Microsoft Dynamics 365 continues to gain traction as organizations prioritize ERP standardization and process-level optimization as foundations for automation and AI. The platform has seen sustained double-digit growth and expanding adoption across ERP and CRM workloads, reflecting broader enterprise demand for integrated, cloud-based systems.
That momentum is increasingly visible at the customer level, where companies are moving away from fragmented application landscapes toward unified platforms that can support global scale, real-time data access, and process automation. Two recent developments at Franklin Sports and Zwilling Beauty Group illustrate how that shift is playing out across different stages of transformation.
Franklin Sports: Unifying Global Operations
Franklin Sports announced on April 8 it has selected Dynamics 365 Finance and Supply Chain Management as its new ERP platform, working with Sunrise Technologies to replace multiple legacy systems and unify global operations.
The move reflects a familiar driver: scaling an omnichannel business with a fragmented application landscape. As Franklin expands globally and manages a growing omnichannel business, its existing systems are no longer sufficient to support operational complexity. The move to a single cloud-based platform is aimed at improving visibility across finance and supply chain functions while enabling more coordinated execution.
The company is positioning the ERP implementation as a foundation for visibility and coordination across its expanding global footprint. Cloud ERP platforms like Dynamics 365 provide real-time access to integrated data across the business, allowing organizations to respond more quickly to demand shifts and operational challenges. For Franklin, that translates into tighter alignment between product, inventory, and distribution as the company scales.
Analysis
What this means: ERP transformation is becoming an iterative, partner-led process. The role of partners is expanding from delivery to co-creation, particularly in complex, global environments. Selecting partners with both technical depth and operational understanding is increasingly critical to sustaining long-term value.
Zwilling: From Consolidation to Optimization
While Franklin is at the beginning of its transformation journey, Zwilling Beauty Group provides a view into what follows.
After consolidating four ERP systems into a single Dynamics 365 environment, Zwilling focused first on stability—standardizing processes and aligning operations across its global business. Only after establishing that foundation did the company move into optimization, starting with accounts payable automation through its partnership with Truvio.
Through its implementation of ExFlow for AP automation, the company reduced manual intervention and improved data accuracy in a high-volume function. The impact extended beyond efficiency gains. By automating routine processing, finance teams were able to focus more on exceptions, analysis, and decision support.
The results go beyond efficiency. By reducing manual intervention and improving data accuracy, Zwilling shifted its finance function toward exception management and decision support, reflecting a broader evolution in how ERP-driven automation is being applied.
The company is now taking a measured approach to AI, exploring capabilities within Power BI and Microsoft Fabric while prioritizing governance and business alignment over rapid deployment.
Analysis
What this means: Finance automation is evolving into a strategic function. Zwilling’s focus on AP shows how automation can pivot finance teams from transaction processing to exception management and decision support. Target high-volume, rules-based processes first to create measurable impact and organizational momentum.
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Partnerships, Standardization Become the Throughline
Both use cases highlight the role of partners in executing ERP transformations.
Franklin Sports selected Sunrise Technologies for its experience in Dynamics 365 implementations and global operations. Plus, Zwilling’s collaboration with Truvio reflects a deeper model of co-creation, where partners contribute to iterative design and process refinement rather than delivering predefined solutions.
As ERP projects become more continuous and less event-driven, partner relationships shift from implementation support to ongoing operational alignment. For Franklin, that means consolidating systems to enable growth. For Zwilling, it meant stabilizing first, then layering automation and exploring AI.
In both cases, ERP transformation is increasingly about creating a stable, standardized foundation before pursuing innovation. It is not the end goal, but the prerequisite for what comes next.
Analysis
What this means: ERP standardization is the prerequisite for everything that follows. Both organizations prioritized consolidating systems and aligning processes before pursuing automation or AI. Leaders should resist the urge to accelerate into advanced capabilities without first stabilizing the core environment.
