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A buyer scorecard for Microsoft Dynamics 365 specialists

By MS Dynamics Guys ยท Updated

Short answer

Score every proposed Microsoft Dynamics 365 specialist on the same evidence: one short task from your app and role, a four-level rubric, and checks of how the person communicates and documents work. MS Dynamics Guys publishes this scorecard for comparing candidates from any supplier before anyone gets access to your systems. Your interview still decides fit.

Discuss a technical assessmentCompare engagement models

How to run the scorecard

Use the same five steps for every candidate, whichever supplier proposes them. The scorecard compares people for a role; choosing a company to run a whole implementation needs other criteria. Everything you need is on this page: print it, or copy the tables into your own hiring document.

  1. Set the must-haves before you read profiles

    Mark the rubric criteria that the role cannot do without, and write them down. Do this first, so one impressive profile cannot move the bar for everyone else.

  2. Give everyone the same task and time limit

    Choose a task from the task bank below, or write one from a real backlog item. Every candidate gets the same instructions, the same data and the same time limit.

  3. Use invented data, in a sandbox only

    Here, a sandbox means a test environment that holds only invented data. The candidate works in their own sandbox or development environment, or on paper. Nobody gets an account in your systems at this stage.

  4. Two reviewers score alone, then compare

    Each reviewer scores every criterion from 1 to 4 and writes one line of evidence. Then the two compare. Where they differ, they reread the evidence and agree on one score, with a written reason.

  5. Stop at a 1 on any must-have

    A must-have scored 1 ends the process for that candidate, whatever the other scores are. Tell the supplier which criterion ended it, and why.

Two reviewers are possible even in a small team. If only one person knows the product, that person scores the technical criteria. A second colleague can score communication and documentation, which need no product knowledge.

The four-level scale

Every criterion uses the same four scores. A score describes what the reviewers saw in the work, not how much they liked the candidate.

The scorecard scale: what each score means and what to do with it
ScoreWhat the reviewers seeWhat it means for your decision
1: wrongThe answer is wrong, missing or unsafe, and a hint does not fix itOn a must-have, the process for that candidate ends here
2: promptedThe answer becomes right only after a reviewer points at the problemA gap to probe in your interview, or to support in the first weeks
3: tested and explainedThe answer is right without help, a test or check proves it, and the candidate explains why it worksMeets the role
4: adds limits and a simpler optionEverything in a 3, plus where the solution stops working and a simpler option, such as a standard featureMore than the role needs on this criterion

The rubric: six criteria for every role

The same six criteria fit developers, consultants and engineers. The rubric describes a 1 and a 3 for each criterion. A 2 is a 3 reached only with help. A 4 is a 3 plus the limits of the solution and a simpler option.

Scorecard rubric: six criteria, what scores 1 and 3 look like, and the evidence to keep
CriterionScore 1: stopScore 3: meets the roleEvidence to keep
Product and version fitWorks in the wrong product or version, or relies on something your version does not supportUses supported extension points or standard settings of your product and versionThe version the answer assumes, noted by the reviewers
Task resultThe result fails, or nothing shows that it worksThe result runs in the sandbox, and tests or a test script prove itCode, a configuration export or test results
Failure handlingCannot say what happens when a step failsExplains what rolls back, what is retried and who receives an alertThe candidate's answers to your failure questions
Configuration firstWrites code for something a setting or standard feature already doesTries the standard feature first, and gives a reason for each custom partThe written reason for each custom part
CommunicationAsks no questions and states no assumptionsAsks about gaps, writes assumptions down and explains the result plainlyThe candidate's questions and written assumptions
DocumentationLeaves nothing that another person could reuseLeaves a design note, release steps and the work in source controlThe documents themselves

Next to every score, write one line about the evidence behind it, and keep that evidence: notes, code, test results or documents. When a supplier or a candidate asks about a decision, you can then show what each score rests on.

Task bank: one task for each role

Each task fits into one walkthrough and works with invented data. Pick the row for your role, then adapt it to your app and version.

In this table, CRM means customer relationship management: apps such as Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales and Customer Service, which run on Microsoft Dataverse.

Task bank: the task for each Microsoft Dynamics 365 role and what a strong answer shows
RoleThe taskA strong answer
CRM developerReview a short demonstration plug-in, and explain what happens to a record save when the plug-in throws an errorNames the stage and mode of each step. Explains that an error in a synchronous step cancels the save and rolls back the whole operation. Asks first whether a declarative option, such as a business rule or a flow, would do the job.
Business Central developerAdd one rule to a standard process with an event subscriber in AL, the programming language of Business Central, and cover the rule with a test codeunitUses an event instead of copying standard code. Tests the rule with a positive and a negative case. Hands in code analyzer output with no warnings, or with a reason for each warning that remains.
Finance and operations developerDesign an extension in X++, the programming language of finance and operations apps such as Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Supply Chain Management. A design on paper is enough.Wraps the standard method with Chain of Command and calls next, so Microsoft's logic still runs. Spots methods that cannot be wrapped, such as those marked [Hookable(false)] and final methods without [Wrappable(true)]. Plans a unit test in SysTest, the X++ test framework.
CRM consultant, including Sales consultantsQualify a demonstration lead into an opportunity, then write a user acceptance testing (UAT) script for that step. For a Customer Service consultant, use a case that must reach the right queue instead.Predicts which account, contact and opportunity records the qualification settings create, and whether users see a side pane first. Checks how duplicates are caught: the default rules cover accounts and contacts, so leads need a rule of their own. Adds a negative test to the script.
Business Central consultantTrace a posted demonstration sales invoice to its general ledger (G/L) entries, then reconcile inventory with the G/LNames the setup that chose each account, and checks the trace with Find entries. Gives every inventory difference a cause, such as cost that is not yet posted to the G/L.
Power Platform developer, Power Apps developer or Power Automate developerDiagnose a demonstration cloud flow whose run failed halfway, and the canvas app that lists the records the flow createsFinds the failed action and its cause. Adds error handling with Run after settings, Try and Catch scopes and a retry policy. Plans a rerun that creates no duplicates. Notices a filter that cannot be delegated, so the app reads only the first 500 records by default.
Integration engineerMap one interface between Microsoft Dynamics 365 and another system: the records, the direction, the timing and the failure pathNames the system of record for each record type and the keys that match records on both sides, so a retry updates a record instead of creating a duplicate. Waits for the time in the Retry-After header when Dataverse returns 429 Too Many Requests. Names who owns a failed message and how it is sent again.
Data migration engineerRead the error report of a trial load, then reconcile the loaded data with the source extractReconciles record counts and totals per table, and gives each error a cause and an owner. In Dataverse, keeps source created dates by mapping them to overriddencreatedon, and knows which other audit columns an import cannot set.
Solution architectCritique a demonstration design, and write each finding as an entry in an architecture decision record (ADR), the log of design decisionsEach entry states the context, the options considered, the decision with its tradeoffs, a confidence level and a status. A changed decision gets a new entry that supersedes the old one, and accepted entries are not edited.

This task bank is public, so candidates can read it too. Before you use a task, change the scenario, the data and one condition.

A role in this table is not an offer to supply it. The hiring hub lists the roles that MS Dynamics Guys offers.

Communication checks

Communication decides how much of your lead's time a specialist will need. Build these checks into the task, and score them under the Communication criterion.

Communication checks: how to run each one and what good looks like
CheckHow to run itWhat good looks like
Questions firstLeave one input out of the task on purpose, such as the product version or one business ruleThe candidate asks for the missing input before building, or writes down an assumption and builds on it
Written assumptionsAsk for the assumptions in writing, together with the resultEach assumption is specific enough for your lead to confirm or reject
A failure explained plainlyAsk the candidate to explain one failure case to a business userShort sentences, every abbreviation explained, and a clear next step for the user
Your hours, confirmed in writingAsk the supplier to confirm which of your working hours the person will coverA written answer before any start date, not a promise made in a call

Documentation checks: what the candidate hands in

Ask every candidate for the same five documents with the task. Short documents are fine. Score them under the Documentation criterion with one question: could another person continue the work from them?

  • A design note: what was built, why, and which options were rejected.
  • A change description that a reviewer can follow without the candidate in the room.
  • Test evidence: the results themselves, not a statement that the tests passed.
  • Rollback steps: how to undo the change, or turn it off, if a release goes wrong.
  • A handover note: what the next person needs to know to continue.

Supplier checks: the same questions for every supplier

The candidate is only half of the decision. Ask each supplier the same questions, ours included, and keep the answers with the scores.

Supplier checks: what to ask, why it matters and the answer to look for
Ask the supplierWhy it mattersAn answer to look for
Who assessed this person, and with which task?A score means little without the task and the reviewer behind itThe reviewer's role and product track, the task, and the gaps found, in writing
Will the person we interview be the person who starts?A substitute has not passed your task or your interviewNo change of person without your written approval, and the same task for any substitute
Can we run our own task and decide ourselves?Only your team can judge the fit with your people and your systemYes, with no conditions attached
What happens if the person leaves?Continuity is part of what you buyA replacement process and a knowledge transfer plan, written into the agreement
Who removes access at the end?Accounts that stay open after an exit are a security riskYour administrator removes every account on the last day, and the supplier confirms that no copies of your data remain
Where will the work be stored?Work kept outside your systems leaves with the personYour repository and your workspace, from the first commit

Microsoft certifications: check them, then keep the task

Candidates and suppliers often list Microsoft certifications. A certification is one piece of evidence, so check it before you give it any weight. Two checks are enough:

  • Ask for a transcript link. In their Microsoft Learn profile, the candidate selects Share link to create a link to their transcript. The transcript lists the certifications and training modules they completed. Prefer the link to a PDF copy, because the link shows Microsoft's own record.
  • Check that it is current. Associate, expert and specialty certifications expire after one year. The holder renews one for free by passing an online assessment on Microsoft Learn, which opens six months before the expiry date. Fundamentals certifications do not expire. An expired certification is regained only by passing the required exams again.

Calibration example: a 2 and a 4 on the same posting trace

Can we use this scorecard on specialists from MS Dynamics Guys?

Yes, and we suggest it. Give our candidates the same task and rubric as candidates from any other supplier. Our assessment and your scorecard then work together:

  • Our summary comes first. Every specialist we propose has passed a role-specific assessment. You receive a written summary of what we tested, where the candidate was strong and the gaps we found. How we assess specialists describes the method.
  • Your task covers the gaps. Aim your task at the criteria our summary marks as weak or untested, and at what is special about your system.
  • Your systems stay closed. Our candidates do your task outside your systems. They get access only after you choose them and the agreement is signed.
  • You decide. Your scores and your interview decide who joins. A pass in our assessment does not oblige you to accept anyone.
  • The person you approve starts. We propose a different person only with your written approval. That person goes through the same assessment, your task and your interview before starting.
  • The work stays with you. Code and solution files live in your repository, with their full history. When a specialist leaves, their knowledge transfer is written down and handed over.

Replacement terms are agreed in writing for each engagement. After you choose someone, the work follows our delivery model.

When MS Dynamics Guys fits

MS Dynamics Guys fits buyers who want to compare our specialists with other candidates on the same evidence, and who keep the final decision themselves.

MS Dynamics Guys fits when

  • You will score every candidate with the same task and rubric, ours included.
  • You want a written summary of our assessment before you spend interview time.
  • You want the code in your repository and the hiring decision in your team.
  • The role works in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales or Customer Service, on Dataverse.
  • The role is AL development for Business Central.
  • The role is functional consulting for Business Central.
  • The role works in Power Apps or Power Automate.

Look elsewhere when

  • You want a company to vet candidates that other suppliers propose. We assess only the specialists we propose. Score other candidates with this scorecard and your own reviewers.
  • You want to recruit an employee for your payroll, or you need interview coaching, salary data or employment advice. MS Dynamics Guys supplies specialists under an agreement between two companies.

Questions about the hiring scorecard

How does the scorecard differ from our interview?

The scorecard measures one task against fixed criteria, so candidates from different suppliers are compared on the same evidence. Your interview covers what a task cannot show: how the person works with your people, your system and your rules. Run the task first. Then spend the interview on your must-haves and on the criteria that scored 2, instead of repeating the task.

Can the task use our own system or backlog?

Use your backlog, but keep your system closed. Rewrite one real backlog item with invented names, amounts and records. The candidate then works in their own sandbox or development environment, or on paper. Your accounts and real data wait until you have chosen someone and signed an agreement. Keep the task small: it should show judgment, not deliver free work for your backlog.

Do Microsoft certifications replace the task?

No. A certification shows that the person passed Microsoft's exam for a product area. It does not show how they work with your version, your extensions and your data. If your contract or policy requires a certification, make it a must-have and check it before the task, as described above. Then let the task and your interview decide.

How do we score a consultant who writes no code?

Use the same six criteria, and read them for configuration work:

  • Task result: the configuration works in the sandbox, and a test script that a business user can run proves it.
  • Failure handling: the consultant plans what the process does with wrong input, such as a missing required value, and adds a test that proves the rejection.
  • Configuration first: standard features come first, and every step that needs code is marked with a reason.
  • Documentation: a setup record lists each setting, the reason for it and who approved it.

Product and version fit, and communication, read the same way for every role.

Should we add the scores into one total?

We publish no standard weights, because the right weights depend on your role and your backlog. A total can also hide a weak must-have behind strong scores elsewhere. Read the scores criterion by criterion: the must-haves first, then the criteria your next work items depend on. If you do use weights, set them before the first task and keep them the same for every candidate.

What if a candidate scores 2 on a must-have?

Only a 1 ends the process automatically. Before the first task, decide for each must-have whether a 2 is acceptable. If it is, plan support: pair the person with your reviewer for the first items, and score that criterion again on the first accepted work. If it is not, treat the 2 like a 1, and apply that rule to every candidate.

Discuss a technical assessment for your role

Tell us the Microsoft Dynamics 365 app and version, the role, and the task you plan to use. We reply with what our assessment covers for that role and what your own task should add.

Discuss a technical assessmentSee how we assess specialists

Product documentation referenced on this page