A new method of using viscoplastic deformation simulations, with emphasis on better representation of microstructural features is proposed. The method is fully microstructure-informed and aims to connect the sequential hot working and cold working stages during the manufacture of austenitic stainless steel components. Hot worked microstructures serve as inputs to the simulation, following which cold working is simulated virtually. The outputs of simulation are also microstructure-based and aim to highlight microstructural regions which are particularly prone to localization and other instabilities. The uniqueness of the simulation method lies in its microstructural emphasis, which leads to deeper insights into the local microstructural phenomena occurring during cold working. The simulations serve to identify regions of localized deformation or regions consuming more energy during deformation, and relate these to the crystallographic orientation of those regions. The procedure is applied to three hot worked specimens, representing partially recrystallized, fully recrystallized and coarse-grained microstructures.