Microsoft recently announced the introduction of Microsoft Dynamics 365, a brand new, enterprise-ready intelligent business app that seamlessly couples Microsoft Dynamics CRM and ERP.

“Across all industries our customers are looking to adapt their customer engagement and business operations processes to the digital era, to secure and expand their businesses,” said  Jujhar Singh, Corporate Vice President, Microsoft Dynamics CRM. “This ‘digital transformation’ requires a degree of business process agility – and a unification across the business – not supported by the traditional ‘siloed’ ERP and CRM approach of the past.”

In addition, Microsoft announced the launch of Microsoft AppSource, a new app store where businesses can test and use SaaS apps from Microsoft and its partners. 

The tech world is buzzing, but what does it mean for customers who already use Microsoft Dynamics or are in the market for a new ERP and CRM?  

Here are 3 key takeaways from the Microsoft Dynamics 365 announcement:

There will be seamless integration between ERP, CRM, and O365

Dynamics 365 is an all-encompassing, elaborate cloud service that combines Microsoft’s current ERP and CRM offerings. Dynamics 365 offers new apps for specific business functions including Finance, Field Service, Sales, Operations, Marketing, Project Service Automation, and Customer Service. Data management across apps and business applications will be simplified so consumers can achieve their business goals like never before.

With Cortana Intelligence and Power BI natively embedded in Dynamics 365, users can take advantage of workflow optimization, built-in insights, predictive intelligence, prescriptive advice, and actionable next steps. No longer will a salesperson need to intensively prospect; Cortana can confidently predict when to cross-sell and what products an existing customer will need. 

Dynamics 365 will also be integrated with Office 365, allowing you to compose an e-mail and bring up data from one of the stand-alone apps without ever leaving Outlook.

Dynamics 365 offers flexibility to the customer

Pay for what you need, when you need it. The announcement from Microsoft made it clear that you can start small within Dynamics 365 and purchase additional apps, when your company needs it. As your company grows, so does the capabilities of Dynamics 365.

While Microsoft will still allow customers to purchase licenses for the applications with Dynamics 365, you will also have the option to license users by their respective roles. For example, a salesperson who helps create marketing collateral and helps troubleshoot customer needs will have fluid access to the Finance, Marketing, and Customer Service apps within Dynamics 365.

Microsoft AppSource will offer unique, innovative apps

At launch, Microsoft AppSource has already 200 apps for Dynamics AX, Dynamics CRM, Dynamics NAV, Project Madeira, Power BI,Office 365, and Azure.

Some of these innovative apps include CoffeeSender, which allows your sales teams to send promo emails with $5 Starbucks gift cards, AX for Plastics, an ERP add-on specifically for plastic manufacturers, and Power Attachment, which automatically syncs your CRM attachments to SharePoint.

Within AppSource, you can tailor your searches by industry, category, or product based on the needs of your business, making it easier than ever to find the right app for your specific needs.

Dynamics 365 will be launched in the Fall.  Although not much is known at this time in regards to pricing, it’s clear that Dynamics 365 will be a transformative product to drive, simplify, and innovate business processes.