range from which to display the data. Only those in the sheet will be displayed

The application has buttons that allow the user to switch between views containing graphs of individual data

The view above shows a graph of the data in the indicated year by month

Summary

The presented application is only a substitute for Microsoft Power Apps’ solutions. The possibilities are endless. How our applications will be given depends primarily on the goals and requirements we set for ourselves.

Author of the text: Maksymilian Śniegocki

https://www.linkedin.com/in/maksymilian-sniegocki/

Why us?

Meet our team of experienced Microsoft Dynamics ERP implementation specialists

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Integrating Power Apps, Power BI with Microsoft Dynamics Business Central

Post author By Maksymilian Śniegocki
Post date March 14, 2024
No Comments on Integrating Power Apps, Power BI with Microsoft Dynamics Business Central

Spis treści

Power Apps, Power BI with Microsoft Dynamics Business Central
Benefits of integrating Power Apps, Power BI with Microsoft Dynamics Business Central
Integrating Power Apps with Microsoft Dynamics Business Central
Integration of Power BI with Microsoft Dynamics Business Central
Combining all three technologies – what are the benefits

Today’s companies increasingly realize the crucial role of integrating different technologies into their business processes. One excellent example of synergy is the Power Apps and Power BI combination with Microsoft Dynamics Business Central. In this article, we will take a closer look at this issue, highlighting the benefits of this integration and how each of these technologies can work with Microsoft Dynamics Business Central.

Power Apps, Power BI with Microsoft Dynamics Business Central

Power Apps: is a code-free application development platform that allows business solutions to be quickly and easily customized to meet an organization's specific needs. Combined with Microsoft Dynamics Business Central, it enables the creation of custom user interfaces, forms, or reports without high-level programming.
Power BI is a business intelligence tool that enables you to visualize data and create advanced reports. By integrating with Microsoft Dynamics Business Central, Power BI can take advantage of the data collected in your ERP system, allowing you to quickly and efficiently analyze key performance indicators (KPIs) and business trends.
Microsoft Dynamics Business Central: is a comprehensive ERP solution covering the areas of finance, supply chain management, manufacturing, and more. Integration with Power Apps and Power BI is a natural extension of Business Central's functionality, enabling more flexible and advanced system customization.

Benefits of integrating Power Apps, Power BI with Microsoft Dynamics Business Central

Increased efficiency: integrating Power Apps and Power BI with Microsoft Dynamics Business Central contributes to increased operational efficiency. With custom applications created using Power Apps, employees can quickly customize the interface to meet their needs, reducing the time it takes to handle business processes.
Improved data analysis: Power BI combined with Microsoft Dynamics Business Central enables more advanced data analysis. This allows companies to make more accurate strategic decisions based on sound KPIs and business trend analysis.
Customization: integration enables customized solutions without requiring development resources. Power Apps allows for customization of interfaces, while Power BI allows for creating personalized reports, allowing companies to tailor the system to their unique needs better.

Integrating Power Apps with Microsoft Dynamics Business Central

Connecting Power Apps with Microsoft Dynamics Business Central enables creating enterprise-specific applications. As a result, even without developed programming knowledge, the user interface can be customized to specific business processes, enhancing the user experience.

Integration of Power BI with Microsoft Dynamics Business Central

Integrating Power BI programs with Microsoft Dynamics Business Central allows you to use advanced data analysis features. Visualization of key performance indicators and business trends enables rapid decision-making based on sound analysis of data collected in the ERP system.

Combining all three technologies - what are the benefits

Holistic data management: the combination of Power Apps, Power BI, and Microsoft Dynamics Business Central provides holistic data management for the company. The data available in the ERP system can be effectively used for customizing user interfaces and business analytics.
Adapt quickly to change: with flexible tools like Power Apps and Power BI, integration with Microsoft Dynamics Business Central enables rapid adaptation to changing market and business needs. Enterprises can dynamically adapt their solutions to new challenges.

Summary

Integrating Power Apps, Power BI with Microsoft Dynamics Business Central provides a powerful tool to support modern enterprises in effectively managing data and business processes. The benefits of this synergy include increased operational efficiency, better data analysis, customized solutions, and rapid adaptation to change. Investing in this integration can bring real benefits, strengthening a company’s position in a competitive market.

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Letting go of documentation – Mistake 7 – ERP D365 implementations

Post author By Maksymilian Śniegocki
Post date January 4, 2024
No Comments on Letting go of documentation – Mistake 7 – ERP D365 implementations

7
Letting go of documentation

Regardless of the industry or project, you often hear, “Do you have it on email?”

And no wonder. This is essential in any job where we rely on other people’s decisions, especially when money and the time input of an entire team of specialists.

Usually, the obstacle to writing down the arrangements after business, working, and summary meetings is the need for more time. Structures “by word of mouth” prevail. Mutual trust is essential, but there are aspects where you should act according to the principle of limited faith on the road. It is better to be wise before any harm is done and document all project arrangements.

This way, we will avoid misunderstandings, and the work will go according to the previous record. Each time, we can change the record or update the status or scope of tasks.

We know the unwritten rule that a working system is more important than detailed documentation. However, we prefer not to risk “in-your-face” arrangements.

Let’s strive to define acceptance criteria for the task or at least establish a definition of task completion.

Otherwise, we may get something we no longer need, didn’t order in the first place, or not get what we wanted.

An efficient implementation is characterized by design flexibility. However, it is essential to record a common understanding of the purpose and scope of the performance in the contract or other project document. And the so-called “word-of-mouth” arrangements are better documented as a summary in an email or other established communication tool. This will save time and money as a result.

Hiding behind the lack of time to write a summary email is incomprehensible because, in practice, it often does not take more than a quarter of an hour and costs as much as nothing (although de facto, it does cost – and must be part of the recorded work effort in the project).

Thanks to the documentation, we have the assumptions written down in case of a misunderstanding, error, or simply “screwing things up” during implementation. In case of contentious issues, both on the part of the client and the implementation team, there will be something to refer to. Common sense in such a situation often avoids nerves and rising costs. It is worth having everything “in black and white.”

Top tips

Invest time in documenting your assumptions business.
Use process maps, graphics, and diagrams where possible.
Consider the preparation of documentation for end users - it will be helpful when introducing new employees.
Include time and budget for drafting documentation in the work schedule.

This is the last publication. If you want to download them all as a free ebook check out the link.

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Overestimated budget – Mistake 6 – ERP D365 implementations

Post author By Maksymilian Śniegocki
Post date December 28, 2023
No Comments on Overestimated budget – Mistake 6 – ERP D365 implementations

6
Overestimated budget

At this point, it is again worth recalling the framework schedule. Estimating the implementation is one of the primary activities that must be performed before any work begins.

To begin with, you need to verify the need for a particular solution in your company. Do you think it’s necessary? Is there a budget to implement an ERP solution in the organization? This is extremely important for the start of the work and the success of the entire implementation. Budgets and cost estimates have it that they often do not want to “pin down” at the final stage. There are always unforeseen expenses that should be included in the tables. And it’s hardly surprising – that’s why they are unpredictable. Hence the need to set up a budget “on top.”

In our experience, the buffer should be 10 – 20% of the value of the original assumptions.

Therefore, everything must be calculated carefully and then scaled again to the needs of a given company/plant/enterprise.

It is worth asking ourselves a fundamental question: can we afford it, will this investment bring us the expected benefits (not only purely financial ones).

As they say: budget is not made of rubber, and nerves are not made of steel.

Top tips

Stick to the plan or consciously make changes - you will avoid uncontrolled budget expansion
Park - create a list of all exciting improvement ideas and include them in the framework schedule or move them to the end of the implementation work queue - this way, you can maintain the pace of implementation and come back to them when the most critical work is completed.
Read the reports - the contractor should make the information available anytime.
Be proactive - ask questions, involve your team in work, and find time for testing - these activities will reduce costs and improve understanding and control of the budget.

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Confidence shaken – Mistake 5 – ERP D365 implementations

Post author By Maksymilian Śniegocki
Post date December 21, 2023
No Comments on Confidence shaken – Mistake 5 – ERP D365 implementations

5
Confidence shaken

Any cooperation is based on relationships. Often of various types: business, partnership, courteous, social, and collegial. It tends to be, that one of the evoked is involved, and it happens that all of them are together.

Either way, the basis of fruitful cooperation on the customer-implementation company line is “good relations.” “Chemistry” is expected, ideally when “something sparks” between the Customer and the contractor. Because when there is good cooperation, the best results are worked out. This is a truism – a fact. But it still works.

Good relations are built not only on trust but also on mutual respect.

Respect for one’s and others’ work makes it possible to avoid misunderstanding. And if this is accompanied by an elementary knowledge of the scope of work of a programmer, then the job “goes like butter.” Then we will not hear comments like: “adding one column to a table, after all, cannot take a good programmer of more than 15 minutes” etc., etc.

Building friendly relationships is helped by proven and good practices in communication:

it is always worth speaking clearly and directly
it’s not worth “wrap out”; there is no point in diluting the message
it is best to appreciate the whole team’s work to ensure the message is complete
it is necessary to keep the given promises
and, above all, respect each other’s time spent and the job done

Two parties must trust each other. Maybe not boundless, but at a decent level.

Both the client and the implementation contractor know their job, do it professionally, so it is enough to let the specialists quietly work, and sometimes try not to disturb them. Each stage they finish, they will certainly discuss with the client, i.e., with the people appointed to do so.

The partnership allows for free and clear communication of the status of the work. Lack of agreement and understanding affect the time implementation deteriorates the friendly atmosphere cooperation.

It is impossible to implement a program – especially with such a complex system – anything in 15 minutes. The work consists of various activities. In addition to pure programming there are hours of testing, consulting, and documentation…

People and relationships/interactions matter more in the work of implementation teams/companies than processes and systems. This is because people from both business sides implement strategies and techniques.

If there is no agreement between them, problems can arise during implementation.

Cooperation always starts with mutual understanding and trust.

Top tips

Talk and listen. That's all it takes.

We know that your company is probably not in the business of implementing IT systems - which is why you have started or are planning to work with implementation professionals. You can use their experience, tips, and recommendations. They, too, want the implementation to be successful and the path to it to be as safe and easy as possible.

Be bold and ask questions. It would be best if you concluded that you understand each other's expectations and business goals of the cooperation. Every challenge can be discussed frankly so that lessons learned from this conversation can improve collaboration.

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Arbitrary decision making – Mistake 4 – ERP D365 implementations

Post author By Maksymilian Śniegocki
Post date December 14, 2023
No Comments on Arbitrary decision making – Mistake 4 – ERP D365 implementations

4
Arbitary decision making

The echo of this “error” has already appeared in the points above. And as in the earlier descriptions, it is worth recalling what is at the heart of the implementation, that is a framework schedule.

When we plan the functionalities, we want to implement, we need to define them together with representatives of all departments having contacting and working with the tool in question.

Ideally, this “brainstorming” should involve team/department managers participate. However, before this happens, managers should know the potential expectations and possible problems “their people.”

Before they take part in the brainstorming, it would be good for them to know how they can improve the work in their teams and what they should obtain at the end.

Such an “internal communication path” is critical and essential for another reason. The idea is that everyone on the team has the same state of knowledge about the implementation.

The team leader communicates to the others the key findings. So that there is no uncomfortable situation of someone making an arbitrary decision that no one else knows about. Such an action may result in complications in implementation, additional unnecessary costs, and sometimes nervous movements or even unpleasant consequences.

The internal circulation of information helps keep the course of the performance according to the established schedule without unforeseen deviations.

Top tips

Determine together with the contractor the managers project or decision-making committee composition.
Establish at the schedule level the priorities and the order in which individual work is to be completed.
Empower your team - give your team members the authority to make decisions about the final shape and operation of of individual functionalities affecting on their daily work.
Don't allow poll voting - agree with the contractor on how and who is authorized to make the final decisions.

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