Dynamics 365 Free Trial Guide
Are you trying to figure out how to get your hands on a Dynamics 365 free trial? You’re not alone. I monitor our website’s live chat, and I’ve had more than a few visitors searching for a 30-day spin. In this blog article, I’m going to give you the run-down on Dynamics 365 trials: where to find them, how to access them, and some tips.
How Free Dynamics 365 Trials Work
When you sign up for any Microsoft trial, Microsoft will ask for your business email/account. They do this so that they can check your email’s domain (i.e. @encorebusiness.com) for an existing subscription, such as Office 365.
If one is found, you’ll be able to access Dynamics 365 straight from the Office 365 portal. It also subjects your use to company administrator policy, and allows for subscriptions to be added to your existing account if you decide to subscribe after the trial.
Overall, this is a pretty great system as it is secure, efficient, and allows for continuity. You should be wary of any online forms that promise you a free trial that aren’t on an official Microsoft website. These are often setup by other partners and these forms probably won’t offer you immediate access to the Dynamics 365 software.
Some Drawbacks of Free Trials
Before I go too negative, Microsoft has recently improved the trial experience by leaps and bounds. However, here are some challenges you might face:
No Data – There isn’t always sample data in your Dynamics environment, which means that you might log in and it won’t be immediately obvious what it really feels like to use on a daily basis.
No Configuration – Your Dynamics 365 trial environment may not be set up in a way that makes sense for you; or it might not be set up at all. You might want to see what Dynamics 365 can do in a specific business/industry scenario – this can be difficult when the configuration options are blank or generic.
No Integrations – The number one reason to use Dynamics 365 is its integration with other Microsoft products like Power BI, Microsoft Flow, and Microsoft Office 365. If you don’t have these subscriptions, it can be difficult to see the “whole picture” of Dynamics 365.
No Clue – Dynamics 365 trials don’t always provide you with the best on-boarding introductions. I’ve signed up for trials in the past, and they sometimes just dump you into the new software, unequipped to use it.
The Solution – This is where Encore comes in. Contact us to set up a pilot solution, or to get a tailored demo. You can also check out these Dynamics 365 playlists on Youtube to get an idea of the user interface and basic functions.
Official Dynamics 365 Trial Links
Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations Trial
Business Edition
If you’re looking to try out Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations, Business Edition here’s a link to the Microsoft trial page:
Enterprise Edition
Here’s the link to try out Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations, Enterprise Edition. Unfortunately, the text on the page doesn’t actually indicate what product you’re signing up for. I’ve tested it out though, and it works fine.
This link should provide you with everything under the “Unified Operations” plan (includes Dynamics 365 for Talent and Retail).
Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement Plan Trial
Are you wanting to try out any of the following products?
- Dynamics 365 for Sales, Enterprise Edition
- Dynamics 365 for Customer Service, Enterprise Edition
- Dynamics 365 for Project Service Automation
- Dynamics 365 for Field Service
Use the link below. It will set up an environment with all four products so you can check out how they work on their own, or together.
No Trial Links
I haven’t been able to find links that work for the following products. Stay tuned or contact us for a demo!
- Dynamics 365 for Sales, Business Edition
- Dynamics 365 for Marketing, Business Edition
- Dynamics 365 for Customer Service, Business Edition
- Dynamics 365 for Customer Insights
- Standalone Trials of Dynamics 365 for Retail or Talent
Getting the Most Out of Your Free Trial
First, make sure you take the time to get oriented with the core user interface. Many a trial is spoiled because the new interface might feel confusing or foreign. There are plenty of videos and training materials available – but I’ve found that time with the product is the most important thing.
You should also add some other users to the system. Microsoft allows you to add coworkers to most trials. You should add them so you can see what it’s like to assign records to individuals and collaborate on work. This step is often skipped by trial-ers, but I recommend that you do this early on! Bring your teammates on board so you have a shared interest in figuring out how Dynamics 365 can work for you.
Next, take some time just to add records if none exist. If you’re trying out Dynamics 365 for Sales, figure out how to add at least 4-5 leads. If you’re using Dynamics 365 for Project Services Automation, add a few projects, and so on. Once you have a little data in the system, you can start playing with scenarios – “how do I qualify this opportunity”, or “how do I process this order”, etc.
Finally, don’t hesitate to ask questions. Microsoft might be responsive to your questions, but you can always contact Encore, especially if you’re wondering how we’d approach using Dynamics 365 for your specific needs.
Conclusion
Microsoft has worked hard to improve their Dynamics 365 trial experience. You can sign up to try most products free for 30 days; this will give you the ability to get a feel for the user interface and basic features. However, if you want to get the full experience of Dynamics 365 – or you want to see something very specific – you might be better off contacting a Dynamics Partner for a demo or pilot implementation. Good luck!
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