Introduction
Document Network Services (DNS) have been using Microsoft Dynamics CRM now renamed Microsoft Dynamics 365 for sales and customer service since 2008. It was an on-premise solution which was a good option however with a desire to move to the cloud, Document Network Services turned to its consultants Synergy Technology to help this transition. Synergy Technology had worked with Document Network Services to implement Microsoft Dynamics CRM and knew the site structure and supported the solution well.
Document Network Services uses the solution across all teams, from Sales, Administration and Finance to Support. Microsoft Dynamics 365 for sales and customer service was used daily by all to keep in contact with customers,
track conversations and emails, securely hold client contact details and contracts. Document Network Services also use Microsoft Dynamics 365 for sales and customer service to record all its clients’ products and services, with start and end dates, contract lengths and costs; everything is in one place. Microsoft Dynamics 365 is a pivotal system for DNS.
For Document Network Services the challenge was to move into the cloud with all its business applications, file storage, emails, and CRM (Microsoft Dynamics 365 for sales and customer service).
Hugh Sutherland, Sales Manager at Document Network Services explains, “We were keen to migrate everything to the cloud to improve our remote working, mitigate risk of on-site server issues, reduce the cost and burden of managing the servers on-site and improve the performance of the Sales team using CRM out on the road or working from home in the evening.”
The Solution – Moving to the cloud
Through initial discussions it was clear that move to the cloud was a good opportunity and would also offer the ability for Document Network Services to expand the functionality of the system as the Online (Cloud) version of Microsoft Dynamics 365 has more features that the on premise solution. Synergy Technology set out a presentation of the differences of the solutions and some ideas of how Document Network Services could use some of the cloud features to reduce costs and make efficiencies.
Rebecca Fawcett worked with Document Network Services as Project Manager at Synergy Technology and commenced by setting out the scope of work using a diagnostic scoping document. This ensured clarity for both businesses so they can work as a partnership to successfully make the transition. This scope offered Document Network Services an overview of the process, what would be transferred and how it would work, as well as providing timelines of project delivery.
Darren Marsh, managing director at Document Network Services established, “The CRM transition to cloud implementation was seamless, it was all taken care of by Synergy Technology with minimal downtime. All our client data, records, activities were transferred over to the new system, with a very fine eye for detail on trivial things such as Advanced Finds being transferred, contact data and contract information. It was like overnight the system just transformed from an ageing on-premise solution, to the cloud, with a fancy new look and feel and no issues from the get go.”