12 Mar Appsource: what it is and benefits
With the launching of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central last April 2018 AppSourcealso saw the light. This is the Marketplace that Microsoft has enabled to publish apps and extensions of functionality. By how the product was understood until now it is a great revolution, and we will try to explain why and what are its benefits.
Appsource: freedom to extend functionality
Why do we like the concept that Appsource proposes? So far, when a Dynamics NAV customer needed to extend the core features of the product, they could choose either a customized development or a specialized Add-on (if the need was very broad and industry-specific).
However, historically there have been and exist nowadays in the market certain “bad practices” that some partners have carried out. They consist in making the client’s customizations in Add-on objects and not in the client’s objects. What consequences does this practice have for the client? Well, when a client wants, for example, to change their partner, their possibilities are very limited, since the new partner can not access those objects. The client does not have 100% freedom for certain processes involving partners.
How does Appsource change the rules of the game? Customers of Dynamics 365 Business Central will be able to act with much more freedom as far as the choice of partner is concerned. You can have your trusted partner for the management of the license and support, for example, and install the apps that you consider necessary to adapt the ERP to your specifications. In addition, it is super simple to install and uninstall apps, so that the client gains freedom and independence.
We would like to talk about how AppSource works and what benefits it bring:
How do I find the apps?
There are several ways to find the apps developed for Business Central. You can directly consult the Appsource portal and filter by industry, functionality or the parameter you want. On the other hand, the new release of Business Central of April 2019 you will be able to find them in the browser of the application. That is, if you search the browser for more information about a specific functionality, you will see relevant related apps at the bottom of the search results.
In-app functionality
All the apps you can acquire through AppSource are developed to work 100% integrated with Business Central and in-app. What does this mean? Working integrated to Dynamics 365 Business Central means that you will avoid duplication of processes and all the information and processes you perform in the app will be updated in your ERP. It will be each app that will decide how fluid this communication and exchange of data is, that is, whether it is in real time or at certain times.
On the other hand, working in-app means that you will not have to leave Business Central to work with the extended functionality provided by the app. In the same browser and without changing the application you will be able to carry out the proposed new features. Without leaving Business Central and thus earning efficiency in the workplace.
When you need it
As a client of Business Central you gain in efficiency since you can decide to be autonomous both when you decide to try new apps, and when you decide to stop using and uninstalling them. Both processes are very simple and you will not need any additional help to carry them out.
The purchase process has been simplified to the maximum so that users gain autonomy and efficiency.
Your choice
There are free apps, other paid for use, other subscription … Each partner that publishes an app in AppSource decides how you want to license it. As a customer, you can access a trial of the application before deciding whether to go ahead with your purchase. This way you will be able to see the potential of the solution and if it solves your concrete need or, if on the contrary, you want to test another app before making a decision.
Apps certified by Microsoft
There is a rigorous process to develop and test the apps that appear in AppSource. Equally meticulous are the steps to follow to publish the apps in this Marketplace. Microsoft is responsible for corroborating that the solution developed by the certified partner complies with the description that promises at the functional level and that it follows good development practices. In this way you can make sure that all the apps meet a quality level.
If you want to know how Dynamics 365 Business Central can help you in the management of your company, do not hesitate to contact us here for a free evaluation. This way we can determine if the ERP covers the processes that you need to manage of your business and if an AppSource app is necessary to complement it.