Jukka Niiranen on Power Platform licensing, AI, and career changes
Release Date: 03/24/2025
The MSDW Podcast
This episode is sponsored by . As buyer behavior has evolved, sales and marketing teams have tried to keep pace. Understanding buyer behavior remains key, says our guest, Thomas Manders, CEO of Microsoft partner Coffee + Dunn, but data gathering and contextualizing insights for sellers have proved a challenge for some firms. In this episode, Thomas shares examples of business processes that Dynamics 365 users can execute on today, including steps that can bring sales and marketing teams closer together. We also discuss some of the latest Dynamics 365 Customer Insights marketing capabilities...
info_outlineThe MSDW Podcast
This episode is sponsored by . The complexities and challenges of use tax compliance only seem to grow as a business expands its operations and customer base. Our guest, Avalara use tax product solution consultant Myles Metzger, explains some of the most common misconceptions about use tax and why it is so tricky for finance teams to comply. Myles also explains some of the common challenges that Dynamics ERP customers face and how Avalara's latest integrations with Dynamics GP, D365 Business Central, and D365 Finance improve tax accuracy and reduce the risks of under- or overpayment. More from...
info_outlineThe MSDW Podcast
This episode is sponsored by . It may be hard to believe, but many partners are still unaware of the Accounts Payable compliance best practices. On this episode, Mekorma’s Director of Revenue, joins us to highlight regulatory updates impacting AP teams and explains how those changes tie into partner observations and feedback at Directions NA 2025. We discuss the increasing demand for advanced security and compliance solutions and how Mekorma’s check printing solutions handle fraud prevention and compliance. Brendan explains that tackling these challenges with technology solutions is...
info_outlineThe MSDW Podcast
Alicia King (Keener) received her first Microsoft MVP award in 2024, but her experience with Dynamics ERPs goes back more than 15 years. She joins us to share some of the meaningful experiences in her professional journey and her perspective on the present and future of Dynamics 365 F&O. We discuss Alicia's approach to , how she has extended her expertise into specific industries, and about her presentation plans for in Chicago, where she will be presenting on using the built-in tax engine for D365 F&SCM. Show Notes: 4:00 - The types of content she creates and what...
info_outlineThe MSDW Podcast
This episode is sponsored by . When a Microsoft reseller like Innovia considers channel partnerships, it does so in the context of strategic plans related customer needs, growth goals, and market opportunities. On this episode, we sit down with Tim Teeter from Yooz and Trish Boccuti from Innovia to discuss how their organizations have successfully collaborated by prioritizing customer needs, aligning business strategies, and setting growth goals. Tim shares insights into how their teams connected, established priorities, and achieved notable successes. Trish recounts how Innovia...
info_outlineThe MSDW Podcast
We’re wrapping up our with more perspective from channel veterans who were listening and presenting. , , and talked to MSDW during and just after the event. They shared their impressions of Microsoft's presence, the impact they expect from pre-built AI agents like the Sales Order Agent, and Power BI advances. And as Microsoft partners, they were also listening for the company's updates on how Business Central-focused firms can do better in the channel. And no North American SMB-focused ERP event would be complete without an update on Microsoft's push to help partners migrate...
info_outlineThe MSDW Podcast
This episode is sponsored by . Security and automation are top of mind for most CFOs and finance teams this year, especially when it comes to payments and accounts receivable. For Dynamics Business Central users, embedded payments can solve both pain points. Our guests, Jeremy Boogaart and Carlton Ortega of PayTrace, share the latest enhancements to Trace AR for Business Central. We talk feature updates, the team's collaboration with early adopter customers of Trace AR, and a bit about the product roadmap. And the PayTrace team will be at upcoming events, including Directions North America...
info_outlineThe MSDW Podcast
This episode is sponsored by . What does it really takes to control content in Business Central? Taking the perspective of Record to Report and the needs of office of the CFO, Business Central customers have key challenges they will need to account for. Our guests, Patrick Nguyen and Bob Monio of SignUp Software, take us through typical requirements they see related to auditability, accounting, and analysis. We also discuss how to best understand what Business Central can do out of the box and when an organization needs to look for more specialized capabilities. And we discuss the...
info_outlineThe MSDW Podcast
This episode is sponsored by Resco and their event. Resco's annual event focused on advanced mobility, Resco Next, will be in Valencia on May 20 and 21 this year. The team has a variety of experiences planned, including a live podcast episode of , the popular marketing-focused podcast series hosted by marketing consultant and NetStock partner marketing lead Sam Bush, our guest on this episode. Sam has established herself in the Microsoft channel as voice for thoughtful marketing and demand generation, with a focus on impactful, people-to-people campaigns and strategies. She also...
info_outlineThe MSDW Podcast
Jukka Niiranen is a former Microsoft MVP and a current Power Platform expert, offering his services through his own firm and sharing his views regularly on social media and in his newsletter. On this episode, Jukka joins us to talk about how his career has evolved, his current work, his technology outlook, and a few hints at his upcoming licensing session at (where MSDW is a media partner). Jukka's career has evolved in the last decade from a consulting role with a Microsoft partner to founding a services firm to now opening his own consultancy. He also recently made the...
info_outlineJukka Niiranen is a former Microsoft MVP and a current Power Platform expert, offering his services through his own firm and sharing his views regularly on social media and in his newsletter. On this episode, Jukka joins us to talk about how his career has evolved, his current work, his technology outlook, and a few hints at his upcoming licensing session at DynamicsMinds 2025 (where MSDW is a media partner).
Jukka's career has evolved in the last decade from a consulting role with a Microsoft partner to founding a services firm to now opening his own consultancy. He also recently made the decision to end his 11-year streak as a Microsoft MVP and we discuss that experience. And Jukka shares some context on how the evolution of Microsoft Business Applications has shaped his advice to clients regarding AI, Power Platform, D365 apps, and more.
Show Notes:
- 1:00 - Jukka's professional history, including his newest venture and the transition from CRM to Power Platform and low code advisory
- Clients in the low-code world are not exactly the same as CRM decision makers
- 4:30 - The emergence of Microsoft's low-code vision with the components that became Power Platform
- 7:30 - The ongoing separation in the Power Apps community between CRM-based and dev-based
- 15:15 - What Jukka has learned from looking at Microsoft's Ideas sites
- 17:15 - Experience after retiring his MVP status
- 26:30 - How Jukka's views in writing and advisory work overlap
- 28:00 - Jukka's presentation on Power Platform licensing at DynamicsMinds 2025
- 34:30 - What kind of AI conversations is Jukka having with customers today
- 43:45 - Security and governance issues as it relates to AI in enterprise software
- 49:00 - About Jukka's newsletter, Perspectives Plus
Where to find Jukka:
- Newsletter: https://perspectives.plus/
- Company: https://niiranenadvisory.com/
- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/jukkaniiranen/
- Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/jukkan.bsky.social
- Mastodon: https://mstdn.social/@jukkan