Microsoft Dynamics 365 Project Operations book review

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Project Operations: Deliver profitable projects with effective project planning and productive operational workflows by Robert Houdeshell
https://www.linkedin.com/in/roberthoudeshell/

Dynamics 365 Project Operations is a very complex business application. Books written about Dynamics 365 tend to be written for the technical specialist around the tasks to implement and customize the app, this book is very much aimed at the people who will use Dynamics 365 Project Operations, the practice manager, the salesperson, the project manager, the resource manager, and individual project contributors. The style of writing reflects the intended audience for the book.

This book is very much a how to properly make use the Dynamics 365 Project Operations app to get the most out of the app for your organization. Although Dynamics 365 Project Operations can use used by many different types of project orientated organizations, it does tend to focus on professional services organizations rather than on engineering and constructions projects.

The book starts with a general introduction to projects and Project Operations functionality, what is involved in selling and running projects, and the challenges faced coordinating projects within organizations across different systems.

The book then provides an understanding how Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365, and the Power Platform fit together to allow users to collaborate in an end-to-end solution for managing projects.

There is a lot involved in setting up Dynamics 365 Project Operations, and the book explains the different deployment models, and the steps involved.

The book then switches to explain how project sales are made with opportunities, quotes, and contracts. It explains the how you can include both project-based lines and product-based lines on opportunities and quotes. I think I would have liked more explanation on different contract types, and when the bills are generated as this is quite a complex area but what is provided is a good introduction to this topic.

We then explore how project managers use the Dynamics 365 Projects Operations app. This is probably the most valuable chapters in the book as they explain how projects are resourced and revenues forecasted. It shows how the resource manager allocates resources to multiple projects balancing across all project resource requests. This is where Dynamics 365 Projects Operations can really make a difference for organizations that run multiple parallel projects.

Capturing time and expenses on projects are essential for managing projects. The book shows how project team members can record their time and expenses against project items. The book then shows how approvals turn into actuals that are applied and billed against the project.

I like there is a link to a series of short videos that demonstrate some of the functionality as it takes a lot to setup Project Operations for yourself to be able to see how the applications actually works. So, if you are interested in adopting Dynamics 365 Project Operations within your organization this is a good resource to help you understand what is involved and what it might look like.

The book finishes off with using the billing functionality in Dynamics 365 Project Operations and then producing reports and analysis of project profitability.

One bit of advice if you are starting with Project Operations is to read this book from start to finish before starting your deployment. There are lots of little nuggets of information spread around the chapters and if you simply follow the book as you are creating and managing your project, then, for instance, when you get to the final chapter on billing you will realize there are some settings you should have probably set on your project contract beforehand.

This book is a good reference for setting and managing projects using Dynamics 365 Project Operations and provides much needed guidance for users with the key roles on projects.

You can purchase direct from Packt https://www.packtpub.com/product/microsoft-dynamics-365-project-operations/9781801072076 or from Amazon https://packt.live/3ozTMrD