Dynamics 365 Security Configuration

Microsoft Dynamics 365 utilizes large amounts of business data. Some of it requires protection not only from the third parties but also from the company’s staff. This system has powerful functionality for data security which is based on roles and privileges. Unfortunately, the configuration of security can be rather confusing and many organizations make serious mistakes while setting roles under time pressure.

This article will shed light on the essential concepts of Microsoft Dynamics 365 security configuration.

Avoid Manipulating Security Roles

The most basic rule for security configuration in Microsoft Dynamics 365 is preserving the original security setup provided by the system. Of course, you might be willing to configure your roles to adjust them to the needs of your company. However, it is a sensible idea to first look for the default roles with the most accurate representation of the config you need.

Even though out-of-the-box role functionality provided by Microsoft might not necessarily be ideal for your business hierarchy, it was created to ensure security. If you refrain from manipulating roles whenever possible, you will save original options as a point of reference.

If a user requires a custom role, first copy one of the most relevant roles and only then modify it.

Configuration without Exceptions

As mentioned above, many organizations struggle to set adequate Microsoft Dynamics 365 configuration when time is limited. It often leads to the problem of giving too many privileges to roles or assigning irrelevant roles to certain users.

Companies might treat such incidents as necessary exceptions aiming to finish the work fast, but this often has negative outcomes.

Whether you give extra privileges to the roles that should not have them or you share powerful roles like System Administrator, you create serious security risks. Even if your employees are trustworthy, you should also keep in mind they themselves might become victims of social engineering or cyber-attacks.

In addition, the more access to the D365 system employees are gaining, the higher the licensing costs are. Thus, all the exceptions sum up to a significant total.

Apply the rule of least privilege, starting your role assignment with the minimal user access, whenever you are unsure about the right choice.

Optimized Microsoft Dynamics 365 Security Configuration

Dynamics 365 security configuration is overwhelming for many companies during the system implementation. Yet, the established configuration is not final. Any changes in an organization concerning employees require adjusting security roles.

This process can be significantly accelerated and improved to reduce errors with dedicated software. Security Setup offered by XPLUS is a powerful tool/ add-on that can analyze and transform the business processes used in your company into roles and duties.

Security Setup helps to assign optimal roles to employees, which is beneficial for security, productivity and licensing expenses. The financial benefit is related to the flexible licensing plan of D365. With it, you pay only for the exact access to the system’s functionality you grant to each of your employees. Not only is over provision with privileges a security vulnerability, but it is also an unnecessary cost. Security Setup will help you balance your licensing expenses with the effective use of security roles.