Where to Find Training for Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations
One of the most asked questions that comes up before, during, and after a Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations implementation is “Where can I find more training?” This doesn’t mean that the implementation partner didn’t train the users during the process, even though some may take it that way! Training is an effective way to increase knowledge, and I discussed how users can learn new concepts as adult learners in my article, “A Narrative on Training Within a Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations Implementation.”
There are a myriad of reasons why a user may request additional training, and the narrative tends to be that the partner didn’t provide adequate training. Before jumping to that conclusion, consider that the user may have different goals in their request for training.
Role change
A user’s role may change and they need to quickly get up to speed on how the system works in a new area. For example, if someone has been working in Accounts Payable and moves to the Manufacturing side of the business, there will be a significant learning curve required!
Self-Fulfillment
People want to do a good job, and often learning more about what they do for a living fulfills their needs for achievement and belonging within the workplace. Likewise, it never hurts to have an edge by immersing oneself into their role.
Job Effectiveness
Everyone wants to find ways to “work smarter, not harder,” and by getting additional training, this need can be fulfilled. So many users find key takeaways from training that help them reduce their workloads while allowing them to be effective at their jobs.
I Forgot What They Taught Me
An implementation is a huge undertaking, and often, users will forget some of the key points of what they learned during the process. It never hurts to have additional reinforcement of what was done during the implementation, and some new insights may be given to the user that they didn’t pick up during the information overload presented to them during implementation.
There Are Too Many Documents
Many companies document processes and then place them in a shared drive for users to access. Another area of extreme overwhelm can be the company’s Azure DevOps instance. Were the requirements documented? Likely, yes – but there are now 30,000 lines in Azure DevOps and users do not want to waste time combing through that to find what they need. Shared drives and Azure DevOps instances, while great, are often overwhelming to users, and they cannot find what they need quickly.
Finding Training
Now that we have discussed why a user may want additional training, where can they find that training?
- Partner – Start the journey by asking your partner. Your partner may have internal resources dedicated to training, such as a Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT) on staff who would love to share knowledge with your users! If they don’t offer training resources, they may be able to assign one of their consultants for some one-on-one interaction with the users who desire additional training or point you in the direction of training resources.
- Microsoft Learn – I will never stop stressing the importance and benefits of Microsoft Learn. Microsoft has developed online, always available resources for users to find the information they need. Additionally, there are labs and structured courses that give users the opportunity to earn badges as they learn!
- Training Partners – There are several training partners who specialize in the training of users, but most often it can be found by searching for exam names, because the training that is delivered is usually focused on passing one of the D365 exams. More information on D365 exams is available in my article, “Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations Certifications.”
- Community Summit and Roadshow Events – Dynamics Communities offers several events throughout the year with their Summit Roadshow events and their flagship event, Community Summit, which is an annual conference and is the largest of its kind in the D365 space. Users can preview the agenda on the website and determine if the sessions (as selected by users like them) would meet their needs!
