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MSDW Podcast: Why a free(er) Dynamics Learning Portal matters to Microsoft customers and partners

by Jason Gumpert
Editor, MSDynamicsWorld.com

We welcome back Gus Gonzalez, founder and CEO of Elev8 Solutions, host of the CRM MVP Podcast, and a Microsoft MVP, to chat about his recent article discussing Microsoft's decision to open up access to the Dynamics Learning Portal, or DLP, making it free for partners and customers with premier support. The article generated some responses from readers, so we dive into the DLP discussion in more detail, taking on those issues as well as more of a comparison of what DLP offers versus other types of training and why more open access to DLP should serve as a competitive advantage for Microsoft in the marketplace.

Show notes:

  • 2:00 – Reviewing the history of DLP for partners and
  • 6:30 – Who's writing DLP content anyway?
  • 8:45 – How to sign up for DLP access and what you'll find inside
  • 13:30 – Why make DLP free when it was already relatively inexpensive for partners?
  • 17:15 – Is DLP really free for partners and premier support customers?
  • 23:00 – The idea behind producing "Two-Minute Tuesday" educational videos
  • 24:15 – Why there is still a need for independent training in addition to DLP
  • 34:00 – Why training remains such a hot topic – as a free and paid service
  • 37:50 – The connection between DLP and Microsoft certifications
  • 40:00 – Finding the balance between training and prepping for exams
  • 41:15 – Why Gus developed the Black Belt training series and why it has changed over time
Business Central Customer Engagement Dynamics 365 Dynamics AX Dynamics CRM Dynamics Learning Portal Finance and Operations MSDW Podcast MVP Training
About Jason Gumpert

As the editor of MSDynamicsWorld.com, Jason oversees all editorial content on the site and at our events, as well as providing site management and strategy. He can be reached at jgumpert@msdynamicsworld.com.

Prior to co-founding MSDynamicsWorld.com, Jason was a Principal Software Consultant at Parametric Technology Corporation (PTC), where he implemented solutions, trained customers, managed software development, and spent some time in the pre-sales engineering organization. He has also held consulting positions at CSC Consulting and Monitor Group.

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