$10 bills for $3 each, for a limited time!
Today, Microsoft business Applications group is announcing a special offer for Power Apps Per App Passes. It felt pretty significant, so I thought I would write a short post on it. The Offer Starting today, you can buy Power Apps Per App Passes for $3 each. The catch? Minimum 200 users… but still.. that is a pretty big deal for mid-sized and above companies. For example, combined with our… Continue Reading Steve Mordue...
Microsoft marching masses to peak of Mt. Stupid
I recently became aware of an interesting concept in psychology called the Dunning-Kruger Effect, and Citizen Developers came to my mind. What the hell am I talking about now? Read on to find out. The Dunning-Kruger Effect Essentially the Dunning-Kruger effect is one’s own perception of their reality. Often displayed as the following image: For those of you who are listening to this, instead… Continue Reading Steve Mordue...
The beatings will continue until morale improves
James Phillips, the head of engineering for Dynamics 365 and the Power Platform, that we all either use, or make a living on, recently tweeted “The name changes will continue until morale improves”. It was a joke people!!! Relax My inbox blew up with people asking me what “morale” issue James was referring to. Jimbo was paraphrasing an old quote that I used for the title of this post. In… Continue Reading...
Microsoft taking away Direct CSP from Small Partners
When I moved from Salesforce to become a Microsoft partner about ten years ago, they were just launching the “Advisor” model for cloud license sales. The road got rocky after that. Life was Good The Advisor model was great. Microsoft handled everything, billing, support, collections, etc. All we had to do was bring customers and get paid a commission on the licenses that were bought. Cloud… Continue Reading Steve...
Steve Reads Jukka’s Post
In one of our private MVP channels, another MVP “joked” that Jukka Niiranen should consider reading his blog like I do, so I “joked” that I would do it for him, and then Jukka “joked” that he “fully approved this innovative art performance“, and so…. all jokes aside… a Special Edition of Steve Reads his Posts, where I instead, Read one of Jukka’s posts. But before I do… Continue Reading Steve Mordue MVP’s Article on...
I recommended Zoho!
In this past week, I had two potential customers who were deciding between our RapidStartCRM Power Apps or Zoho. For one of them, I had no choice but to recommend Zoho. I you want to know why, keep reading. Customer Number 1 I got a call from Bob, the owner of Little Bitty Inc., in Podunk, Nebraska. Bob was managing the finances for his 5-person business in his checkbook, and managing his… Continue Reading Steve Mordue...
The Evolution of an ISV
I get that it is mostly partners and Microsoft employees that read my blog, I have not really targeted my content toward customers, which was probably a mistake, but that is a topic for another day. Today, I want to break down some significant changes we made to our ISV strategy and why. Every ISV is Different Our strategy is obviously not going to work for every ISV. For us, I think it… Continue Reading Steve Mordue MVP’s...
ISV Connect ED and our Apps are now Free
I had planned on making this two posts, but frankly I have too much on my plate at the moment, so its a twofer. The first part is about something new I launched, and the second part is about a bold move I made. ISV Connect ED I have certainly been one of the “complainers” about Microsoft’s ISV programs, including ISV Connect. Well, you can only complain so much, and then, if you are in a… Continue Reading Steve...
Steve has a Chat with Toby Bowers
I recently wrote a post with suggestions for Toby Bowers, the new Leader of the Microsoft ISV Program. I assumed he had read it, but just to be sure, I ambushed him on the phone. If you are a Microsoft Business Applications ISC, this is the guy who will make or break you. We had a great discussion about his plans for ISVs. We also chatted about my latest undertaking, ISV Connect ED, he acted… Continue Reading Steve Mordue...
Suggestions for Toby Bowers on ISV Connect
I guess it is fairly obvious from my post yesterday, that I am pretty pissed off at Microsoft. I have always been one of those “Don’t point out a problem, without suggesting a solution” kind of guys, and I have done my share of pointing out problems with Microsoft’s Business Applications ISV efforts. So here are some ideas. Why ISVs? First, why should Microsoft even give a shit about ISVs?… Continue...
Microsoft continues inching into ISV Turf
“Microsoft has always been a partner-led company, and we are committed to creating more opportunity for our partners across our businesses.” and “This ethos of being partner-led will be there in everything we do“. Satya Nadella has said these things, but I am wondering… Lip Service? One of the major factors that brought me to transition my company from a Salesforce Consultant, to a Microsoft…...
CRM is not just about Sales
“We’re not looking for a Sales solution“, said the person on the other end of the phone call. I have heard this many times. While those of us in the Power Platform arena know that Sales is only one of the business problems we can solve with the tools today, many still think “Sales” when they hear Dynamics 365. Once more from the top I have previously explained some of the evolution of what… Continue...
Power Apps – The truth about $10
When Model-Driven Power Apps first appeared on the scene, it brought with it a $40 per user license called Power Apps P2. Earlier this year Microsoft launched a $10 per App “Pass”. Clearly $10 is going to get some eyeballs, along with a lot of skepticism about it having a place in an organization that may be paying $100 per user plus. So let’s talk about it. “Your going to like it” I believe…...
Walking the Talk
I usually avoid discussing my products or services on the blog, people seem to get annoyed. But I was having a chat with an ISV the other day, who said he had found me via this blog. He asked me how much of my ISV opinions were “theoretical”, and did I actually have any ISV solutions. So if you don’t want to hear about my stuff, stop reading or listening now. AppSource As many of you know, I… Continue Reading...
Steve has another chat with Alysa Taylor
In this episode of “Steve has a Chat”, I catch up again with Alysa Taylor, Corporate Vice President for Microsoft, to get the latest from the Queen of Marketing for Microsoft Business Applications Group. We chat about the success of Virtual Events, Customer Insights, Power Apps vs Power Apps, and touched on SMB. Enjoy! BTW, don’t forget, Mark Smith (@nz365guy) and I do PowerUpLive every… Continue Reading Steve...
Steve has a third chat with Guggs
In this episode of “Steve has a Chat”, I catch up again with Steven Guggenheimer “Guggs” to get the latest on the ISV Connect program. It seems that the word is out at Microsoft about calls from me… they all seem ready now. But I still had a few surprises for him. Enjoy! BTW, don’t forget, Mark Smith (@nz365guy) and I do PowerUpLive every Tuesday at 4PM EST, click here to be alerted,...
Tried Dynamics 365? Take another look at Power Apps.
As I think back to past customers of Dynamics 365, not all of them were successful. The challenges that brought them to Dynamics 365 were real enough, but at the time we only had one solution to try and solve them with. I would love to snap my fingers and take Power Apps back in time. Sledgehammers Dynamics 365, borne out of it’s predecessor, Dynamics CRM Online, is a software marvel. I’m… Continue Reading Steve...
Steve has a third chat with Charles Lamanna
I try and sneak up on Charles Lamanna a third time, but he was ready for it, “fool me once”. Recently promoted to CVP, Citizen Application Platform I wanted to check in with Charles, who was working from home, about some of the things that are going on. We covered a lot of topics, including the post-virus workplace, RPA, API Limits, Multiplexing and Restricted Entities. Enjoy! BTW, don’t… Continue Reading...
The Cost of Hemorrhaging Money
Most people I am talking to today are starting to think about their businesses in these odd times. Many are naturally concerned about a reduction in revenue. But the counter-part to revenue is cost. Since the revenue side may be out of our control to some degree, the cost side is more critical than ever. Athletic I work with a lot of businesses of all sizes. From my first-hand experience,… Continue Reading Steve Mordue...
The Last Nail in the On-Premise Coffin
The Conona Virus is having many different effects on the world, most are negative, but there are some that may actually be positive. For example, with workers being asked to work from home at an unprecedented rate, and that will no doubt go higher, one major point of failure will be on-premise based solutions. Let’s unpack this. Remote Workers Looking from the balcony of my downtown… Continue Reading Steve Mordue...
Dynamics 365 Team Member gets Locked
You were warned, you panicked, then realized nothing was happening immediately. So the trusty Team Member licenses kept chugging along, continuing to perform well beyond their boundaries. I wrote about this day coming back in May of 2018, and now finally, it’s just around the corner…. prepare for the panic. Sum it up In a nutshell, if you bought Team Member licenses after October 1st of 2018,… Continue Reading Steve...
Power Apps Potholes
There are a couple of different ways to approach building a Power App… and I am not referring to Canvas vs. Model-Driven here, but rather, the environment type. Today, you can build a Power App on either a “vanilla” CDS environment, or on a Dynamics 365 CDS environment. Why does it matter? Vanilla Let’s quickly discuss the Vanilla approach as it is the safest, which I will explain why later…. Continue...
Power Platform – ISV Ready
As an ISV I want to be able to take full advantage of everything that Microsoft’s Power Platform can offer. Like SI’s and customers, I get excited when I see the roadmap of features that are coming… it is mind-boggling. Unfortunately, just because something goes GA, does not mean it is “ISV Ready”. ISV Connect Technical Summit I recently attended the least “technical”, technical event I...
Business Models Continued
I know had previously written about Partner business models, but I can’t find that post. I recall discussing our “Blocks of Hours” model, and how it was working well for both us and our customers. But I was seeing some cracks in it, and decided to create yet another business model, that we are starting to use now, that shows even better potential. What is a Business Model? At some point in… Continue Reading...
Shining a Light on Shadow IT
The IT organization, inside of most enterprise customers, is primarily focused on Security, Governance and Compliance these days. One of the biggest tools in their arsenal is the word “No”. That approach, to requests from various departments for solutions to help them accomplish their goals, planted the seeds for Shadow IT, and that Genie is not going back in the bottle. Shadow IT In every… Continue Reading Steve...
Steve Reviews a Solution
I know… this is out of left field right? Me doing a review of a Power Platform solution. But I know the team behind it, and I thought hmm… maybe this could be an angle for some new blog content. So, what the hell! BTW, I am not being compensated for this, nor did they offer… cheap bastards. What’s wrong with sales today? Sales has always been a black box. Great sellers have their secrets, but… Continue...
Dynamics 365 – ISV Protection?
As an ISV, with solutions for both Dynamics 365 and Power Apps, I was encouraged about the attention that Business Applications ISVs are getting recently. Unfortunately, I.P. protection is not one of the items coming anytime soon. Managed Solution Myth Many ISVs believe that their managed solutions are safe. Having taken great pains to ensure that their managed solution never gets in the wrong… Continue Reading Steve Mordue...
Power Apps – Licenses vs. Passes
Many of you have probably heard me talk about the new Power Apps Per App Plans. At $10ea, I know a lot of people are inquiring about it from my Save 90% post a while back. It’s real, but it’s different. Until Jukka writes the definitive post on this, I will give you my thoughts. Licensing One thing that most everyone can agree on, is that licensing for the Power Platform is complicated. It was… Continue Reading Steve...
Power begets Power
Okay, I know it has been a while since I wrote a post. It’s been a very busy time, and since Mark Smith and I started do a weekly live show, I felt the base was sort of covered. But people have pointed out that my retweeter has run out of fresh content, so I am compelled to write this. Whirlwind Continues So I had a last minute change of plans, and headed over to Ignite for the first few… Continue Reading Steve Mordue...
Steve has another chat with Guggs
In this episode of “Steve has a Chat”, I catch up again with Steven Guggenheimer “Guggs” to get the latest on the ISV Connect program. I also had a few surprises for him. Enjoy! BTW, don’t forget, Mark Smith (@nz365guy) and I do PowerUpLive every Wednesay at 4PM EST, click here to be alerted, and here’s a link to the replays! Continue Reading Steve Mordue MVP’s Article on their blog...
Steve has another chat with Charles Lamanna
In this episode of “Steve has a Chat”, I try and sneak up on Charles Lamanna again, but no dice. Recently promoted to CVP, Citizen Application Platform I wanted to see if I could get Charles to help clear up some of the confusion around licensing and API limits that seem to be the topic of the day. He was more than happy to help me set the record straight. Enjoy! BTW, don’t forget, Mark Smith… Continue Reading...
Power Platform – Architecting 101
The Power Platform is on fire! Lot’s of partners, developers and citizens are all creating all kinds of things at a rapid pace, it all seems so easy. Unfortunately many of them will get down the road and realize they should have taken a fork a few miles back. Let’s see if we can map out the right path from the jump. Whatcha gonna do? Before thinking about where to start, you should have clear… Continue Reading Steve...
Dynamics 365 – Buried Skeletons
Recently, our contact on a large multi-year customization effort for a customer left. The new person who came in seemed to be of a mind to change things up. What was a highly effective and collaborative effort, suddenly became a battle over every hour billed. I’m on the verge of kicking them to the curb, but… Screwed by Nature There is an interesting anomaly in our business, that can… Continue Reading Steve Mordue...
Steve has a Chat with Mona Baset
Typically I am catching Microsoft leaders on my “Steve has a Chat” podcast, this time I thought I would try and pounce on an Enterprise Customer to get some candid feedback on PowerApps. Mona Baset, AVP of Information and Analytics Services for Atrium Health was game for a chat. Atrium Health is comprised of 40 hospitals and 900 locations in the Carolinas and Georgia. Some of the things Mona… Continue Reading Steve...
PowerApps vs. PowerApps
It seems clear to me from listening to people on social media, comments on my posts, and generally having an ear to the ground, that too many people, including many who should not be, are still confused about PowerApps… and wouldn’t they be? A Quick Quiz. What is a PowerApp? A Mobile Application you built on top of SharePoint A Mobile Application you built on top of the common data… Continue Reading Steve Mordue...
Reduce your Dynamics 365 License costs by 92%?
I hinted in my last post about possibly being able to reduce your Dynamics 365 license costs by up to 92%. I may have been a little too coy, so I titled this post more overtly. Was I just bullshitting you? Well… not all of you. It Depends Follow me here as there are a lot of “ifs”, but many organizations will meet them. IF, you are paying $115/user/month for the Dynamics 365 Customer… Continue Reading Steve...
Updating to Unified Interface? PowerApp it!
The Dynamics 365 Web Client is going to be deprecated soon. If you have not transitioned to the Unified Interface, time is running out to be in control of that process for yourself. Maybe there is a reason to look at this “chore” as an “opportunity”. Unified Interface The Unified Interface is awesome, a vast improvement over the previous Web Client. Yet a significant number of organizations… Continue...
The ISV Revenue Sharing Addendum Review
The ground is shifting under Microsoft Business Applications ISVs. Only time will tell if it is shifting forward or backward. Regardless, to continue existing, you will need to sign a new document, so let’s take a look at it. A room full of Elephants Microsoft’s new “Business Applications ISV Connect Program” hopes to be a comprehensive program for ISV success, yet it’s most often referred to…...
Steve chats with Muhammad Alam
In this episode of “Steve has a Chat“, I was able to catch Muhammad Alam before he headed out for Inspire. Muhammad is the General Manager of the Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations (F&O) team, and recently Microsoft Business Central was added to his list of responsibilities. He has been with Microsoft since 2005, so he knows where the bodies are buried. We covered a lot of ground,… Continue Reading Steve Mordue...
Microsoft’s Partner Network needs an Enema
I recently tweeted a link to an obscure Microsoft post I found about eliminating IUR. I thought at the time, “this is going to get messy“. I followed up with a post on it myself, which promptly blew up, and now there is actually a petition someone started. Just to be clear… I did not sign this petition, and I will not be wielding any pitchforks at Inspire. Why not? It Had to Happen The… Continue Reading Steve...
Microsoft to Partners, “The Free Rides are Over!”
The news media and investor market is certainly embracing the “Softer” side of Microsoft introduced since the appointment of Satya Nadela as CEO. While the company’s stock is at an all-time high, it seems Microsoft’s network of Partners are being gradually introduced to a new “Harder” side. Partners Pummeled In recent months, partners have seen a continuous barrage of changes that are…...
Live from Microsoft Business Applications Summit! – Steve Mordue
Mark Smith (aka @nz365guy) and I came up with the idea to live stream to YouTube from the Microsoft Business Applications Summit which recently concluded. Microsoft gave us a spot in the middle of the Expo, and we grabbed people walking by. For those of you who missed us live, here is a list of some replays. We had some fun interviewing several Microsofties, enjoy! Steve and Mark… Continue Reading Steve Mordue MVP’s...
Steve has a Chat with Jeff York
Check out this episode! Continue Reading Steve Mordue MVP’s Article on their blog
Steve Chats with Hayden Stafford
Check out this episode! Continue Reading Steve Mordue MVP’s Article on their blog
Steve has a Chat with Hayden Stafford – Steve Mordue
In this episode of “Steve has a Chat“, I tried to sneak up on Hayden Stafford, but he sniffed me out immediately once he answered the phone. He caught me, but he didn’t hang up! Hayden is the Corporate Vice President for WW Business Applications Sales, basically “the” top sales guy. His excitement about what has, and will be happening in the business applications space for… Continue Reading Steve Mordue MVP’s Article on...
Steve has a Chat with Jeff York – Steve Mordue
In this episode of “Steve has a Chat“, I nabbed Jeff York, who happened to be sitting at his “dusty” desk. One of my favorite podcasts so far! Jeff is the Chief Financial Officer for the Microsoft Business Applications group, and knows exactly where the bodies are buried. Did he tell me? You will have to listen and see. While you may not be familiar with Jeff, he is one of the… Continue Reading Steve Mordue MVP’s Article...
Power Platform and the Definition of Done – Steve Mordue
One of the sessions at D365 Saturday Philadelphia this past weekend was “Managing a D365 CE Project” by Jennyfer Hogeland, it was a great session. On one of her slides she described “Definition of Done”, and that phrase stuck in my head. Done I don’t know about you, but when I hear the word “Done”, I assume something has completed. When I am “done” with a meal at a… Continue Reading Steve Mordue MVP’s Article on their...
Are you brave enough to ask your customers how you are doing? – Steve Mordue
I am currently in the software consulting business supporting Microsoft’s Power Platform. As you may know, I write about it a lot, but for this post I wanted to veer off a little bit from my typical subject matter. Instead I wanted to talk about customers, and their experiences with companies that provide services. Epiphany I was talking to one of our customer-facing people a few… Continue Reading Steve Mordue MVP’s...
PowerApps – Why Spreadsheets Suck – Steve Mordue
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. 1-2-3 The first spreadsheet software I actually used was called 1-2-3 from Lotus, back around 1985. I created all sorts of… Continue Reading Steve Mordue MVP’s Article on...
Common Data Service – Strategies and Silos – Steve Mordue
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 endless? Quick Primer I previously wrote about the Common Data Service here, but let’s have a… Continue Reading Steve Mordue MVP’s Article on...