Leadership Archives

April 3, 2025March 28, 2025 by admin

Beyond Go-Live: Empowering Teams to Unlock D365’s Full Value Table of Contents Share Beyond Go-Live: Empowering Teams to Unlock D365’s Full Value You’ve invested in Microsoft Dynamics 365. You’ve gone live. Your teams use it daily.But here’s the real question—are they using it to its full potential? Imagine moving into a beautiful, modern home. It has everything: space, structure, smart technology, great lighting. But from day one, you only know how to use the front door. No one gives you the keys to the garage or the door to the backyard. So every time you take out the trash or want to enjoy your yard, you walk the long way around. Sounds ridiculous, right? Yet this happens in D365 all the time. Teams are doing things the hard way—not because the system lacks features, but because they don’t know what’s possible. The Hidden Cost of Unawareness and Undertraining The real issue isn’t just that features are unused, it’s that people don’t even know they exist. Awareness means knowing best practices in the first place. Without it, users fall back on what they’ve always done. They create workarounds. They assume, “this is just how it works.” They don’t question inefficiencies because they don’t know there’s a better way. Training goes further. It’s not just about learning where features live—it’s about changing behaviors and mindsets. Users need to believe they can work differently: faster, smarter, and more confidently. Training gives them tools, but more importantly, it builds the confidence to drive change. Without awareness, people don’t seek solutions. Without training, they can’t apply them. And without both, organizations miss out on the full business impact of D365. Empowered users are bold. Curious. That’s the kind of team D365 was built for. Why It Matters to the Business When users aren’t fully trained, or aware of what’s possible, it shows up in the numbers. Or more accurately, the numbers don’t move. You invested in D365 to modernize the enterprise, drive profitability, and fuel growth. And you’ve laid the right foundation. But if the business hasn’t truly transformed, the next step isn’t more technical consulting, it’s empowering your people to use the system as it was meant to be used. Without the right training, teams can’t improve cross-functional execution or use analytics to optimize planning. And without trained people, even the best technology can’t deliver ROI. People drive results—not technology, because when users know what’s possible, and how to leverage D365 to increase organizational agility, the EBITDA needle moves. 10 Questions to Ask Yourself About D365 Do our users know how to personalize views and dashboards to match their daily work? Are we using Power Automate to eliminate manual steps or approval bottlenecks? Can team members access role-specific reports without relying on IT or spreadsheets? Is Master Planning/Planning Optimization configured to match real lead times and demand patterns? Are time fences and capacity planning being used to prevent production delays? Are subledger reports being used to drill down into cost and margin performance? Is your team tracking forecast accuracy and budget variance by department? Are we using portals (Power Pages) to reduce repetitive back-and-forth with customers or vendors? Do our power users feel confident supporting their teams with questions or new features? Are we continuously improving how we use D365—or just getting by with what we learned at go-live? You’ve Laid the Foundation—Now Unlock the Full Potential of D365 You’ve made D365 part of your business. The hard work is done. Now it’s time to go further. The tools are in place. The best practices are defined. Let Ascent help your team unlock what’s next—empowering your people to deliver the full business impact of D365. About the Author John Bruhnke is Managing Director at Ascent. He has 25 years of management consulting experience focused on system implementation and, for the last 7 years, modern analytics in the manufacturing industry. He collaborates with executive and management teams to drive alignment on strategic goals and develop a collective vision for modernization that balances both immediate business needs and long-term strategy. . John Bruhnke Managing Director Icon-linkedin Share Latest Posts All Posts Analytics BI AI D365 SCM Dynamics 365 Leadership Legacy Modernization Uncategorized Beyond Go-Live: Empowering Teams to Unlock D365’s Full Value Read More 7 Steps to Unlocking Millions in Gross Profit Read More Winning with AI: Build the BI Race Car Before You Turbocharge It with AI Read More You might also like:

April 2, 2025March 24, 2025 by admin

7 Steps to Unlocking Millions in Gross Profit Table of Contents Share The 2025 Action Plan: Eliminate Recurring Problems Companies lose gross margin when inefficiencies in planning, execution, and cross-functional workflows create blind spots that result in problems that no one understands how they start or how to eliminate them. Companies that identify and resolve the root causes of recurring operational challenges see significant gross margin improvement. For companies generating $100 million in gross profit, even a 1% improvement can unlock $1 million in additional profit. If you had better planning and execution, how far do you think could you move the gross margin needle? What’s Your Gross Margin Opportunity? The potential impact is real and measurable—the only questions are how much gross profit you are leaving on the table and how much of it can be captured and at what cost. At Ascent Innovations, we help companies initiate low-cost, high-value Agile ROI strategies—delivering measurable improvements within a month. This rapid business impact model helps build executive support for additional efforts. 7 Steps to Unlocking Millions in Gross Margin Step 1: Identify the Problems Costing You Money What Are the Indicators of Opportunity? What kind of problems are we talking about? It varies for every client—but to get your wheels turning, here are some common issues I’ve been helping organizations resolve: High Working Capital – Often a sign of inefficiencies in forecasting, demand planning, inventory management, receivables, or procurement. Margin Compression Despite Strong Sales – May indicate poor pricing governance, uncontrolled discounting, or breakdowns in cost pass-through processes. Frequent Budget Variances and Forecast Misses – Suggest weaknesses in forecast accuracy and cost management, leading to misaligned operational planning. Long Order-to-Delivery Lead Times – A signal of potential workflow misalignment or blind spots between sales, production, and fulfillment. Rising Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) – Points to opportunities in labor, material, and supplier management to better control variable costs. High Labor Costs and Excessive Overtime – Typically reflect upstream planning gaps, such as raw material availability or poor scheduling, limiting production efficiency and capacity. Each of these challenges represents a high-impact opportunity. With focused discovery, we can uncover the root causes behind recurring issues. And here’s the key insight: a single root cause often manifests in different ways across multiple departments. When we address the source, we not only eliminate recurring problems—we unlock broad, measurable performance gains across the organization. Step 2: Quantify the Opportunity Cost of Your Problems How much are recurring problems costing you? Many organizations underestimate the financial impact of daily firefighting—leaving significant value on the table. Through a few focused discovery sessions, we help quantify that opportunity by identifying the business impact of fixing root causes that often manifest as repeated challenges across departments. Start with strategic goals – Align leadership around core priorities to ensure the focus stays on what drives the most value. Engage at the executive level – Review what’s working, what’s not, and where improvements are most needed. Discuss how these challenges are affecting performance today—and what the organization could achieve if they were resolved. Explore at the departmental level – Assess both functional and cross-functional workflows to identify execution and reporting gaps that hinder strategic goals. Capture how these issues impact daily operations and decision-making. Develop a comprehensive issue list – Document pain points across the organization to uncover root causes and prioritize high-impact opportunities. Identify quick wins with high value – Identify low-cost, high-impact improvements that can be implemented in 3–5 weeks to deliver immediate business results and build momentum. By structuring discovery this way, we create a clear connection between strategic objectives and operational improvements—with a focus on quick wins that deliver measurable results. These early successes not only improve performance but also build executive and board-level support for further modernization and long-term transformation. Step 3: Fix the Process Gaps Are Cross-functional Hand-offs a Challenge? Businesses are structured vertically—in departments—but value is delivered horizontally, across functions. Customers don’t care about departmental boundaries; they’re impacted by how well the organization executes end-to-end. Functional silos persist within companies when systems and workflows are fragmented, making it difficult to coordinate planning and execution across the value chain. It’s like a relay race—no matter how fast each runner is, if the baton is dropped between exchanges, the race is lost. What type of problems are rooted in a siloed organization? Here are a few common symptoms of cross-functional challenges: Demand & Order Management: Misalignment Creates Delays Inaccurate demand forecasting leads to stockouts or excess inventory, tying up working capital. Manual order processing increases errors, rework, and fulfillment delays. Approval bottlenecks slow down order confirmations, delaying production start times. Impact: Orders take longer to process, increasing lead times, frustrating customers, and reducing sales velocity. Production & Inventory: Inefficiencies Drive Higher Costs Siloed production planning leads to last-minute scheduling changes, increasing labor overtime and machine downtime. Disconnected inventory management causes materials shortages, stalling production and missing customer deadlines. Rigid capacity planning prevents flexibility, making it harder to respond to demand fluctuations. Impact: Production bottlenecks increase operating costs, reduce order fill rates, and weaken gross margin. Logistics & Fulfillment: Shipping Disruptions and Customer Dissatisfaction Poor warehouse coordination leads to delays in picking, packing, and staging shipments. Lack of real-time tracking prevents proactive issue resolution, increasing OTIF failures. Inefficient routing and carrier selection result in higher freight costs and slower deliveries. Impact: Late shipments increase customer penalties, lost contracts, and damaged brand reputation. Inefficiencies in the order-to-delivery process erode profitability, strain cash flow, and damage customer satisfaction. Ascent helps our clients understand what can be fixed in the current environment and what would be best addressed in a future ERP upgrade. Step 4: Make Smart, Targeted System Enhancements Leverage your existing ERP for quick, high-impact wins. Rather than waiting a year or longer for the payoff of an ERP upgrade, companies can drive immediate ROI by optimizing what they already have: Fix broken or incomplete ERP processes that complicate daily execution. Improve … Read more

April 2, 2025March 15, 2025 by admin

Winning with AI: Build the BI Race Car Before You Turbocharge It with AI Table of Contents Share Winning with AI: Build the BI Race Car Before You Turbocharge It with AI AI doesn’t replace human creativity and insight—it enhances them by tracking more variables than any human possibly can, identifying trends and risks in real time. But just like a race car, without the right structure and skilled drivers, adding more speed doesn’t make you faster—it makes you crash harder. Your Best Drivers Will Train AI to Help Them Win AI isn’t here to take the wheel. For the foreseeable future, humans will remain behind the wheel of business, making strategic decisions that drive growth. But AI can be the ultimate co-pilot—alerting leaders to risks, opportunities, and changing conditions before they’re obvious. Building the Race Car: BI Is the Foundation Before you can race ahead with AI, you first need a foundation with sound fundamentals: Integrated workflows and data across departments. Broken processes and reporting blind spots create functional silos, preventing accurate, trusted reporting. Finance, sales, supply chain, and operations must work from one version of the truth. A dashboard that provides real-time visibility into the measures that drive revenue, operating margin, and cash flow. Just as you wouldn’t drive a car by looking out the rear window, business teams need clear visibility into what’s happening now, how performance is trending, and actionable insights on risks and opportunities. Upskill your best drivers—your business SMEs—not just on the tools, but on the cross-functional dependencies that drive performance of your aggregate KPIs. These individuals must be intimately involved—not only to understand the system, but to help design it. They aren’t just passengers; they are the engineers of your team’s BI race car, building the capability to accelerate on the straightaways and brake confidently into the curves. Learning to Drive Before Adding AI Once BI is in place—with workflows connected and reporting dashboards fine-tuned—teams will begin to trust reports and use them to drive decisions. Teams proactively collaborate to identify risks and opportunities early, while there’s still time to control the outcome. This fosters a culture of teamwork, ownership, and accountability. Individuals and teams master the fundamentals of decision-making using real-time data, which only comes with experience. As teams analyze patterns, identify opportunities, and adjust course in real time, they develop the instincts and expertise needed to push the business forward. Game-changing insight and decisions drive significant business impact during this stage. Once teams are winning races with BI-driven decision-making, they’re ready to supercharge the race car with AI. AI as the Race Strategist—Not the Driver AI doesn’t replace human judgment—it enhances it by tracking more variables than any human possibly can, so your driver can make informed decisions to win the race. Changing Track Conditions. AI alerts you to shifts in market trends, customer behavior, or supply chain disruptions before they impact performance. Crashes You Don’t See Yet. AI detects early warning signs of operational risks or financial stress before they escalate. Fuel Burn Rate & Tire Wear. AI monitors resource utilization, workforce productivity, and cost efficiency, ensuring you’re managing operating margin. Laps Before a Problem Emerges. AI forecasts when issues like cash flow strain, inventory shortages, or capacity constraints could arise, giving teams time to discuss and decide on corrective action. The Winning Formula First, build the race car. Establish BI as the foundation, ensuring trusted data, real-time reporting, and integrated workflows. Fine-tune the dashboard. Make sure your best drivers—your business leaders—have the visibility they need to make strategic decisions. Learn to win races. Your team gains experience, confidence, and passion for team-based problem solving. Then, and only then, add AI as the turbocharger. Once you know how to drive, AI greatly enhances your ability to anticipate and react to changing business conditions. Don’t Skip Steps—Build First, Then Turbocharge Too many organizations try to bolt AI onto a system that isn’t ready for it. The result? Unreliable insights, lack of adoption, and wasted investment. At Ascent Innovations, we help businesses build the race car first—integrating processes, structuring data, and designing real-time analytics that empower decision-making. Once that foundation is in place, AI becomes a force multiplier, accelerating what’s already working. Are you ready to take control of your business performance before adding AI? Let’s build the race car first—so you can win with data and AI when the time is right. About the Author John Bruhnke is Managing Director at Ascent. He has 25 years of management consulting experience focused on system implementation and, for the last 7 years, modern analytics in the manufacturing industry. He collaborates with executive and management teams to drive alignment on strategic goals and develop a collective vision for modernization that balances both immediate business needs and long-term strategy. John Bruhnke Managing Director Icon-linkedin Share Latest Posts All Posts Analytics BI AI D365 SCM Dynamics 365 Leadership Legacy Modernization Uncategorized Beyond Go-Live: Empowering Teams to Unlock D365’s Full Value Read More 7 Steps to Unlocking Millions in Gross Profit Read More Winning with AI: Build the BI Race Car Before You Turbocharge It with AI Read More You might also like:

April 3, 2025February 20, 2025 by admin

Planning Optimization in D365: The Nerve Center of Your Supply Chain Table of Contents Share Planning Optimization in D365: The Nerve Center of Your Supply Chain As a Chicago native, conversations about the delays at O’Hare airport have long-dominated small-talk topics along with our constant weather changes; construction on the Kennedy; the ’85 Bears; and out-of-state drivers. It’s for a good reason. To paraphrase Klemens von Metternich, “When O’Hare sneezes, the country catches a cold.” O’Hare is a vital airline hub in the United States with flights coming in and out at an astonishing rate. Without proper planning and predictions, it can turn into a mess really fast. Manufacturing and distribution operations are not entirely dissimilar. With constant shifts in supply and demand, it can be exceptionally difficult to generate the right orders at the right time. Microsoft Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management’s Planning Optimization (formerly Master Planning) module serves as the nerve center of supply chain operations, helping businesses optimize inventory, align production schedules, and ensure timely fulfillment. Whether managing day-to-day replenishment or long-term strategic planning, Planning Optimization delivers real-time insights and automation to drive efficiency and profitability. Planning Optimization: Your Supply Chain’s Air Traffic Control Using our analogy, think of Planning Optimization in D365 like an air traffic control system at a busy airport. Without it, planes (orders) would take off and land chaotically, leading to: Missed connections → Stockouts and late shipments Crowded runways → Excess inventory and tied-up working capital Major delays → Production bottlenecks and inefficiencies Just as air traffic control ensures planes take off, land, and taxi efficiently, Planning Optimization coordinates supply chain movements, keeping materials, production, and deliveries aligned. Operations scheduling provides a high-level view—like monitoring all flights on a radar. Job scheduling gets into the details, ensuring each plane has a clear path. Time fences act like air traffic rules, controlling when and how flights are scheduled to avoid congestion. With Planning Optimization guiding the supply chain, everything stays in sync—materials arrive on time, production runs smoothly, and customers get what they need, when they need it. Core Planning Methods in D365 At the heart of every efficient airport is a control tower that coordinates the movement of aircraft—balancing the big picture of airspace with the detailed instructions needed for each takeoff and landing. In D365 Planning Optimization, core planning methods function much the same way, managing both the high-level flow of operations and the fine-grained details of execution. Whether you’re looking at operations scheduling to understand the broader capacity landscape or job scheduling to direct specific production tasks, these tools give you the visibility and control needed to keep your supply chain running smoothly and on time. Operations Scheduling vs. Job Scheduling Operations scheduling provides a high-level production estimate without breaking down individual tasks. Useful for long-term capacity planning and understanding overall production flow. Job scheduling is a more detailed scheduling method, where each operation is divided into individual jobs. It considers capacity constraints and shop floor scheduling for short-term execution. Key Planning Time Fences Time fences control how far into the future Planning Optimization calculates requirements. Configuring them correctly is crucial for balancing efficiency and responsiveness. Coverage time fence defines how far ahead demand should be considered for planning. Freeze time fence prevents changes to planned orders within a set period, ensuring stability. Firming time fence automatically converts planned orders into actual purchase or production orders. Forecast plan time fence controls how far into the future forecasted demand influences planning. Capacity time fence ensures production scheduling considers resource constraints and limits. Action message time fence determines the period for generating rescheduling suggestions. Advanced Planning Controls Much like the sophisticated systems used by air traffic control to anticipate weather disruptions, manage flight sequencing, and calculate delays, D365’s advanced planning controls provide the precision needed to optimize your supply chain under real-world conditions. These tools help fine-tune order timing, streamline production flows, and ensure schedules remain realistic—even when disruptions occur. From adjusting for lead times with dynamic buffers to sequencing production orders for efficiency, these advanced settings give planners the ability to respond quickly and intelligently—keeping operations aligned and preventing turbulence across the business. Positive and Negative Days: Optimizing Order Timing Positive days defines how far into the future on-hand inventory can be used to fulfill demand, preventing unnecessary orders. Negative days determines how long the system should wait before creating a new order when supply is delayed. Dynamic positive and negative days adjust automatically based on item lead times, optimizing order timing without manual intervention. Sequencing: Smart Production Order Arrangement Enables planned orders to be arranged based on attributes such as color, size, or packaging. Reduces changeovers, improving production efficiency. Calculated Delays: Ensuring Feasible Production Dates Detects and reports possible order delays, ensuring that production and purchase schedules are based on realistic fulfillment timelines. Requisitions and Demand Planning Planning Optimization can automatically create planned orders for approved requisition demand, ensuring seamless replenishment without manual intervention. Why Planning Optimization Matters Shifting from a reactive supply chain to a proactive, optimized operation is essential for driving efficiency and financial performance. With D365 Planning Optimization, businesses can achieve significant operation improvements: Reduce stockouts and excess inventory, improving working capital efficiency Optimize production schedules by aligning with actual capacity and supplier lead times Enhance supply chain resilience by adjusting dynamically to disruptions and demand shifts Automate aspects of planning processes, reducing manual effort and improving accuracy Greater efficiency creates capacity to drive growth—but it also enables smarter, faster decision-making across the organization. When your planning is intelligent and responsive, your business is positioned to seize opportunities, minimize risk, and consistently deliver for customers. Bringing Blue Skies to Your Supply Chain Just as an air traffic control tower brings order to the complex, fast-moving environment of an airport, Planning Optimization brings clarity and coordination to your supply chain. With D365 Planning Optimization, your supply chain operates like a well-orchestrated airport, where: Materials, production, and deliveries flow seamlessly Bottlenecks are avoided, and disruptions … Read more

April 2, 2025January 16, 2025 by admin

AI-Powered Predictive Pricing: A Game Changer Table of Contents Share Optimize Pricing for Maximum Growth Pricing has always been a challenge, no matter the industry. Whether selling industrial equipment, retail products, auto parts, or wholesale goods, businesses need accurate, data-driven pricing to remain competitive and profitable. Traditionally, pricing relied on historical trends, intuition, and competitor benchmarking. However, manual methods lead to inconsistencies, lost revenue, and slow inventory turnover. Now, AI-powered predictive pricing is transforming how businesses price their products. By analyzing historical sales, quotes, competitor trends, and real-time demand, AI provides dynamic price recommendations that help businesses: Maximize revenue and profitability Reduce inefficiencies and guesswork Adapt quickly to market changes Why Businesses with Large SKU Inventories Benefit the Most While AI pricing benefits all businesses, those managing large, diverse SKU portfolios see the most impact. Pricing thousands of SKUs manually creates challenges: How to competitively price each SKU while maintaining profitability How to adjust pricing dynamically based on inventory levels and demand How to balance slow-moving vs. high-demand items to optimize cash flow With AI-driven pricing, businesses can: Automate SKU-level pricing based on real-time market data Prevent overstocking or excessive discounting Improve margins by identifying premium pricing opportunities Inventory: A Fluctuating Asset or a Hidden Liability? Inventory is a valuable asset, but mismanagement turns it into a liability. The challenge is knowing when to maximize profits on high-demand SKUs and when to adjust pricing for slow-moving stock. AI-powered predictive pricing acts like a real-time stock market for inventory: High-demand SKUs – AI raises prices to maximize margins before demand drops. Slow-moving SKUs – AI recommends strategic discounts before they become dead stock. Market adjustments – AI continuously scans trends, adjusting pricing to optimize turnover. By leveraging AI-driven pricing, businesses avoid markdown losses, optimize margins, and ensure inventory remains a revenue-generating asset. Industries Where AI-Powered Pricing Delivers the Most Impact Industrial Equipment & MRO Supplies Managing pricing for industrial equipment and MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Operations) supplies is complex due to demand fluctuations, supplier costs, and product lifespan. AI-driven pricing models help: Optimize pricing based on supplier costs and demand trends Adjust prices for slow-moving stock before obsolescence Maintain competitive pricing for in-demand equipment Example: A company selling industrial pumps and spare parts can use AI to: Update prices dynamically based on raw material costs Improve margins by pricing high-turnover SKUs effectively Prevent markdown losses on aging stock Wholesale & Distribution Wholesalers manage tens of thousands of SKUs across suppliers and regions, where pricing depends on bulk orders, supplier costs, and demand shifts. AI pricing eliminates inefficiencies by: Automating bulk pricing adjustments Preventing excessive discounting while maintaining competitiveness Adapting pricing to inventory levels and demand fluctuations Example: A food distributor managing thousands of SKUs can use AI to: Optimize pricing for perishable goods based on expiration dates Prevent markdown losses by adjusting prices proactively Ensure profitable bulk pricing E-Commerce & Retail In fast-moving consumer markets, price is a major factor in conversions. Retailers and e-commerce businesses need continuous pricing adjustments to stay competitive. AI helps by: Automating real-time price updates based on competitor pricing Identifying optimal discounting strategies to maximize revenue Predicting seasonal demand spikes to optimize pricing in advance Example: An online electronics retailer can use AI to: Adjust prices based on inventory and sales velocity Prevent over-discounting during peak sales periods Identify premium pricing opportunities based on customer behavior Automotive & Auto Parts Suppliers The automotive parts industry deals with millions of SKUs, from OEM parts to aftermarket accessories. Inventory turnover varies, making manual pricing inefficient and inconsistent. AI-driven pricing models help: Optimize pricing for high-demand parts while preventing deep markdowns on slow-moving inventory Predict resale value for aging stock based on historical trends Automate price adjustments for new vehicle model parts Example: An auto parts distributor can use AI to: Optimize pricing for aging inventory to reduce obsolescence costs Adjust prices dynamically for high-demand replacement parts Predict demand surges for vehicle-specific parts How AI Predicts the Optimal Selling Price AI pricing models follow a structured approach to ensure accuracy and adaptability: Data Collection – Aggregates historical sales, competitor pricing, and industry benchmarks Category & Subcategory Analysis – Refines pricing based on product classification and demand trends Depreciation & Asset Age Modeling – Determines optimal pricing for aging stock Market Trend & Demand Integration – Adjusts prices dynamically based on seasonal demand shifts Continuous Optimization & Learning – Refines pricing based on real-world sales results How Ascent Innovations Helps Businesses Overcome Common Barriers Implementing AI-powered pricing requires clean data, seamless integration, and a strategic approach to ensure accuracy. Ascent Innovations helps businesses overcome common AI pricing challenges by: Building a Clean, Reliable Data Foundation – We help clean, structure, and centralize pricing data to ensure AI models generate accurate recommendations. Optimizing Data Integration – We ensure AI pricing tools seamlessly connect with ERP, CRM, and e-commerce platforms, eliminating data silos. Leveraging Real-Time Market Intelligence – We set up automated data pipelines to keep AI models updated with market trends and competitor insights. Combining AI with Human Expertise – AI models need strategic oversight for complex pricing scenarios and asset valuations. We help businesses balance automation with human input. Conclusion: The Future of Pricing is AI-Driven AI-powered predictive pricing is no longer a competitive advantage—it’s a necessity for companies looking to scale efficiently, maximize profitability, and stay ahead of market shifts. Are you ready to transform your pricing strategy with AI? About the Author Sohena Hafiz is the Founder and CEO of Ascent Innovations, with 20 years of experience in Microsoft Dynamics and 16 years leading ERP implementations. She has been directly involved in 50+ ERP projects, including 30+ in D365, across industries like industrial equipment, steel fabrication, food manufacturing, banking, recycling, retail, and the public sector. Her passion is helping businesses succeed with ERP—the right way, the first time. With a deep background in business process optimization and system integration, she knows that strong leadership … Read more

April 2, 2025December 12, 2024 by admin

AI: Hype vs. Reality Table of Contents Share Understanding AI as an Aggregate Term Businesses hear bold claims about AI revolutionizing industries, yet many leaders struggle to separate hype from reality. What can AI actually do? Where does it deliver value, and what misconceptions should be avoided? The challenge starts with how AI is discussed. It’s often portrayed as a single, all-powerful technology, when in reality, AI is an umbrella term that encompasses multiple specialized fields. To understand AI’s true capabilities, it’s important to break it down into its key categories, each with distinct functions and applications. The Primary Categories of AI Machine Learning (ML) – The Foundation of AI Machine Learning is a subset of AI that enables systems to learn from data and make predictions or decisions without being explicitly programmed. Before the rise of generative AI, the term AI was often synonymous with machine learning. How It Works: ML models analyze patterns in historical data to predict future outcomes. Where It’s Used: Demand forecasting in supply chains Fraud detection in banking Predictive maintenance in manufacturing Generative AI – Creating, Not Just Predicting Generative AI is a type of machine learning that produces new content rather than analyzing data for predictions. These models generate text, images, audio, and code based on the patterns they’ve learned from vast datasets. How It Works: Instead of recognizing trends, generative models produce new outputs that mimic human-created content. Where It’s Used: AI-generated marketing content Automated code writing Image and video generation Natural Language Processing (NLP) – Making AI Conversational Natural Language Processing (NLP) enables computers to understand, interpret, and generate human language. While NLP powers AI chatbots and virtual assistants, it relies on machine learning and other AI techniques to function. How It Works: NLP algorithms process text or speech to extract meaning, detect sentiment, or generate responses. Where It’s Used: AI-powered customer support Language translation tools Sentiment analysis for brand monitoring Robotic Process Automation (RPA) – Often Mistaken for AI Unlike the other AI subsets, RPA is not artificial intelligence. Instead, it is a form of automation that mimics human actions in software environments, following predefined rules without learning or adapting. How It Works: RPA bots interact with software interfaces to execute repetitive, rule-based tasks. Where It’s Used: Data entry and invoice processing Extracting data from emails and logging into systems Automating HR onboarding tasks Laying the Foundation Before Broad AI Adoption While AI has the potential to drive significant business impact, most organizations need to lay the groundwork before it can be applied at scale. Establishing a strong, scalable technical foundation – Clean, well-structured data and modern analytics platforms must be in place before attempting more advanced AI projects. Building workforce skills – Teams must develop expertise in data literacy, modern analytics, and process automation, which provide immediate value and prepare organizations for more complex AI-driven initiatives. Taking a strategic approach – AI adoption should focus on well-defined, high-impact use cases rather than broad, unfocused initiatives. Crawl, Walk, Run—The Key to Success with AI AI is powerful, but it is not a magic wand. Most organizations need to slow down and focus on the fundamentals—building a strong foundation of integrated processes and data while enabling teams to apply modern analytics that shift the business from reactive to proactive decision-making. Whether you are just starting your modernization journey or have reached a plateau, Ascent Innovations can help you develop and implement a strategic plan that unlocks immediate value and drives game-changing business impact—building executive confidence and support for continued investment. About the Author John Bruhnke is Managing Director at Ascent. He has 25 years of management consulting experience focused on system implementation and, for the last 7 years, modern analytics in the manufacturing industry. He collaborates with executive and management teams to drive alignment on strategic goals and develop a collective vision for modernization that balances both immediate business needs and long-term strategy. Author: John Bruhnke Managing Director Icon-linkedin Share Latest Posts All Posts Analytics BI AI D365 SCM Dynamics 365 Leadership Legacy Modernization Uncategorized Beyond Go-Live: Empowering Teams to Unlock D365’s Full Value Read More 7 Steps to Unlocking Millions in Gross Profit Read More Winning with AI: Build the BI Race Car Before You Turbocharge It with AI Read More You might also like:

April 4, 2025November 14, 2023 by admin

From Cozy Coupe to the Real Deal: Why Training is the Key to Success Table of Contents Share From Cozy Coupe to the Real Deal: Why Training is the Key to Success Twenty-five years ago, almost to the day, I was the picture of pure excitement. It was my 15th birthday, and I was standing in line at the DMV, ready to get my driver’s permit. After years of studying car magazines, playing with Matchbox cars, and perfecting my laps around the house in my Cozy Coupe, I was convinced I was ready. I couldn’t wait to slide behind the wheel of the family’s 1998 Saturn SL2, pop in my Discman-to-tape-deck converter, and blast Led Zeppelin. Best of all, in my fantasy world, the state of Illinois and my parents would recognize my extensive “training” and let me skip driver’s ed entirely. Unfortunately, despite my best efforts—including a PowerPoint presentation decked out in dazzling WordArt—there was no getting around the most critical part of learning to drive: actual training. The same logic applies to enterprise-wide software systems like ERP and CRM systems. No one in their right mind would toss a teenager the keys to a car without lessons, yet many organizations hand over a brand-new system without providing real training. What looks easy from the passenger seat can be overwhelming and dangerous when you’re in the driver’s seat. The Classic Excuses We’ve all heard them. Maybe we’ve even said them: “They’ll figure it out once they play around with it.” “Just send a write-up with some screenshots.” “We’ll hold a quick Teams meeting and call it a day.” This kind of thinking is short-sighted and, frankly, a disaster waiting to happen. Training isn’t just a checkbox—it’s an opportunity to ensure a successful implementation. Skimping on it is like skipping driver’s ed and expecting no one to crash. Why Intensive Training is Non-Negotiable? 1. Preparation The last thing management or a VAR wants on go-live day is a room full of people standing around in a panic. Training helps users get familiar with the system, understand processes, and recognize why certain decisions and features were implemented. 2. Buy-In Most users are skeptical of any system upgrade. “Everything was working fine before—why do we need this?” Training is the time to turn skepticism into excitement by showing users how the new system will actually make their lives easier. 3. Collaboration System upgrades often feel like marching orders from the C-suite, which can create resistance. But training turns the transition into a shared effort. When employees feel involved, the upgrade becomes a team-building opportunity instead of a source of frustration. 4. Reprieve A well-trained team reduces the burden on both management and the VAR. When multiple employees understand the system, they become in-house resources, making troubleshooting and ongoing training much easier. 5. Course Correction Hands-on training gives decision-makers direct access to the people who actually use the system. These frontline users often catch potential issues, risks, and areas for improvement—something that, of course, was totally covered in the pre-project surveys and documentation. (Right?) Building an Effective Training Approach There’s no one-size-fits-all method for training because corporate cultures vary. What works for a small industrial manufacturer won’t necessarily work for a multinational chemical company. That said, the most effective strategy I’ve seen (outside of the training method I once tried to sell before the state of Illinois shut me down) is getting on the floor with the users: Get to know them. Become someone they can approach without fear of reprimand or embarrassment. Explain why the system is changing—not just how. Walk through real-life examples. Listen to their concerns and answer their questions (seriously, don’t flake on this). And for the love of all that is good, be encouraging! If a user figures out a process on their own or explains a workflow correctly, celebrate it. That kind of enthusiasm spreads, and before you know it, the whole organization is engaged. Training is the Key to Success A well-managed, comprehensive training program will make or break a system implementation. When users are empowered and the “because management said so” barrier is removed, companies build stronger systems, foster collaboration, and turn employees into system experts. Plus, leadership and the implementation partner gain a more proactive, informed workforce, making go-live far smoother. So don’t just toss the keys to your team and act surprised when someone crashes through a chain-link fence. Train them first. About the Author Matthew Newcomb is an experienced and certified Microsoft Dynamics AX & 365 Supply Chain Functional Consultant, specializes in Advanced Warehousing and Production, who’s been navigating the twists and turns of ERP implementations long enough to know that training makes all the difference. As a functional solution architect, business analyst, and project wrangler, he helps companies get the most out of their Microsoft Dynamics solutions—without the headaches. When not untangling digital roadmaps, you might find Matt getting the Led out. Author: Matthew Newcomb Senior Solution Consultant Icon-linkedin Share Latest Posts All Posts Analytics BI AI D365 SCM Dynamics 365 Leadership Legacy Modernization Uncategorized Beyond Go-Live: Empowering Teams to Unlock D365’s Full Value Read More 7 Steps to Unlocking Millions in Gross Profit Read More Winning with AI: Build the BI Race Car Before You Turbocharge It with AI Read More You might also like:

April 4, 2025March 7, 2023 by admin

If You Sense Problems in Your D365 Implementation, You Probably Have Them Table of Contents Share If You Sense Problems in Your D365 Implementation, You Probably Have Them ERP implementations are complex. Delays, budget overruns, and lack of progress don’t just happen randomly. If you’re noticing signs of trouble, chances are the problems already exist—and they’re growing. Most organizations don’t take action until issues become unavoidable. By then, recovery is costly, timelines are unmanageable, and executive confidence is eroding. The key to avoiding major failure is recognizing the warning signs early and acting before it’s too late. Top 5 Warning Signs Your D365 Project Is in Trouble 1. Unclear Business Objectives When asked, can your team articulate the business goals behind the implementation? If there’s hesitation, it’s a problem. A project without a clear, well-communicated vision will drift—features will be built that don’t serve the business, priorities will shift unpredictably, and leadership will struggle to measure success. What this leads to: Endless revisions and scope changes Disconnected business and technical teams A system that is functional but not useful 2. Persistent Project Delays Without Justifications Delays happen, but they should always have a clear reason and a corrective action plan. If deadlines are constantly shifting and explanations are vague, the project is already losing control. Endless revisions and scope changes Disconnected business and technical teams A system that is functional but not useful What this leads to: Rising costs with no clear ROI Low confidence from leadership and stakeholders Rushed decisions leading to poor implementation quality 3. Gaps in System Design and Customization A well-implemented ERP system should align with your actual business processes—not force users into workarounds. If teams are struggling with usability, or the system feels unnecessarily complicated, design issues may be at the core. Common red flags: Over-customization – When simple processes require excessive modifications, creating unnecessary complexity Under-customization – When critical business functions are missing, forcing teams to operate outside the system Lack of user input – Functional teams weren’t involved in the design phase, leading to misaligned workflows 4. Poor Testing and Quality Assurance Rushing through testing to keep the project “on track” is a critical mistake. If user acceptance testing (UAT) is inconsistent, errors keep resurfacing, or teams don’t trust the system, your project isn’t ready for go-live. Key risk areas: Unidentified integration issues with other systems Missing or incorrect data migration, leading to reporting errors Incomplete training, leaving users unprepared for real-world use 5. Low User Adoption and Resistance to Change The best ERP system is useless if people don’t use it. If end users are hesitant, reverting to old processes, or complaining about the system’s usability, adoption problems are emerging. This often happens due to: Inadequate training – Users weren’t prepared, so they default to manual workarounds Process misalignment – The system doesn’t fit their workflow, leading to frustration Lack of executive buy-in – Leaders haven’t reinforced the value of the system Cost of Ignoring the Signs These warning signs don’t fix themselves. The longer issues go unaddressed, the higher the recovery costs – both in budget and in business impact. If your D365 project is showing any of these signs, the best move is to act now. A structured, expert-led project assessment can uncover risks, define corrective actions, and reset the implementation on the path to success. Turning a Failing Project Around At Ascent Innovations, we specialize in rescuing D365 implementations before they spiral out of control. Our structured approach focuses on: Pinpointing root causes – A comprehensive project audit to identify critical gaps Developing a risk mitigation plan – Addressing overlooked requirements, system misalignment, and leadership gaps Rebuilding confidence – Establishing a realistic, achievable path to go-live with full executive alignment Fix the Problems Before They Cost More If you’re sensing trouble, it’s not just intuition—it’s a sign to act. A failing ERP project can drain resources, disrupt operations, and damage executive confidence. The sooner you assess the risks and take corrective action, the lower the cost and impact of recovery. Experience has no alternative. If your D365 implementation is off track, we can help you get it back under control—before it’s too late. About the Author Kalyan Kumar is a Senior Consultant for D365 and AX implementations with a track record of over 30 successful ERP rollouts across industries, including manufacturing (discrete and process), service, trade and distribution, construction, real estate, and government. Kalyan Kumar Senior Consultant for D365 Share Latest Posts All Posts Analytics BI AI D365 SCM Dynamics 365 Leadership Legacy Modernization Uncategorized Beyond Go-Live: Empowering Teams to Unlock D365’s Full Value Read More 7 Steps to Unlocking Millions in Gross Profit Read More Winning with AI: Build the BI Race Car Before You Turbocharge It with AI Read More You might also like:

April 1, 2025June 21, 2022 by admin

Getting D365 Right the First Time: Why Fundamentals Matter Table of Contents Share Getting D365 Right the First Time: Why Fundamentals Matter ERP implementations are among the hardest things a business can do. They touch every part of an organization, bringing both transformation and disruption. The difference between success and failure often comes down to one thing: getting the fundamentals right. I founded Ascent Innovations because I’ve seen firsthand what happens when an ERP project doesn’t have the right leadership, expertise, and structure behind it. The truth is, a D365 implementation is not the time for trial and error. It’s like choosing a surgeon for heart or brain surgery—you want to know the expert you trusted will be there, not handing things off while they go golfing. At Ascent, we don’t just advise from the sidelines. I personally hire, train, and work alongside our team, ensuring that every project benefits from real experience—not just certification exam course prep level knowledge. Why the Details Matter D365 should be a game-changer for your business, but only if the foundation is solid. That foundation comes down to four things: Data – If your data is wrong, everything built on top of it will be wrong. Processes – ERP should support your business, not force you into workarounds. Integration – Systems need to talk to each other, otherwise efficiency breaks down. Analytics – If you can’t trust your reporting, you can’t make informed decisions. If any of these are overlooked, rushed, or mishandled, the result is the same—delays, budget overruns, and a system that doesn’t deliver what was promised. The 5 Most Critical D365 Implementation Fundamentals 1. Data Accuracy and Migration Your ERP is only as good as the data inside it. Messy, incomplete, or inaccurate data leads to incorrect reports, broken workflows, and user frustration. What Needs to Happen Data cleansing before migration—not after problems surface. Structured mapping to ensure all critical relationships stay intact. Rigorous validation to prevent surprises post-go live. Data translations and transformation for accuracy and efficiency. 2. Business Process Alignment ERP success isn’t just about technology—it’s about how your business operates. If key workflows aren’t well-defined and integrated, the system will never fully support your team. What we focus on: End-to-end process analysis – Understanding how departments interact. Fit-gap assessments – Identifying where D365 meets your needs and where adjustments are required. Thoughtful customization – Only where it adds business value, not adding complexity. 3. System Integration An ERP does not operate in isolation. It needs to connect seamlessly with everything from CRM and eCommerce to payroll, warehouse management and other external systems. Where failures happen: Incomplete integration planning leading to manual workarounds. Weak data mapping that creates reporting discrepancies. Delayed testing that uncovers issues too late. How we solve it: Early-stage integration planning to map system dependencies. Test-driven validation to ensure real-world functionality before go-live. Scalable architecture that grows with your business. 4. Reporting and Analytics Decisions should be based on real-time, accurate data. If leadership cannot trust the numbers coming from the system, they will revert to spreadsheets—and the entire ERP investment loses its value. What matters: Finance and supply chain reports need to be accurate from day one. Role-based dashboards so each team sees relevant insights. Data governance policies to prevent long-term reporting issues. 5. User Readiness and Training Even the best system fails if people do not know how to use it. Training is not an afterthought—it is a core part of success. Our approach: Power users trained early to act as internal champions. Train the trainers – power users will become the go-to users for their respective department as first level support Practical, role-specific training instead of generic system overviews. Post-go-live support to ensure long-term adoption. Why Leadership and Experience Matter D365 implementation is not a textbook exercise. It’s a complex transformation that requires leadership, foresight, and real experience. This is why I still practice, mentor, and work alongside my team—because when problems arise, leadership should be in the room solving them, not just checking in. At Ascent Innovations, we believe ERP should be predictable, rewarding, and successful—but that only happens when the right fundamentals are in place from the start. Let’s Have a Conversation I encourage you to explore our website and see how we approach D365 projects, but there is no substitute for a real conversation. If you are considering implementation, or if your current project is not where it should be, we would welcome a conversation. Even if, for whatever reason, you do not choose us—and we hope you do—our mission is always your success. About the Author Sohena Hafiz is the Founder and CEO of Ascent Innovations, with 20 years of experience in Microsoft Dynamics and 16 years leading ERP implementations. She has been directly involved in 50+ ERP projects, including 30+ in D365, across industries like industrial equipment, steel fabrication, food manufacturing, banking, recycling, retail, and the public sector. Sohena Hafiz President Icon-linkedin Share Latest Posts All Posts Analytics BI AI D365 SCM Dynamics 365 Leadership Legacy Modernization Uncategorized Beyond Go-Live: Empowering Teams to Unlock D365’s Full Value Read More 7 Steps to Unlocking Millions in Gross Profit Read More Winning with AI: Build the BI Race Car Before You Turbocharge It with AI Read More You might also like:

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