Why attend (CRM)User Group Summit 2019

Next week is the D365UG/CRMUG Summit in Orlando and I wanted to write an article describing why it would be wise for you to attend this event. In case you haven’t heard of the user group summit, this is an annual conference and its also one of the largest events for Dynamics 365 users and professionals. Each year the conference is being held at a different location, and this year it will take place October 15-18, 2019 at the Gaylord Palms Resort in Kissimmee, FL. So lets talk about why you should attend UG Summit this year (or any other year for that matter!)

Networking

This is a great place to connect and collaborate with fellow Dynamics 365 users, and to expand your network with Microsoft Partners and Microsoft employees. At Summit you’ll have access to Microsoft team members to ask questions about the platform. Maybe you’re looking to upgrade your deployment from on-premise to online and you have some questions about it? Or is your organization looking to implement Field Service but you have some specific questions you want answered first?
Like I stated above, the Microsoft folks aren’t the only ones attending. There will be a lot of Microsoft Partners at this event who you can talk to as well. Maybe you’re not happy with your current Microsoft Partner or maybe you just want to get a different perspective? UG Summit it the place to connect with these folks. Personally, I love attending because I always meet new people during Summit and it’s great to be able to collaborate on the business platform and understanding how others are utilizing the software.

Education

This is probably the biggest reason for attending each year. In my opinion it really doesn’t matter how experienced you are, you can always learn more! Most of you probably know that as part of the new Dynamics 365 release cadence, Microsoft is deploying 2 release waves each year. You probably also find that it can be a little challenging to stay up to date with the new and upcoming features that are part of each release.
During summit you’ll have access to hundreds of sessions that are presented by industry experts, MVP’s, Microsoft Partners and Microsoft Team members. I personally enjoy attending the Microsoft road map sessions where Microsoft talks about the direction they heading towards, by discussing upcoming these new features and conducting product demos.

On Monday and Tuesday there are pre-conference Academy training classes, which are hands-on, instructor led training classes you can sign up for and attend at an additional fee.

Expo Hall

The expo hall is where you’ll find vendors and Microsoft Partners showing off their third party solutions and implementation services. Some of the vendors/partners are doing mini-sessions where they show off their products. Microsoft team members will also be present at the Expo Hall.

User Group Membership

Along with in-person event opportunities, these user group communities also have a year-round membership program which gives you access to additional training, content, and opportunities not available at the free subscriber level. If you’re interested in learning more about what a membership could do for you, visit their website: www.dynamiccommunities.com/usergroups and when you’re ready for membership, use RSM’s coupon code for 10% off the annual membership price: PRPRSM.

Register for UG Sumitt Now!

Now that you’ve read about all the benefits of attending UG Summit, it’s time to register! My current employer RSM is pleased to offer a 10% savings on your registration by using our coupon code: PRPRSM on the conference website. Hopefully I’ll see you there!