Deltek vs. Microsoft Dynamics 365: How the Sunsetting of Deltek Vision Opens the Door for New Possibilities

In 2018, Deltek announced that it would be sunsetting support for Deltek Vision at the end of 2022. As that date has now come and gone, it’s time for small and mid-sized businesses to re-evaluate their ERP solution and determine where they should go next.

While manufacturers, construction firms, and contractors may be hesitant to transition to a new ERP platform, the sunsetting of support for Deltek Vision opens the door to a world of new possibilities, such as Dynamics 365.

Why is Choosing the Right ERP So Important?

Your ERP is the powerhouse behind your operation; it processes vast amounts of information, provides analytical insights, integrates systems with third-party solutions, and enables you to make well-informed, data-driven decisions.

Studies have found that ERPs reduce administrative and operational costs by 22% and 23%, respectively. In addition, “95% of businesses achieve major improvements after using ERP through reducing process times, increasing collaboration and centralizing enterprise data.”

The best ERPs are flexible and help businesses adapt to changing market trends and customer expectations. In addition, they are easy to use and offer frequent updates to improve security and functionality. Among other things, your ERP should provide:

• Budgeting and forecasting tools
• Workflow automation
• Payment processing and scheduling
• Quote and order management
• Inventory forecasting, pricing, costing, reporting, tracking and ordering
• Cross-platform and third-party software integration support

With these tools, contractors and construction firms can operate their businesses more efficiently and productively. However, not all ERPs are created equal, and choosing the wrong solution can lead to wasted time and money. 

Deltek or Dynamics 365: Where Should You Go Next?

Since announcing the end of Vision’s support lifecycle, Deltek has launched Deltek Vantagepoint (formerly called Deltek for Professional Services). Deltek used Vision as a launching point for Vantagepoint’s design. Because of this, Vantagepoint features many similar features to its predecessor, with the addition of updated features, UX and browser-based operating systems.

Although Deltek has marketed Vantagepoint as a “newly branded, freshly reimagined next version of Deltek Vision built specifically for professional services organizations,” the new ERP solution has struggled to keep up with its competition.

For example, Nucleus Research’s 2020 ERP Value Matrix report ranked Deltek as an ERP “Leader” alongside Microsoft, Oracle Netsuite, and others. However, only two years later, Deltek fell to “Core Provider,” a ranking that denotes lower functionality and usability than its “Leader” counterparts.

Deltek Vantagepoint vs. Dynamics 365

When pitted against Deltek Vantagepoint, Microsoft Dynamics 365 received higher ratings across all functions, including customization, security, reporting and analytics, logistics and project management. In addition, compared to Deltek’s enterprise management software Costpoint, Dynamics 365 was easier to set up and use and offered several crucial functions Costpoint did not.

After reviewing Deltek’s ERP and EMS solutions, we discovered that:

• Deltek systems offered poor third-party integration options, making it challenging for users to add new workflows and features outside the platform’s pre-designed options.
• Reports and outputs had little customization and were difficult to filter. In addition, they had to be frequently reformatted to meet company needs—a time-consuming prospect.
• The software was too project-focused, meaning users struggled to use financial functions outside of projects.
• Deltek’s UX was the biggest complaint in G2 and Gartner reviews.

Despite Deltek’s improvements to its Vantagepoint ERP system, many users found that Dynamics 365 was easier to use and offered better features than its counterpart. When choosing an ERP, you must consider both its functionality and ability to grow alongside your business—something that Microsoft excels at. 

A Cloud-Based ERP Solution

Microsoft Dynamics 365 is an industry-leading ERP solution. Unlike many other solutions, Dynamics 365  is cloud-based and offers better operational stability and security than its competitors, so you don’t have to worry about unexpected downtime or setbacks. Because Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Supply Chain Management connects to the wider Microsoft ecosystem, you can unlock additional tools by integrating your ERP with other platforms, including ecommerce, CRM, warehouse management systems (WMS), point of service (POS), and planning and forecasting solutions.

Now that Deltek has sunset support for Deltek Vision, it’s time to migrate to a platform that will help you achieve your short and long-term goals. With frequent updates and third-party integration support, you can rest assured that you will always have the tools and applications you need to succeed (even if you want to build them yourself).

To learn more about Dynamics 365 and its advantages over Deltek Vantagepoint, contact our team of experts and schedule a consultation.