Deployment types

  • 12 minutes

Project Operations supports multiple deployment options to match your requirements. Whether you are a new or existing Dynamics 365 customer, Project Operations can support your needs.

Using the Project Operations deployment questionnaire will help you determine the right deployment by answering a few simple questions.

Screenshot of the Project Operations questionnaire.

The results will guide you toward one of the following deployment types:

  • Lite deployment – deal to proforma invoicing
  • Project Operations for resource/non-stocked scenarios
  • Project Operations for stocked/production order scenarios

Diagram showing the Project Operations deployment types.

Lite deployment - deal to proforma invoicing

The Lite deployment type of Project Operations has the following capabilities for project-based companies:

  • Project planning by using Microsoft Project for the web
  • Multi-dimensional pricing and costing for labor resources
  • Category-based pricing for expense categories
  • Project-based sales management by using Dynamics 365 Sales capabilities
  • Universal resource scheduling that integrates with other apps such as Dynamics 365 Field Service and Dynamics 365 Customer Service
  • Project progress and time tracking
  • Basic expense tracking for project-based expenses
  • Proforma invoicing that can be reviewed and sent to a financial system for processing
  • Extensibility through Microsoft Power Platform

Use this deployment type if you expect to use the full project life cycle, including the following requirements:

  • The ability to manage project-based sales with other types of sales by using the capabilities in the Sales application
  • An integrated system that manages internal and billable projects for schedules and financials, from project sales to invoicing
  • An ERP/financial accounting system from another source to integrate with Project Operations
  • A system from another source to work with sales taxes, exchange rates, expense reimbursements, and non-project expenses

Project Operations for resource/non-stocked scenarios

The deployment type of Project Operations for resource/non-stocked based scenarios has the following capabilities for project-based companies:

  • Project planning by using Microsoft Project for the web
  • Multi-dimensional pricing and costing for labor resources
  • Category-based pricing for expense categories
  • Project-based sales management by using Sales capabilities
  • Universal resource scheduling that integrates with other apps such as Field Service and Customer Service
  • Project progress and time tracking
  • Basic and full expense management experiences for project and non-project expenses, including receipt capture by using OCR capabilities
  • Invoicing that extends from proforma to customer-facing and is backed by an enterprise-class sales tax and date-effective exchange rate system
  • Configurable project cost, revenue profiles, and rules for work in progress (WIP) accounting and accruals
  • Project revenue recognition
  • Extensibility through Power Platform

This deployment type provides an extension to the functionality that is provided by Dynamics 365 Finance and Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management apps. This deployment should be selected when you have the following requirements:

  • The ability to manage project-based sales with other types of sales by using the capabilities in the Sales application
  • An integrated project management system that manages internal and billable projects for schedules and financials from project sales to accounting
  • An expense management system that includes policy enforcements and reimbursements for tracking project and non-project expenses
  • A rich, enterprise-class sales tax and exchange rate engine to generate customer-facing invoices for projects
  • An International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS)-compliant project accounting and revenue recognition system
  • Finance or Supply Chain Management apps and integration of project-based transactions

Project Operations for stocked/production order scenarios

The Project Operations for stocked/production order scenarios deployment type has the following capabilities for project-based companies:

  • Project planning by using the work breakdown structures
  • Procure and consume stocked inventory for projects
  • Managing project-based sales by using the Sales and Marketing module in finance and operations apps
  • Project pricing and costing by using the cost rate and bill rate configurations in finance and operations apps
  • Resource management for projects in finance and operations apps
  • Project progress and time tracking in finance and operations apps
  • Expense management experiences for project and non-project expenses with receipt capture by using OCR capabilities
  • Invoicing by using an enterprise-class sales tax and date-effective exchange rates system
  • Configurable project groups for Work in progress (WIP) accounting and accruals
  • Project revenue recognition

This deployment type also provides an extension to the functionality that is provided by the Finance and Supply Chain Management apps. This deployment should be selected when you have the following requirements:

  • An extensive Project management system that manages inventoried items and job/production order costing for internal and billable projects for schedules and financials
  • The organization already has Finance or Supply Chain Management apps and integrating project-based transactions will simplify data access and reporting needs
  • A fully functional Expense management system that includes policy enforcements and reimbursements for tracking project and non-project expenses
  • An enterprise-class sales tax and exchange rate engine to generate customer-facing invoices for projects
  • An International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS)-compliant project accounting and revenue recognition system