DynamicsCon LIVE Review – A User Speaker Perspective on Sessions, Expo, Networking and Value

David Wheat attended Microsoft Dynamics user events for many years as a corporate Director of IT. He was at DynamicsCon LIVE 2022 as an independent "fractional CIO" for multiple organizations that run Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central.

David has been to events on both sides of the podium, as a user and a speaker, and was willing to share his perspective on what makes DynamicsCon LIVE special.

Q: Why did you attend DynamicsCon LIVE, and how did it compare to previous user conferences?

"I still need to know what is happening in Dynamics BC, best practices, tips and tricks, but now for different reasons.

I get more value out of smaller events. When Microsoft still owned the conferences, there would be thousands of people and hundreds of sessions. It was like going to the Golden Coral buffet. There were too many choices, and I always felt like I was missing out on something.

At DynamicsCon LIVE, there was a dedicated track for Dynamics 365 Business Central. I stayed there and never missed a thing. In 2023, I believe they will double the number of sessions with a second track, but that is still a manageable number of choices. The speakers were MVPs and All-Stars, and the quality was very high.

On the other hand, I sometimes think the sessions are just a way to meet people. You always take a nugget or two home from a good session. But the real value of in-person events is connecting with people you can stay in touch with to ask questions and share ideas.

Q: How do you feel about the networking opportunities at DynamicsCon LIVE?

"I prefer quality over quantity. At a larger event, there are more people you can meet. However, finding the people you really want to talk to can be challenging.

I like swapping cards with other IT leaders or Business Central users, specifically in the food industry. At a smaller event, I know who they are. I see them repeatedly, and it is easy to approach them.

It is easier to interact with the subject matter experts and MVPs because there are no long lines of folks waiting to talk to them. I can ask questions during the sessions or speak to them one-on-one.

DynamicsCon LIVE has a very close-knit community feel. Because of the size, it’s less intimidating to approach the speakers, experts and other attendees, so you really get to know everyone very well by the end of the event.”

Q: Is there still value in the expo experience at a small event?

"The sponsors of DynamicsCon were not in a formal "expo hall." Instead, their displays lined the hallways, making them very accessible. Since I was not running from one side of a convention center to another to get a seat in the next session, I had time to browse and speak with them during the breaks.

I am a bit of a wet blanket when it comes to "booth bingo" games and collecting swag. But some of my former colleagues love that, and they had fun."

Q: Why do you think in-person events are still important in this online era?

"I'm amazed at what we can do remotely, but I don't believe we can do everything remotely.

During COVID, I was involved in a big project implementing Dynamics BC at a factory. We did a lot of it online, but we had to go to the factory and train people. We still needed to stand right in front of people and have a back-and-forth dialogue.

At DynamicsCon LIVE, I had some excellent personal conversations. I had the opportunity to ask questions and have one-on-one discussions about specific business problems. I could not have had that in an awkward online breakout room.

Frankly, many discussions happen organically, around the breakfast or lunch table. When you sit with a bunch of people you've never met and start asking where they are from and what they do, you inevitably realize you have a lot in common. Those interactions can't be replaced with an online event or recorded training. Because the venue is small, there is more time just to sit and talk."

Q: Was the event well organized and of good value?

The DynamicsCon leadership seems strong. As a speaker this year, I found it well organized, and communication was clear.

Attendees want the event to flow well with interesting content, good food, and strong Wi-Fi. Whatever madness it takes to make that happen should appear effortless to them. That makes a successful event.

The venue was beautiful, and everything was top-notch."

Q: Will you attend DynamicsCon LIVE 2023?

Yes, I have already made plans to attend in Scottsdale. The organizers were smart to move the event to Spring instead of the busy Fall event season.

About DynamicsCon LIVE

DynamicsCon LIVE, hosted by Dynamics User Group, will be held May 22nd-25th in sunny Scottsdale, Arizona! It will be a three-day, multi-track event with over 110 sessions focused on Dynamics GP, Power Platform, Dynamics 365 Business Central, Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations, and Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement.

Join fellow community members for an educational and engaging in-person conference.

Details and Registration

The ERP/CRM Software Blogs are proud to support DynamicsCon.

To date, DynamicsCon LIVE has 22 Title and Gold sponsors registered, with more every day. I am happy to see that this already includes 15 ERP Software Blog members. We encourage you to visit these companies at the 2023 DynamicsCon LIVE event.

• Innovia
• Insight Works
• Experlogix
• Mekorma
• Kwiktag
• Netronic
• Netstock
• keCommerce
• Fastpath
• Accelerynt
• Tipalti
• Blue Moon
• Cavallo
• Sana Commerce
• Vicinity

By Anya Ciecierski, ERP Software Blog. www.erpsoftwareblog.com

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