Welcome to a new teaching series where I take my longtime friend Derek on a journey from complete coding beginner to understanding Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations. This isn’t your typical tutorial series, this is about watching someone with zero technical background learn one of the most powerful ERP systems in the enterprise world.

Who am I going to be teaching?

Derek comes from a world far removed from databases and code. A Purdue graduate with a degree in Aviation Management and a minor in Organizational Leadership and Supervision, he even earned his private pilot’s license during college. His career has been grounded in real-world business operations, nine years in service and sales with ag retail after starting in logistics with an aerial application firm. Today, he manages a small airport while continuing to work with aerial applicators in logistics and sales.

His coding experience? By his own admission: “0.001%”

Derek has tinkered with basic loops and if/then statements, played some coding games online and on the Switch, but that’s where his technical experience ends.

What is the D365FO market and what type of companies use it?

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations is an ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system. A fancy way of saying software that collects data, enforces data integrity, and enables informed business decisions. The D365FO product line isn’t for small businesses; we’re talking about enterprises with $200 million or more in revenue. (If you’re working with smaller businesses, Microsoft offers Business Central, which is a completely different product line and not covered in this series.)

The industry is structured around several key players:

Microsoft owns and maintains the product line, providing continuous updates and enhancements.

Implementation Partners handle the heavy lifting of consulting services. They conduct gap analysis (identifying where standard features don’t meet business needs), customize the product, and manage the complex data migration process. Most companies use partners rather than relying solely on internal resources.

ISVs (Independent Software Vendors) build specialized solutions for common gaps in the system. For example, FastPath focuses specifically on security and compliance needs.

End Users (The Customers) are the companies implementing the product. The best recipe for success in implementations is having a strong internal team of power users who can vet tickets and communicate intelligently with partners, creating a balanced collaborative relationship.

Why learn D365FO?

According to the 2023 Nigel Frank survey of professionals working on Microsoft Dynamics products, the earning potential is substantial. This survey covers people working for partners, end users, and contractors across the United States.

Even at the junior level, professionals can approach six figures. While these numbers skew slightly high due to major markets like New York and California being included, the message is clear: this skillset pays well. The reason it pays well is companies are making crucial business decisions based on data in these systems. These companies value speed and accuracy when implementing and maintaining their ERP.

For those in technical roles, remote work is not just possible, it’s common. I’ve been working remotely for about 17 years in this industry. While there’s typically some initial on-site work during implementations to understand business processes and meet stakeholders, and occasional conference attendance, the majority of technical work can be done from anywhere. The exception might be specialized projects like handheld device integration with barcode scanning, but these are the outliers.

Where can you watch this series?

Ready to learn Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations from the ground up? Follow along as Derek transforms from a coding beginner to an ERP professional!

You can follow the series on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkBkUhaE-CdRCUdddCuRBC-cAxGWGtn8Z

You can find even more videos on: https://www.youtube.com/@TRJHTECH

We’ll be releasing lessons regularly, complete with homework assignments and supplemental content. Have questions? Drop them in the comments on any video, your question might even become its own dedicated tutorial!