Optimization Advisor: A winning new Workspace in Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations

April 25 2019

The Optimization Advisor workspace was introduced with Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations (D365FO) version 8.0 and it has proved itself very useful in providing practical help for a company that is “live” on the system. In the workspace's url identifies this as a “self healing” workspace, but that is not entirely true. The user has to "take action" on "optimization opportunities" that certain validation rules are detecting.

selfhealingworkspace

The standard help is found here. (A video is included.)

The workspace looks quite simple.

optimization_opportunities_and_impacts

The workspace displays “opportunities” for optimization, but that includes basic “housekeeping” disciplines. A few examples of basic housekeeping are as follows.

Make sure your calendars do not run out:

extend_calendar_days_to_complete_business_tasks

If you click "More information" you see this:

take_action_to_open_calendars_page

If "Take action" is clicked, the system will bring user to the calendar so more working times can be created for the future. After having taken action, the opportunity disappears from the list.

Here is another example. Make sure your number sequences do not run out.

About Evert Bos

I am Evert J Bos, ERP consultant since 1986. I started in Europe with IMS7 (A Honeywell Bull Mainframe ERP system) and the BaaN ERP system. Since 1995 I have worked in the USA and since 2004 I have been working with Dynamics AX.  I work for Sikich and focus mostly on manufacturing companies that make complex, engineered products.

More about Evert Bos