In this chapter, you learned how to manage configuration and data. The strategies that were suggested for managing configuration and data are based on our experience, and they lay a strong foundation for configuration and planning, including migration. It is super important to have the right data management strategy as it has a direct impact on everyone who's going to use the system, on decision making, on driving daily operations, and on achieving the project objectives. As there are a number of data management techniques and tools, it is highly important to select the right one to effectively manage your configuration and data in Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations. Understanding the solution capabilities of data entities and their usage in the solution directly, as well as through LCS using data packages and PDP, are must-haves in your configuration and data planning.

With the growth of LCS, it has become imperative to leverage capabilities such as data packages and self-service data movement tools to ensure faster and on-time delivery of your project. 

From the next chapter onward, we will explore how to best address the various design patterns, key deliverables, and development approaches. We will start with the key design documents, that is, the functional design document, the solution design document (which is also known as the big picture), and the technical design document, based on the latest architecture stack of Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations. We will also cover resources such as AppSource for your ISV solutions evaluation and selection. We will discuss the recommended features in Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations to be leveraged, so as to avoid customization.