For businesses planning a CRM transformation, understanding the existing system is a crucial starting point. Data structures, customizations, workflows, integrations, and dependencies influence migration planning and the design of the target environment. Dynamics 365 Activate support implementation teams check these areas and make informed decisions about what should migrate, change, or be left behind.
This blog explains Microsoft Dynamics 365 Activate, its migration approach, the supported Salesforce migration process, and the licensing and price considerations companies should check before planning a CRM transition.
What Is Microsoft Dynamics 365 Activate and How Does It Support CRM Migration?
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Activate is an integrated, AI-enabled implementation experience for Dynamics 365. It helps Microsoft customers, partners, and system integrators that know how to operate in current business application environments, make transformation decisions, and plan migrations and implementations.
The current preview enables migration from Salesforce to Dynamics 365. Microsoft describes Activate as a more general experience that is supposed to allow three business journeys: starting with Dynamics 365, migrating from an existing business application, and expanding an existing Dynamics 365 environment.
For Salesforce migrations, Activate analyzes the source environment and offers information about data, business processes, customizations, and dependencies. The goal is not just to recreate all aspects of the source CRM system. Businesses check which components need to be kept, simplified, transformed, or discarded in the new environment.
Dynamics 365 Activate Preview Availability
Dynamics 365 Activate is currently available as a preview feature. These types of features are not used for production and have limited capabilities. They are restricted by additional terms of use before official release.
Companies verify the latest information on supported scenarios, required access, and availability before planning production migration processes.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Solutions Provider Explains the Migration Approach
A Microsoft Dynamics 365 Solutions Provider support organization understands their CRM needs and plans implementation activities. Dynamics 365 Activate follows an assessment, planning, and execution approach that helps migration decisions.
Assessment of the Existing CRM Environment
The assessment phase checks the existing business application environment. In the case of Salesforce migration, the process involves data modeling, configuration, customization, business process, integration, and dependency evaluation.
This allows implementation teams to have a better understanding of how the existing CRM system works. This enables identification of crucial components and those that need further evaluation.
For instance, a company depends on a custom opportunity field, sales process workflows, or integration with other applications. Evaluation of such components provides understanding of their purpose and further implementation in Dynamics 365.
Planning the Migration Scope
During the planning phase, the results of the assessment are used to determine the scope of the migration process, dependencies, its level of complexity, and the state of readiness.
The team checks the existing application and makes decisions regarding whether to retain, simplify, or remove the components.
This strategy prevents companies from recreating customizations from the source system. Some of these components are crucial to business processes, while others may no longer require support.
Execution and Implementation
The execution stage helps implementation teams prioritize migration work and address identified risks. It supports decisions about data mapping, configuration, testing, and deployment.
Assessment and planning provide the context required for execution. The implementation team still needs to review business requirements and make decisions about the target solution.
Buy Microsoft Dynamics 365: Understanding Salesforce Migration
Businesses planning to buy Microsoft Dynamics 365 often need to understand how their existing CRM environment will fit into the new platform. Dynamics 365 Activate currently supports Salesforce to Dynamics 365 migration.
The Salesforce migration experience helps implementation teams assess the Salesforce environment, determine what should move, and execute migration activities. The process includes discovery, object mapping, schema deployment, data migration, and reconciliation.
Salesforce Discovery and Object Mapping
Discovery helps teams understand the existing Salesforce environment before migration. It reviews source components and provides information needed for planning.
Object mapping helps determine how source objects relate to the target Dynamics 365 environment. This supports decisions about how business information should be organized in the new system.
The reviews identify custom fields, business processes, and dependencies that need additional attention before migration.
Schema Deployment and Data Migration
After assessment and planning, the migration process includes schema deployment and data migration. These activities help move approved information into the target environment.
Teams need to review data relationships, configuration requirements, and business processes supported by the source CRM. The migration should follow the approved scope and mapping decisions.
Reconciliation After Migration
Reconciliation is part of the Salesforce migration experience. It helps teams review migrated information and compare results with migration requirements.
This supports the identification of issues that need attention during implementation. Testing and review remain important parts of the migration process.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Reseller: Licensing and Cost Considerations
A Microsoft Dynamics 365 Reseller can help businesses understand licensing options, subscription requirements, and procurement processes. Organizations planning to buy Dynamics 365 should also consider the broader role of an authorized Microsoft reseller in licensing, deployment, and ongoing support.
The price of Dynamics 365 depends on the selected products, licensing model, number of users, and business requirements. The supplied Microsoft Activate documentation does not provide a separate price for the preview experience.
Businesses should distinguish between the cost of Dynamics 365 licenses and the wider price of implementing a CRM solution. These are related but separate planning considerations.
Dynamics 365 Licensing and Subscription Planning
Before purchasing Dynamics 365, businesses should identify the applications and features required for their operations. This includes reviewing user requirements, business processes, integrations, and the target implementation scope.
A Microsoft Dynamics 365 reseller helps organizations review license selection, subscription planning, and purchasing requirements. The appropriate licensing approach depends on the Dynamics 365 products and business needs.
Understand Microsoft Dynamics 365 Pricing
The Microsoft Dynamics 365 price should be reviewed according to the specific product and licensing requirements. Businesses should not assume that migration planning and CRM licensing follow the same pricing structure.
Implementation expenses also involve data preparation, configuration, integration, testing, training, and deployment support. These requirements should be reviewed during planning.
For accurate pricing, companies should request a quote based on their required Dynamics 365 licenses and implementation needs.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Authorized Partner: Preparing for CRM Migration
A Microsoft Dynamics 365 Authorized Partner supports organizations in reviewing CRM requirements, and preparing implementation. Migration planning involves more than transferring existing data. It requires an understanding of business processes, application dependencies, and the target environment.
Review Existing Data and Customizations
Businesses should identify the data, customizations, workflows, and integrations used in their current CRM. This helps teams understand which components support important business operations.
Dynamics 365 Activate provides assessment information that supports this review. However, the implementation team still needs to decide which components should be preserved, simplified, redesigned, or excluded.
Review Business Processes and Dependencies
Business processes and dependencies should be considered before migration. A workflow or integration that appears unnecessary still supports a specific business requirement.
Checking these dependencies helps organizations understand migration complexity and identify areas that need additional planning.
Plan the Target Dynamics 365 Environment
The target environment should be designed according to future business requirements. The team should analyze the data model, configurations, integrations, security aspects, testing, and deployment considerations.
The Dynamics 365 Activate tool will support discovery and migration operations, while the implementation team will be responsible for making the target solution decisions.
Buy Microsoft Dynamics 365 With CRM Implementation Support
Businesses looking to buy Microsoft Dynamics 365 should consider both licensing requirements and implementation planning. A CRM migration requires an understanding of the existing environment, target platform, and business processes that need to continue after deployment.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Reseller supports businesses with software procurement and licensing requirements. As a Microsoft-focused software reseller, it helps organizations review suitable licensing options, subscription requirements, and purchasing needs.
For organizations planning a Salesforce to Dynamics 365 migration, the implementation process should include assessment, planning, data mapping, configuration, testing, and deployment. These activities help businesses organize the transition and review migration requirements before execution.
Conclusion
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Activate offers an AI-enabled method for CRM discovery, planning, and migration. Currently, it is a preview that supports migration from Salesforce to Dynamics 365 and helps in gathering information about data, configurations, customization, processes, integrations, and dependencies.
Microsoft reseller Supports businesses with software licensing, subscription planning, and procurement support for Microsoft solutions. Contact Microsoft reseller to discuss Dynamics 365 licensing needs and CRM implementation requirements.
