Robert Houdeshell - Microsoft Dynamics 365 Project Operations: Deliver profitable projects with effective project planning and productive operational workflows

Deliver profitable projects with effective project planning and productive operational workflows

Robert Houdeshell

BIRMINGHAMMUMBAI

Copyright 2021 Packt Publishing

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Publishing Product Manager: Alok Dhuri

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First published: April 2021

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This book is a milestone of the big project that is my life! The largest milestone was when my wife, Barbara, agreed to join me on this journey of life, and she has since been an incredible force for good! She has always expected the best from me, our life together, and our business pursuits.

I gratefully acknowledge the impact of many people in the Microsoft Corporation and partner firms. Without Microsoft's continued innovation and product development, we would still be drawing Gantt charts on paper! I also acknowledge the partner firms who have put so much into my career. These firms continue to innovate and meet the needs of their clients, thus building a better business world.

I also acknowledge my clients, past and present, who have collaborated with me over the years to build incredible solutions and bring great business, processes, and technology together.

I especially thank the following people at Packt Publishing: Alok Dhuri, whose vision for this book lit the spark that will become a flame! Ruvika Rao, I thank you for working with me through the early chapters and bringing out the best in me! Nithya Sadanandan, you picked up in the middle of the book and really brought this book together. Prajakta Naik, thank you for keeping our project on track for success!

To Friyank Parikh, my technical reviewer, thank you for leveling up the content of this book and bringing together the best read for our readers!

This book and the Packt Publishing team have been a real joy to work with I look forward to many successes with this book and others!

Robert Houdeshell has over 24 years of project operations experience, with deep knowledge of the end-to-end processes that professional services firms utilize to deliver their projects.

Since 2004, Robert has worked with Microsoft Project Server and online versions that were integrating projects and ERP systems before there was a CRM-based PSA solution. In 2013, Robert's years of CRM, project, and ERP/accounting experience came together in the first end-to-end professional services automation solution of its kind. Built upon the Microsoft Dynamics technologies, this cloud solution was deployed in enterprise and mid-market companies. Therefore, when Project Services was released by Microsoft in 2016, he quickly saw the value of the solution we now call Project Operations.

Robert has worked with the Microsoft Project Operations solution since its beginning and has deployed the solution across multiple enterprise organizations, including a large multi-national Silicon Valley firm and a large Microsoft cloud solution partner. Robert has practical experience in enterprise and mid-size firms, helping them benefit from solution modernization. Excited about Project Operations, Robert passionately writes about his practical experience, offering solution observations and guidance for his readers to enjoy and benefit from.

Friyank Parikh is an IT graduate from Mumbai University and has over 7 years of experience in Microsoft Dynamics. He is a certified Dynamics 365 Power Platform, Sales, Azure Data, and Azure Administrator Consultant. He is currently working as a senior consultant at Ernst and Young LLP. He is a technical expert with functional and business knowledge of multiple products of Dynamics 365.

He has vast experience with Microsoft technologies such as C#, .NET, MVC, and PowerShell. He has product expertise in technologies such as Dynamics 365 Sales, Customer Service, Field Service, and Project Operations. He has Azure expertise, including expertise in Azure Functions, Azure Logic Apps, Azure Data Lake, Azure Service Bus, and Azure Storage. He also actively participates in pre-sales and learning, and the development team at Ernst and Young LLP.

He has been recognized with many enterprise awards, such as the I am Exceptional award for the Digital Transformation category.