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Microsoft Dynamics vs. Salesforce – Which Cloud CRM Is Right for You?

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Microsoft Dynamics vs. Salesforce are two widely-used CRM software options. Both have existed for some time, and both offer an array of features that make them ideal for different types of businesses.

Salesforce is the popular CRM software option used by thousands of businesses worldwide. Its massive features catalog has won many fans, and it’s easy to see why: Salesforce offers a wide range of functionality, including marketing automation tools, support for multiple languages and currencies, integration with social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter, and more.

Microsoft Dynamics is an excellent choice for those whose businesses are already integrated with other Microsoft services, such as Outlook and Office 365. Its core functionality focuses on improving operations management rather than solely sales activities; however, its integration with these other Microsoft products makes it easy for your company to adopt it as part of your overall enterprise strategy.

How Salesforce And Microsoft Dynamics CRM Software Stack Up Against Each Other

The Microsoft Dynamics vs. Salesforce debate has been going on for ages, with each company claiming its CRM software is the best. The question is whether you should choose Microsoft Dynamics or Salesforce—and which is right for your business?

While both companies offer excellent CRM solutions, there are some essential differences between them. Salesforce and Microsoft Dynamics are cloud-based CRM solutions with similar features. However, this is what you need to understand how they each differ:

Review Of Salesforce And Dynamics 365 CRM Features

Salesforce and Dynamics 365 are cloud-based, storing your data in remote servers. This process can be wise if your business is already on board with storing information on the cloud and wants to transition to a browser-based or mobile-friendly version of its software.

On-premises and cloud alternatives are available with Dynamics 365, while Salesforce is only available as an entirely cloud-based solution. This compatibility means that Dynamics 365 might be better for your company if you need flexibility. Dynamics 365 also offers a handy search bar that helps users navigate around the interface more quickly.

Ultimate Resource For Your Business

If you’re running a business, your CRM system must have all the features and data you need to keep track of sales and marketing efforts, customer relationships, and more. The best CRM systems are designed to support your business in any way possible. They’re not just about making sure that your team knows how much money they made last month—they also help you manage growth, improve efficiency, and even grow your revenue with new products or services.

But what if you want more than what the standard out-of-the-box software gives you? What if you want to add custom functionality to make your life easier? 

Dynamics 365 CRM is the clear winner when it comes to sales automation. Microsoft and Salesforce are two of the most popular CRM solutions but offer different approaches. Salesforce is a cloud-based solution that allows you to create custom apps for your business needs, including customer relationship management (CRM) and sales processes.

Dynamics 365 CRM, on the other hand, offers a more “traditional” approach to sales automation: it gives you access to a single, integrated platform that lets you manage sales information (like leads) from within one dashboard. This process makes accessing it more straightforward for users and uses data across their systems. As such, if you already have an investment in Microsoft products or want a more familiar interface than what Salesforce offers, Dynamics 365 CRM may be right for you!

Dynamics 365 CRM reporting capabilities

Knowing which features will work best for you and your company’s needs is critical. For example, if you’re looking to track sales leads, Dynamics 365 CRM might be right for you because of its built-in lead management tools. If you want more detailed analytics on what is happening in your database, though, Salesforce might be more appropriate.

As you might anticipate from two CRM industry leaders, both systems have excellent reporting features. Is one superior to the other in data and analytics reporting? It depends on the demands of your company. Salesforce can assist you in understanding your data, determining the ideal time to follow up with leads, prospects, and customers, and generating sales. However, D365 CRM gives a unique perspective. It connects with Power BI without a hitch because it’s a member of the Microsoft family. You can increase the value of your data with the aid of this robust business intelligence tool. You may use the built-in dashboards and build reports as well.

Integrating Your Enterprise Resource Planning & Other Business Systems

Microsoft is an excellent option if you want to integrate your business systems. It offers many different ways to connect with Dynamics 365 and is easy to use.

Salesforce is a standalone CRM system, meaning you don’t need to connect it with other systems to use it. However, regarding integrations, Salesforce offers connectors, which help you connect other systems with Salesforce.

Microsoft, in comparison, provides several ERP systems in addition to CRM. Two well-liked ERP programs are Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations and Dynamics 365 Business Central. Then, of course, there are also Microsoft Teams and Office 365, which can link with Dynamics 365 CRM without needing connectors.

Customer Relationship Manager (CRMs) Compared

Both programs provide the standard CRM features, such as sales force automation. There are a few variations, in any case.

Dynamics 365 is said to be more potent than Salesforce Einstein AI, but a few Salesforce features give it an edge:

  • Salesforce has a more extended history than Dynamics 365, created in 2000 and released in 2018. This advantage is said to give the platform a stronger foundation and reputation in the CRM landscape.
  • In addition, Salesforce has more advanced territory management capabilities—a feature that you only added to Dynamics 365 in 2019.

Dynamics 365 is a CRM that offers a lot more than Salesforce. If you’re looking for an alternative to Salesforce, what Dynamics 365 provides that Salesforce does not provide is as follows:

  • AI-driven insights to help you keep an eye on changing consumer and market trends.
  • Thanks to Dynamics 365’s Customer Voice functionality, you may better understand how your consumers are feeling.
  • Microsoft Relationship Sales, which combines Dynamics 365 for Sales with LinkedIn Sales Navigator, leverages LinkedIn data to find leads and create connections through tailored interactions.
  • Unlike Salesforce’s counterpart, Dynamics 365 for Field Service is far more developed, sophisticated, and linked with the CRM (Field Service Lightning).

Dynamic 365 vs. Salesforce Pricing

The price structure for Dynamics 365 might be complicated due to the numerous apps, different licensing tiers, and available add-ons. Typically, the price is determined by the number of users and services offered in a package.

As there are several apps, different license options, and extra add-ons to consider, Salesforce’s price may be highly complicated. Typically, the price is determined by the number of users and services offered in a package.

Because of this, Dynamics 365 is far more versatile than Salesforce and frequently more affordable. With Dynamics 365, you can also ‘create’ the ideal package for your company much more quickly due to the numerous applications accessible.

Dynamics 365 is a better fit for many businesses than Salesforce. In addition, it’s significantly less expensive than its competitor. For instance, it costs £120 a month per person to upgrade to Salesforce Enterprise to access workflow and automation features. You can get the same functionality with Dynamics 365 for over half the cost ($71.60 per person for Enterprise Sales).

Conclusion

Ultimately, both Microsoft Dynamics and Salesforce CRM will make your business a success. However, both platforms have their specialties – Microsoft Dynamics is better for companies already using Office 365, for example, and Salesforce is excellent for those with a global presence. Microsoft Dynamics 365 is a sophisticated and complex business solution. It offers a wide range of features, both standard and custom. While there are complementary resources that you can use to accommodate different aspects of the program, EPC Group offers many others to assist in streamlining your organization’s Microsoft Dynamics 365 experience.

Errin OConnor

Errin OConnor

With over 25 years of experience in Information Technology and Management Consulting, Errin O’Connor has led hundreds of large-scale enterprise implementations from Business Intelligence, Power BI, Office 365, SharePoint, Exchange, IT Security, Azure and Hybrid Cloud efforts for over 165 Fortune 500 companies.

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