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Microsoft Dynamics Takeovers and Transition

Columbus UK have extensive experience in onboarding new customers that have gone live with their D365 applications but feel they need a new partner to take them forward. The Microsoft D365 Platform is perfect for any business looking to constantly evolve with them and increase the return on their initial investments.
Customers can be onboarded with Columbus immediately after Project Go-Live and hypercare, or after a period in support with their current partner. 
Columbus have a transition process which allows successful knowledge transfers to take place and for Incident Management to commence quickly. A RACI will be completed to ensure that all parties understand the responsibilities within the relationship. 
As part of the transition a health-check will be completed both from a functional and technical perspective. This ensures that Columbus and the customer have clarity on how environments are set up and which, if any, customisations and ISVs need to be supported. 
Here's James Willett who can tell you more about our process and services:

 

 

Customer cases
Hero image - Train the trainer, How Kanthal created an educational concept for its employees Train the trainer: How Kanthal created an educational concept for its employees

Change is a constant in our professional lives, whether it’s starting a new job or updating an outdated IT system. But if change is so common, why aren’t organisations better at managing it?

  • Case
NCC new hero Stable and strategic management of Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations for NCC Industry’s transformation

To create greater efficiency and synergy effects, NCC has initiated a major business transformation process in an aim to create common ways of working.

FAQs

  • How long does it take to onboard a customer?
    No customer will typically be the same, with knowledge transfer workshops/sessions differing in length based on any modifications to Microsoft code that were made during the implementations. The support team have between 5-29 years of experience with Columbus and D365 applications so any standard processes do not need to be transitioned - only the developments/modifications do.
    In general we would typically advised all transition exercises to take around 15-20 days including contingency. Many of these planned days may only require a short amount of time to review specific applications and modules, and a shortened timescale is available for those customers who need a faster onboarding experience.
  • What is involved in a Columbus health-check?
    A health-check will typically be a technical review of a customer's Microsoft platform and application's environments.
    This will be a chance to review the environments that the customer has in place including installed software versions, storage levels and the regular pathway for change management from development to release. This is a perfect opportunity for a customer to reset where required and set themselves up for future success, especially after moving from a partner that has not been able to monitor this for any reason.
    Any customers that require Columbus Release Management (the management of Microsoft 'Evergreen' updates for FCSM and/or CE) will see a Release Manager being assigned and activities to be co-ordinated by that UK-based resource.
  • What is the Columbus transition process?
    Columbus have designed a transition process that captures all the information needed to safely allow a customer to move from one partner to another. In a Cloud-assisted world it's never been easier to do so.
    A number of tasks will be undertaken by the assigned Transition Manager (who will often be the Service Delivery Manager based on the complexity of the project). The tasks will be backed up by a number of responsible team members, including the Support Services Manager and Release/Evergreen Manager where required.
    These tasks will be managed as a small project, with discussions between the parties ensuring that knowledge transfer sessions for specific applications and modules are diarised as required. Gathering all information such as documentation from the customer and/or incumbent partner will be key as well as ensuring that all handover sessions are completed either in person or remotely.
    We understand that onboarding a new customer is never a 'finalised' project when completing it within a certain timescale. With that in mind the SDM will work with a customer contact to ensure that in the first quarter following the contract start date that regular check-in meetings with key users are completed and tickets completed are reviewed for quality purposes concerning the transition process.
  • How much does it cost for a Transition process?
    Due to Columbus' experience in onboarding new customers and the support team's knowledge of D365 platforms and applications the knowledge transfer process is typically straightforward.
    Each customers' current platform perceived health, and the complexity of the applications in scope, is taken into consideration when gauging the levels of onboarding needed. The tasks involved, based on modifications and development levels, will allow the Columbus team to estimate the resources needed to onboard each customer.
    Based on complexity of the solution and resources needed to complete the transition process Columbus will be happy to estimate a cost up front.
    For customers with reasonably 'vanilla' systems with few customisations or modifications and requesting multi-year support contracts Columbus may even waive any functional onboarding costs completely. Come and talk to us about how we can support you.