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Planning Your Dynamics GP Upgrade: What to Expect and How to Prepare Table of Contents Planning Your Dynamics GP Upgrade: What to Expect and How to Prepare For many organizations across the United States, Microsoft Dynamics GP has long been a reliable backbone for financial management and operations. But as technology evolves and Microsoft continues to release new versions, upgrading your Dynamics GP system becomes not just a technical necessity—but a strategic business decision.   At Ascent Innovations LLC, we work closely with CFOs, Controllers, and IT leaders to ensure their GP upgrades are smooth, secure, and aligned with business goals. If you’re planning an upgrade, here’s what you need to know—and how to prepare.  Why Upgrading Dynamics GP Matters Before diving into the process, it’s important to understand why upgrading is critical:  Security: Older versions no longer receive security patches, leaving your data vulnerable.  Compliance: Regulatory changes (especially in payroll and tax) require up-to-date systems.  Performance: New versions offer improved speed, stability, and user experience.  Compatibility: Integrations with third-party tools and Microsoft Office products often require the latest GP version.  Delaying an upgrade can lead to higher costs, longer downtimes, and increased risk. Planning ahead ensures your business stays agile and protected.  What’s Actually Involved in a Dynamics GP Upgrade? Upgrading Dynamics GP is not a simple “click and install” process. It involves a series of carefully coordinated steps that touch your data, infrastructure, and business processes. Here’s a breakdown of what to expect:  1. Initial Assessment and Planning Every successful upgrade starts with a detailed assessment. This includes:  Version Review: Identifying your current GP version and determining the upgrade path. Some older versions require multiple “hops” to reach the latest release.  Infrastructure Audit: Reviewing your SQL Server version, Windows OS, and hardware to ensure compatibility.  Customization Inventory: Documenting any third-party add-ons, custom reports, or integrations that may be affected.  At this stage, Ascent Innovations works with your team to create a tailored upgrade roadmap, timeline, and risk mitigation plan.  2. Backup and Disaster Recovery Planning Before any upgrade begins, full system backups are essential. This includes:  SQL databases  GP application files  Customizations and integrations  We also establish rollback procedures to ensure your business can recover quickly in the unlikely event of an issue during the upgrade.  3. Test Environment Setup A test upgrade is performed in a sandbox environment that mirrors your production system. This allows us to:  Validate the upgrade path  Identify potential issues with customizations or integrations  Allow your team to test critical workflows and reports  This phase is crucial for minimizing surprises during the live upgrade.  4. Data Integrity Checks and Cleanup Before migrating your data, we run integrity checks to ensure your databases are clean and stable. This includes:  Removing unused companies or tables  Fixing corrupt records  Validating table relationships  Clean data leads to a smoother upgrade and better performance post-migration.  5. Upgrade Execution Once testing is complete and your team signs off, we schedule the live upgrade—typically during off-hours or weekends to minimize disruption. This includes:  Installing the new GP version  Migrating databases  Reapplying customizations and integrations  Configuring security and user roles  Our team monitors the process closely to ensure everything runs according to plan.  6. Post-Upgrade Validation and Support After the upgrade, we conduct a full system validation:  Confirming data accuracy  Testing financial reports and key transactions  Ensuring third-party tools are functioning  We also provide user training and documentation to help your team adapt to any new features or interface changes.  How to Prepare for a Smooth Upgrade Here are a few steps your organization can take to ensure a successful upgrade:  ✔Assign an Internal Project Lead  Designate someone from your finance or IT team to coordinate with Ascent Innovations LLC. This person will help gather requirements, schedule testing, and communicate updates internally.  ✔ Clean Up Your GP Environment  Remove inactive users, unused companies, and outdated reports. This reduces complexity and speeds up the upgrade process.  ✔ Review Your Customizations  Make a list of all third-party tools, integrations, and custom reports. Knowing what’s in use helps us ensure compatibility with the new version.  ✔ Communicate with Stakeholders  Let your team know what to expect—especially around downtime, testing, and training. Clear communication reduces resistance and ensures smoother adoption.  Common Questions from CFOs and Controllers Q: How long does a Dynamics GP upgrade take? A typical upgrade takes 2–5 business days, depending on the number of databases, customizations, and testing requirements.    Q: Will we lose any data? No. With proper backups and testing, your data is preserved and validated throughout the process.   Q: Can we upgrade during year-end or month-end? We recommend avoiding upgrades during critical financial periods. The best time is typically mid-month or during a slower business cycle.    Q: What if we’re using older versions like GP 2013 or GP 2015? Older versions may require multiple upgrade steps. We’ll guide you through each phase to ensure a safe and efficient transition.  Why Choose Ascent Innovations? At Ascent Innovations, we specialize in helping mid-sized businesses across the U.S. modernize their Dynamics GP environments. Our team brings:  Deep expertise in GP upgrades and migrations  Proven methodologies for minimizing downtime  Personalized support tailored to your business needs  Whether you’re upgrading to GP 18.5 or planning a future move to the cloud, we’re here to help you make informed, confident decisions.  Final Thoughts Upgrading Dynamics GP is more than a technical task—it’s a strategic opportunity to improve performance, security, and compliance. With the right planning and a trusted partner like Ascent Innovations, your upgrade can be smooth, efficient, and future-ready.  Ready to start planning your upgrade? Contact our team today for a free consultation and upgrade readiness assessment. Author: Abdul Hafiz​​ Enterprise Solution Architect​ Icon-linkedin Latest Posts You might also like:

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Everything You Need to Know About a Dynamics GP Upgrade

Everything You Need to Know About a Dynamics GP Upgrade Table of Contents Everything You Need to Know About a Dynamics GP Upgrade Upgrading Microsoft Dynamics GP isn’t just about installing a new version—it’s a detailed, multi-step process that ensures your ERP system remains secure, efficient, and compatible with your business needs. At Ascent Innovations LLC, we understand that clients often ask, “Why does a GP upgrade take days?” or “What exactly happens during the upgrade?” This article breaks down the key components of a Dynamics GP upgrade to help you understand what’s involved. Key Factors That Influence the Upgrade Process Several variables affect the time and complexity of a Dynamics GP upgrade:  Number and Size of Databases: Larger databases or multiple company databases require more time for data checks and migration.  Version Path: Upgrading across multiple versions (e.g., GP 2010 to GP 2016) may require intermediate upgrades, each with its own compatibility checks.  Infrastructure Changes: Moving data across different servers, operating systems, or SQL versions adds complexity.  Third-Party Integrations: If your GP environment includes ISV products or custom integrations, these must be tested and updated for compatibility.  System Resources: Network speed, server performance, antivirus scans, and access permissions can all impact upgrade speed.  Core Activities in a Dynamics GP Upgrade Here’s a breakdown of the major tasks involved in a typical upgrade:  1. Environment Preparation Updating operating system settings  Applying Windows updates  Configuring server roles and features  2. Data Backup and Recovery Planning Creating full backups of databases and files  Establishing recovery checkpoints for rollback if needed  3. Data Migration Moving databases between servers  Transferring files and configurations  4. File Maintenance Cleaning up old or unused files  Preparing system files for compatibility with the new version  5. Data Integrity Checks Running diagnostics to identify issues that could cause upgrade failures  Performing checks across all company databases (which can be time-intensive)  6. Upgrade Execution Applying the new version of Dynamics GP  Updating SQL Server components if required  Reconfiguring integrations and third-party tools  7. Post-Upgrade Validation Verifying data accuracy  Testing core functionalities  Ensuring user access and security settings are intact  Why Partner with Ascent Innovations LLC? A Dynamics GP upgrade is a strategic investment in your business continuity and performance. At Ascent Innovations LLC, we bring deep expertise and a structured approach to ensure your upgrade is smooth, secure, and aligned with your business goals.  Whether you’re upgrading from an older version or planning a multi-stage migration, our team is here to guide you every step of the way—from planning and testing to execution and support.  Author: Abdul Hafiz​​ Enterprise Solution Architect​ Icon-linkedin Latest Posts You might also like:

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Upgrading to Microsoft Dynamics GP: Why It Matters Table of Contents Upgrading to Microsoft Dynamics GP: Why It Matters Microsoft Dynamics GP (formerly Great Plains) continues to be a trusted ERP solution, with over 15,000 active users. Over the years, Microsoft has released several versions, including GP 2015, GP 2016, GP 2018, GP 18.2, GP 18.3, and GP 18.4 (also known as GP 2022). The latest release is GP 18.5, referred to as GP 2023.    Each new version comes with essential updates—bug fixes, feature enhancements, compliance improvements, service packs, productivity tools, and stronger security. These updates are vital for running your business smoothly and staying compliant with regulations.    However, Microsoft has begun discontinuing support for older GP versions to focus on newer technologies. If you’re still using an outdated version, you risk missing out on critical security patches and new features.  Why You Should Upgrade to the Latest Dynamics GP To take full advantage of Microsoft’s ongoing improvements, your business should be running the latest version of Dynamics GP. Keep in mind that not all versions can be upgraded directly. For example, upgrading from GP 2015 to GP 18.5 may require multiple steps—first to GP 2016, then through GP 18.3 and 18.4, before reaching GP 18.5.    Each upgrade step demands time and resources. Delaying upgrades can lead to longer downtimes and higher costs. If you’re unsure where to begin, Ascent Innovations LLC is here to guide you through every stage of modernizing your Dynamics GP setup.  5 Key Reasons to Upgrade Your Dynamics GP Keeping up with Microsoft’s updates may seem challenging, but upgrading ensures you get the most value from your ERP system. Here are five compelling reasons to make the move:  1. Stay Compliant and Fix Bugs Microsoft regularly releases Service Packs, Hotfixes, and Compliance Updates. Service Packs (every six months) address known issues, while monthly Hotfixes resolve minor bugs. Compliance updates help you stay aligned with tax laws and accounting standards—especially important if you use GP for payroll or tax forms like W2s and 1099s.  2. Access New Features and Enhancements Each new version introduces valuable features. GP 18.5, for example, includes multi-factor authentication, the ability to mask social security numbers in HR reports, and improved usability like copy/paste functionality in Payables transactions.  3. Better Integration with ISV Products Upgrading ensures compatibility with Independent Software Vendor (ISV) solutions—third-party tools that extend GP’s capabilities. Most ISV products require the latest GP version to function properly, so staying current helps you integrate seamlessly.  4. Continued Support and Security Every GP version has a defined end-of-support date. Once support ends, you lose access to critical updates, increasing your risk of bugs, security vulnerabilities, and compliance issues. Staying updated ensures your system remains secure and functional.  5. Reduce Costs and Avoid Inefficiencies While frequent upgrades may seem inconvenient, they prevent costly delays and reduce the need for workarounds. Outdated systems often force employees to find manual solutions, which can compromise data security and productivity. Regular updates keep your system efficient and reduce long-term upgrade expenses.  Ready to Upgrade? Upgrading your Dynamics GP system ensures you stay compliant, secure, and efficient. Don’t wait until support ends or issues arise—reach out to the experts at Ascent Innovations LLC for guidance on upgrading and optimizing your GP environment.   Author: Abdul Hafiz​ Enterprise Solution Architect Icon-linkedin Latest Posts You might also like:

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7 Steps to Unlocking Millions in Gross Profit

7 Steps to Unlocking Millions in Gross Profit Table of Contents 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 integration between … Read more

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Winning with AI: Build the BI Race Car Before You Turbocharge It with AI

Winning with AI: Build the BI Race Car Before You Turbocharge It with AI Table of Contents 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 Latest Posts You might also like:

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Power BI: Driving Your Business—With a Forward-Looking View

Power BI: Driving Your Business—With a Forward-Looking View Table of Contents Power BI: Driving Your Business—With a Forward-Looking View Most businesses are still trying to make high-speed decisions while staring into the rearview mirror. They rely on static reports, outdated spreadsheets, and fragmented data—then act surprised when they hit a pothole.    Power BI fixes that. Done right, it’s the equivalent of driving with a clear windshield, in real time, with a dashboard that tells you what’s happening right now—not two weeks ago or last month.  Power BI: The View Executives Actually Need Executives need more than lagging indicators and end-of-month surprises. A properly implemented Power BI dashboard gives them real-time visibility into actual performance versus forecast and budget—all in a single view.  Revenue, margin, operating cash flow, and OTIF performance—all current and accurate to the day, available on desktop and mobile. Who needs a news feed or social media when you can check your dashboard first thing in the morning?  Early warning signals—Power BI doesn’t just tell you that margins are compressing; it helps you see why.  If operating margin is decreasing, click into margin to see what’s causing the compression—rising raw material costs? Higher than expected R&D spend on a new initiative? Something else entirely? You name it.  In short? It stops the guessing game and brings actual financial and operational performance to the surface. And with transparency comes accountability.  For Departments: No More Excel Monstrosities Every department has The Spreadsheet—that massive, fragile, manual data beast that some poor soul updates every morning before their coffee even kicks in.    Power BI replaces the need for these time-consuming, error-prone Excel reports by:  Pulling from a centralized, single source of truth—so every department is working with accurate, consistent data.  Delivering real-time insights—so teams aren’t making decisions based on last week’s or last month’s numbers.  Empowering teams to investigate performance issues—igniting an intellectual curiosity and culture of collaborative, fact-based problem-solving.  For example, instead of manually piecing together production performance reports, the Manufacturing team can see a Production vs. Forecast dashboard that instantly highlights underperformance. They can drill into trends—labor productivity, downtime, yield rates—to pinpoint the root cause and work cross-functionally with sales and operations to fix issues before they escalate.  For Cross-Functional Teams: Breaking the Cycle of ‘Why Didn’t We See This Coming?’ Power BI turns “we didn’t see that coming” into “we saw this early and here’s what we did to avoid that costly issue.”  Finance, sales, and operations can monitor trends daily instead of waiting for month-end fire drills.  Strategic FP&A teams can collaborate cross-functionally to analyze emerging risks and opportunities—shifts in demand, competitive pressures, supply chain disruptions—while there’s still time to adjust course.  Instead of just tracking numbers, teams can proactively manage outcomes by acting on real-time insights.  Seeing Beyond the Road Ahead: Using the Past to Predict the Future A rearview mirror isn’t useless—it’s just not where you should be looking while accelerating. Power BI allows you to combine historical data with real-time visibility, creating predictive models that extend your field of vision.  Identify demand patterns over time—uncover seasonal trends, customer buying behaviors, and shifts in operational performance.  Use AI-assisted analytics to forecast outcomes—combine historical trends with real-time data to anticipate shifts before they happen.  Make proactive adjustments—instead of reacting after problems occur, leverage predictive models to mitigate risks and capitalize on opportunities.  When historical patterns are combined with present conditions, organizations gain an early-warning system that allows them to steer toward growth while avoiding unnecessary risk.  The Bottom Line: Drive Looking Out the Windshield, Not the Rearview Mirror If your business is still making critical decisions based on old, disconnected, manually updated reports, you’re driving blind.    Power BI doesn’t just provide better reports—it changes how businesses operate. It replaces reactionary, gut-driven decision-making with real-time, data-backed execution—turning insight into action before it’s too late to course-correct.    At Ascent Innovations, we don’t just implement Power BI. We make sure it works the way you need it to—so your teams have trusted, real-time data, clear visibility, and the ability to make proactive business decisions with confidence.     Ready to stop looking in the rearview mirror? Let’s make sure you have the right dashboard to drive forward.    John Bruhnke Managing Director Icon-linkedin Latest Posts You might also like:

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Streamlining Supplier Management with Power Pages

Streamlining Supplier Management with Power Pages Table of Contents The Manufacturing Supplier Challenge In today’s fast-paced manufacturing industry, supplier relationships are critical to ensuring smooth production, quality control, and on-time delivery. However, many manufacturers still rely on outdated, manual processes for managing supplier interactions—resulting in inefficiencies, delays, and errors.   Common supplier management challenges include: Inefficient communication between manufacturers and suppliers Lack of real-time visibility into order statuses, quality control, and compliance requirements Manual processes leading to inconsistencies and human error Difficulty tracking supplier performance and compliance metrics The Solution: A Supplier Portal Powered by Power Pages A supplier portal built with Power Pages transforms supplier collaboration by providing a secure, real-time digital environment for managing quality control, order tracking, and compliance. How a Power Pages Supplier Portal Works Digital Supplier Onboarding & Compliance Management Suppliers can register, submit required documents, and complete onboarding digitally Automated compliance tracking ensures all certifications and documentation are up to date Quality Control & Inspection Automation Suppliers can access digital checklists and automated workflows for product inspections Real-time analytics provide visibility into defect rates, inspection results, and compliance trends Order & Shipment Tracking Suppliers can log in to view open purchase orders, expected delivery dates, and payment status Integration with Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management ensures real-time updates Suppliers can log in to view open purchase orders, expected delivery dates, and payment status Integration with Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management ensures real-time updates Performance Monitoring & Reporting Manufacturers can track supplier KPIs, quality metrics, and delivery performance Automated alerts notify suppliers about missing documents, upcoming deadlines, or quality issues Why Power Pages for Supplier Portals? Low-Code Flexibility – Quickly build and customize portals without complex development Seamless Integration – Connects with Dynamics 365, Power Automate, and Dataverse Enterprise-Grade Security – Protects sensitive supplier data with role-based access Final Thoughts A supplier portal built with Power Pages transforms supplier relationships by streamlining quality control, enhancing communication, and automating compliance tracking. Manufacturers that embrace digital supplier collaboration gain better visibility, reduce costs, and improve product quality—ultimately driving greater operational efficiency and customer satisfaction. About the Author Abdul Hafiz is a business and technology strategist with 25+ years of experience in optimizing and implementing ERPs to modernize finance and operations. As a Partner at Ascent Innovations, he has led growth and delivery for 14 years. He holds a master’s degree in computer and information sciences from the University of Illinois and advises executive teams on how to modernize the enterprise to drive profitable growth.   Author: Abdul Hafiz Enterprise Solution Architect Icon-linkedin Latest Posts You might also like:

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Power Platform: The Toolbox That Maximizes Your D365 Investment

Power Platform: The Toolbox That Maximizes Your D365 Investment Table of Contents Power Platform: The Toolbox That Maximizes Your D365 Investment Microsoft Power Platform isn’t just an add-on to Dynamics 365—it’s the toolbox that enables your business teams to continuously expand the return on investment of D365. While D365 provides the structure, automation, and data integrity needed for enterprise operations, Power Platform equips your people with the ability to extend, refine, and optimize processes over time.    By leveraging Power BI, Power Apps, Power Automate, and Power Pages, organizations can move beyond standard ERP functionality and unlock new ways to drive efficiency, improve decision-making, and enhance customer and supplier engagement.    But the challenge isn’t just having the right tools—it’s knowing where to apply them to drive the most business impact.  The Transformation Journey Has Just Begun Going live on D365 was a major milestone, but it’s not the finish line—it’s the starting point for continuous improvement and innovation. The best-run organizations don’t just operate their ERP as-is; they use it as a foundation for continued business transformation.    At Ascent Innovations, we help organizations identify the most valuable opportunities for process improvement, automation, and analytics—ensuring that Power Platform is used strategically to maximize business impact.  Our approach ensures that: Every investment in Power Platform delivers measurable business value  Your business teams are equipped with the tools and knowledge to optimize execution  The transformation journey remains active, uncovering more opportunities for efficiency and growth  Your D365 ROI is just the beginning—there’s much more opportunity yet to be realized.  Agile ROI: Small, High-Impact Improvements That Drive Continuous Modernization Our Agile ROI methodology focuses on delivering high-value, incremental improvements that create a self-funding cycle for broader transformation.  Phase 1: Identify Opportunities for Improvement Every modernization journey starts by asking the right questions. We work closely with your business teams to uncover areas where manual or non-integrated processes slow things down, customer interactions could be improved, or timely and trust reporting is not available for critical decisions. The goal is to identify high-impact opportunities where Power Platform can deliver immediate value. By linking each opportunity to a tangible business outcome, we ensure that every enhancement has a clear purpose and measurable ROI.    Where can automation replace manual work and accelerate workflows?  What customer or vendor interactions would benefit from a self-service portal?  Which business processes could improve with heightened visibility into performance?  What business impact would these capabilities produce?  Phase 2: Implement Targeted Power Platform Enhancements to Deliver Immediate ROI Once opportunities are identified, we deploy focused Power Platform solutions that deliver results fast. Whether it’s a Power BI dashboard that transforms visibility, a Power App that simplifies approvals, or Power Automate flows that eliminate repetitive tasks—each enhancement is designed to solve a specific pain point. The result is faster workflows, better insights, and real business value in weeks—not months.    Power BI creates real-time dashboards and analytics to enhance process monitoring and management.  Power Automate eliminates manual workflows, ensuring seamless data flow across teams.  Power Apps empowers teams to build custom applications that accelerate execution and streamline approvals.  Power Pages & Portals improve external collaboration, enabling secure self-service access for customers and suppliers.  Phase 3: Train and Develop Your People While Measuring Business Impact Technology alone doesn’t transform a business—people do. That’s why we embed training and hands-on learning into every phase of the journey. As teams engage directly with Power Platform tools, they build confidence and capability, gaining a deeper understanding of how to optimize their processes. This not only supports adoption but also lays the foundation for a culture of continuous improvement and innovation.    Power Platform not only enhances processes—it develops your team’s ability to work and collaborate in new ways.  Employees gain hands-on experience in how modern applications and automation improve workflows, fostering a culture of continuous improvement.  By actively participating in Power Platform enhancements, teams build an informed perspective on how to drive further innovation, preparing them for future transformation initiatives.  Phase 4: Build the Case for Ongoing Digital Modernization With real results in hand—faster processes, fewer errors, better decisions—you now have the proof needed to expand the transformation. We help you measure and communicate the business impact in terms that resonate with leadership and stakeholders. The cycle repeats—with every phase delivering value and unlocking new potential for growth.    Increased operational efficiency, reduced errors, and faster decision-making.  Higher employee productivity and reduced IT burden.  Real-world proof points that captivate executive and equity owner support for further investment—demonstrating that small, strategic improvements lead to larger transformation success.  Unlock the Full Potential of Your D365 System With Power Platform, you can take your D365 environment to the next level, ensuring your investment keeps delivering measurable business impact. At Ascent Innovations, we specialize in helping organizations extend the value of D365 with Power Platform, enabling business-driven improvements that generate immediate ROI while laying the foundation for long-term success.    Want to accelerate the business impact of your D365 investment? Let’s talk about how Power Platform can take your operations from efficient to exceptional.  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 Latest Posts You might also like:

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Power Platform Overview

Power Platform Overview Table of Contents Power Platform Overview Microsoft Power Platform is a collection of low to no code tools that help businesses build apps, automate workflows, integrate systems seamlessly and analyze data. It empowers employees to become self-sufficient and in-house developers to meet some basic critical gaps and tasks.   The platform can connect to Azure and hundreds of other apps with built-in connectors, and integrates with vast majority of other systems.   Please checkout an overview of this powerful tool. https://www.ascent365.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Microsoft-Power-Platform.mp4 Author: Sohena Hafiz President Icon-linkedin Latest Posts You might also like:

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AI: Hype vs. Reality

AI: Hype vs. Reality Table of Contents 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 Latest Posts You might also like: