If you’ve worked with Dynamics 365 long enough, you know that bugs aren’t just code-level quirks, they’re the little gremlins that test our patience, drain resources, and sometimes distract us from strategic goals. In many cases, it’s tempting to apply a quick workaround, patching over the issue rather than diving into the root cause. After all, slapping on duct tape (or flex tape) feels faster, right?
But what if that “fast fix” isn’t really faster (or cheaper) in the long run? Below, we’ll delve deeper into the hidden costs of maintaining workarounds, offer more detailed guidance on when to bite the bullet and fix a bug outright, and highlight scenarios where sticking to a workaround might actually be the smarter call. As always, I’ll sprinkle in a dad-level quip or two, because this is DynamicsDad, and if we’re going to talk bug solutions, we might as well have some fun along the way.
The Hidden Costs of Workarounds
Workarounds are like the proverbial bandage on a leaky pipe. They hold for a while, but sooner or later, you’re knee-deep in water wondering how it all went so wrong.
Here’s a deeper look at what’s truly at stake (not steaks, it's too early to think about food):
Development Costs
Initial workaround creation might seem trivial, maybe a few lines of code here, a quick manual process there. However, as you layer more patches on top of previous patches, the complexity grows. Over time, your developers spend more hours untangling these stopgaps, reviewing temporary code, and re-testing functionality after every update.
This isn’t just a matter of “fixing a glitch”, it’s maintenance work that compounds with every new release cycle, hotfix, or integration.
In the end, you’re paying an ongoing tax in developer hours that could otherwise be spent on strategic improvements.
Operational Inefficiencies
Beyond development, consider the day-to-day operational hit. Users might need to follow manual steps, enter data twice, or frequently escalate routine tasks to IT support. These extra steps don’t just slow processes; they chip away at employee morale. Staff who constantly wrestle with clunky workarounds often feel less engaged. Over time, this can lead to turnover, lost expertise, and a reluctance to adopt new features.
The hidden cost isn’t just in time and money, it’s in the human element and team enthusiasm.
Scalability Challenges
When workarounds linger, they can become institutionalized. New hires are trained to “just do it this way,” and soon the workaround becomes standard operating procedure. This “normalizing” of what’s actually a technical bandaid creates a risk: if the underlying bug worsens or the environment changes (like a D365 platform update), the entire process could break down without anyone understanding why. Suddenly, a known fixable bug has grown into a critical vulnerability.
A workaround that works for 10 users may crumble under the weight of 1,000.
4. Opportunity Costs
Industries with strict compliance or regulatory standards can find themselves in hot water with persistent workarounds. When a process relies on a temporary measure that skirts best practices or doesn’t produce a clear audit trail, you’re walking a tightrope.
A regulatory audit might demand clarity that your workaround can’t provide. At that point, not only are you paying in fines or failed audits, you’re scrambling to fix a bug you should have addressed long ago.
Bugs left unfixed can deter users from adopting the system fully, reducing ROI.
5. Compliance and Risk
Every hour spent maintaining a workaround is an hour not spent improving core processes, optimizing workflows, or rolling out new features. Over months and years, this misallocation of resources and creativity leads to missed opportunities.
While you’re stuck supporting a patch, your competitors may be developing a cutting-edge solution or leveraging a new D365 capability.
Fixing the bug once and for all frees up your team to focus on the future, not just bandaging the past.
Breaking Points: When a Workaround Stops Being Worth It
Knowing when to fix the bug outright isn’t always a straightforward call.
Maintenance Costs Surpass the Fixing Cost
If you find yourself revisiting the workaround every quarter, spending several days (or weeks) patching it after updates, it’s time to crunch some numbers. Ask: “How much have we spent on maintaining this duct-tape solution over the last six months?”
If the figure rivals or surpasses the estimated cost of actually fixing the bug, it’s a no-brainer, commit the resources and fix it.
User Frustration Reaches a Boiling Point
When the help desk is swamped with the same “How do I handle this workaround?” tickets, or when end users start complaining that it’s slowing them down, you’ve hit a people-problem threshold. High-frustration environments kill productivity, creativity, and even team spirit. The point where the workaround’s inconvenience undermines everyday efficiency is your cue to fix the bug and restore user confidence.
Regulatory Risks Cross the Tolerance Line
If a single audit or compliance officer raises an eyebrow at your workaround, consider it a warning. If you’re in a regulated industry like banking, healthcare, or pharmaceuticals... this is more than a hint. It’s a neon sign flashing “Fix Me Now!” In these sectors, the cost of non-compliance can dwarf any short-term savings of leaving the bug as-is.
Scalability Stalls Growth Plans
Perhaps your workaround works fine until you double your user base or triple your transaction volume. As organizations grow and adapt, a once-minor glitch might become a major bottleneck. If your future roadmap includes more users, more processes, or higher transaction volumes, ask whether your current workaround can scale. If not, best to invest in a lasting fix before you’re forced to do so under crisis conditions.
Strategic Initiatives Are on Hold
Maybe you want to roll out a new D365 capability, say, a more sophisticated analytics tool but the workaround blocks a key integration. If your workaround isn’t just maintaining status quo but actively preventing progress, you’re delaying strategic goals. At this point, the fix isn’t just about repairing a bug; it’s about unlocking potential and driving competitive advantage.
When a Workaround Is the Better Option
Not every bug needs your immediate attention. Consider these scenarios where a workaround might actually be the more pragmatic path:
Low Impact, Low Frequency Glitches: If a bug only appears under rare circumstances and doesn’t affect core processes, the effort to fix it might outweigh its limited impact. For instance, a minor formatting issue in a report no one uses daily might not justify the cost of a full fix.
Short-Term Solutions Leading to Upgrades or Migrations: If you’re on the verge of moving to a new D365 environment, upgrading your module, or implementing a major feature overhaul, it might be worth tolerating the workaround a bit longer. Once you’re in the new environment, the bug might be irrelevant or easier to fix during a larger overhaul.
External Dependencies and Delays: Sometimes, the bug isn’t entirely under your control, maybe it’s caused by a third-party ISV solution awaiting an update. In these cases, a temporary workaround keeps you operational until the vendor delivers a fix. Make sure to communicate timelines and watch for that vendor release like a hawk.
And now for the dad joke you’ve been waiting for:
Why did the bug refuse to go to therapy?
Because it didn’t want to fix its issues, it had too many workarounds!
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