Looking at making the switch to NAV, want your success and horror stories, please!!

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1

Good day everyone!!

I work for a distribution company on the East Coast of the US. We are looking at the possibility of moving to Dynamics NAV from Epicor Vantage. Our experience with Epicor has been horrific in each and every aspect. The sales presentation to Dynamics has looked very promising, but let’s face it, that’s what the sales presentation is suppose to be. What we would like is to hear about REAL WORLD experiences from companies that have already made this switch. What was your experience like? What sort of road blocks or road bumps did you experience? How has the on-going support of the product been? Most importantly, if you had to do it all over again, would you? No story too scary or too cheery. The more detailed the information the better. No detail is too insignificant.

We appreciate everyone’s input.

Thanks!!!

ATV

Systems Engineer

2

I’m a developer not a consultant or project manager, so keep that in my mind. Your implementation depends on two main things:

  1. The strength and competency of your NAV partner…do they really know NAV or are they just a couple of people that got certifications
  2. The strength and competency of your key stakeholders…are they willing to put in the work or just along for the ride

Every implementation has ups and downs, misunderstandings, but if you start to miss deadlines in your project plan, start to notice things costing way more, or that are not as they were told to you, then examine which of the two sides is responsible.

If you’re truly interested in NAV, interview multiple partners, find the one that you work best with. Get references from each of them. You’re hiring someone to learn and support your business as it grows, so the process should be just as if you were looking for an employee.

3

Every businesses experience will be different for so so many reasons, as are the hurdles, bumps and successes.

On-going support is from the partner, these vary massively, you have already engaged with one, and the key word here is “partner” this is a joint venture, you purchase the software and they advise you how to implement it, but the project and decisions are yours, so there is a percentage of burden of responsibility you have to take, this will be true of your Epicor implementation as well. Step 1 you say your experience has been horrific - why? Understand why and do not make the same mistakes again.

Implemented in brilliant projects and horrific projects and I am the same person, the same constant. If you want horror stories I can give you some, buying the wrong software, no internal project team, no idea of business processes, continual changing requirements, no understanding of the current system, no understanding of what they wanted from the new system, no idea why they were changing, no committment to the project, no management support for the project, no training undertaken, go-live to a pre-determined date with no movement due to changing circumstances, no data cleansing, poor data migration, no established processes prior to live, no established processes post live, the list really is endless.

Note at this point I have not mentioned software, because to be frank it is not relevant. Whilst businesses have made the wrong purchasing decision they can make the right one and still get it wrong.

Software is not a magical panacea it is a tool, an expensive complex tool you need to understand and leverage for the best of your business. Make sure you get the software decision right, the partner decision right, resource it correctly internally and give it the importance it requires whilst managing the entire project. Set realistic timescales and get the buy in from all stake holders, plan, agree processes and train users. Simple really.

4

Owning a distribution company myself I can say we would switch to Nav again in a second.

Also, as above the Partner you decide to go with is a big key. The more Nav startups they have done they better you will be.

Check out a few, get references from them to other Nav setups they have done & call those companies!

Ask them about their experiences with that partner and how nav is helping them.