Sales teams are under increasing pressure. New technologies, fierce competition, and consumer needs that change on a dime mean teams constantly have to be on the ball.

Pivoting is the new norm, which can be a real head spin if you do it all manually. Imagine having to completely rewrite core business operations—from scratch—every time something changes in the industry. You could always throw more resources at the challenge, but that’s hardly sustainable, especially as transaction volumes soar. Instead, businesses must mold their existing process into flexible systems with enough give to bend and flex with the times.

But the added pressure for organisations to undergo digital transformations has its own challenges—at the very least, where do you even start? This is where enterprise resourcing planning (ERP) software comes into its own because it adds value to a lot of departments, not just sales.

Here, we’re covering one of the most popular ERP solutions, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations.

What is Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations?

Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations (365 F&O) is a cloud-based enterprise resource planning (ERP) software designed to bring together the key components of company finances in one place. We’re talking supply chain logistics, sales, purchase orders, inventory, production, and distribution.

The solution provides real-time insights into cash flow, budgeting, and forecasting, which helps teams make lightning-fast decisions that meet current market needs. Its robust suite of tools transforms data into actionable intelligence, optimising resource allocation, and driving growth.

Why Do Sales Teams Need 365 Finance & Operations?

To stand out, salespeople must craft bespoke quotes that align with each client’s individual needs. They need to understand client budgets, challenges, goals, and limitations, as well as their preferences and “nice-to-haves”. Discovering this all independently is no easy feat; it can be time-consuming to collect all this data manually.

With Dynamic 365 Finance and Operations, sales teams can benefit from:

• Real-time access to financial data. This helps them make informed decisions tailored to individual client needs.
• Integrated procurement and inventory management. Understanding stock levels is crucial for meeting demand spikes and preventing supply chain disruptions.
• Predictive analytics. This helps teams anticipate market trends and make proactive adjustments to their pricing strategies and inventory management.
• Easy collaboration. The unified platform dissolves departmental silos by facilitating communication and collaboration between sales, finance, and operations teams. Forrester research shows that highly-aligned organisations grow 19% faster and are 15% more profitable than those that aren’t.
• A scalable solution. Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations adapts to the changing needs of sales teams and helps them venture into new markets.

Let’s take a look at some potential use case scenarios.

Imagine a multinational corporation is gearing up for a major product launch across multiple markets. As the sales team orchestrates pre-launch campaigns and engages with clients, they might encounter varying tax regulations, currency fluctuations, and supply chain disruptions.

This is where Dynamics 365 F&O comes in handy. By accessing real-time insights into financial data, procurement, and inventory management, the sales team can tackle these challenges with competitive pricing models, sufficient inventory levels, and ongoing, market-specific compliance.

In another scenario, you might have a rapidly expanding ecommerce startup struggling to keep up with its exponential growth. This can result in an influx of global orders and operational bottlenecks—not a great look for a new company trying to prove itself.

With Dynamics 365 F&O, the team can automate order processing, manage inventory across multiple warehouses, and optimise supply chain logistics. And, with the built-in predictive analytics, teams can stay ahead of demand trends, create dynamic pricing strategies based on that demand, and ensure products are delivered on time.

Ultimately, this increases customer loyalty and turns one-time buyers into long-term customers.

The 10 Best Features of 365 F&O to Help You Close More Sales

Here are some of the most valuable product features sales professionals can enjoy with Dynamics 365.

1. Real-Time Financial Insights

Access to up-to-the-minute financial data gives your team a keen understanding of each client’s financial situation so they can tailor solutions and negotiate accordingly.

For example, if a sales rep is pitching a software solution to a potential client, they can instantly access the client’s cash flow, revenue trends, and profitability ratios. Armed with this information, they can create a personalised proposal that considers the client’s budget constraints and strategic objectives.

This is also particularly helpful during negotiations. Real-time financial insights give reps the chance to address any concerns or objectives related to pricing, return on investment (ROI), or financial feasibility with confidence. Demonstrating this deep understanding of a client’s financial landscape and offering a solution that tackles their specific pain points significantly increases the chance of closing a deal and fostering a long-term partnership.

2. Integrated, Unified Dashboard

Dynamics 365 F&O was designed to bring all financial, sales, and operational data together in one place. This allows multiple different teams to access cross-departmental data that can help with their proposals and pitches.

For example, if a sales rep is working on a deal with a client, they can easily collaborate with the finance team to access the client’s financial data. This might include outstanding invoices, payment history, and credit limits. By having this information readily available within the same platform, the rep can address any payment issues or concerns raised by the client. This strengthens the relationship and increases the likelihood of closing the deal.

3. Predictive Analytics

Sales representatives can forecast future buying behaviour through historical sales data, customer interactions, and market trends.

Imagine a sales rep is responsible for selling subscription-based software to other businesses. Through the Dynamics 365 predictive analytics feature, they can identify patterns in customer behaviour, such as the timing of subscription renewals, usage trends, and factors that influence customer churn. With this foresight, reps can proactively engage with customers at critical touchpoints and send personalised renewal quotes or upsell incentives.

4. Inventory Management

Dynamics 365’s inventory management feature ensures products are available when needed, which prevents stockouts and delights customers with prompt deliveries.

If a sales rep is working with a client who needs a specific product urgently to meet a tight deadline, they can check the product’s availability in real time, as well as its location in the inventory. If the product is in stock, the rep can expedite the entire process. If it’s not in stock, the rep can let the customer know and offer a quick, alternative solution.

5. Customisable Dashboards

The built-in customisable dashboards let sales teams see performance and progress at a glance. Reps can choose which insights matter the most so they can prioritise leads and make better decisions.

Say, for example, a rep is managing a pipeline of leads across different product lines and from different regions. With Dynamics 365 F&O, they can create a personalised dashboard that displays key performance metrics (KPIs), such as lead conversion rates, sales revenue, and pipeline status. This lets them quickly assess the health of their sales pipeline, identify opportunities, and take timely actions to drive growth.

Microsoft’s built-in AI technology, Copilot also helps users customise their dashboard and access the data that’s most useful to them. For example, AI capabilities can help users understand and react quickly to changes in confirmed purchase orders or they can ask questions about finance and operations data to get fast, accurate information.

6. Streamlined Procurement

Dynamics 365 F&O’s procurement feature helps sales teams access necessary resources quickly, reducing lead times and ensuring products are delivered on time. It helps reps ensure they have the right products, materials, and services readily available to meet customer demands and close deals quickly.

If a sales rep has just secured a large contract that involves specialised equipment or orders, they can initiate the procurement process directly within the platform. There, they can quickly specify the required items, quantities, and delivery deadlines. Once the contract is in place, the rep can use the platform’s automated workflows to route the request to the appropriate department or supplier. This lets them fulfill orders promptly, meet client delivery expectations, and foster better relationships.

Recent updates to the platform now allow sales teams to request and confirm supplier shipment dates to determine and calculate delivery transport days.

7. Mobile Accessibility

There’s nothing worse than attending a client meeting, almost sealing the deal, and then finding out you don’t have access to important data and, therefore, can’t answer the objections a potential client puts to you.

Dynamics 365 F&O’s mobile capabilities mean reps can access key information and collaborate with team members on the go. If a salesperson is meeting with a client outside the office, they can quickly tap into customer information, sales data, and accurate pricing rules to address client enquiries and negotiate effectively.

Plus, if the rep needs input from another department halfway through the meeting, they can collaborate in real-time, access relevant documents, or initiate a team chat directly within the platform to get the answers they need.

8. Scalability

Growth is on the cards for most businesses, but clunky manual processes can stifle that growth. Dynamics 365 F&O supports companies as they expand into new markets by accommodating increasing sales volumes and providing reps with the flexibility they need to pursue growth opportunities.

Imagine enjoying an unplanned (but very welcome) surge of success with a new product line which leads to a huge uptick in sales and customer demand. With Dynamics 365, businesses can scale to accommodate the increased workload without experiencing disruption to sales processes or customer service standards.

The platform’s architecture makes it easy to add new users, deploy additional resources, and ensure reps have the support they need to capitalise on any momentum. It’s also geared for growth in new markets. Whether you’re entering new territories, launching innovative products, or targeting new customer segments, the platform can adapt your existing processes to accommodate the complexities needed for global expansion.

9. Automated Workflows

Automation is the antidote to monotony—particularly for sales managers who handle a lot of repetitive tasks. And, according to McKinsey and Co, more than 30% of sales-related activities can be automated with today’s technology. Dynamics 365 F&O’s automated workflows free up time so sales reps can focus on high-value activities, like building relationships and actually closing deals.

Picture this: you receive a new lead through an online form on the company’s website. Instead of manually responding to that enquiry, the sales team can trigger an automated workflow that assigns the lead to the appropriate rep based on where they are or their industry. As the lead moves through the sales cycle, more automated workflows can send follow-up emails, schedule calls, and update the lead’s status in the customer relationship management (CRM) system, all without any hands-on intervention from the rep.

10. Compliance and Security

Trust is at the heart of great client relationships. Without it, you risk losing customers to competitors or failing to meet expectations. Dynamics 365 Finance & Operation’s compliance and security features maintain data integrity and confidentiality. This safeguards sensitive customer information, protects against data breaches, and ensures you remain compliant with industry regulations and standards.

The platform’s advanced security measures, such as role-based access controls, encryption protocols, and audit trails allow reps to handle confidential data with care while avoiding costly fines or irreparable reputation damage. This is particularly important in highly regulated industries, such as finance, healthcare, or government.

Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations Pricing

Take Your Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations Stack to the Next Level With Experlogox

Experlogix seamlessly integrates with Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations to arm sales teams with product configuration, real-time pricing, and robust document generation capabilities. Instead of siloing each new order by passing it through a team of people who individually check compatibility, write up a bill of materials, check inventory, and process the order (and hopefully transcribe all customer notes throughout the journey), the Experlogix and Dynamics 365 integration unifies order information in one place in real-time.

With Experlogix’s powerful configurator engine, reps can quickly create accurate quotes for customers, configure complex products, and quickly respond to enquiries. The integration also keeps data consistent across departments which leads to a smoother order fulfillment process.

For printing and imagery technology brand Lexmark, integrating Dynamics 365 and Experlogix was a no-brainer. The sales team can now visualise and track the entire customer journey, from the moment a customer becomes a lead right through their lifecycle. “We can easily build multiple configurations and see different feature options in real-time,” says François Lourdel-Henaut, Enterprise Business Application Front Office Manager at Lexmark. “Our reporting has also gotten much easier because Experlogix can handle the complex formulas we use for profitability and other analyses.”

Say Goodbye to Clunky, Manual Sales Processes

Evolving technologies and shifting market dynamics have impacted the way sales teams work. It’s no longer viable to manually nurture leads through the sale process—it simply takes too much time and resources, especially in the face of soaring ticket volumes.

The Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations solution helps streamline financial operations, optimise resource allocation, and drive growth, all from one place. By integrating real-time insights, predictive analytics, and automated approval workflows, Dynamics 365 helps sales teams deliver personalised solutions, anticipate market trends, and collaborate across departments.

With the addition of Experlogix, businesses can take their Dynamics 365 stack to the next level to improve product configuration, document generation, and the entire quoting process.

Ready to accelerate your B2B sales? Get in touch to explore how we can transform your business with Dynamics 365 and Experlogix.