Quick Summary
Choosing the right Microsoft Dynamics 365 partner comes down to evidence. The right partner has relevant industry experience, references you can check, a clear method, a named team, and fair commercial terms. This guide shows how to define your needs, score partners on the same criteria, spot red flags, and compare proposals so you choose on evidence and not on a good demo.
Define What You Need Before You Talk to Anyone
Partners can only be compared fairly against a clear set of requirements. Before you contact anyone, write down:
- Scope. Which Dynamics 365 apps do you plan to use, and which processes and entities are in scope.
- Systems. What you run today and which systems must connect to Dynamics 365.
- Data. What data do you want to bring over, and how clean is it?
- Timeline. Any fixed dates, such as a year-end or a contract end.
- Your team. Who will work on the project, how much time they have, and who decides?
If you are unsure whether you need a new implementation or a move from an older system, read our guide to Dynamics 365 implementation vs migration.
Evaluation Criteria
Use the same criteria for every partner. For each one, look at what good looks like and what to ask.
Industry and Process Experience
Partners who know your industry understand your processes and common pitfalls. This is the criterion experienced buyers mention most often. – What good looks like: projects in your industry and of a similar size, described in specific terms. – Ask: Which similar customers have you worked with? What did you do differently for them?
Microsoft Credentials
Microsoft recognizes partners through partner designations, including one for business applications, and individual consultants can hold Microsoft certifications. Check the current names and requirements on Microsoft’s partner pages before you rely on them. – What good looks like: a current designation for business applications and consultants certified on the apps you will use. – Ask: Which designations do you hold? Which certified people will work on our project?
Methodology
A clear method shows how the partner will keep the project on track. – What good looks like: defined phases, deliverables, governance and testing, ideally aligned with Microsoft’s implementation guidance. – Ask: How do you run a project from start to go-live? What do you deliver at each phase?
Team and Named Resources
The people on your project matter more than the people in the sales meeting. – What good looks like: named roles and named people, with a plan if someone leaves. – Ask: Who will lead and work on our project? Will they be the same people who present to us?
Integration and Power Platform Skills
Most projects need Dynamics 365 to connect to other systems, and many also use Power Platform for reports, apps and automation. – What good looks like: clear integration patterns and examples of connected systems. – Ask: How will you integrate with our existing systems? Who maintains the integrations after go-live?
ISV Apps vs Customization
Experienced practitioners prefer standard features and proven add-on apps over custom code where possible, because customization adds cost and upgrade effort. – What good looks like: a partner who configures first, recommends existing apps where they fit and customizes only when needed. – Ask: When do you recommend custom development? How do you handle upgrades?
Support After Go-Live
The project does not end at go-live. Your team will need help in the first weeks and beyond. – What good looks like: a defined hypercare period, a support model and clear response expectations. – Ask: What support do we get after go-live? How do we raise issues, and how fast do you respond?
References
Customers who have lived through a project with the partner can tell you what the sales team cannot. – What good looks like: references of similar size and scope, and a willingness to let you speak to them. – Ask: Can we speak to two customers like us?
Questions to Ask a Dynamics 365 Partner
Use this list in meetings and demos. Each question maps to a criterion above.
- Which customers like us have you worked with, and can we speak to them?
- Who will be on our team, and what are their roles?
- How do you run a project from kickoff to go-live?
- How will you integrate with our existing systems, and who maintains the integrations?
- How do you plan and test data migration?
- When do you recommend customization instead of standard features or an add-on app?
- How do you handle changes to scope, and how are they priced?
- What do you need from our team, and how many hours a week?
- What happens if a key person leaves the project?
- What support do we get after go-live?
- How do you handle Dynamics 365 updates after go-live?
- What would you do differently if you were in our position?
The last question is a useful test. A strong partner will give a specific answer.
Red Flags
Be careful if a partner:
- agrees to every request without discussing trade-offs
- gives vague estimates with no assumptions
- cannot name the team or swaps people after signing
- has no references you can speak to
- pushes you to sign quickly
- has no plan for data migration or testing
- cannot explain what happens after go-live
How to Run the Selection Process
- Shortlist. Choose three partners that fit your industry and size.
- Share your requirements. Send the same document to each, with the same deadline.
- Run a scripted demo. Give each partner your own scenarios, not a generic demo. How they handle your difficult cases shows how they will handle the project.
- Call references. Ask about the team, the surprises and the support after go-live.
- Review the statement of work. Check scope, assumptions, deliverables, roles and how changes are handled.
Prepare your own team for the demos as well. Agree in advance who will attend, what scenarios you will test and how you will score each partner, so that opinions do not drift after the sessions. Write down your scores the same day, while the details are fresh.
Comparing Proposals
A headline price tells you little. Compare what is included and how the partner handles change.
| Model | How it works | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed price | A set fee for a defined scope | Scope that is too narrow, and change orders for anything outside it |
| Time and materials | You pay for the hours used | Open-ended cost; ask for an estimate with assumptions and a cap or review points |
| Phased | The work is split into phases with separate scopes | Make sure each phase has clear deliverables and decision points |
Ask each partner how scope changes are handled, what is excluded, and what the client is expected to do. Many budget problems come from items that the quote left out.
Local vs Global and Specialist vs Generalist Partners
Buyers often ask whether to choose a local or a global Microsoft Dynamics 365 partner. A local partner may be easier to meet and may know local rules and business practices. A global partner may suit projects that span several countries. Neither is better by default. Look at the team that will work on your project, and at their experience with companies like yours.
The same goes for specialists and generalists. A partner that focuses on your industry may need less time to understand your processes. A generalist may have a broader view across industries. Ask each for examples and decide which fits your project.
A Simple Scoring Matrix
Score each partner from 1 to 5 on each criterion, multiply by a weight that reflects what matters to you, and compare the totals.
| Criterion | Weight | Partner A | Partner B | Partner C |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Industry and process experience | ||||
| Microsoft credentials | ||||
| Methodology | ||||
| Team and named resources | ||||
| Integration and Power Platform skills | ||||
| ISV vs customization approach | ||||
| Support after go-live | ||||
| References | ||||
| Commercial terms |
A scorecard also gives management a clear record of why you chose a partner.
Should You Use a Microsoft Dynamics 365 Partner at All?
Some companies have strong internal teams and consider running parts of the project themselves. That can work for narrow, well-understood changes. For a full implementation, a partner brings experience, method and capacity that most internal teams do not have, and the best results often come from a mix: the partner leads, and your team owns decisions and testing.
Next Step
Selecting a Dynamics 365 implementation partner requires more than comparing proposals. Relevant project experience and a clear delivery approach matter.
KAISPE supports Microsoft Dynamics 365 implementations and business application modernization across industries, including distribution, manufacturing, and retail. Explore our BSi Steel customer story or learn more about KAISPE Implementation Services.
Conclusion
Choosing a Dynamics 365 partner is one of the biggest decisions in your project. Define your needs first, use the same criteria for every partner, and check references and the statement of work carefully.
A partner that gives clear answers, names its team and explains how it handles change is usually a better choice than one that says yes to everything.
FAQs
Start by defining your scope, systems and timeline. Then shortlist a few partners, run a scripted demo with your own scenarios, speak to references of similar size and compare proposals on scope, team and change-order terms, not just price.
Ask about experience in your industry, who will be on your team, how they run projects, how they handle integrations and data migration, what happens after go-live and whether you can speak to a similar customer. The questions in this guide give you a full list.
Fees vary with scope, the number of users and entities, data migration, integrations and customization, and with the pricing model the partner uses. Compare proposals on what is included and how scope changes are handled, rather than on one headline number.
Look at the partner’s Microsoft partner designation for business applications, and at the Microsoft certifications held by the consultants who will work on your project. Check the current designation names on Microsoft’s partner pages and ask how the people on your team are certified.
It depends on your needs. A local partner may be easier to meet and may know local rules. A global partner may suit multi-country projects. Industry experience and the quality of the team usually matter more than location.
Three is a common number. It gives you a real comparison without overloading your team. If you have a complex project or a formal procurement process, you may need more.
