How to Make Your Project Ready4Implementation
Clear Requirements as the Foundation for Successful Projects
Successful development doesn’t begin with implementation in the system, but rather with the description of the requirement. The clearer and more complete a requirement is documented, the more efficiently it can be implemented, tested, and tracked over the long term.
Perhaps you’re familiar with this situation: A requirement is described in general terms, but during implementation, further questions arise, important details must be clarified later, or decisions made earlier are difficult to trace. This costs time and leads to additional coordination efforts.
To ensure your requirements are optimally prepared from the start, we use a standardized process for creating and managing Jira tickets. Our goal is to capture your business requirements in a structured manner, clarify technical issues early on, and establish a reliable foundation for implementation.
Why a Structured Requirements Specification Is Crucial
In complex ERP projects, many different roles work together: business units, functional consultants, solution architects, developers, and testers. To ensure that everyone involved is working toward the same goal, they need a common information base.
Through our standardized ticket process, we ensure that relevant information is fully documented and transparent to all stakeholders. This reduces the need for follow-up questions during development, improves collaboration, and simultaneously creates a robust foundation for testing, documentation, and future enhancements.
From an idea to a ticket ready for implementation
Every requirement starts with your business perspective. The functional consultant works with you to gather the requirements and documents them in a structured manner using a standardized Jira template.
This includes a description of the current status, the business context, the affected business processes, and the expected benefits, among other things. In addition, user stories, acceptance criteria, risks, and open questions are documented.
The requirement is then technically evaluated and refined in collaboration with a Solution Architect or Technical Consultant. This process involves assessing the capabilities already offered by Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central Standard, identifying any dependencies, and determining the most appropriate technical implementation.
The result is a ticket that is fully prepared from both a business and technical perspective and serves as a clear foundation for development.
Artificial Intelligence as a Tool for Requirements Gathering
To make the creation of high-quality ticket descriptions more efficient, we also use AI-powered tools.
Among other things, the AI assists with formulating user stories, creating acceptance criteria in the Given-When-Then format, and structuring and completing ticket descriptions.
AI can also provide valuable support when analyzing a potential implementation in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central Standard—for example, by checking whether the desired functionality is already covered by the standard version or if customizations are necessary.
One thing remains unchanged: the technical evaluation and responsibility continue to rest with our consultants. AI supports the process but does not replace the experience and expertise of our experts.
Quality Assurance Before Implementation
Before a request is sent to development, the ticket quality is checked.
We are supported in this process by an AI-based validator that evaluates the ticket description based on defined minimum requirements. The so-called "Ready Score" indicates which information is already complete and where additional details are still needed.
The validator’s review serves as additional support but does not replace the business and technical coordination among all parties involved.
Only once the relevant information is available and the technical evaluation is complete is the ticket released for development.
What information does a complete ticket contain?
A complete ticket provides the entire foundation for implementation. In addition to the business context and requirements, this includes the expected benefits, the stakeholders involved, and the priority from your perspective.
User stories and acceptance criteria clearly describe what functionality is needed and when it is considered successfully implemented. Risks, dependencies, and technical constraints are addressed early on to identify potential challenges before development begins.
We place a special focus on analyzing standard coverage. Together, we examine which features Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central already offers and whether customizations are actually necessary. This allows us to avoid unnecessary development and make optimal use of existing capabilities.
In addition, technical specifications, open questions, and decisions made are documented. This ensures that the rationale behind specific solution choices remains transparent at all times.
Taking Responsibility Together
A high-quality ticket is the result of collaboration among all parties involved.
The Functional Consultant is responsible for gathering the business requirements and coordinating with you. The Solution Architect evaluates the technical implementation, architecture, and use of standards. Developers add technical details and implement the solution. Testers derive their test cases from the described requirements and ensure the quality of the implementation.
As the customer, you contribute your subject matter expertise, make business decisions, prioritize requirements, and oversee the acceptance of the solution.
Through this shared responsibility, we create a reliable foundation for successful projects.
The Value You Gain from Structured Requirements
A clearly structured requirements process ensures transparency and certainty throughout the entire project.
For you, this means fewer follow-up questions, faster coordination, and greater planning certainty. Requirements are documented in a traceable manner, technical feasibility is assessed early on, and decisions are recorded transparently.
This results in solutions that not only work in the short term but also remain maintainable and scalable in the long term.
Let's work together to further improve the quality of your requirements
A precise set of requirements is the first step toward successful implementation. The better the functional and technical information is prepared, the more efficiently we can work together to achieve your goals.
Work with us to take advantage of a structured requirements gathering process and lay the foundation for successful Business Central projects.
We’ll help you turn your requirements into clear, actionable solutions.
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About the author
Ann-Sophie Seller · Functional Consultant
My dual degree program in Business Administration marked my entry into the world of IT and ERP.
Since 2018, I have been working with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and helping companies translate business requirements into appropriate solutions. My professional development has taken me from my entry into ERP to my current roles as a functional consultant and project manager.
I’m particularly interested in agile work methods, efficient requirements management, and the opportunities that modern technologies—such as artificial intelligence—offer for collaboration on projects.
- Clear Requirements as the Foundation for Successful Projects
- Why a Structured Requirements Specification Is Crucial
- From an idea to a ticket ready for implementation
- Artificial Intelligence as a Tool for Requirements Gathering
- Quality Assurance Before Implementation
- What information does a complete ticket contain?
- Taking Responsibility Together
- The Value You Gain from Structured Requirements
- Let's work together to further improve the quality of your requirements
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