The MSDW editorial team was long overdue to recap the headlines of recent weeks, and today's episode touches on a broad range of updates that touch the full range of Microsoft business applications, from products reaching general availability to promises of upcoming investment.

Articles referenced in this episode include:

• Microsoft prepares Dynamics 365 Commerce launch, Connected Store preview
• Power BI in 2020: MVP perspective on what's driving product growth, customer demand
• When the public cloud grew up: A look back at growth in the 2010s
• My Dynamics 365 Business Central priorities for Microsoft in 2020
• Power Apps Portals and the 2020 Wave 1 Release Plans: Something for Everyone
• A hidden cost of cloud ERP: Changing project risk
• Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central: The Best Path for Creating and Maintaining Extensions
• Reverse journal posting in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance
• Bundling and Sales Order Processing: Revenue Recognition in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance, Part 5
• Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central: The Best Path for Creating and Maintaining Extensions

Why do some CRM-focused projects, probably too many, end with a less-than-satisfying outcome? As our guest, Chuck Ingram, explains, dissatisfaction with enterprise technology is a strange thing. Even when a consulting team leaves a project with all metrics "green", things might not say that way after some time has passed.

Chuck last joined the podcast about 3 years ago. He updates us on his professional path since then, including his new firm CongruentX. As he explains, his new team will take a different approach to CRM projects, with a somewhat different engagement model and different measures of success. He will remain focused on Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM technology, and we talk about the impact of products like Power Apps and D365 Customer Insights, customer adaptation, and life in the partner channel these days.

Show Notes:

• 1:25 - Chuck's professional background and journey over the last few years.
• 11:00 - Big picture perspective on approaching CRM projects differently to meet buyer needs.
• 15:20 - Why CRM efforts don't always have to be big projects.
• 18:25 - How CRM ownership and services change with Microsoft's semi-annual release waves.
• 21:30 - The case for building on top of legacy systems vs upgrade or migration.
• 24:45 - Why customer experience is about more than CRM.
• 27:30 - How and why centers of excellence benefit organizations of different sizes.
• 33:20 - Chuck's perspective on Microsoft's engagement with partners
• 38:20 - Why D365 Customer Insights, Microsoft's Customer Data Platform offering, is exciting
• 39:45 - Looking ahead to 365 Power Up Tampa on Feb 22