The MSDW Podcast

Community Summit North America 2026 offered Microsoft Dynamics and Power Platform customers a chance to get product updates, learn from other customers, and get the latest guidance from subject matter experts.  It's one of the biggest Dynamics-focused events in the world, and to learn more about the themes that drove the conversation this year, MSDW spoke with four veterans for the community about what they learned from Microsoft's presentations, what they heard from audiences in their own sessions, and other observations on both technology and ecosystem themes that will have an impact through the next year.
We discuss:
Headline messages from Microsoft that showed up across the event
Work IQ's progress as a foundational AI service
Other AI progress from Microsoft
Other real concerns of customers at Summit like traditional user adoption, security, and business process
The breadth of product and service updates from both Microsoft and other vendors in the space
Our guests in this episode are:
Elif Item, CEO at Item by Item
Susana Ramos,  Director of Marketings Services at Coffee + Dunn
Asif Rehmani, CEO at VisualSP
Frank Vukovits, Chief Data Scientist at Delinea

This episode is sponsored by insightsoftware.
Not everyone approaches the use of AI the same way, and when it comes to building and running critical reporting against a Dynamics ERP solution, business users need an approach that they can believe in.
Our guest on this episode, Jason Carter of insightsoftware, is a veteran of Microsoft's ERP ecosystem and has been thinking a lot recently about how conversational AI can positively impact typical reporting work. We discuss the range of experiences he has had, from working with commercial AI tools on their own to the purpose-built capabilities that insightworks has incorporated into their solutions for Dynamics customers.
Jason discusses the workflows that are proving useful for him today in terms of running reports, setting alerts, and retrieving data. And he offers advice for anyone who want to start adding some of the same techniques into their own reporting process.
More from insightsoftware:
MSDW Webcast on Oct 22 - https://msdynamicsworld.com/event/beyond-buzzwords-live-look-ai-finance
Reporting Intelligence Flyover Video:  https://www.insightsoftware.com/resources/reporting-intelligence-ui-flyover/?utm_source=partnermarketing&utm_medium=partner&utm_campaign=2026-10-07_GBL_MDSW_Podcast_1&partnerref=MDSW

This episode is sponsored by PayTrace.
Accountants working with Dynamics 365 Business Central face a unique set of challenges related to receivables. Corey Green and Sam Johnson from PayTrace join us on this episode to share both real-world experiences and the role of embedded payments, both in terms of the technology and the merchants who use it.  
We discuss recent enhancements to PayTrace's Trace AR for Business Central and guidance that Corey brings to the team based on his years in the Microsoft community serving in various customer and partner roles, including as an accountant.
And with Summit North America 2026 coming up, Sam and Corey share details about PayTrace's presence and activities.
More from PayTrace:
Visit PayTrace at Community Summit in Nashville, October 11-15 in booth 1408, or contact Corey at corey.green@paytrace.com to discuss how PayTrace can help simplify monthly reconciliation and collections for your business.

This episode is sponsored by AlfaPeople.
Global Dynamics 365 ERP projects face unique challenges as teams work across varying locales with unique characteristics and requirements.
Our guests on this episode, Craig Shaneck and Marcel Ruf from AlfaPeople, have seen the realities and challenges of global ERP rollouts. They tell us about some of the underlying challenges that any international project can face, such as cultural and operational differences. But other factors like language, terminology, and management styles should also be factored into a plan, they advise.
Craig and Marcel tell us the importance of focusing on business process alignment and the use of a global template with Dynamics 365 F&SCM. And they advise that execution plans can expose unexpected risks, like assuming the complexity of any one locale when attempting to harmonize processes. 
They also offer guidance on balancing the push for global consistency with the need for regional flexibility, the realities of negotiating on process details, and the importance of cultural understanding.
Show notes:
AlfaPeople's new eBook on ERP and international growth: https://msdynamicsworld.com/white-paper/your-erp-quietly-limiting-your-international-growth
If your organization is planning an international ERP rollout, visit alfapeople.com/us/contact to connect with AlfaPeople's international implementation experts.

As we wrap up MSDW's coverage of Directions for Enterprise 2026, we are joined for a recap podcast with Microsoft MVP Dag Calafell. Dag attended the event in Copenhagen, and we in this episode we discuss some of the core themes of the event including Microsoft's product plans, outlook on the partner opportunity, and how AI could change the nature of Dynamics 365 ERP projects and partner teams.
Dag tells us that one of his hopes is that as AI matures it will allow partners to accelerate project work so they can achieve more of their desired goals more quickly rather than focusing on launching minimal viable products.
But he believes partners also have questions about the future, like how a focus on AI will impact talent development and how it will be reflected in customer perspective on ERP investment outcomes.
More information:
•        MSDW's Directions for Enterprise 2026 coverage: https://msdynamicsworld.com/directions-enterprise-2026
•        Dag on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dagcalafell3/
•        Dag's blog: https://www.calafell.me/