We’re the first to admit that ‘Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central’ is a bit of a mouthful. Ever wondered why it’s got the longest name in the biz? Let us break it down for you and help demystify Business Central’s place in the Microsoft Dynamics universe.
So, what is Microsoft Dynamics 365?
Microsoft Dynamics 365 is the name for a family of products designed to work together and integrate with your existing M365 apps like Outlook, Excel and Teams.
Dynamics apps can be used in isolation or in combination to meet the needs of individual businesses – across all industries and covering a range of company sizes.
Because Dynamics products work together you can build a complete solution that connects and manages all your business operations.
Here at Bam Boom Cloud, we sell two of the small business offerings from the Dynamics Portfolio: Business Central (a finance system) and Sales Professional (a customer relationship management system).
How does Business Central fit into Dynamics?
Business Central is a cloud-based accounting system designed specifically for small businesses. It helps to manage, automate and connect a company’s financials, sales, purchase, inventory and operations.
The two most common integrations that we see between Business Central and other Dynamics products are:
- Sales Professional – a dedicated customer relationship management system, also designed for small businesses.
- Power Platform – a set of no-code / low-code tools that open up huge potential for a business in terms of data analysis, process automation and the use of AI to build apps and virtual agents.
Hold on, didn’t Business Central used to be called something else?
Business Central was originally called Dynamics NAV, and before that Navision. Dynamics NAV was one of the original products in the Dynamics family. It was rebranded to represent the expansion in its capabilities beyond just finance. Business Central is also ‘born in the cloud’ whereas NAV was primarily hosted on-premise, or more recently in private clouds such as Microsoft Azure.
OK. Tell me what’s so great about Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central?
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central helps power the growth of your business. It is packed full of useful features to help your business take control of processes and streamline operations.
Using the power of AI and real-time data reporting, Business Central helps connect your people, data, productivity and business - helping you to scale and grow. With integration into the full suite of Microsoft applications, Business Central’s advanced accounting and reporting tools are all brought together in a slick and user-friendly interface.
- It is an evergreen system so automatic updates happen overnight, so Business Central is always compliant.
- It’s modular and flexible so you can start small and add extra functionality to the system as your business grows.
- It integrates with Power BI to offer reporting across your entire business.
- It’s cloud-based so no need for servers or expensive hosting costs.
Why can’t I purchase Business Central direct from Microsoft like I can with M365?
Dynamics products are sold through Microsoft partners because they require a high level of expertise to properly implement and support. Microsoft partners are trained and certified in the Dynamics products they sell so they are the best option to ensure your business gets the most from the product. Partners also offer additional services to customers, such as training, system add-ons and additional integrations.
While it can be possible to purchase Business Central licenses on their own, Microsoft always recommend buying through a partner to ensure a successful implementation and access to ongoing support.
However, not all partners are the same, so it is important to do your research and choose the right partner for your business. Some partners focus on enterprise level implementations and offer complex system setups with bespoke development. Other partners specialize in implementations for particular industries.
Bam Boom Cloud specialize in making cloud technology accessible to small businesses and we offer standardized Business Central implementations, packaged specifically for the needs of small businesses.
Why can’t I find a standard price for Business Central like I can with similar finance products?
Microsoft sets the license prices for Dynamics products, but it is up to individual partners to price support and implementation costs. Business Central is a system that can meet the needs of a wide range of businesses and therefore pricing varies depending on several factors, such as scoping, development and customization requirements.
Bam Boom Cloud has a unique Business Central offering that is fixed-price and fixed-scope, without the need for any additional scoping or customization. Our pricing is available online – take a look here.
Our award-winning implementation method of starting with just the basics can get businesses up and running on Business Central in as little as one week. Ongoing support from our expert consultants enables customers to add extra functionality to their system over time as their business grows.
Still have questions?
