logo-valore-white
Main Menu
Talk With Us

Business Insights: Leveraging Analytics and Reporting with Dynamics 365 Finance

In today’s business landscape, the ability to harness data effectively is crucial for maintaining a competitive edge. Dynamics 365 Finance is a cloud-based enterprise resource solution that offers advanced analytics and reporting features designed to optimize financial operations. Despite the advanced capabilities, extracting relevant reports from this platform can prove challenging. What this article aims to do is explore ways to effectively leverage Dynamics 365 Finance.

What is Dynamics 365 Finance?

Dynamics 365 Finance is a comprehensive platform designed to streamline financial operations through a range of features including:

  • Cash Management
  • Business Performance Management
  • Tax Management
  • Quote to Cash
  • Accounting and Financial Close
  • Financial Planning and Analysis

These features are supported by live data integration across various business functions such as human resources, sales, and supply chain. Microsoft’s AI, Copilot, then augments this seamless data integration by providing automated forecasting and predictive insights.

Common Challenges in Extracting Relevant Reports

Despite the features provided by Dynamics 365 Finance, extracting relevant and actionable reports can remain challenging without strategic use of the platform.

  1. Complex Data Integration: While integrating data from multiple business functions can be beneficial, extracting the information into a cohesive report can be complex. It is important to carefully choose which data sources to include, and how to structure that data to your business specific needs.
  2. High Customization: The extensive customization provided can come in as a double-edged sword. While customization allows for tailored reports, it is important to know what customization is necessary for your specific industry. If not, unnecessary customization can increase costs and increase the delay to receiving valuable reports.

Leverage a Few Best Practices

To help navigate the complexities of report generation and make the most of this powerful platform, consider implementing the following best practices tips. These approaches are designed to help mitigate the above challenges and ensure effective use of Dynamics 365 Finance Reporting and Analytics.

  • Prioritize Data Quality and Structure: Ensure data is clean and well-organized to generate accurate reports. Collaborate with the IT team to minimize data inaccuracies and performance issues, especially when integrating data from external applications outside of Dynamics 365 Finance.
  • User-Friendly Reporting Interfaces: Design accessible reports and dashboard layouts, while providing training to reduce dependency on IT. This empowers end-users to access and interpret key metrics without waiting. While also providing IT time to be spent on other priorities for smooth reporting operations.
  • Leverage Automation and Scheduling: Take advantage of the many automation features that are innately found in Dynamics 365 Finance. By taking the time to configure this, it helps reduce the risk of human error while ensuring the business leaders receive relevant information without requesting it manually. This supports agile decision-making and streamlines operations.


Analytics and Reporting Tools in Dynamics 365 Finance

To address these challenges and utilize the approaches, it is important to leverage the core reporting tools within Dynamics 365 Finance:

  1. Power BI (Business Intelligence)

Power BI is one tool that is seamlessly integrated with Dynamics 365 Finance. Power BI enables the creation of custom dashboards and reports from live data. This tool also supports the integration with external data sources, offering even further customization for businesses specific needs.

However, Power BI and Dynamic 365 Finance are complex tools to use. The technical skills required for effective usage of this tool are skills in data modeling and Dynamics 365 Finance configuration.

  1. Electronic Reporting (ER) Framework

The ER framework excels in producing regulatory-compliant financial reports and can export in formats such as Excel or XML. It offers easy configuration without requiring coding, supports automation to report generation, and flexibility in reporting structure depending on business needs.

While strong in document formatting, it lacks advanced data visualization compared to other tools. These reports may also need ongoing maintenance whenever there are changes made in data structures or reporting adjustments, which could be resource intensive.

  1. Financial Reporting (Management Reporter)

Financial Reporting excels in generating detailed financial reports, gathered through live data from Dynamics 365 Finance. This tool is much simpler to use compared to the previous tools we discussed and allows users to generate reports without the help of their IT team. It also includes flexible reporting design and has the option for automatic report generation based on configuration.

It is specifically designed for financial reporting and relies solely on general ledger data. It does not offer advanced analytics or visualizations, which may limit its usefulness for broader data analysis.

Conclusion

By understanding and addressing the challenges of generating reports and analytics, businesses are taking the first steps to utilizing the potential of Dynamics 365 Finance. Implementing the best practices and picking the right tools specific to your business needs are crucial. To maximize these efforts, consider partnering with an experienced implementation provider to enhance your efforts. A knowledgeable partner can offer specialized support, ensure seamless integration, and optimize the platform to your enterprise needs.

Here at Valore Partners we excel in connecting disparate systems and streamlining operations for our customers. To learn more about how we can help you achieve these goals, reach out to us today.

Insights_

Read More

An Introduction To Test-Driven Development

Zero Trust and Identity Access Management: Lets Take it One Step Further

Introduction to Identity Access Management Systems

Have a project_

Empowering businesses with customized software!

Talk With Us

Get in touch.

Talk With Us
2801 East Camelback Road
Suite 200
Phoenix, AZ 85016
(602) 340-8500
Linkedin

© Valore Partners 2023 – Privacy Policy

Talk with our client services team.

info@valorepartners.com

ARIZONA
2801 East Camelback Road
Suite 200
Phoenix, AZ 85016

222 South Mill Avenue
Suite 800
Tempe, AZ 85281
(602) 340-8500

WASHINGTON
2205 152nd Avenue Northeast
Redmond, WA 98052
(425) 296-0800

Want to join our team?

View current opportunities

Want to join our team?

View current opportunities

Ben
ASSOCIATE SOFTWARE ENGINEER

I’m a technologist, audiophile, husband, and soon-to-be father of one. In my spare time I enjoy making music, traveling, exploring the outdoors, and working on my golf game. I was a self-taught developer for several years, before making an official career change after graduating a coding bootcamp.

 

I was attracted to Valore Partners because they are committed to the success of their employees. Our initial discussions during the interview process were very impactful in my decision. I felt that they were already partnering with me and cared about my future success. The work life balance at Valore Partners is healthy and I have some freedom to manage my own schedule. I have much more time to spend with my family compared to previous roles and I appreciate that professional development is encouraged by Valore Partners too.

 

Since joining the firm, I’ve found my colleagues to be vastly talented professionals with a wide breadth of knowledge. The words that I would use to describe them are dependable and dedicated. Whenever I have a question, they have an answer. They have been invaluable to my growth as a professional, even in such a short amount of time.

Ben has been with Valore Partners since April 2022.

Chris
SOFTWARE ENGINEER

I’m a Software Engineer with Valore Partners, specializing in C# Asp.Net/Core and Angular development. I’ve learned that the keys to really succeed in this role are communication and adaptability.

Communication is key for managing reasonable expectations, establishing deadlines, and clarifying requirements and/or resource needs. Adaptability is important because we need to be able to work in many different environments with completely different teams, while maintaining the same level of effectiveness. It’s not always easy, but Valore Partners has a great support system and way of doing things. They’ve also managed to foster a culture of sharing information and knowledge, which has been invaluable in solidifying my understanding of both existing and new technologies. I’d describe my colleagues as very professional, passionate about technology, very well informed, and always willing to help one and other.

Outside of work, I’m happily married and enjoy playing video games, cooking, playing tennis or playing with our cat. In my experience, Valore has provided a very good work life balance; I feel they are very respectful of my time. They have continuously provided me with the experiences and resources I need to grow as a developer and better myself as a professional. I’ll happily recommend them to any of my friends or family members!

Chris has been with Valore Partners since November 2018

William
SOFTWARE ENGINEER

I’m a Software Engineer with Valore Partners, specializing in .Net Development. Working here has improved my skills in the Architectural and Infrastructure side of Development and knowledge with Azure. In my spare time, I love playing disc golf with my wife and our friends, learning about the natural world, trying new things, or solving complex problems.

What attracted me most to Valore Partners was the idea of continuously working with new/different technologies and knowing that I would be working with other extremely knowledgeable Software Engineers. This has allowed me to gain experience exponentially quicker than in my previous roles and as someone who loves learning, this keeps me excited about new projects.

In this role, the focus is to understand the fundamental strategies of Software Development and how to apply that knowledge in order to hone/create robust and extensible applications for our clients. You really have to be able to listen and read between the lines to figure out what is really needed and the best way to approach it successfully.

Valore Partners offers great compensation and really promotes personal development. Management has a true open-door policy and I’ve always felt heard and supported. My team is a great source of information and share the same level of enthusiasm as I do. I would wholeheartedly recommend Valore Partners to anyone who shares these qualities and passions.

William has been with Valore Partners since November 2018

Jason
SOFTWARE ENGINEER

In high school, I had the chance to participate in a Vex Robotic competition. This kicked off a passion for programming and lead me to ASU, where I graduated with a computer science degree. In my free time, you’ll find me playing video games, tennis, or traveling.

What attracted me most to Valore Partners was the opportunity to learn and explore new technologies. We’re always learning and applying the latest and greatest technologies to make the system we are working on more robust and scalable. I didn’t find this to be the case in previous positions. It’s been excellent for my personal development, and I’ve found myself able to gain experience much more quickly than in traditional enterprise environments.

At Valore Partners you’ll have the opportunity to work on various projects and technologies. In my opinion, you’ll need to be adaptable and willing to continuously learn new technologies to be successful.

Overall, what I’ve enjoyed most is the working environment itself. I feel like part of a big family. Valore Partners treats us well and they care about us as people too—the work/life balance is great!

Jason has been with Valore Partners since January 2019.

Vanessa
ASSOCIATE SOFTWARE ENGINEER

Originally from Bryan, Texas, I moved to Arizona in 2013 for new opportunities and a change of scenery. After an introduction to C++ course, I was completely hooked on coding. This led to completing a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science with a focus on Cyber Security in 2021.

In my spare time, I enjoy riding my motorcycle, hiking, traveling, camping, working on carpentry projects, and spending time with my wonderful wife. While in my last year of school, I joined Valore Partners for the opportunity to work with industry experts in a smaller, more close-knit company. From day one, I’ve felt very welcomed here, and am appreciative of their accommodations regarding my schedule. After graduation, I was offered a full-time position and I happily accepted.

The first project I worked on was much larger than what I normally encountered in my academic career, but with resources and mentorship from both the leadership team and my colleagues, I’ve been able to continue to grow my skills and my confidence. I’ve found my experience at Valore Partners to be challenging, but comfortable in terms of growth. I credit that to the strong support system they have created here, as well as interesting and varied projects. Working at Valore Partners as my first professional job will undoubtedly be invaluable as I continue forward in my development career.

Vanessa has been with Valore Partners since May 2021.

 

 

Chris
SENIOR SOFTWARE ENGINEER

When I’m not working as a Senior Software Engineer, I’m an outdoorsy type of nerd that enjoys off-roading in my Jeep, watching movies, listening to music, and playing D&D.

I first joined Valore Partners as an Intern while going to ASU. I didn’t plan to work in IT at the time, I just knew I liked working with computers and had a passion for technology. Once I got involved at Valore Partners, I was hooked! A big part of the reason why I’m here, building custom software solutions, is because of the people here at Valore Partners and how they have helped me in growing my career.

Since joining, I’ve realized that one of the most important things you can do to be successful is to stay on top of the latest technologies and trends. Valore gives me the time and the tools to do just that. It’s always rewarding to apply what you have just learned to help solve a difficult technical challenge. Overall working at Valore Partners is like working with a bunch of fun nerds—and I mean that as an endearing term! We are well-rounded with many different interests. One of the greatest things about Valore Partners is having access to many different resources with many different avenues of expertise. I have never felt overworked or that my personal time is not important. Valore Partners is always willing to work with personal schedules and flexible scheduling.

What keeps me here is the culture, flexibility, and opportunities for continued learning. Great management and engineers. Valore Partners makes it a great place to work.

Chris was with Valore Partners from Oct 2008 – March 2018 and then again in Dec 2019 until present.

Ryan
PRINCIPAL SOFTWARE ENGINEER

I had a prestigious internship in Hotel & Restaurant Management and quit to join the military. From there I began to realize my “hobby” of building computers and writing custom programs could be a career.

I joined Valore in 2008 and met some truly talented software developers and learned as much as I possibly could. The projects were interesting and challenging and the people I worked with were amazing. I made some very close friends and a whole bunch of respected co-workers.

I moved to the Seattle area, which is quite literally the only reason I left Valore. At the time remote offices were not a thing. I then went on to work for startup companies and did some of my own private contracting. The moment that Valore was branching out and interested in having me back I jumped at it without hesitation. During that entire period, I never found a company I cared about being a part of as much as I did Valore.

I love Valore because they have stayed consistent with their values, and I am proud to work with everyone. I have also thoroughly enjoyed mentoring and leading some fantastic talent just entering the industry. We are delivering fantastic software from brainstorm to delivery; I can’t imagine a more satisfying work environment!

Ryan was with Valore Partners from Jan 2008 to Feb 2012 and then again in Nov 2019 until present.

Randy
PRINCIPAL SOFTWARE ENGINEER

I am a Principal Software Engineer with Valore Partners. I bring 25+ years of experience in Microsoft-focused technologies, 16 years of which employed at Microsoft. After meeting with management staff and some of the partners at Valore Partners, I realized the culture and areas of focus were right in line with my own. Coming from a very large organization, I have found it refreshing to be able to have a greater impact on the success of the company, as well as build personal rapports with the entire leadership team instead of just peers and direct reports.

Everyone I’ve had a chance to interact with at Valore have proven to be extremely knowledgeable in their respective technologies and always willing to assist at a moment’s notice. In my opinion, being a successful in technology hinges on a passion and desire to stay on top of technologies and trends.

I am not one that believes in the traditional notion of Life + Work balance. There’s only life. Your job is one component of your life and you ultimately choose which areas of your life desire/require the most attention and focus. With that said, I feel it is important to give both professional and personal aspects of life the same attention levels. It is refreshing to work for a company that does not expect you to regularly stray from that type of commitment.


Randy has been with Valore Partners since January 2020 & 2014-2017.

Paul
PRINCIPAL SOFTWARE ENGINEER

I’m a Principal Software Engineer and have been with the company for 15+ years. I worked with Jeremy and Bert, and others from previous companies. When they started Valore Partners, I followed them.

One of the nice things about this company is that we have experts in multiple practices. When we have technical challenges, we have colleagues that specialize in these areas. It makes it better for our team because even if we come in for CRM, we can end up solving other business challenges using .Net development or BI. That being said, Valore Partners is also very supportive in regard to providing the training and tools needed to improve our skills too.

I see myself here many years from now because I love the company and how they treat us. I’ve never considered working anywhere else because I appreciate the relationships I have here and how they’ve taken care of me and my family. I feel a great loyalty to Valore Partners and I don’t see that changing anytime soon.

 Paul has been with Valore Partners since November 2006.

Anton
ASSOCIATE SOFTWARE ENGINEER

Born and raised in Arizona, and still haven’t been to the Grand Canyon, but who has the time? If I’m not playing tabletop role-playing games, I’m probably out with my friends or with my nose in a project.

My career started out in the wild west both literally and figuratively with small businesses and start-ups. In my previous role, I learned a multitude of skills across the Microsoft stack but unfortunately ended up working very long hours. I decided to turn my sights towards something with a little more sanity and shortly after, Valore Partners knocked on my door with the opportunity to join their team. What attracted me to the company was the opportunity to gain exposure working with large enterprise level businesses, as well as the resources the team provides to continue to hone my skills.

My experience with Valore has been nothing but positive; my work-life balance hasn’t been in a better state. My colleagues bring their passion for solving complex problems and their knowledge of past experiences to the table to share with me every day. We work together to not only build a product, but to also help build up the people around us as well. Overall, I can see myself staying with Valore for many years to come. The community is great, the work is stimulating, and the breadth of knowledge is priceless.

Anton has been with Valore Partners since September 2021.

Kathleen
TALENT ACQUISITION

I’m the Talent Acquisition Manager for Valore Partners and typically the first point of contact for new potential employees. We’re looking for candidates who have the right blend of technical skills and ‘soft skills’ including clear communication, time management, emotional intelligence, and leadership ability. Myself and my team have worked hard to create a balanced, supportive, and positive employee culture right from the first email, phone call, or text message exchange.

In my own professional career, I’ve had the pleasure of working in various aspects of Recruitment and Human Capital across 4 different countries, including Canada (my home country), The Cayman Islands, Thailand, and now here in the United States. I also hold a master’s degree in international Relations, specializing in Ethnic Relations; it’s safe to say that people are my passion. Now happily married to an Arizona native, my husband and I take advantage of all the surrounding area has to offer as well as carving out time to explore new parts of the world whenever we can.

I’ve worked with Valore Partners since I first landed in the United States and couldn’t be happier with the company and people that I work with on a daily basis. It’s much easier to promote and grow a business where your own values align with that of the firm’s and I’m lucky enough to have found that with Valore Partners.

Kathleen has been with Valore Partners since April 2016.

Melissa
PRINCIPAL SOFTWARE ENGINEER

I am a multifaceted technologist and the Collaboration Practice Lead at Valore Partners. I was, and still am, most attracted to Valore Partners for the community. I appreciate the way they encourage teams to get together outside of the offices. We are a very professional group, and everyone really knows their stuff. If the path is clear, they’ll get it done. If they don’t, they’ll ask questions. You can really count on your colleagues here; they are consistently reliable.

I find our work satisfying. Technology wise, you can easily overcome challenges by taking a different approach or digging a little deeper. Other challenges we encounter are political or bureaucratic, we sometimes add the role of advisor or counselor to our toolbelt.

Outside of my professional life and staying out of the heat, I RV a lot with the family. Enjoying fun outdoors activities like fishing, biking, and kayaking.

Melissa has been with Valore Partners since May 2008.

Cory
Principal Software Engineer

Over the last 25+ years, I’ve worked with a number of similar firms and VP is by far the best place to work. I’m surrounded by such a high level of talent here.

One especially unique and impactful project that comes to mind, was for a large utility company here in the Valley. We wrote a system to measure consumption and automate delivery, bringing together several systems and a front-end responsive UI to simplify the process.

At Valore Partners, we control and resolve tense situations and, in some cases, we’re assisting with critical, emergency situations. If a project is not going to make deadline, for example, I may be brought in to assess the problem and get them across the finish line. The great thing is that I have a full team behind me at VP that I can rely on when needed. Whether it’s technical, systems or managerial, we have each other’s backs.

Cory has been with Valore Partners since September 2009.

John
ASSOCIATE SOFTWARE ENGINEER

At the age of 4, my family relocated from New York City to Hong Kong. During my time in Hong Kong, I fell in love with Rugby and ended up receiving a professional contract out of high school to play for the Hong Kong National team. In 2017, my Rugby career ended, and I decided to pursue my other passion, technology. I moved back to Phoenix, enrolled in ASU, and have now recently graduated with a B.S. in Computer Science.

I joined Valore Partners as an IT Intern both for the opportunity to learn more about the IT world from the inside, and because of their flexibility when it came to my school schedule.

When offered a role as Associate Consultant post-graduation, I jumped at the opportunity. I knew I would get to continue to work alongside industry experts for a company that values their employees.

Jumping in headfirst on my first full-time development project was daunting for several reasons, but everyone on my team was always happy to give insight and support. Whether it was a quick ten-minute call going over some technical questions, or an hour long talk about career guidance as a Consultant, no one at Valore has ever made me feel like I was a burden, which gave me the confidence to take ownership over parts of the project earlier than I would have expected. Currently, I am working with C#/.NET Core, Angular, Azure & MongoDB.

My colleagues are some of the smartest, most interesting people I have ever met. Spanning from all ages and backgrounds, it is fun being able to interact with them daily. You’ll thrive with Valore Partners, if you are someone with a good work ethic, enjoy continuous learning, and excel in collaborative environments. In my opinion, being able to work on interesting problems, with interesting people, is as good as a job can get.

John has been with Valore Partners since August 2019.

John
ASSOCIATE SOFTWARE ENGINEER

At the age of 4, my family relocated from New York City to Hong Kong. During my time in Hong Kong, I received a professional contract out of high school to play Rugby for the Hong Kong National team. In 2017, my Rugby career ended, and I decided to pursue my other passion, technology. I moved back to Phoenix, enrolled in ASU, and graduated with a B.S. in Computer Science.

I joined Valore Partners as an IT Intern for the opportunity to learn more about the IT world from the inside, and because of their flexibility when it came to my school schedule. When offered a role as Associate Consultant post-graduation, I jumped at the opportunity.

My colleagues are some of the smartest, most interesting people I have ever met. Starting my first full-time development project was daunting, but everyone on my team was happy to give insight and support. Whether a quick ten-minute call going over some technical questions, or an hour long talk about career guidance, no one at Valore has ever made me feel like I was a burden. This gave me the confidence to take ownership over parts of the project earlier than I would have expected.

You’ll thrive with Valore Partners, if you are someone with a good work ethic, enjoy continuous learning, and excel in collaborative environments. In my opinion, being able to work on interesting problems, with interesting people, is as good as a job can get.

 
John has been with Valore Partners since August 2019.