Microsoft Dynamics 365: Supply Chains Optimized in the Cloud
Dynamics 365 is a suite of cloud-native enterprise resource planning (ERP) applications offered by Microsoft. The Dynamics 365 portfolio together with our Makini Open Industrial API™ integration can cover solutions for sales and marketing, service, finance, and commerce. However, our main focus with Dynamics 365 is integrating with the Dynamics Supply Chain Solution.
Dynamics 365 digitizes supply chains, enabling businesses to respond to changing market conditions by:
- Maximizing asset performance by reducing downtime,
- Transforming manufacturing operations by connecting advanced technologies, and
- Reducing risk with visibility and insights into supply chain operations.
A 2021 study conducted by Forrester Consulting showed impressive economic results from Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management:
- 90% ROI over three years,
- 2-3% reduction of unplanned downtime through enhanced visibility into health of manufacturing machines, and
- 10-50% improvement in developer productivity, due to reduced need to maintain and manage the supply chain infrastructure.
Customer success stories about Dynamics 365 confirm Forrester’s findings. They showcase significant improvements in asset uptime, parts reuse, predictive maintenance, and operational efficiency. For example, in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic Peet’s Coffee observed more demand trickling in from ecommerce than from brick-and-mortar stores. By shifting from its dated, on-premises ERP system to Dynamics 365, Peet’s managed inventory more dynamically, in the face of disruption. The result? Peet’s achieved an incredible 98% fulfillment rate for its ecommerce channel.
Integration with the Makini API: Predictable Endpoints for App Developers
The Dynamics 365 ERP platform generates real-time data with countless potential applications for supply chain maintenance and optimization. But to develop those apps, in-house or third-party developers need reliable predictable endpoints into and out of Dynamics 365. As the digital supply chain ecosystem evolves, developers will hesitate to produce connected applications if they fear those apps will quickly become obsolete or turn into maintenance headaches.
The Makini Open Industrial API provides that endpoint predictability that lets developers and supply chain leaders “deliver the goods” through the apps they build. Any system or application that needs to extract or consume data from Dynamics can connect via the Makini API.
Makini + Dynamics 365 = Seamless Supply Chain Connectivity
The three top benefits of using Makini’s unified API connection to Dynamics 365 are cost savings, new revenue streams, and enhanced customer loyalty.
Cost savings
Building and maintaining your own APIs shouldn’t be your day job. That first API might be a fun project, but as your business grows and the number of integrations increases, so does your effort to maintain your in-house APIs. New products from industrial equipment manufacturers will require compatibility testing to verify that they don’t break the applications you’re running.
A universal API eliminates that effort, automatically connecting to your purchase orders, work orders, inventory, preventative maintenance, assets, and worksites. This lets your technical team focus on your core business, while we keep focusing on ours: an universal API for industrial systems.
New revenue streams
You picked Dynamics 365 for all the visibility it can provide into supply chain operations. The Makini API gives the Dynamics ERP plug-and-play superpowers, so that you or your clients have the business visibility needed to launch new products or open new distribution channels.
Enhanced customer loyalty
Customers are always looking for superior products and experiences. To please your customers, you need a mix of home-grown and third-party systems. Integrations help create a rich product ecosystem that pleases your customers.
Integration in a Minute or Two (True)
Supply chains are designed to move physical assets with digital visibility. The integration between Makini and Microsoft Dynamics 365 helps operations leaders see the health of assets that keep their supply chains hyperconnected, streamline maintenance work processes, extend asset lifecycle, reduce operational costs, and boost overall efficiency.
If that sounds nice, you may already be worrying about project timelines and calling your favorite system integrator. Whoa now! Both Dynamics 365 and Makini are cloud-native products. We can connect Makini to your Dynamics 365 in a minute or two.
If you don’t believe us, try it here, by testing a connection between Makini and Microsoft Dynamics 365.
Once you integrate, here are some of the people who will thank you:
- Your procurement manager when machines file purchase orders for their own spare parts,
- Your maintenance manager who becomes the Jedi knight of work order scheduling and preventative maintenance,
- Your inventory manager who optimizes stock based on real-time data,
- Your asset manager whose machines perform better and last longer,
- Your product manager who can add new features to CMMS/EAM/ERP apps,
- Your C-level executive who feels operational risk vaporize, and
- Your end customer who raves about your product or service. (OK, they may not know that a universal API did it, but they’ll feel the joy just the same.)
If you’re not quite ready to pound that “Test Connection” link, don’t fret. Contact us and we’ll show you how easy it is to connect Makini to Microsoft Dynamics 365, and then to any other system that Dynamics needs to transform your supply chain operations.
Related resources
- The Microsoft Dynamics 365 integration with Makini
- Test the connection between Dynamics 365 and the Makini API
- The Makini API reference documentation
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