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Demand for Dynamics 365 talent has outpaced supply. As more enterprises move core operations to the Microsoft ecosystem, hiring the right professionals has become a critical execution risk. Delays in staffing key roles stall deployments, weaken system performance, and erode trust from business stakeholders.

Every Dynamics 365 hire must be tied directly to a business objective. Before starting the search, define the outcome. Whether the goal is faster financial reporting, improved order accuracy, or unified sales forecasting, each objective must be matched to the right module, skill set, and experience level. Poor hires happen when job scopes are vague or disconnected from delivery.

Within Dynamics 365, Finance, Supply Chain, Sales, Customer Service, and Business Central each require specialized knowledge. A developer who excels in Sales module customization may struggle in a Business Central rollout. Hiring generalists across domains leads to delays, rework, and long-term instability.

When to hire a Functional Consultant

If your primary goal is to improve existing processes, implement standard features, or support business users through change, you’re likely looking for a Functional Consultant. This role focuses on configuring the system to match business workflows and translating user requirements into system capabilities. For example, a Finance Functional Consultant will understand general ledger setup, AP/AR flows, and how to configure financial dimensions to support reporting.

In CRM modules like Sales or Customer Service, a Functional Consultant will map lead qualification paths or case management workflows, ensuring they align with your frontline teams’ day-to-day needs. They rarely write code, but they should understand what’s possible out-of-the-box and when to involve Developers.

Candidates holding certifications like MB-310 (Finance) or MB-800 (Business Central) typically have foundational knowledge, but what matters most is whether they’ve implemented those modules in an environment similar to yours. Always ask for direct examples of business problems they’ve solved, not just what configurations they’ve performed.

When a Developer is essential to delivery

If your project requires system extensions, data integrations, or custom business logic, you’ll need a Developer. This role focuses on writing code to adapt Dynamics 365 beyond its native capabilities. Developers often work closely with Functional Consultants, building features that consultants can’t configure through settings alone.

Common developer tasks include integrating Dynamics with external platforms, creating custom plugins, extending forms, or writing logic in X++ for Finance and Operations apps. In CRM-focused environments, this could involve scripting with JavaScript, writing .NET plugins, or building Power Platform components like Power Automate flows and custom connectors.

Look for candidates who understand both Dynamics 365 and the surrounding Microsoft stack—especially Azure services. Certification like MB-500 (Finance and Operations Developer) is useful, but more important is whether the developer can explain how they’ve built and deployed scalable, maintainable customizations. Ask them how they’ve handled performance issues, regression testing, and release management in a production Dynamics environment.

How Solution Architects protect long-term outcomes

When the scope of your implementation crosses multiple business units or involves complex design decisions, you’ll need a Solution Architect. This role is accountable for the integrity of the overall system design and its alignment to business outcomes. Solution Architects advise on which modules to use, how data should flow across systems, and how to balance configuration, customization, and integrations.

They also coordinate the efforts of Functional Consultants and Developers, ensuring work is aligned to a coherent strategy. Without this role, organizations risk duplicating efforts, creating brittle workarounds, or building solutions that fail to scale.

A strong Solution Architect will have experience leading multiple enterprise Dynamics 365 deployments. They should be able to explain their approach to system governance, data modeling, integration patterns, and change control. The MB-700 certification (Finance and Operations Solution Architect) signals a foundational understanding, but the key is whether they’ve actually made these decisions in complex environments.