5 Ways to manage Dynamics 365 Activity storage costs

Activity storage in Dynamics 365 can indeed become costly, especially if there is a large volume of data being stored. Activity storage refers to the storage of customer activities, such as emails, appointments, tasks, and other interactions, within the Dynamics 365 environment.

The cost of activity storage can vary depending on the Dynamics 365 plan you are on, the number of users, the volume of activities generated, and the length of time you choose to retain the data. As data accumulates over time, it can increase the storage requirements and potentially result in higher costs.

To manage activity storage costs effectively, consider the following 5 tips:

#1 Data retention policies

Define data retention policies based on your business needs. For example, you may choose to retain certain types of activities for a specific period and then delete or archive older data to reduce storage usage.

#2 Cleanup and archiving

Regularly review and clean up unnecessary or outdated activities. Archiving historical data to a separate storage system can help save costs while retaining access to older records.  Microsoft has recently announced that they are moving the Description column of emails older than 12 months to unstructured Azure Blob storage. This will essentially reduce your database storage and increase your file storage, which will help reduce costs for many organizations. For larger organizations, you may find this to be limited though as you currently cannot change the threshold, and searching capabilities are not ideal. We’ve built custom solutions for our clients that can work around these limitations, leveraging Azure Cosmos and Virtual Entities.

#3 Monitor usage

Keep an eye on storage consumption and activity volume to identify any unexpected spikes or trends. This can help you plan for potential cost increases and optimize storage usage.

#4 Optimize activity tracking

Only track essential activities that provide value to your business. Reducing unnecessary tracking can help control storage growth.

#5 Consider different licensing options

Depending on your organization’s needs, explore different Dynamics 365 plans and licensing options to find the most cost-effective solution.

Give us a call today!

Always consult with your Dynamics 365 provider or Microsoft representatives to understand the specific pricing details and options available to you based on your organization’s requirements. They can provide insights into cost-saving strategies and help you optimize your Dynamics 365 environment efficiently.

Beringer Technology Group, a leading Microsoft Partner specializing in Microsoft Dynamics 365 and CRM for Distribution also provides expert Managed IT Services, Backup and Disaster Recovery, Cloud Based Computing, Email Security Implementation and Training,  Unified Communication Solutions, and Cybersecurity Risk Assessment.