Shopify Connector for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
Microsoft Shopify Connector available on AppSource
The partnership between Microsoft and Shopify to produce their “Shopify Connector” between Shopify and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central has been one of intrigue and anticipation for the Suite Engine team (and many of you) since last fall. It was certainly an exciting point of discussion at Directions NA 2022 among Microsoft ISVs and Partners.
Since its’ release, our developers, product testers, and consultants have enjoyed getting to know Shopify, an eCommerce platform that we’ve valued for years, from a whole new perspective. The following is our review on where we believe the current Microsoft AppSource extension features shine and where it needs a bit of polish. Because our own Shopify connector has been on the market for over two years now and we’ve also been in the eCommerce development field for over four, we have a fairly good understanding when a certain product is a good fit for a company and when it’s not, so we’ve included some guidelines below.
To get started, it’s helpful to understand the reasoning behind the development in the first place. It’s similar to what prompted us to develop our own Channel Sales Manager (CSM) for Shopify … This partnership was designed to better connect the eCommerce and merchant experience of Shopify with the comprehensive business management capabilities of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central.
“[The Microsoft Shopify Connector is] quick and easy for product publishing and synching between BC and Shopify.”
– Jessie Wang, eCommerce & D365BC Consultant
The purpose of the connector is to help clients get the visibility needed to speed customer inquiry responses, process more timely returns and refunds, and achieve more accurate order processing.
Review of the Microsoft Shopify Connector in Business Central
The areas in which the extension does well:
- The design and interface is easier to use versus CSM and the functionalities to set up a channel are simplified.
- API Credentials setup is easier and not as difficult.
- Direct links are provided within the Products tab which can be more efficient for users to quickly access necessary data.
- Artificial Intelligence within Shopify on the Orders tab provides a “Risk Level Tracker.” This helps track fraudulent activity.
The areas in which the extension needs improvement:
- Within the Microsoft Shopify Connector in Business Central, Gift Card and Payouts have not been fully developed by Microsoft. You would benefit from using Suite Engine’s CSM for Shopify to manage Gift Cards.
- The automation process is vague. In-depth development work can be improved.
- 3PL automation and configurations can be easily managed, but there are some other specific automation processes that are not fully developed.
- The overall feature offerings still have more development work to be done both in quality, like automation, and number of features available.
- “Customer Creation” is a ‘push-button’ process. For example, after the Shopify orders are retrieved, you still have to manually click on “create customer” even though, on the Shopify Shop card it’s been set up to auto-create. In order for this to be automated it will need further development.
View, download, or print the full comparison card here.
*As with all technology, advancements and improvements to applications are made regularly. Features that were not available at the time of this publication may be available now, so be sure to work with a Microsoft Partner and/or directly with the application publisher on Microsoft AppSource.
Not Sure If You Need This Feature Now?
Existing BC users may not use Shopify for their business and yet the extension is automatically installed for new and existing BC customers. If users wish to delete this function they can do so by removing the extension in Business Central. Follow the steps below to uninstall the Shopify Connector:
- Search Extension Management
- Within the Extension Management card search Shopify Connector
- Hover over the three vertical dots to choose More Options
- Then click Uninstall
Summary
Channel Sales Manager (CSM) for Shopify provides an abundance of automated feature options which in turn gives you more flexibility and saves you time and money. Not only does CSM work with Shopify, but it’s designed to work with all major eCommerce platforms offering you a complete management system with total visibility for orders, listings, inventory, and payments.
While the setup may be a breeze and the very definition of “plug-and-play,” the Microsoft Shopify Connector lacks the automation desired by those who deal in both larger volume sales orders and/or who work in multiple sales platforms/marketplaces/channels in addition to Shopify.
Also to note, the Microsoft Shopify Connector is available for the cloud version of Dynamics 365 Business Central. It is not available for on-premises versions.
For a complete analysis of your eCommerce and channel-specific needs, don’t hesitate to contact us … we’re happy to continue the conversation.
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