Category: D365 Contractors

Last updated: July 2, 2026

I heard a consulting firm open a pitch recently with “90% of our consultants are Microsoft certified.” My driver’s license says I can tow a trailer. You do not want to be behind me on the highway.

So, do D365 consultant certifications matter when you are choosing who builds your ERP? They matter as a floor and a tiebreaker. The deciding factor should be hands-on implementation experience, because Microsoft’s own partner program awards a firm maximum skilling points with as few as seven certified individuals. A big certification number tells you about partner program math. It tells you very little about the team walking into your project on Monday.

What do D365 consultant certifications actually prove?

A certification proves someone studied the product and passed an exam. That is a real signal. It shows commitment, it shows baseline product knowledge, and for junior consultants it is a solid way to build fundamentals.

Here is what the exam does not cover. It does not prove the holder has sat in a room with a plant manager who refuses to change his receiving process. It does not prove they have watched a data migration fall over at 2am on cutover weekend and known which of the six possible causes to check first. It does not prove they understand why a food manufacturer cares about catch weight, lot traceability, or what happens when a wave template is configured by someone who has never stood on a warehouse floor.

You can be great in theory and still make expensive decisions in practice. Some of the sharpest exam-passers I have met were recent graduates who knew every menu path in Finance and Operations and had never seen a month-end close under pressure. Smart people, bright futures, learning fast. Just not the people I would put in charge of your design decisions at $250 to $300 per hour.

You do not have to take my word for it either. At our June D365Contractors.com community meetup, our guest was a Microsoft MVP of 13 years who has spent 12 of them writing the actual certification exam questions. His verdict on what the exams measure: “almost everything is memorization.” He said it himself: they do not want to test how good a test taker you are, which is exactly why Microsoft is now building hands-on Applied Skills assessments that make you touch the software instead of recall it.

Why do consulting firms lead with certification counts?

Because Microsoft asks them to. To hold a Solutions Partner for Business Applications designation, a firm needs certified people on staff. The partner capability score counts each certified individual toward a skilling total, and an enterprise firm hits the maximum skilling points with seven certified people.

That is a sensible program requirement, and partners are right to invest in it. It just means a certification count is partly a scorecard for Microsoft, kept healthy for the designation. When it shows up as the headline of a sales pitch aimed at you, remember who the metric was designed for.

There is also a quieter reason. Certifications are easy to count. Go-live scar tissue is hard to put on a slide. When a firm leads with the number that is easy to measure, your job is to ask about the things that are hard to measure. The questions below will do that for you.

When should a certification pitch worry you?

A certification brag is fine on its own. Watch for these combinations:

• The count is the whole pitch. If certified headcount is the lead credential and project outcomes come second, ask for the outcomes first.
• They cannot name your team. A firm-wide statistic means nothing if the certified architects are on someone else’s project and yours gets the people who passed their exams last quarter.
• Senior rates, junior scar tissue. If everyone on the proposed team is billed at a senior rate, ask how many D365 F&O implementations each named person has taken through go-live. Certifications at $250 to $300 per hour deserve that question.

If you are already deep into a partner relationship and wondering how healthy it is, the Partner Dependency Assessment takes about five minutes and will tell you where you stand.

How do you vet for real D365 F&O experience?

Five questions. I have used versions of these across hundreds of contractor placements, and they separate exam knowledge from implementation experience in under an hour.

1. “Walk me through your last go-live weekend.”

Experienced people answer with specifics: what broke, what they checked, what they would stage differently next time. Exam knowledge answers with process diagrams.

2. “What did you do, personally?”

Listen for “I did this” versus “we did this.” A consultant who was truly hands-on can describe their own decisions. Someone who watched from the sidelines describes the team’s.

3. “What would you do differently on your last project?”

Real practitioners have a list ready. People without scar tissue have to invent one.

4. “Tell me about our industry.”

If you make food, ask about catch weight and lot tracking. If you run warehouses, ask about wave processing. The answer either has texture or it does not, and you will know within two minutes.

5. “Who can I call?”

Ask for a reference from an implementation comparable to yours in size and industry. Then actually call.

Where certifications fit into this: treat them as the tiebreaker between two people who both pass the five questions. That is their honest weight.

Can someone without a current certification outperform a certified architect?

Yes, and I see it regularly. Some of the strongest independent consultants I know have not sat an exam since the AX 2009 days. They have spent the fifteen years since inside implementations, and I have watched them run rings around consultants holding the Solution Architect certification. The exam changed names several times in those fifteen years. The skill of getting a manufacturer live did not.

That is a pattern I see across the independent D365 contractors we work with. The vetting that matters checks projects delivered, references, and depth in your industry. When those are strong, the certificate on the wall is a nice extra.

Are certifications getting more relevant with AI?

They are getting more interesting, and this is worth watching. Microsoft is retiring the classic MB exam family and rebuilding the tracks around AI. The Finance and Operations Solution Architect exam (MB-700) retired on June 30, 2026, the Supply Chain expert exam (MB-335) retired the same day with no replacement announced, and new “AB” tracks are taking their place (Microsoft exam updates). The headline credential is AB-100, the Agentic AI Business Solutions Architect, covering Copilot Studio and AI Foundry.

We spent our June D365Contractors.com community meetup on exactly this, walked through by the exam writer I mentioned above. Here is what the shake-up means for your next hire. A consultant whose certification lapsed this summer may simply hold a retired exam with no replacement yet, so do not read a gap on the resume as a red flag on its own. And with AI, nobody has years of hands-on experience with agents in D365, certified or otherwise. The agent tooling grew up on the Customer Engagement side of the product, so even seasoned F&O architects are climbing this curve right now.

So when you evaluate someone for the AI piece of your roadmap, ask what they have actually built with Copilot Studio, and treat the new AB certifications as a sign of someone keeping current. On this one topic, a fresh cert carries more weight than usual, because structured learning is the only mileage anyone can have yet.

The bottom line for your next hiring decision

Certifications are a floor, a tiebreaker, and a signal of learning habits. Choose your partner and your contractors on delivered implementations, industry depth, and references you have actually called. The five questions above will get you there, and they cost nothing to ask. Your project is decided by the people in the room, so pick the people, and let the wall decorations be a bonus. Where those decisions fall in your program is mapped stage by stage on The ERP Journey.

If you are choosing a partner right now, or staring at a proposal full of certified consultants you have never met, I am happy to be a second pair of eyes. I have spent 14 years vetting D365 people for a living.

BOOK A FREE DISCOVERY CALL

FAQ: D365 consultant certifications and experience

Are Microsoft D365 certifications worth anything?

Yes. They prove baseline product knowledge and a commitment to learning, and they are a fair tiebreaker between two otherwise equal consultants. They do not prove implementation experience, which is the stronger predictor of project success.

Why do Microsoft partners talk about certification counts so much?

Microsoft’s Solutions Partner designation requires certified staff, and an enterprise partner reaches maximum skilling points with seven certified people. The count is a partner program metric first and a sales message second.

Do independent D365 contractors keep their certifications current?

It varies. Many senior independents prioritize delivery over exams, and some of the best have not recertified since the AX era. Vet them on implementations delivered, industry depth, and references rather than exam dates.

How do I verify a D365 consultant’s real experience before hiring?

Ask them to walk through their last go-live, listen for “I did this” versus “we did this,” and ask what they would do differently on their last project. Then check a reference from an implementation comparable to yours.

How much does an experienced independent D365 contractor cost compared to a partner consultant?

Partner consultants typically bill $250 to $300 per hour. Experienced independent D365 F&O contractors typically run $150 to $200 per hour, and you interview the exact person who does the work.

Are Microsoft certifications changing because of AI?

Yes. Microsoft retired the F&O Solution Architect exam (MB-700) on June 30, 2026, and new AI-focused tracks like AB-100 (Agentic AI Business Solutions Architect) are replacing the classic paths. Expect Copilot and agent skills to run through most role-based certifications.

Should I reject a consultant for not holding a current certification?

Ask about their delivery record first. A consultant with several comparable implementations and strong references is a safer choice than a certified consultant with neither. Use certifications to break ties, and to gauge learning habits.

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About D365Contractors.com

D365Contractors.com is an elite community of pre-vetted independent Microsoft Dynamics 365 contractors serving companies across North America. Members are senior specialists across Finance and Operations, Business Central, and Customer Engagement. Hiring managers are matched with two to three carefully chosen contractors within 48 hours, at transparent rates.

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About the Author

Ryan Carolan is the founder of d365contractors.com, connecting US manufacturing companies with pre-vetted, independent D365 Finance & Supply Chain Management experts. 14 years exclusively in D365 staffing. Hundreds of contractor placements into manufacturing implementations across the US.

Most weeks, he waffles on about stuff like this online.

Follow Ryan on LinkedIn →

Picture this: your Microsoft Dynamics 365 F&O Go-Live was 6 days ago.

And $300,000 of inventory just… vanishes.

Not stolen. Not damaged. Just gone. Your shiny new “Advanced” WMS can’t locate a high-value truck that’s somewhere between your yard and a customer site 800 miles away.

Your partner is stumped. Your internal team is panicking. And your COO is asking the kind of questions that make people update their résumés.

An experienced independent D365 contractor gets called in, walks the yard, finds the missing truck (parked in the wrong bay with incorrect tags), and prevents a $300k write-off.

Sounds farcical, but a true story. And a reminder that the “right person” is often the difference between project recovery and jobs being lost.

It is a reminder that when you hire D365 contractor talent, the right person is the difference between project recovery and jobs being lost. But for every contractor who grabs the bull by the horns and solves the problem, there are three who make it worse.

Below is a practical, no-nonsense way to separate heroes from hazards.

What makes it so hard to hire D365 contractor talent

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: most companies hiring D365 contractors are flying blind. You know you need help with “finance modules” or “warehouse management,” but do you really understand the difference between someone who’s configured dozens of manufacturing allocation rules versus someone who read about them in a blog post last week?

Great contractors will educate & challenge you. Weak ones will overconfidently agree to everything.

Common traps:

• AI-polished answers masking shallow experience
• “Experts” whose background doesn’t match your needs (e.g., SharePoint devs with a dated Dynamics AX certificate)
• Resume swaps or bait-and-switch on day one

When ERP goes sideways, it’s not just technology—it’s cash flow, customer experience, and team morale.

4 Red Flags when you hire D365 contractor talent

After 13 years of contractor conversations, certain patterns make my BS detector go off like a smoke alarm.

Here are 4 red flags that should send you sprinting in the opposite direction:

1. The “We Did Everything” Expert

Listen for pronouns. Good contractors say “I designed the chart of accounts” or “I configured the allocation rules.” Weak contractors hide behind “we implemented” or “our team delivered.” If someone can’t clearly articulate their specific contribution to a project, they probably didn’t have one.

2. The Universal Expert

Run – don’t walk – from anyone claiming expertise in functional, technical, project management, AND data migration*. Real D365 experts have deep knowledge in their lane. Jack-of-all-trades contractors are usually masters of none. The best D365 finance consultant I know freely admits she can’t write a line of code. The best D365 technical architect I work with wouldn’t dream of designing financial workflows.

3. The Reference Dodger

Any contractor worth their salt should be eager to share customer references. If they go missing when you ask for client contacts (after boasting about all the successful D365 projects they delivered!) that’s a red flag. Good contractors have happy clients who’ll sing their praises.

4. The Vague Storyteller

When you ask about specific challenges they’ve solved, weak contractors give generic answers about “best practices” and “industry standards.” Strong contractors tell specific stories: “The client was doing manual journal entries for intercompany transactions because their entity structure was set up wrong. I redesigned their legal entity hierarchy and automated the whole process, saving them 40 hours per month.” The best contractors can clearly articulate complex ideas into a simple story.

*There are maybe 4-5 people I have EVER met that are truly experts in multiple facets of F&O (ask me for their names!)

How to hire D365 contractor talent: a vetting playbook

Now let’s get tactical. Here’s a step-by-step process for vetting D365 contractors:

Step 1: Technical/Functional Deep-Dive

Don’t ask “Do you know financial reporting?” Ask: “How would you set up [specific report] for a discrete manufacturer?” Or: “Walk me through lot tracking across multi-site distribution with quarantine steps.”

You’re listening for clarifying questions about your business before solutions.

Step 2: War Story Test

Ask them to describe their most challenging D365 F&SCM project. Listen for:

• Specific problems they solved (not generic implementations)
• How they handled resistance from users or stakeholders
• What they learned from failures or mistakes
• Evidence they can work under pressure

Step 3: Human Skills Assessment

Here’s what separates good contractors from great ones: consulting skills. You know: being human. Can they explain complex concepts to non-technical users? Do they ask good questions? Can they handle pushback diplomatically?

Ask them to explain a technical concept relevant to your project as if they were talking to your CFO. The best contractors are translators who can bridge the gap between business needs and technical capabilities.

Step 4: Reference Reality Check

Don’t just call the references – ask the right questions:

• “What specific problem did they solve for you?”
• “How did they handle unexpected issues?”
• “Would you hire them again for a similar project?”
• “What would you want them to do differently?”

Listen to your gut on these calls.

5 Questions That Separate D365 Pretenders from Performers:

1. “Walk me through your approach to [specific scenario relevant to the project]”

Great contractors ask clarifying questions before answering. They want to understand your specific situation before proposing solutions. Weak contractors jump straight to generic best practices.

2. “Describe a time when you had to push back on a client’s requirements”

This reveals whether they have backbone and business judgment. The best contractors aren’t yes-people – they’re advisors who’ll tell you when you’re about to make an expensive mistake.

3. “What’s the biggest D365 F&O disaster you’ve had to fix?”

Strong contractors have war stories about rescuing failed projects. They can articulate what went wrong and how they fixed it. Contractors without rescue stories probably haven’t been in enough trenches.

4. “How do you handle knowledge transfer and documentation?”

This separates contractors who care about long-term client success from those who just want to complete tasks. Good contractors leave your team stronger and more capable.

5. “Tell me about a time you didn’t know something and how you handled it”

Nobody knows everything about D365. Good contractors admit knowledge gaps and explain how they’d research solutions or bring in additional expertise.

The Human Element: Why Character Matters More Than Code

Here’s something most companies miss: technical skills are table stakes. What really matters is character. Can you trust this person with your business-critical data? Will they tell you hard truths when your project is heading off track? Do they care about your success beyond their hourly rate?

The best D365 contractors I work with are people you truly trust with your ERP system – and therefore your business. They’re the ones who’ll work late to solve an urgent issue. Who’ll admit when they’re out of their depth and recommend someone better. Who’ll push back on bad ideas even when it’s uncomfortable. Good people. It’s why we are strict about only letting good humans into the D365contractors.com community.

They’re not just consultants – they’re advisors. And in a world where your ERP system is the backbone of your business, that distinction matters more than any certification or resume bullet point. 

Your action plan: hire D365 contractor talent you can trust

So here’s a quick playbook for finding trustworthy D365 contractors:

1. Start with specific requirements – Don’t just say “D365 help.” Define exactly what problems you need solved.
2. Test technical depth early – Ask scenario-based questions that reveal real experience versus surface knowledge.
3. Prioritize consulting skills – The best technical expert who can’t communicate is useless in a business setting.
4. Check references thoroughly – And ask the hard questions that reveal character, not just competence.
5. Look for problem-solvers, not task-completers – You want someone who’ll improve your business, not just check boxes.
6. Trust your instincts – If something feels off, it probably is. Good contractors are transparent, responsive, and eager to help.

The right D365 contractor isn’t just another vendor – they’re a trusted advisor who can save your project, your budget, and maybe even your job.

Choose wisely. Your ERP project – and your sanity – depends on it.

Want a detailed checklist to vet D365 Contractors? 

We’ve created a checklist that’s helped dozens of companies vet D365 contractors properly:

Download D365 Contractor Checklist

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About the Author

A guide to getting the most from Dynamics 365 independent contractors

Let me guess: Your last contractor was technically brilliant. Solved problems you didn’t even know you had. Then vanished for three days right before UAT, leaving you staring at the grey cross next to their name on Teams.

Here’s the thing nobody tells you: The #1 reason D365 contractor engagements fail isn’t technical skill. It’s communication.

More specifically: misalignment in communication.

Stop the Problem Before It Starts

We’ve all been there: sitting in an interview with a D365 contractor who seems perfect on paper. Their CV is immaculate. They’re dropping all the right buzzwords about Master Planning and Trade Agreements. They even laughed at your joke about batch jobs.

But here’s what you probably didn’t ask: How do they actually work?

Do they do daily stand-ups or weekly check-ins? What’s their typical response time? How do they handle blockers? Do they over-communicate or go dark for days?

Most companies figure this out after the contractor starts. By then, it’s too late to course-correct without awkward conversations.

Download the D365 Contractor Interview Checklist: Ask these questions during the interview, not after you’ve already signed the contract.

Because once you’ve made the hire, you’re stuck managing whatever communication style they happen to have. Better to vet for it upfront.

The 5 Tips to stop your D365 contractor going missing are:

1. Set Communication Cadence from Day One (Before Anyone Goes Rogue)

Every D365 project is a beautiful mess of moving parts: finance modules, supply chain workflows, partner hand-offs, integrations that were “supposed to be simple,” and at least one executive who keeps asking when they’ll see their custom dashboard.

Despite what you read on LinkedIn about AI…. Communication is the only thing holding this chaos together.

Agree upfront on:

✅ Status updates: Are we doing daily stand-ups, or is this a “weekly summary on Friday” situation? Pick one and commit to it. Nothing kills momentum faster than the project manager wondering if the contractor is working or on a beach in Bali.

✅ Channels: Teams? Email? Your project management tool (Azure DevOps, Jira, that Excel tracker you swear you’ll migrate off of)? Whatever it is, pick your lane and stay in it. Nobody wants to play “find the update” across four platforms.

✅ Availability: Confirm time zones, working hours, and meeting windows. If your contractor is in a different time zone, don’t schedule critical reviews at 6 AM their time and then wonder why they’re cranky.

✅ Escalation paths: Define how blockers get flagged to the PM or Solution Architect. If your contractor is stuck waiting on the partner to finish the data migration script, they need a clear way to yell “BLOCKED” without it disappearing into the void.

A 60-second update in Teams beats two days of radio silence every single time. Set the rhythm early, or prepare for unnecessary drama later.

2. Clarify Availability & Responsiveness (Because Mind-Reading Isn’t a Skill Set)

Unless you can promise 40 hours/week, independent contractors often juggle multiple D365 clients. That’s not a red flag: that’s literally the model. But professionalism means staying reliable and visible, even when things get busy.

Before project kickoff, nail down:

✅ Expected response time: Within 4 business hours? Same day? Define it. If you’re expecting instant Teams replies but your contractor is thinking “I’ll circle back tomorrow,” someone’s going to be disappointed.

✅ Recurring touchpoints: Block those weekly project reviews, sprint demos, and steering meetings in the calendar now. Don’t wait until UAT week sneaks up on you and suddenly you’re scrambling to find 30 minutes together.

✅ How to handle planned absences: If your contractor is taking a week off or has overlapping commitments, you need to know about it before it becomes a surprise mid-sprint.

Put these recurring syncs in the project calendar before UAT week sneaks up on you. Make sure you get an Acceptance. Future you will thank present you.

TIP: If you absolutely need your contractor to focus 100% on your project for a defined period, you will need to include a guarantee of 40 hours in the contract.

3. Define Scope, Deliverables & Sign-Off (Because Assumptions Are Project Killers)

ERP projects live and die by clarity. Vague scope is how you end up with a contractor who thinks they’re done while you’re still waiting for training materials.

At the start of the engagement, document:

✅ Exact deliverables: Design docs? Configuration tasks? Testing support? Training materials? Write it down. All of it.

✅ Acceptance criteria: How will you measure completion? “It works” is not acceptance criteria. “All purchase order workflows tested and signed off by Finance” is acceptance criteria.

✅ Handover expectations: Who’s inheriting this work when the contractor wraps up? Your internal team? The partner? Make sure everyone knows the plan.

✅ Issue tracking ownership: Who’s logging bugs and blockers in Azure DevOps? Who’s responsible for keeping that backlog clean?

If it’s not written down, it’s not real. And when someone inevitably says “I thought you were handling that,” you’ll have receipts.

4. Respect the Independent Model (They’re Not Your FTE, and That’s the Point)

Independent D365 consultants are not full-time employees. They’re experienced specialists you brought in specifically because they’ve seen this rodeo before and know how to navigate it.

That means:

✅ Don’t expect 24/7 Teams replies. They’re professionals with boundaries. If it’s truly urgent, escalate through the agreed channels. If it’s not urgent, it can wait until tomorrow.

✅ Focus on outcomes, not online presence. You hired them to deliver results, not to keep their Teams status green all day. Judge them on what they produce, not how fast they respond to your “quick question.”

✅ Trust their process and methodology. They’ve probably rescued a few failed D365 projects in their time. If they’re suggesting something that feels different from what your partner recommended, at least hear them out. They might be saving you from a very expensive mistake.

Treat them like a partner, not a resource. The best contractor engagements feel like collaboration, not supervision.

BUT: if progress isn’t being made, it might be time to have that tough conversation…

5. Create Feedback & Governance Loops (So Small Problems Don’t Become Go-Live Disasters)

In complex ERP programs, early feedback prevents late-stage chaos. You do not want to discover fundamental misalignment three weeks before cutover.

Keep the loop tight:

✅ Add a retrospective or feedback slot every sprint. Even 15 minutes of “what’s working, what’s not” can surface issues before they spread.

✅ Encourage open discussion about blockers, dependencies, and partner hand-offs. If your contractor is waiting on the partner to finish something critical, you need to know now, not when it’s already delayed the timeline.

✅ Share feedback both ways. Transparency builds trust. If something isn’t working, say it early. If something’s going great, acknowledge that too. Your contractor will appreciate knowing what’s landing well.

Communication isn’t a risk mitigation step. It’s essential. The Project Management Institute emphasizes that effective stakeholder communication requires setting clear expectations upfront and maintaining consistent feedback loops throughout the project lifecycle. If the PMI recommend it, they might be onto something…

Your “Communication Contract” Checklist

Before your D365 contractor starts, make sure you both agree on:

• How and when you’ll communicate (channels, cadence, meeting rhythm)
• Expected response times (and how to escalate true emergencies)
• Deliverables, tools, and ownership (who’s doing what, in which system, by when)
• Feedback loops and escalation paths (how to surface problems before they become disasters)

When expectations are clear, your D365 contractor becomes what they’re meant to be: an extension of your team that delivers real project momentum.

You hire a D365 contractor to get a ready-made ERP expert you can rely on. Do what you can to make sure you CAN rely on them.

Use these 5 tips to stop your D365 contractor going missing.

Struggling to get past interview stage?

Download your very own Contractor Checklist here.

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Need a D365 contractor who communicates like a professional?

We connect you with pre-vetted, independent Dynamics 365 experts who know how to deliver—and how to keep you in the loop.

Picture this: Monday morning. Your new D365 contractor walks in, all confidence and firm handshakes. By Wednesday afternoon, they’ve created a custom solution for something that exists out-of-the-box, corrupted your UAT environment, and asked if “Dynamics 365” is the cloud version of “Dynamics 360”.

True stories? OK, OK- maybe not the last one.

We’ve seen D365 F&O contractors who could rescue a burning project with one hand tied behind their back. I’ve also seen F&O “experts” who made me wonder if they’d ever actually opened the application or just watched YouTube tutorials on 2x speed.

The difference between these two isn’t always obvious in an interview. Especially if you don’t have an expert on your side to ask the right questions. The bad ones have gotten really good at talking the talk. They’ve weaponized LinkedIn buzzwords. They’ve turned vague answers into an art form.

But they all share similar red flags. And once you know what to look for, they’re as obvious as a NASCAR sponsorship jacket at a black-tie dinner.

Why Bad D365 Contractors Are Worse Than No Contractors

Let me be clear: having nobody is better than having the wrong somebody.

An empty chair doesn’t corrupt your production database. A vacant desk doesn’t build elaborate workarounds for standard functionality. And a missing contractor definitely doesn’t convince your CFO that the only solution is a $500k custom development project when a simple configuration change would do.

Bad contractors don’t just fail to solve problems – they create new ones. Sometimes very subtlely. 

The worst bit? By the time you realize they’re in over their head, they’ve usually done some damage. Or burnt a LOT of precious time.

So let’s talk about the red flags to spot that’ll save you from this special circle of ERP hell.

Red Flag #1: The “We Did Everything” D365 F&O Expert

Here’s a fun game: Ask a contractor about their last project and count the pronouns.

Good contractors might sound like this: “I configured the allocation rules for their multi-entity structure. I designed the month-end close process. Sarah handled the technical integration while I focused on the functional design.”

Bad contractors sound like this: “We implemented the entire Finance module. We did a full end-to-end D365 F&SCM implementation. Our team delivered everything.”

See the difference?

When someone can’t articulate their specific contribution, it’s usually because they didn’t have one. They were either the coffee-fetcher on a large project or they’re straight-up lying about their involvement.

I once interviewed a contractor who claimed “we transformed the client’s entire financial operations.” Twenty minutes of probing revealed their actual role: updating Excel templates for data migration. Important? Sure. Transformation leader? Not quite.

The Test: Ask them to walk you through ONE specific thing THEY personally built or configured. If they start with “Well, the team…” or “We all worked on…” – run. Real experts can point to their work like a proud parent showing off kindergarten art.

HUMBLE NOTE: there are some very humble contractors out there that use the “royal we” in the spirit of being a team player: when in actual fact it was them (not the team). Get clarity by asking the simple question: “when you say ‘we’, do you mean ‘I’?”

Red Flag #2: The Universal D365 Genius

Meet Bob. Bob is amazing. Bob is a functional finance consultant AND a technical architect AND a project manager AND a data migration specialist AND an integration expert AND an Advanced Warehouse pro. Bob has never met a D365 module he couldn’t master. Bob is also full of… it.

Real D365 expertise is deep, not wide. The best D365 Finance consultant won’t go near a line of X++ code. The best technical architect I work with wouldn’t dream of designing a credit management process. They know their lanes and they stay in them.

Why? Because D365 F&O is massive. It’s complex. It changes constantly. Nobody – and I mean NOBODY – is an expert in absolutely everything. Maybe in D365 Business Central, but not D365 Finance & Supply Chain Management / Finance & Operations / whatever it’s latest name!

The contractors claiming universal expertise are usually mediocre at everything and expert at nothing. They’re the ones who’ll confidently say “yes” to any requirement, then frantically Google how to do it after the call.

The Test: Ask about something highly specific outside their claimed expertise area. A real expert will say, “That’s not my area, but I can recommend someone great” or “I’d need to research that.” A faker will bluff their way through it.

Red Flag #3: The Reference Dodger

This one’s my favorite because it’s so predictable.

The conversation goes like this:

• You: “Can you provide a reference of one of those CIOs you helped in the past 5 years?”
• Them: “Oh, they’re all under NDA.”
• You: “All 4 of them?”
• Them: “Yes, very sensitive industries.”
• You: “Can they at least confirm you worked there?”
• Them: [Sound of crickets and tumbleweeds]

Look, NDAs are real. But they don’t prevent someone from confirming a contractor did good work. Unless the work was performed through a Microsoft Partner organization (check with the contractor). If someone has supposedly worked on dozens of projects but can’t produce a single human who’ll vouch for them…

Good contractors? They’ve got references lined up like ducks in a row. They’ll volunteer them. They’ll say things like, “Call Jennifer at Contoso Manufacturing – she’ll tell you about the time I saved their year-end close.”

The Test: Push for just ONE reference. Even with NDAs, there’s always someone who can speak in general terms about their performance. If they can’t produce anyone, they’re either impossible to work with or lying about their experience. Either way, next!

Red Flag #4: The Vague F&O Storyteller

Ask a weak contractor about challenges they’ve solved, and you’ll get a masterclass in saying nothing with maximum words.

“We followed best practices to optimize their processes using industry standards and proven methodologies to achieve synergies and drive value.”

What does that even mean? It’s the contractor equivalent of a horoscope – vague enough that it could apply to anyone, specific enough to sound meaningful.

Compare that to a real expert’s response:

“They were doing manual journal entries for 200 intercompany transactions every month because their entity structure was set up wrong. I redesigned their legal entity hierarchy, set up automatic intercompany accounting, and eliminated 40 hours of manual work per month. The accounting team literally sent me cookies.”

One is specific, measurable, and includes enough detail that you can picture the problem and solution. The other is word salad with buzzword dressing.

The Test: Ask for specifics. What was the exact problem? What specifically did you do? What was the measurable outcome? If they can’t get specific, they weren’t there or didn’t do the work.

Your Gut Check Questions

Before you hire any D365 F&O contractor, ask yourself:

1. Can they clearly explain what THEY specifically did on past projects?
2. Do they admit to having limits and specialties?
3. Can they provide at least one reference who’ll talk to you?
4. Do their stories include specific problems, solutions, and outcomes?

The Bottom Line: Trust Your Instincts

Here’s what thirteen years of vetting contractors has taught me: your gut usually knows before your brain does.

If something feels off – the stories don’t quite add up, the expertise seems too broad, the references are always unavailable – trust that instinct. It’s your subconscious picking up on patterns that your conscious mind hasn’t processed yet.

Good contractors make you feel confident. They ask smart questions. They admit what they don’t know. They can point to specific wins. They have people willing to sing their praises.

Bad contractors make you feel like you’re being sold something. Because you are.

The difference between a project-saving contractor and a project-destroying one isn’t just technical skill – it’s integrity, experience, and the ability to be honest about both their capabilities and limitations.

Choose wisely. Your D365 project, your sanity, and quite possibly your job depend on it.

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Still need to work on that gut instinct? (you are not alone) We’ve already vetted hundreds of D365 contractors so you don’t have to. 

Our contractors come with real references, specific expertise, and zero BS. 

Get matched with pre-vetted D365 contractors:

But First: Let’s Talk About That Contractor Who Ruined It for Everyone

You know the one. They were brilliant at D365. Absolute wizard with configurations. Then one day they just… vanished. Poof. 

Three days later they resurface with some story about their internet being down. The client’s eye starts twitching. Trust is broken. And suddenly every D365 contractor after them gets treated like a flight risk.

Don’t be that contractor.

Look, I get it. You chose contracting for the freedom. No boring meetings about meetings. No corporate BS. No mandatory fun committees. But here’s the thing – your clients are betting their careers on you showing up. The least you can do is tell them when you won’t be around.

This guide is about the stupidly simple communication habits that keep clients happy and keep you busy. And those extensions rolling on.

Rule #1: The “No Surprises” Policy (Unless It’s Cake)

Your client finding out you’re off on Friday… on Friday morning… is not the kind of surprise anyone enjoys.

Here’s what works:

• Monday morning: “Here’s what I’m tackling this week” (30 seconds to type, saves 30 minutes of panicked client emails)
• Doctor appointment next month? Tell them now. Why wait?
• Big request comes in? Even just “Got it, will dig in after lunch” beats radio silence

Real example that actually happened: “Hey team, dental appointment Thursday November 20th, 1-4pm. The reconciliation scripts will be done and documented before I abandon you for my root canal. If anything explodes while I’m gone, blame Dave.”

Client’s love this. And it’s so simple.

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Rule #2: Yes, We Know You Have Other Clients (We’re Not Idiots)

Your clients aren’t children. They know you’re not sitting around waiting for their emails like a golden retriever. Well, not ALL the time! They know you have other clients. What drives them crazy is not knowing WHERE they fit in your world.

Just be straight with them: “Cards on the table – I’ve got another client who gets my Tuesdays and Thursdays. You get MWF and my full attention those days. If something catches fire on a Tuesday, I’ll handle it, but my standard response time is MWF. Cool?”

You know what clients say to this? “Cool.”

You know what they say when you’re mysteriously ‘busy’ every Tuesday without explanation? Nothing good.

The worst excuse I ever heard: “Sorry, I was… uh… walking the dog all day.” Dude. At least make up something believable. You have a Pug.

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Rule #3: Taking Vacation Doesn’t Make You a Bad Contractor

Taking vacation WITHOUT WARNING just isn’t cool.

The 3-2-1 Countdown:

• 3 weeks out: “Hey, heading to the Bahamas first week of December”
• 2 weeks out: “Remember that Bahamas thing? Here’s my coverage plan”
• 1 week out: “Bahamas next week! Everything’s documented, Dave knows what’s up”

The message that makes clients love you:

“Heads up – I’m off March 1-5 (finally using those airline credits from 2020 🙄). Here’s what’ll be done before I go:

• User permissions audit – DONE by Feb 26
• Month-end close documentation – DONE by Feb 27
• Dave’s briefed on everything (he owes me one anyway)
• My phone works in Mexico if something literally catches fire

Anything else you need before I abandon you for tacos and questionable tequila?”

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Rule #4: When Life Punches You in the Face

Kid projectile vomits at 3am? Car battery decides today’s the day to die? Life happens.

The “Oh Crap” Protocol:

Send this immediately (yes, even at 6am):

“Morning [Client]. Life happened. [Brief truth]. Need to handle this until ~2pm. The warranty report will still hit your inbox by 5pm today. Will update you at 2pm. Sorry for the disruption – my [car/kid/cat] apparently hates project deadlines.”

What NOT to say:

• “Something came up” (They’re imagining you at the beach)
• Nothing (They’re imagining you at the beach)
• An elaborate lie about food poisoning (We all know you’re hungover, Steve)

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Rule #5: The Friday Insurance Policy

Every Friday, spend 5 minutes writing this email/Teams message. It’ll save you from Monday morning panic texts.

The World’s Simplest Status Update:

“Friday wrap-up:

Done this week:

• Fixed that weird bug in the payment terms
• Taught accounting how to actually use the reports
• Prevented Dave from breaking production (again)

Next week:

• Month-end close prep
• That integration thing we discussed
• More Dave damage control

Need from you:

• Approval on the warranty config
• Someone to tell Dave to stop touching things

Have a good weekend! 🍻”

Takes 5 minutes. Prevents 5 hours of “where are we on…?” emails/Teams.

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The “I’m Getting Swamped” Conversation

When every client suddenly needs everything yesterday (usually in December, because of course), here’s how to not implode:

The message that shows you’re a pro:

“Hey [Client], being transparent here – I’m getting stretched pretty thin across all my clients. Your D365 project is important to me and I want to make sure I’m not dropping balls. Can we do a quick call to prioritize what absolutely needs to happen this week vs. what can wait? I’d rather be honest now than disappointing later.”

Clients LOVE this. Know what they hate? When you say yes to everything then deliver garbage because you’re running on 3 hours of sleep and coffee fumes.

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Tools That Make You Look Like You Have Your Sh*t Together

Bare minimum:

• Calendar that shows when you’re available (doesn’t need detail, just “Available” vs “Booked”)
• Surprise out-of-office that doesn’t say “I’ll respond when I return” 
• Slack/Teams status that isn’t permanently set to “Away” (we see you, Kevin)

Next level:

• Phone reminder every Friday at 3pm: “Send status updates, dummy”
• Template folder called “Excuses” (kidding… call it “Client Communication Templates”)
• At least one contractor buddy who’ll cover for you (and vice versa) in mega situations

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The Bottom Line (The Part Where I Get Serious for 30 Seconds)

You’re not an employee, but you’re not a ghost either.

The D365 contractors who survive long-term aren’t necessarily the best technically. They’re the ones who answer their damn emails and tell people when they’ll be gone.

Your clients don’t need you to be available 24/7. They need to know WHEN you’re available and trust that you’ll show up when you say you will.

It’s literally that simple.

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Your Homework 😀 

1. Right now: Send every live client a status update. Even if it’s “Everything’s on track, no blockers, talk Monday.”
2. Check your calendar: Any time off in the next month? Tell your clients. Today.
3. Set a phone reminder: Every Friday, 3pm – “Send weekly updates or clients will panic”
4. Save this message template: “Hi [Client], emergency came up, will be back online by [time], [deliverable] still on track for [deadline]. Will update you at [time].”
5. Forward this guide to that one contractor friend who needs it (we all know who it is)

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“The void created by the failure to communicate is soon filled with poison, drivel, and misrepresentation.” – Some smart person who probably got ghosted by a contractor