What a wonderful invention spreadsheets were. For many things, I don’t know how we even managed before them. Okay, I do know, because I am that old… we managed things poorly. Spreadsheets solved so many challenges, that they eventually created new ones.
So the buzz about the Common Data Service (CDS) has reached a deafening stage. It is the most exciting thing that has come out of the Microsoft Business Applications group in a decade. The possibilities jumped into the category of “endless”. So how do you start with something that is …
I recently wrote a post about the coming Revenue Sharing model for Microsoft Business Applications ISV’s. As expected, there is some screaming going on about forking over some of your revenue to Microsoft. But there is another side of that story… what Microsoft will be doing in return.
I usually wait a week or two to weigh in on new announcements from Microsoft. I like to let the noise die down a little, and see how others are responding to the news. But I am way too excited about the Public Preview launch of the PowerApps Component Framework.
Let’s be real… the Business Applications ISV motion from Microsoft to date, has been a shit show. Many budding ISVs struggled to navigate the program(s) only to reach the conclusion that there was not much there. For all the talk about how important ISVs are, Microsoft’s actions to date have …
There is quite a bit of information in the wild for technically savvy people, around the Power Platform and it’s underlying Common Data Service. I want to see if I can make that understandable to us Normal people.
My fellow MVP, good friend and co-collaborator on PowerISV, Mark Smith (aka @nz365guy) is on a “Shock and Awe” campaign that opens with the phrase: “Dynamics 365 is Dead!“. But is it?
Fresh from a week of “drinking from the firehose” at the Microsoft MVP Summit, several things became quite apparent to me. MVPs like to drink, and the Common Data Service, is anything but “Common”.
As I have been exploring the Power Platform, I continue to make new discoveries every day. I am not a developer, but I have developers on my team. Lately, I am noticing that we are pulling them into projects much less often than in the recent past. I wonder what …
In this episode of “Steve has a Chat“, I called Steven (Guggs) Guggenheimer, who was not surprised that I had the Record Button on when he answered. “Guggs” is the Corporate Vice President – AI & ISV Engagement at Microsoft. Among other things, he is responsible for engaging with Customers …
From my blog analytics I am able to see the search terms that led readers to my blog. Several of these are along the lines of “What is PowerApps?”, “Difference between F&O and CE?”, “Difference between Power Platform and Dynamics 365?”, etc. I have written about some of these individually, …
Solutions for either Model-driven PowerApps, or for extensions to First-party Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement apps share a lot in common. In fact, almost everything in common. What they do not share in common among each other, or themselves, is quality of build. Customers, Partners and ISVs all build Solutions for …
I am fresh back from the Microsoft Dynamics Partner Advisory Council meetings last week. AppSource, and the whole ISV strategy was a central topic. Unfortunately I cannot share too much because of NDA handcuffs, but I can share some public themes, and my opinions.
I was listening to Gus Gonzales’ recent podcast on Ten Features that should be removed from Dynamics 365. As usual, Gus makes some great points, but when he was discussing limits, I think he left out a part of the story, that leads to a larger question.
Some of you may know, that one of several things I am involved with, is an ISV Consulting Collaborative called Power ISV. Together with four other ISV-focused Business Applications MVPs, we are helping existing ISVs to modernize, new ISVs get started, and guiding ISVs on other platforms over to the …
In this episode of “Steve has a Chat”, I sneak up on Charles Lamanna, General Manager of the Application Platform at Microsoft. I called him “out of the blue” at the end of his day, and we chatted about a bunch of things, including the new Open Data Initiative, Licensing, …
Six years ago, I wrote a post that was directed at IT Directors/Managers, about the need for them to re-imagine their roles in the face of the then rapidly growing cloud thing. Today, the role that needs to be re-imagined is that of Microsoft Business Applications Partner. Between Microsoft and …
As I was writing my last post on Re-Thinking, I got an email from some off-shore developer, offering to assist us with any “Dynamics CRM Online” projects we may have. Based on this pretty big clue, I put on my pompous know-it-all hat, and blasted him for offering his ancient …
Recently, I found myself looking in the Google Play Store for a mobile app to solve some issue. I found several options that were close, but none met my need perfectly. My choices were: a) continue to live with an unmet need, b) Use one of the apps that was …
Sometimes people ask me where I come up with post ideas, here’s one way. I saw a LinkedIn post today from a recruiter, suggesting the use of “freelancers” for Dynamics 365, and presumably other Microsoft Business Applications. While freelancers may have a place in the process, there are some very …
