D365 live training

Staff Development & Training

As the Instructional Designer for System Pavers, I create staff development and training. For example: System Pavers started its nationwide expansion in 2023 and that expansion required an upgrade of all its accounting and sales software. This led to a company-wide implementation of Microsoft Dynamics 365 (D365) CE and F&O During the Dynamics 365 implementation, I've created and led virtual and in-person training.

Dynamics 365 Implementation Training

On-Site Training

Our initial rollout was to the Contact Center on-site in California

Virtual Live Training

Our subsequent rollouts to each of the Branches is ongoing and has been virtual

Tools:

PowerPoint, Teams, D365 FO Sandbox, Digital Quick Reference Guides

Situation

With a reduction in L&D staff, I became the project lead for the D365 FO implementation for our Operations staff.

Challenges:

Learn D365 FO after the team's D365 FO project lead was let go.
Limited access to the D365 FO SME (VP of Operations)

Task

Train all Construction Managers and assist with training Project Managers at all four Texas branches.

Challenges:

Each team (branch) would be logging in from the branch office in their respective cities.
Mixed, but mostly low tech savvy users.

Action

A four-pronged approach: inform, illustrate, demonstrate, and simulate.

PowerPoint (inform): provide background on what D365 is, and provide an overview of the two weeks of training (three four-hour sessions).

Digital Quick Reference Guides (illustrate): I created guides using the Tango.us app. This provided the learners screenshots and click-by-click steps for each of the real-world tasks.

Teams (demonstrate): learners were logged into Teams, on their laptops. There was also a big screen TV at each location providing a view of the Teams meeting. I demonstrated the steps for each task in D365 as the learners watched.

D365 Sandbox (simulate): after demonstrating a real-world task (for instance, how to create a Work Order), participants replicated the task in the sandbox practice environment.

Logistics:

Construction Managers

In Teams I presented a brief overview of what I would be training using PowerPoint. I then shared my screen and demonstrated a task in the D365 Sandbox. Each person had been instructed to have the QRG for the given task open on their laptop while watching my movements on the big screen TV. Once I finished demonstrating, I called on a volunteer to share their screen. I would then instruct the person step-by-step on what how to complete the task I just demonstrated. While I was doing this, everyone else was to be following my instructions and completing task in the Sandbox.

Project Managers

Mentored a junior team member on use of D365 FO. She led the training of the PMs while I provided support in the chat by dropping links and fielding questions. During my Construction Manager sessions she provided chat support.

Result

I provided a follow up surveys at the end of each of the three sessions. The response to the training was extremely positive. I received all 5/5 on all survey questions pertaining to instruction, instructor knowledge, and instructor preparation. The numbers were not quite as good for people's impressions about Microsoft D365 FO interface and intuitiveness, but new tech is not always readily embraced.

Tools:
PowerPoint, Teams, D365 CRM Sandbox, Digital Quick Reference Guides

Situation

As Project Manager and Instructional Designer for the implementation of the D365 CE, I was responsible for developing a plan with my co-project manager for a two-day training session in California. These sessions were for the Contact Center staff. We needed to provide in-person training on Day 1 for nine people, and virtual live training for 16 people on Day 2.

Challenges:

We were not provided any Train-the-Trainer sessions, so we had to learn the system from exploration, research and limited SME notes.
Need learners to have two screens for training: one to practice in the D365 Sandbox, and one to access the Quick Reference Guides (QRGs) on the SharePoint intranet.

Task

For the Day 1 in-person session, train learners in the D365 Sandbox using digital QRGs on SharePoint.

For the Day 2, virtual session, use the same materials from Day 1, but adapt them to an online-only format.

Action

A four-pronged approach: inform, illustrate, demonstrate, and simulate.

PowerPoint (inform): was used to give an overview of a task or function that was being discussed, and was projected on the overhead screen.

Digital Quick Reference Guides (illustrate): my team and I created guides using the Tango.us app. This provided the learners screenshots and click-by-click steps for each of the real-world tasks.

Teams (demonstrate): learners were logged into Teams, where I demonstrated the steps for each task in D365 as the learners watched.

D365 Sandbox (simulate): after demonstrating a real-world task (for instance, how to book an appointment), participants replicated the task in the sandbox practice environment.

Logistics:

In-Person Training

My co-worker presented the PowerPoint and provided an overview of what I would be teaching. I then demonstrated a task in the D365 Sandbox via Teams. Each person was paired with a partner to practice each task. One partner pulled up the QRG on their laptop, while the other partner replicated the steps on their laptop in the D365 Sandbox. Then, the partners switched roles and completed the same task again.

Virtual Training

In Teams, my co-worker presented the PowerPoint and provided an overview of what I would be training. I then shared my screen and demonstrated a task in the D365 Sandbox. Each person had been instructed to have the QRG for the given task open on one screen and watch my movements on the other. Once I finished demonstrating, they were given 5-10 mins to recreate the same task in the Sandbox while referencing their QRG.

Result

We provided two follow up surveys at the end of instruction. The response to our training was extremely positive. The marketing specialist who creates SOPs for the Contact Center wrote the director of L & D to let her know how impressed she was with the instruction, the resources and the pacing. Consequently, our CTO/CAO sent me a thank you note two days later and a gift of 2 bottles of wine!