Microsoft hardly needs to be introduced, as the computer software juggernaut that emerged in 1975. With ubiquitous offerings for households and workplaces, such as the Windows operating system, software Office and the Edge browser, it’s hard to go a day without interacting with a Product powered by Microsoft, which has made it one of the top-valued publicly traded companies.
Over the past few years it has pushed into the cloud-based space in several directions including the ‘hyper-connected workplace’, and under the Dynamics 365 banner we find business applications for marketing, services, operations and commerce. There is also the Dynamics 365 Human Resources offer, which is used by Hollis, Kiwa, SoftwareOne and TNA Packaging and Processing Solutions.
Packages and prices
Dynamics 365 pricing is best established through a quote from Microsoft. This is because pricing can get complex depending on how many users and how many Microsoft products the organization needs, as it would be really unusual for a group to only need one Microsoft product, and the most likely scenario is for different users to need different combinations of Microsoft applications.
What we know about pricing indicates that as a stand-alone item, Dynamics 365 HR is a more expensive option, as it costs £ 90.50 (around $ 122) per user per month. However, as we scale, costs make more sense, as the following Dynamics 365 app costs less £ 22.60 ($ 30) per user per month.
Characteristics
What becomes evident right away is that Dynamics 365 is clearly a mature software product, with a well-designed interface that contributes to ease of use. Being able to organize and automate complex HR processes is where Dynamics 365 excels.
There’s Human Capital Management (HCM), designed for administrators to easily access their workforce through an ecosystem like with the “Hierarchy Designer†so they can simply build an organizational chart. Management is then better able to understand “people data†from a centralized source, and then this information becomes actionable with the ability to “quickly display hierarchical charts, direct reports and managersâ€. Plus, even more advanced data is easily accessible, including open positions, employee transfers, and even workforce analysis. Once all of this is set up, the productivity of HR professionals is enhanced through process automation, task management, and a workflow that prioritizes the most important tasks for quick action.
It is also possible to discover information about the workforce. Microsoft Power BI’s rich dashboards are used to synthesize and in turn display data, and then the information is revealed through “built-in analytics.” Management can simply stay in touch with employee trends through surveys conducted via “Customer Voiceâ€, for “a more collaborative work environmentâ€. Data can be further synthesized using Common Data Service which can combine information not only from Dynamics 365 HR, but also from partner applications.
Support
Dynamics 365 includes subscription support at no additional cost. Technical support is included 24/7, with a goal of resolving the issue in under an hour for the most critical issues. For less serious problems, help is provided in less than 4 or 8 hours depending on the problem. It is also possible to access virtual training on demand.
There is also an option to upgrade to a Professional Direct support plan, which costs $ 9 (£ 6.80) / user per month, with a minimum of $ 180 / user per month. This upgraded plan has a faster turnaround time also less than 1 hour for the most critical issues while adding priority routing, but then a goal of less than 2-4 hours for less severe issues. It also adds engineering-based webinars and advisory assistance for the remote configuration of implementation scenarios, as well as setup and configuration scenarios.
In neither plan are contact handling methods specified. When we clicked on the “Contact Us” button, it went straight to our Microsoft sign-in information. It is not indicated whether there are options for direct phone support, fax, direct email, chatbox, or support portal.
We must also mention the option for unified support. This plan covers all Microsoft products and services used for an organization, both on-premises and in the cloud. This premium plan adds things like a dedicated customer service manager, the ability for Microsoft engineers to be brought on-site for a technology initiative, and proactive IT health management through predictive analytics. Pricing requires a quote and is “license percentage basedâ€.
Finally, there is an active community forum, allowing users to ask questions and interact with their peers.
Final verdict
Microsoft Dynamics 365 HR offers solutions that we really expect from a product from Redmond software. We appreciate the simple flowcharts, the synthesis of data, the clear interface and the emphasis on human capital management that competitors do not master. We should also mention that this offer is priced higher, especially when not combined with other Microsoft offers, and the best support options require an additional premium. When we put all of this together, we encourage organizations looking for a comprehensive software tool for HCM to take a close look at Dynamics 365 HR.
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