Find out if Microsoft Dynamics 365 is the right enterprise resource planning software for your company’s needs
As one of the popular enterprise resource planning (ERP) software in the business support and human resource (HR) tech industry, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central connects sales, service, finance, and operations for your business to work smarter, adapt faster, and perform better.
Your business can use Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central to streamline core integral processes, improve customer relations, and enable growth. How? By automating tasks and workflows, integrating applications in the Microsoft library of programs, using business analytics and intelligent technologies, and evolving through a flexible platform that adapts to your needs.
Its commitment and brand promise are to “empower others”. Does Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central live up to that promise?
In this HRD review of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, we’ll help you understand how Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central uses its various ERP-related features to navigate through the norm of the digital workplace model.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 review: What is it?
As a cloud-based, all-in-one business management solution and enterprise resource planning (ERP) software, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central has been a well-trusted and proven solution that serves more than 160,000 customers and businesses worldwide. Bringing departments, people, and applications within one unified platform offers end-to-end visibility in your business, allowing you to use Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central to make better, quicker, and more comprehensive business decisions.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is primarily used, but is not limited to, in the following business processes:
- Financial management
- Customer relationship management (CRM)
- Supply chain management
- Human resources management
- Project management
- Service order management
- Manufacturing
An important selling point: cross-integration with other Microsoft cloud services such as Office 365. Add customization options with Microsoft Power Apps, Microsoft Power Automate, and Microsoft Power BI. The result? Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is one of the most flexible and functional ERPs in the market.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 review: Features
With its all-in-one solution, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is an enterprise resource planning software that unifies your business operations for efficient, effective, and productive operations — connecting your financials, sales, and services-related tasks into an integrated system of data-driven business applications.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central also helps your business with different HR tasks. Employers can track employee information and organize employee profiles according to different data specifications such as experience, skills, education, training, and/or union membership.
You can also track absences and tardiness using scheduling and calendar applications.
What does Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central do?
With Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, employers can make use of an all-in-one flexible enterprise resource planning software that allows your business to achieve business goals by connecting data, business analytics, and artificial intelligence-powered predictive inputs.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central helps you with:
- Financial management: Securely share your information with your accountant, streamline your financial close, and get real-time visibility into the current performance of your business with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central’s features.
- Reporting and analytics: Centralize your financials using Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central by using seamless interactions with Microsoft Excel, predict cash flow using Cortana Intelligence, and use predictive analytics to track performance and KPIs using Power BI integration.
- Order processing: Monitor and control your sales order and purchasing process through automated workflows and dynamically updated inventories using Power Automate to record agreements concerning discounts, prices, and payment methods via Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central.
- Sales and Marketing: Shorten the time from quote to cash by connecting sales and accounting through tracking sales-related inquiries in Outlook, updating through a comprehensive overview of customer interactions from email to order to invoice, and handling direct shipment and invoicing deliveries with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central for SMB empowers you to take your business to new heights. Use the productivity tools you already know and love along with built-in intelligence to improve your customer experiences and your bottom line. #cloud #collaboration #Dynamics365 pic.twitter.com/GMro5DRX14
— Attain Enterprise Solutions (@attaines) July 3, 2023
- Warehouse management: With Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, your business can automate manual tasks, enable tracking for the best location for goods based on capacity and pick-up zones, guide replenishment, quality inspections, and cycle counting as well as improve profitability on performance on warehouses.
- Resource and project management: Using Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, employers can manage budgets and monitor progress, track machine and employee project hours, and access real-time availability data (capacity) to develop, modify, allocate, and control resources to avoid over expenditure.
- Service management: Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central allows employers to enhance contract management and enforce critical processes such as recurring invoicing and service order/invoicing, management of loan items and replacements, and contracted periodic billing mechanisms, as well as log, track, and close service calls.
- Manufacturing: Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central helps businesses integrate, streamline, and manage their manufacturing process including scheduling, inventory, distribution, and financial management, control consumption of raw materials, and integrate scrap management and subcontractor management.
Who uses Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central?
Trusted by over 160,000 users worldwide, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central offers its ERP solutions to SMBs and their employees — allowing businesses to adapt to a modern digital landscape where HR-focused technology and software are the norm.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central also serves various businesses in differing industries, such as, but not limited to:
- Financial services
- Healthcare
- Nonprofit
- Retail
- Sustainability
- Trade and distribution
- Transport and logistics
- Production and manufacturing
- Professional services
Which companies use Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central?
Microsoft Dynamics 365’s website lists these companies among their clients:
How much does Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central cost?
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is a subscription-based cloud ERP software that is offered at two price points: Essentials and Premium.
The Essentials tier is priced at $70 per user per month and includes these features:
- Unlimited users (based on subscription contract)
- Customization and extensibility
- Multiple environments
- Multiple companies
- Finance management
- Sales and marketing
- Fulfillment and delivery
- Purchasing and payables
- Inventory
- Supply planning and availability
- Project management
- Warehouse management
The Premium tier is priced at $100 per user per month and comes with:
- All features included in the base Essentials license
- Service management
- Manufacturing
Team Member licenses are also available at $8 per user per month but with limited capabilities and features.
For more information, take a look at Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central’s pricing and licensing guides on its website.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central review: Company Overview
Headquarters address: Navi Partner København Aps, Titangade 16, DK-Copenhagen, Denmark
Year established: 1983
Size (number of employees): Approximately 1,500 employees as of 2023
Office locations: Bambous, Mauritius, Belgrade, Serbia, Malmo, Sweden
Key people: Judson Althoff (EVP and Chief Commercial Officer), Chris Capossela (EVP and CMO), Kathleen Hogan (EVP and CHRO), Amy Hood (EVP and CFO), Satya Nadella (Chairman, CEO), Brad Smith (Vice Chair and President), Christopher Young (EVP, Business Development, Strategy, and Ventures)
Founded by Jesper Balser, Peter Bang, and Torben Wind in 1983, Personal Computing and Consulting (PC&C) was the brainchild of students from the Danish Technical University who wanted to create an accounting software that simulated the look and feel of real-life ledgers and calculators.
Changing its name to Navision Software in 1987, their PC-PLUS for IBM Denmark became a successful accounting software that was developed to include features that target different core integral processes in its services. In 1990, Navision became a popular international enterprise resource planning solution (ERP) for European companies.
In 1998, Navision signed a contract with the Danish government board for economic administration to collaborate on an ERP solution to increase efficiency in government. Navision Stat became an integral solution for the public sector and the various government agencies and departments throughout the world.
In 2002, Microsoft bought Navision along with its acquisition of Great Plains Software. This was part of a strategy to expand its Microsoft Business Solutions (which also handled Microsoft CRM).
In September 2005, Microsoft rebranded Navision to become Microsoft Dynamics NAV to support increased functionalities and technologies with their Finance, Supply Chain Management, and Business Intelligence modules.
In 2018, Microsoft rebranded the Microsoft Dynamics NAV to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central to become part of the 365 universe. This change reflects enhancements in user interface, integration with Excel and Outlook, and compliance with General Personal Data Regulations (GPDR).
What kind of software is Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central?
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is seen as a single, end-to-end solution for managing your business. Its incredible range of applications and its highly flexible customization options and integrations can suit all business needs.
You can find more about how Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central can impact your business by reading this study by Forrester Consulting.
Who are the competitors of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central?
Although Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is a well-known enterprise resource platform, other competitors in the business support industry can be a better fit for your needs, such as:
- SAP ERP
- Oracle NetSuite
- SAP Business One
- ERPNext
- Sage Intacct
- Acumatica
- Odoo ERP
- SYSPRO
- Brightpearl
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central review: Is this the right HR software for you?
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is for you if you’re looking for ERP software that:
- can adapt easily to the changes in the business environment
- uses cutting-edge AI for analytics and insights
- is secure and restrictive at the same level as banking and financial institutions
- is comprehensive in the tools and features it offers
Navision and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central have become one of the most trusted enterprise resource planning (ERP) software companies to adapt to the ever-changing digital landscape. From the shift to physical workplaces to the digital landscape of hybrid and/or remote work set-ups, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is considered one of the most reliable and beneficial for a wide array of businesses.
If you'd like to learn more about other ERP tools for your company, see our HR software reviews page for more options.
Do you have any experience using this platform? Share your own Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central review in the comments box below.
