Start with what you are buying
You are not buying software; Microsoft sells that. You are buying a team's judgement about your processes, their discipline in configuration and testing, and their willingness to say no to scope that will hurt you in a year.
Credentials and capability
Verify rather than accept.
Are you a Microsoft Solutions Partner for Business Applications, and can I see it in Microsoft's partner directory?
Do you implement Business Central, Finance & Operations, or both, and how many projects of each this year?
Who will do the work, and how long have they been on this product?
South African compliance
This is where generic partners are weakest.
Who maintains PAYE, UIF and SDL calculations when the law changes, and how fast?
How do you enforce PFMA and PPPFA procurement rules, and what happens at audit?
How do you handle POPIA: access control, retention, an operator agreement?
References and method
References tell you more than case studies.
Can I speak to a client of similar size and sector?
What went wrong on your last similar project, and what did you change?
Will you run a discovery and fit-gap before pricing, and what will I receive?
After go-live
Support is where the relationship is tested.
What are your support tiers, response times and escalation path?
How do you handle Microsoft's twice-yearly release waves for the extensions you build?
How would I get my data and configuration out if we part ways?
Frequently asked questions
How many partners should I shortlist?
Two or three. More makes the comparison shallow.
Is a local office important?
Experience on comparable South African work matters more. Clarify how workshops, delivery and support actually run.
Last reviewed 2026-10-12