MVP Insights: Drew Lencsak on Balancing Community and Career, MVP Journey, Summit NA Speaking

Key Takeaways

• MVP journey: Drew began his journey with Dynamics 365 in 2008 as a business analyst in the UK, working on legacy versions of Dynamics AX and focusing on manufacturing and supply chain processes. After returning from the UK, Drew transitioned to a role supporting multiple legal entities across 12 countries, which involved training and onboarding 600 end users. Eventually, Drew moved into consulting, engaging with dynamic communities, presenting at Summits, and ultimately earning a Microsoft MVP award in Dynamics AI ERP two years ago.
• Overcoming career challenges: Drew has always worked in the partner channel, balancing client commitments with community contributions as an MVP. The most challenging projects involved transitioning into new industries like food and beverage or life sciences, which required learning about different regulations and manufacturing processes. Additionally, as an MVP, Drew faces the challenge of managing time between a full-time job and community activities such as blogging, presenting at conferences, and providing feedback on new features.
• Summit NA involvement: Drew has attended 8-9 Community Summit NA events. At Community Summit North America 2024, he will be participating in two sessions. The first, taking place on Monday, October 14, "D365 FO MVP Panel - New Features, Tips, and Tricks," will feature 12 Microsoft MVPs for Dynamics 365 Finance and Supply Chain, focusing on new features, tips, and tricks across the entire ERP space. This session will be inclusive of various aspects, not just manufacturing or finance.
• Demand planning in D365: His second session, "Saddle Up: The Wild West of Demand Planning with Microsoft Dynamics 365," will focus on the new demand planning app that allows users to import data and connect directly with Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management, as well as other data sources. The app features built-in forecasting, Copilot features, statistical time modeling forecasts, and integration with Microsoft Teams. The session will identify how the tool addresses gaps in previous solutions and broadens the scope of demand planning.