{"id":1615,"date":"2025-11-24T23:01:15","date_gmt":"2025-11-24T23:01:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.axsoftware.co.uk\/?page_id=1615"},"modified":"2026-05-01T11:46:22","modified_gmt":"2026-05-01T11:46:22","slug":"d365-hr-or-standalone-hcm","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.axsoftware.co.uk\/index.php\/d365-hr-or-standalone-hcm\/","title":{"rendered":"D365 HR or Standalone HCM"},"content":{"rendered":"<\/div><\/div><\/div><!-- close content main div --><\/div><\/div><div id='av_section_1' class='avia-section main_color avia-section-default avia-no-border-styling av-section-color-overlay-active avia-bg-style-scroll    container_wrap sidebar_right' style = 'background-color: #263557; background-image: linear-gradient(to right,#30769e,#0b50ef)'  ><div class='av-section-color-overlay-wrap'><div class='av-section-color-overlay' style='opacity: 0.9; background-image: url(https:\/\/www.axsoftware.co.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/enfold\/images\/background-images\/dots-for-dark-background.png); background-repeat: repeat;'><\/div><div class='container' ><div class='template-page content  av-content-small alpha units'><div class='post-entry post-entry-type-page post-entry-1615'><div class='entry-content-wrapper clearfix'>\n<div class=\"flex_column av_one_full  av-animated-generic left-to-right  flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding first   \" style='border-radius:0px; '><div style='padding-bottom:10px; color:#ffffff;font-size:40px;' class='av-special-heading av-special-heading-h3 custom-color-heading blockquote modern-quote   av-inherit-size '><h3 class='av-special-heading-tag '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >D365 Fully Integrated HR<\/h3><div class='special-heading-border'><div class='special-heading-inner-border' style='border-color:#ffffff'><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><!-- close content main div --><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id='after_section_1' class='main_color av_default_container_wrap container_wrap sidebar_right'   ><div class='container' ><div class='template-page content  av-content-small alpha units'><div class='post-entry post-entry-type-page post-entry-1615'><div class='entry-content-wrapper clearfix'>\n<div class=\"flex_column av_one_fourth  flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding first   \" style='border-radius:0px; '><div class='avia-image-container  av-styling-     avia-align-right '  itemprop=\"ImageObject\" itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"  ><div class='avia-image-container-inner'><div class='avia-image-overlay-wrap'><img class='avia_image ' src='https:\/\/www.axsoftware.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/hrisland3-300x200.png' alt='Microsoft D365 Human Resources' title='D365 HR or Standalone HCM' height=\"200\"width=\"300\"  itemprop=\"thumbnailUrl\"  \/><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"flex_column av_three_fourth  av-animated-generic left-to-right  flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding    \" style='border-radius:0px; '><section class=\"av_textblock_section \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock  '  style='font-size:14px; '  itemprop=\"text\" ><h3>D365 HR or standalone HRM Solution<\/h3>\n<p>We often get asked why we think an organisation should use D365&#8217;s HR functionality rather than a stand alone HRM \/ HCM solution which could be interfaced to Dynamics 365.  <\/p>\n<p>Creating data islands is always going to create isolation from other systems and creates a divide between departments and the people within them &#8211; it really is counterintuitive to the concept of working together which should be the aim of all Human Capital Management professionals.<\/p>\n<p>Choosing whether a D365 HR or Standalone HCM is right for your business is ultimately your call but here are some of our well considered points to deliberate over before making that call.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><!-- close content main div --><\/div><\/div><div id='av_section_2' class='avia-section main_color avia-section-default avia-no-border-styling avia-bg-style-scroll    container_wrap sidebar_right' style = 'background-color: #ffffff; background-image: '  ><div class='container' ><div class='template-page content  av-content-small alpha units'><div class='post-entry post-entry-type-page post-entry-1615'><div class='entry-content-wrapper clearfix'>\n<div class=\"flex_column av_two_third  av-animated-generic left-to-right  flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding first   \" style='border-radius:0px; '><section class=\"av_textblock_section \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock  '  style='font-size:14px; '  itemprop=\"text\" ><p><H3>Familiarity<\/h3>\n<p>A centralised Dynamics 365 ERP system with fully integrated HR functionality would see the whole business been familiar with a single solution, there would be no different methods of navigation or look and feel, alternatively two sources of information with different productivity tools for each workstream will cause confusion in your work force.  <\/p>\n<p>&#8216;Them&#8217; and &#8216;Us&#8217; attitudes are highly likely to develop which in a single workplace is not healthy with bias creeping in as to whose system best represents a single version of the truth &#8211; the mantra that there should only be one version of the truth when it comes to data.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div><div class=\"flex_column av_three_fourth  av-animated-generic right-to-left  flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding first   \" style='border-radius:0px; '><section class=\"av_textblock_section \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock  '   itemprop=\"text\" ><p><H3>Workflow<\/h3>\n<p>Workflow is one of the most important productivity tools within modern systems, many work flow activities follow reporting hierarchies, to be up to date and accurate these hierarchies would need to be replicated in both systems if opting for a standalone HCM choice.  It may sound like a simple task but the reality is that it actually is more complex to achieve than you might think.<\/p>\n<p>Developing functionality or creating an interface to link two systems can be complex particularly when you have forward scheduled date based data in the mix that can and will be edited before actioned (trust us, we have attempted it and are not ashamed to say regretted the effort).  Its expensive and typically takes a lot of testing effort when real life scenario&#8217;s are factored in. Simply trying to maintain records manually as an alternative is prone to error, admin heavy, .and a thankless task for the poor person doing it!<\/p>\n<p>Microsoft themselves with their huge investment resources created their own standalone HCM solution marketed as Microsoft Talent. It had many new features and functions and was intended to compete in its own right as a HCM product independently of Dynamics 365 F&#038;O. For customers who wanted to have an all Microsoft solution, a sophisticated integration toolset was provided. <\/p>\n<p>However even with all of Microsoft&#8217;s resources it never quite lived up to the seamless integration promises envisioned and they sensibly brought HR back into D365 as a suite of HR modules.  <\/p>\n<p>The moral here is that if Microsoft struggled to get it right is it something sensible for a business to attempt?  We say think hard and long before embarking on such a path.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div><div class=\"flex_column av_one_fourth  flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding    \" style='border-radius:0px; '><div class='avia-image-container  av-styling-  noHover  av-overlay-on-hover    avia-align-right '  itemprop=\"ImageObject\" itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"  ><div class='avia-image-container-inner'><div class='avia-image-overlay-wrap'><div class='av-image-caption-overlay'><div class='av-caption-image-overlay-bg' style='opacity:0.4; background-color:#000000; '><\/div><div class='av-image-caption-overlay-position'><div class='av-image-caption-overlay-center' style='color:#ffffff; '><p>Which Way Do I Go?<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><img class='avia_image ' src='https:\/\/www.axsoftware.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/softwareoptions-300x300.png' alt='' title='ERP Selection' height=\"300\"width=\"300\"  itemprop=\"thumbnailUrl\"  \/><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><!-- close content main div --><\/div><\/div><div id='after_section_2' class='main_color av_default_container_wrap container_wrap sidebar_right'   ><div class='container' ><div class='template-page content  av-content-small alpha units'><div class='post-entry post-entry-type-page post-entry-1615'><div class='entry-content-wrapper clearfix'>\n<div class=\"flex_column av_two_third  flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding first  \" style='border-radius:0px; '><section class=\"av_textblock_section \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock  '   itemprop=\"text\" ><h3>Technical Ability<\/h3>\n<p>As work flows often need logic and are semi-technical in nature, the HR department will need their own administrator\/expertise.  To assume a centralised IT support department will maintain the skills to manage yet another system is probably hopeful and you would likely end up having to provide your own HR focussed &#8216;techie&#8217; which carries a potentially hidden long term cost to two system strategy.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n<div class=\"flex_column av_two_fifth  flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding first   \" style='border-radius:0px; '><div class='avia-image-container  av-styling-     avia-align-right '  itemprop=\"ImageObject\" itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"  ><div class='avia-image-container-inner'><div class='avia-image-overlay-wrap'><img class='avia_image ' src='https:\/\/www.axsoftware.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/truth-300x300.png' alt='' title='D365 one source of truth' height=\"300\"width=\"300\"  itemprop=\"thumbnailUrl\"  \/><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"flex_column av_three_fifth  flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding   \" style='border-radius:0px; '><section class=\"av_textblock_section \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock  '   itemprop=\"text\" ><p><H3>&#8216;That Lot  in HR&#8217;<\/h3>\n<p>If you do have your own solution its almost inevitable that you will be treated as &#8216;that lot in HR&#8217; whenever there&#8217;s a difference or issue between the core business system and a separate HR solution, it&#8217;s human nature and a trait that professional HR personnel will recognise whenever there&#8217;s multiple systems and practises in play.<\/p>\n<p>The wider business will never be as dynamically aware of the situation with regards to employees when two separate systems are involved. Creating interfaces to help alleviate this can be expensive and impractical as many might be required and trust in systems does not take long too break down as information silo&#8217;s form on either side.<\/p>\n<p>Everyone pulls together better when all in the same boat and that&#8217;s why a fully integrated business solution incorporating HR and all your ERP processes really is the most efficient way of working together.<br \/>\nThere should only be a single version of the truth within a business is the sensible view.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n<div class=\"flex_column av_one_full  flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding first  \" style='border-radius:0px; '><section class=\"av_textblock_section \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock  '   itemprop=\"text\" ><h3>Duckling to Swan<\/h3>\n<p>When reviewing D365 HR or Standalone HCM solution, you may think D365 HR  looks a little dull out of the box but you have look at the wider picture and beyond visual representations and at the underlying functionality capabilites.<\/p>\n<p>Dynamics is a highly configurable product, it has to be so as to be scalable, Microsoft wanted this to be an ERP solution for life much like any Microsoft back office product, with the message &#8216;why change if you do not need to&#8217;. <\/p>\n<p>You have to remember the tools that Microsoft provide allow you to tune the view to what&#8217;s important to your business, what Microsoft provide as standard is certainly not the end of the story.  <\/p>\n<p>D365 F&#038;O design is practical, beneath its frontage lies true functional depth not a frontage to score points in a beauty contest but a serious long term business solution for your organisation. Use the tools provided, put the effort in and those &#8216;looks&#8217; will come along with the underlying advantage of superior ERP software.<\/p>\n<p>In contrast to the single fully integrated D365 approach, the complexity, cost and ongoing management of integrating separate, distinct systems should never be underestimated. Opting for a fully integrated business solution from the outset, then using Microsoft&#8217;s powerful tools to present information as required will offer you the most cost effective HR system in the long term.<\/p>\n<p>Making that D365 HR or Standalone HCM decision based on looks alone is a flawed strategy when Microsoft have tools available to configure your fully integrated D365 as appropriate during the build phase of an implementation.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n<div class=\"flex_column av_one_half  flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding first  \" style='border-radius:0px; '><section class=\"av_textblock_section \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock  '   itemprop=\"text\" ><h3>Additional Effort<\/h3>\n<p>Everything can be doubled up when implementing separate systems, data migration, configuration, training, maintenance, documentation, support, reporting &#8211; all need separate resources to perform these activities and cost will rapidly escalate.<\/p>\n<p>A D365 HR or standalone HRM Solution decision would have huge consequences on effort if the latter option was adopted within a business.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n<div class=\"flex_column av_one_half  flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding   \" style='border-radius:0px; '><section class=\"av_textblock_section \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock  '   itemprop=\"text\" ><h3>The Upgrade Path<\/h3>\n<p>Lets not forget with two separate systems in play and SAAS (software as a service\/ cloud based systems)  updates and releases are a constant consideration<\/p>\n<p>Any change or new release has the potential to alter any interface between systems, even processes whether they be automatic or manual.<\/p>\n<p>Cloud based systems have removed much of the burden once associated with upgrades and new releases but a two system approach will bring this back in as a consideration point.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n<div class=\"flex_column av_one_full  flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding first  \" style='border-radius:0px; '><section class=\"av_textblock_section \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock  '   itemprop=\"text\" ><h3>The Bolt On Approach<\/h3>\n<p>Dynamics structure as you would expect of a Microsoft product leads the way in terms of connectivity and this is where applications from other software providers should be a consideration. Integrating an application that performs a specific function better than native D365 functionality should not be a barrier especially if this represents a lesser part of your overall HR department requirement.<\/p>\n<p>A frequently encountered case example in the retail and leisure sector is planning staff coverage for shift&#8217;s etc. Dynamics 365 with its strong manufacturing background allows manufacturing to be planned around workers, their skills and shift patterns with machine and route capacity thrown in the mix too. However configuring production for a non production organisation is nonsensical, thus you buy a third party specialist people planning tool and interface D365 to it.  There&#8217;s an amount of work to do but it simply makes sense.  A note of caution though for organisations with any mass is don&#8217;t get it the wrong way round &#8211; buying a solution for one outstanding feature does not necessarily mean everything else will have the capabilities of Dynamics F&#038;O.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n<div class=\"flex_column av_two_third  flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding first  \" style='border-radius:0px; '><section class=\"av_textblock_section \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock  '   itemprop=\"text\" ><h3>MS Vertical Partner Approach<\/h3>\n<p>Within the Dynamics HR universe there are a couple of partners who have taken core Dynamics Finance &#038; Operations HR functionality and built upon it continually, one to note and mentioned elsewhere on our website is Fourvision. They are a Microsoft partner we have worked alongside and opposite to on multiple implementations and have over the years continued to build on Dynamics HR functionality.<\/p>\n<p>AX Software and Fourvision formulised a closer working partnership when we became implementation and reseller partners in 2026 when their latest iteration of Fourvision Advanced HRM was released.  We had long recognised the features and functions they developed removed much of the programme and project management burden we continually encountered with more demanding HR clients. Rather than building and developing software from scratch, particularly with the fast pace of technical change we are seeing, we would rather de-risk a project and opt for a well considered, tried, tested and robust offering that is out of the box. In instances where our customers have requirements not met by standard D365 F&#038;O, a review of Fourvision is strongly advised.<\/p>\n<p>Fourvision have created a seamless add-ons (bolt-on does not do it justice) that completely conforms to Microsoft standards so the look, feel and approach mirror that of standard D365 F&#038;O, to all intents and purposes you are simply activating additional  functionality similarly to Microsoft&#8217;s own modules.<br \/>\n2026 saw Fourvision release their Advanced HRM offering &#8211; Advanced HRM (AHRM) application which is another step change in capability that we were pleased to see land.<\/p>\n<p>Vertical products like Advanced HRM not only bridge functionality gaps but also present data in formats that forward looking HR professionals expect to see in leading HRM solutions, seeing these features in an ERP product takes D365 F&#038;O to another level and so should be considered if your HR team have a demanding requirements list or have a HR first deployment strategy as it carries with it near term budgetary and deployment advantages. <\/p>\n<p>Fourvision have strong historical ties with Microsoft having previously sold functionality to them which became available in standard D365 F&#038;O some years ago. Their approach is an extremely tight form of integration, they have taken the effort to replicate data entity structures extensively so that the two systems blend seamlessly when deployed in an environment, to a user there would be nothing to suggest they were operating with different software.<\/p>\n<p>To red more about Fourvision&#8217;s Advanced HRM suite of modules and our ability to help deliver them read more <a href=\"https:\/\/www.axsoftware.co.uk\/index.php\/fourvision-advanced-hrm\/\">here.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n<div class=\"flex_column av_one_third  flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding   \" style='border-radius:0px; '><div class='avia-image-container  av-styling-     avia-align-center '  itemprop=\"ImageObject\" itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"  ><div class='avia-image-container-inner'><div class='avia-image-overlay-wrap'><a href='https:\/\/www.axsoftware.co.uk\/index.php\/how-good-is-d365-hr\/' class='avia_image'  ><img class='avia_image ' src='https:\/\/www.axsoftware.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/HRgood-300x300.png' alt='' title='D365Hr any good'  itemprop=\"thumbnailUrl\"  \/><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><!-- close content main div --><\/div><\/div><div id='av_section_3' class='avia-section main_color avia-section-default avia-no-border-styling av-section-color-overlay-active avia-bg-style-scroll    container_wrap sidebar_right' style = 'background-color: #263557; background-image: '  ><div class='av-section-color-overlay-wrap'><div class='av-section-color-overlay' style='opacity: 0.9; background-color: #263557; '><\/div><div class='container' ><div class='template-page content  av-content-small alpha units'><div class='post-entry post-entry-type-page post-entry-1615'><div class='entry-content-wrapper clearfix'>\n<div class=\"flex_column av_one_full  av-animated-generic left-to-right  flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding first   \" style='border-radius:0px; '><section class=\"av_textblock_section \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock  av_inherit_color '  style='font-size:14px; color:#ffffff; '  itemprop=\"text\" ><h3>AX Software Human Resource Consultancy<\/h3>\n<p>As experienced partners we are not afraid to provide a friendly challenge to customers where we see a poor decision coming down the road. Implementation is what we do for a living, so when asked D365 HR or Standalone HCM we will provide you an answer based on your actual requirements, not what is best in our own business interests. <\/p>\n<p>Our candour and pragmatism are generally well received and we would be doing our customers a disservice were we not to make a friendly challenge or two where needed but neither will we try force an approach contrary to the best interests of your own business or organisation. Our approach has for more than 20 years remained consistent which is partly why we have had so many clients in the not for profit, charitable and NGO sectors, ethics in software &#8211; who would have thought it!<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><!-- close content main div --><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id='after_section_3' class='main_color av_default_container_wrap container_wrap sidebar_right'   ><div class='container' ><div class='template-page content  av-content-small alpha units'><div class='post-entry post-entry-type-page post-entry-1615'><div class='entry-content-wrapper clearfix'><div  class='hr hr-default  '><span class='hr-inner ' ><span class='hr-inner-style'><\/span><\/span><\/div><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1615","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.axsoftware.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1615","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.axsoftware.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.axsoftware.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.axsoftware.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.axsoftware.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1615"}],"version-history":[{"count":31,"href":"https:\/\/www.axsoftware.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1615\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1617,"href":"https:\/\/www.axsoftware.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1615\/revisions\/1617"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.axsoftware.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1615"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}