Facets of D365/Power Platform Fit-Gap Analysis

 Introduction:

What's needed to perform a fit-gap analysis? What is it?

A fit-gap analysis identifies the differences between current business processes and system functionalities versus desired outcomes or requirements. It sounds simple, right?

However, for D365 or Power Platform, it involves analyzing business requirements against specific D365 CE modules or the Power Platform in general, which can be more challenging than it seems.

I'll explore the different "facets" of fit-gap analysis, explain my approach to each, and share real-world examples from my experience.

Let's dive into it.

Requirements Statement:

Let's assume we've just completed a session/meeting and have a set of high-level requirements. The customer, having seen D365 demos, is eager to adopt it for sales or case management.

D365 CE's advantage is its pre-built features and robust Dataverse, with standard tables for common scenarios like the Common Data Model (CDM). However, the key problem is matching these features to the customer's unique needs.

A fit-gap analysis helps align system features with business needs, identifying where features meet (fit) requirements and where they fall short (gap).

For example, a tour operation company may need to:

• Capture incoming client requests
• Maintain a list of business clients and contacts
• Manage a catalog of tour offerings and prices
• Create tour proposals
• Maintain a list of vendors
• Send notifications to clients and vendors

 

Based on the above requirements, we can typically map them to some out-of-the-box tables, as shown below:

Out of Box	Customized
Lead	Client Request
Account	Client
Contact	Vendors
Opportunity	Tour
Product	Vendor offering

 

Mapping these requirements to existing tables/features usually seems straightforward, but there are cases when it isn't.

The last requirement, notifications, can be tricky. Customers often expect an out-of-the-box solution and are hesitant about additional customization costs, which can lead to ongoing support expenses.

Power Platform offers options like classic emails (often ignored by receivers) and more modern in-app notifications. But is it a "fit" if we need a custom workflow or Power Automate Flow? Can we still call it a fit when complex logic requires a week of development? These grey areas can make even seasoned professionals question their approach. So, if you're facing these thoughts, we all are on the same journey.

Partial Fit:

The concept of a "partial fit" is often used to address this.

Explain to customers that while tools like Power Automate can meet their requirements, they may be needed to deliver the outcome fully. This reassures them that Power Platform is a solid investment while being transparent about the extra development required for their specific needs.

Is it a fit or not, or in between?

Fit-Gap Analysis:

Sometimes, a fit-gap analysis becomes a competition, especially when customers are still evaluating different options, like D365, Power Platform, or non-Microsoft products.

The goal is to ensure that the D365/Power Platform stands out and best "fits" their requirements. While doing this, we can also suggest alternative approaches to achieve the same outcomes.

So far, customers have been open to new working methods and proposed process improvements.

Unavoidable Gaps:

Some gaps are unavoidable.

For example, a customer wanted users to set their own notification preferences when a record updates or status changes.

While this is standard in Azure DevOps, it isn't easily possible with D365/Power Platform without custom development. In such cases, even calling it a "partial fit" feels like a stretch.

Integration requirements often fall into this grey area. If custom connectors or plugins are needed, I usually classify it as a gap. However, I label it as a partial gap if I can use Power Automate and existing connectors.

Still, marking something as a gap can heavily influence the customer’s final decision, especially when dealing with uncommon software integrations. Wouldn't you agree?

 

Fit Percentage:

The number games, some customers are very “number-driven.” Their focus is on the numbers and the highest percentage of "fit” will win it. This is challenging but it's a fact to face

Generally, D365 and Power Platform score well. Losing a prospect can leave us wondering where we lost it, whether the fit-gap score, cost, or something else tipped the scales.

I hope this will be helpful

Thanks!!!

Conclusion

At its core, fit-gap analysis is a powerful tool for the early design stages, ensuring our solutions follow a "product-first principle."

However, it's essential to go beyond a checkbox approach when comparing options. The real goal is to give customers a long-term vision of how Power Platform can benefit their business and deliver real value.

With Microsoft continually adding new features, I'm seeing more "fits” than ever, making the future of fit-gap analysis even more exciting!