Many membership organisations, charities and professional bodies are under pressure as technology costs rise, data volumes grow, and members expect more personalised, seamless services. For those using Microsoft Dynamics 365 (D365), one of the least obvious, but potentially most costly challenges, is data storage.
In practice, improperly managed D365 data can lead to unnecessary overheads, slower performance and mounting maintenance effort. But there is a smarter way. With a robust data-optimisation strategy, organisations can dramatically reduce operating costs and streamline their digital infrastructure. And that’s where our 365 Data Optimiser comes in.
The Hidden Cost of “Set and Forget” Data
D365 is a powerful platform, but as usage scales up, storage costs can balloon. Key drivers include:
- Dataverse storage charges: very expensive per GB of data
- Historic data build-up: audit logs, old activities, archived attachments, redundant records
- Regulatory or compliance-led retention: some data cannot simply be deleted
Left unchecked, many organisations end up paying for data that’s rarely accessed or no longer relevant — but still living in expensive storage. The cost comes in real money, slower system performance, and staff time wasted on maintenance or workarounds.
Why Deleting Manually Isn’t Enough
You might ask: “Why not just delete the old records ourselves?”
Because in reality:
- Regulatory or audit obligations may require you to retain certain data – just not in high-cost storage
- Identifying “safe-to-archive” data manually can be time-consuming and complex
- Manual clean-up doesn’t scale, especially in large or older D365 instances where data quantity is high
Without a solid, repeatable process, manual deletion tends to be piecemeal, abandoned or ignored altogether.
The Intercloud9 365 Data Optimiser
The 365 Data Optimiser is a lightweight, automated tool designed to help membership and non-profit organisations reclaim control of their D365 data estate.
What It Does
- Applies retention rules based on your own compliance, reporting or operational needs
- Moves data into low-cost, long-term Azure storage with searchable metadata so all data remains discoverable
- Operates silently in the background with zero disruption to daily use
Core Benefits
- Immediate cost savings by shifting data out of premium Dataverse storage into more cost effective storage
- Compliance with flexibility – archived data remains accessible, helping meet retention and audit requirements without overpaying for storage
- Seamless integration – data is still available within D365 so users have everything they need in one place
When It Matters Most: Typical Use Cases
1. Mature Systems (4–5 years +)
Most of our clients fall into this category. Over time, they build up large volumes of redundant activity records, historic attachments, audit trails and other data that rarely gets touched. Archiving this data often delivers significant savings – often within the first billing cycle after optimisation.
2. Organisations with Long Retention Obligations
Some professional bodies, charities or associations must retain data for compliance or reporting purposes. In these cases, 365 Data Optimiser allows you to archive data safely, satisfy retention obligations, avoid expensive storage, and keep the live CRM environment lean.
Summary: Why Every Membership Organisation Should Care
Whether you are about to roll out D365, have been using it for years, or are managing compliance-heavy data sets, data optimisation is not optional — it’s essential. With rising costs and growing expectations, paying for unused storage or enduring slow system performance quietly chips away at your resources and distracts from member-facing value.
The 365 Data Optimiser offers a plug-and-play, compliant, automated path to:
- Cut costs
- Maintain data governance and access
- Relieve staff of manual backlog work
Next Steps
If you’d like to explore whether your D365 environment could benefit from the 365 Data Optimiser, Intercloud9 offers:
- A free diagnostic assessment of your D365 data footprint and usage patterns
- A cost-savings model projecting potential savings
- Guidance on retention policy design to align with legal, regulatory or governance needs
Get in touch to start the conversation — you might be surprised how quickly optimisation pays for itself.
