Is Dynamics 365 Right for Your Small Business?

Is your small business so successful that you are outgrowing the abilities of your current software? Are you considering Dynamics 365 for your small business? If you are a QuickBooks user, maybe you are looking beyond what QuickBooks can do for you. Maybe you are a Great Plains (GP) customer interested in what Dynamics 365 Business Central could offer you. There are certainly a lot of ERP solutions in the market, and the choices can be daunting.

This article will help you navigate some options and get you to the right decision for your small business.

As we summarized in our recent blog, Dynamics 365 Business Central vs. Finance and Operations, both of these applications have some similarities. They are both easy-to-use and simplified, with a tight integration to MS Office products. They are offered on-premises or in the cloud, with a huge library of add-on applications, seamless integrations, SaaS subscription licensing, and more.

Which version is the best choice for small businesses? For many smaller organizations moving from QuickBooks or legacy software, Business Central can be a good fit. It is more of an all-in-one solution so your core functionality is included and integrated whereas Dynamics 365 Finance is more of a mid-size to enterprise modular solution with maximum flexibility to tailor for complex requirements or industries.

Dynamics 365 for Small Businesses: Advantages of Business Central

# of Employees - If your small business has 20 employees or less, and that is the plan for the foreseeable future, then Dynamics 365 Business Central may be more than what you need. The minimum number of users for Business Central is 1, Dynamics 365 Finance is 20. If your organization is well north of 5,000 employees and you don’t need in-house payroll, you might consider Dynamics 365 Finance, with additional sophisticated features for larger organizations.

Number of Transactions – Dynamics 365 Business Central can manage and report on thousands of transactions. If your transactions approach hundreds of thousands, Dynamics 365 Finance is recommended.

Traceability – Both solutions support serial number and lot number tracking. Dynamics 365 Finance also offers pallet number and ‘license plate’ tracking if you need those capabilities.

Implementation - Dynamics 365 Business Central offers a much more rapid implementation, while Dynamics 365 Finance requires much more configuration and, therefore, cost.

Dynamics 365 HR and Payroll

Payroll - While Dynamics 365 Finance has a Payroll module, it is unclear at this time if or how long it will continue to be supported by Microsoft. Dynamics 365 Business Central does not have included payroll functionality, but Integrity Data has filled that void with Payroll NOW, the complete payroll solution for Dynamics 365 Business Central. Payroll NOW helps you run your payroll, file taxes, and manage ACA compliance, all within Business Central.

Human Resources – Business Central allows you to keep detailed records of your employees, such as employment contracts, qualifications, confidential information, and employee contacts. Payroll NOW also supports many of today’s HR needs such as rapid onboarding, benefits management and reporting, and much more.

In summary, Dynamics 365 Business Central can meet the needs of small businesses while Dynamics 365 Finance is really geared towards enterprise-level organizations. It is wise to work with a Microsoft partner that specializes in ERP solutions and will help you assess your requirements and select the right application….whether you are starting from scratch, or upgrading from applications such as QuickBooks or Dynamics GP. Dynamics 365 Finance may be more than you need. If so, Business Central combined with Integrity Data’s Payroll NOW, provides an integrated, seamless, comprehensive solution that many small businesses rely on today.

Learn more about Payroll NOW for Business Central

You can watch our Payroll NOW videos online any time and contact us if you would like more information or to talk to a payroll expert about your needs.

Written by Integrity Data