Most Dynamics 365 projects that go wrong were sold well. The proposal was polished, the demo was smooth, and the people in the demo were not the people who turned up to do the work. The twelve questions below are the ones we would ask if we were buying. A good partner answers them in writing without hesitation.
About the people
- Who, by name, will run the workshops and the configuration? Ask for the names and ask to meet them before signing. If the answer is “a team will be assigned”, the people in the demo are not your team.
- How many Dynamics 365 projects has that person delivered in our industry and our modules? Finance experience does not transfer to warehousing, and Customer Engagement experience does not transfer to Finance & Operations.
- Who is accountable if the named consultant leaves mid-project?
About the scope
- What is explicitly excluded? Data migration, integrations, reports, training and hypercare are the usual gaps. A proposal that lists exclusions is more honest than one that does not.
- Which of our requirements will be met with standard functionality, and which need customisation? Ask for the list. Every customisation is a cost at every future update.
- How is a change to scope handled and priced?
About the method
- How many data migration trial runs are in the plan? One is a warning sign. Three or four with reconciliation reports is normal.
- Who writes the test scripts, and from what? Scripts written from your processes by your process owners, with the partner’s help, catch what matters. Scripts written by the partner from the configuration test the demo.
- How is go-live timed against our financial close? If the partner has not asked about your close calendar, ask why.
About afterwards
- What does hypercare include and when does it end?
- What does ongoing support look like: named person or ticket queue, response times by severity, update wave testing? See what good support covers.
- Can we see the documentation from a previous project? Not the proposal: the blueprint, the cutover plan, the handover. It shows what you will actually receive.
The one-page test
Ask the partner to write, in one page, what they understood about your business from the first meeting. The partners who deliver can do it. The ones who sell send another deck.
What good answers sound like
| Question | Good answer | Warning sign |
|---|---|---|
| Who will do the work? | Names, roles, and a meeting before signing | “We will assign a team” |
| What is excluded? | A written list: migration runs, integrations, reports, training, hypercare, each marked in or out | “Everything you need is included” |
| Standard vs custom? | A fit-gap register with a recommendation per gap | “We can build anything” |
| Migration runs? | Three or four trial loads with reconciliation reports signed by finance | “Migration happens on the go-live weekend” |
| Test scripts? | Written with your process owners from real scenarios | “We have a standard test pack” |
| Go-live timing? | A date chosen with your close calendar in hand | A date chosen to fit the partner’s calendar |
| After go-live? | Named support contact, response times by severity, update wave testing | “Raise a ticket on our portal” |
Questions the partner should ask you
The interview runs both ways. A partner who intends to deliver asks about your month-end calendar, your busiest season, your integrations, who owns each process, what went wrong last time, and what “done” means to the finance director. If the first meeting is a product demo with no questions, the proposal that follows is a template.
Before you sign
- Get the names in the contract, with a clause about replacement
- Attach the scope and exclusions list to the contract, not to an email
- Agree how change requests are estimated and approved before the first one arrives
- Agree the hypercare end condition in writing
- Ask for the support arrangement as a separate, priced document so you can compare it later
Want an independent view of a proposal you already have? See the consulting engagement or book a consultation.
Frequently asked
Should we choose a large partner or a small one?
Choose the people, not the logo. A large partner can bring depth across modules; a small one gives you the senior person throughout. Ask who, by name, will do the work either way.
Is a fixed price better than time and materials?
A fixed price is only meaningful with a fixed, written scope. Without one, a fixed price becomes a change-request negotiation. A clear scope matters more than the pricing model.
What if the partner will not name the consultant?
Treat it as an answer. The person who runs your workshops decides the quality of the project more than any other factor.