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Dynamics 365 Community / Forums / Small and medium business | Business Central, N... / Business Central versu...
Small and medium business | Business Central, N...
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Business Central versus Finance and Operations

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Posted on by Siopold 32

Hi

I am new to the world of Business Central and had a few basic questions that hopefully someone may be able to help with.

I work mainly in power platform and f&o.

Is the  Business Central database available via dataverse.

If I am using Power Bi or a Power App can i access the data via a data lake. I.e. Can i link BC data to a data lake via azure synapse link? For example. 

Why would I use BC instead of F&O? 

 License costs? Complexity? 

What is the average implementation time for BC? I know there are many factors here but it seems to be about a third of the time as F&O, can anyone comment on this and why i would choose BC over F&O and any advantage disadvantage etc 

Sorry i know this is broad but any help appreciated. 

Regards 

E

Categories:
Dynamics 365 Business Central
  • Suggested answer
    Khushbu Rajvi. Profile Picture
    Khushbu Rajvi. 10,668 Super User 2025 Season 1 on at
    Business Central versus Finance and Operations
  • Val Brumboiu Profile Picture
    Val Brumboiu 2 on at
    Business Central versus Finance and Operations
    Hey E,

    There are a couple of big questions in your post, which are hard to answer directly.
    Though the question is still not marked answered, I suspect you've made the decision by now.
    Still some info that could help others on the journey:

    Business Central's database is separate from Dataverse. Despite the fact that Microsoft's marketing can make it seem like Dynamics is one big application with different modules; They are actually separate systems with different origins. The 2 you are comparing were originally outside the product that Microsoft originally marketed as Dynamics.
    Finance and Operations – Seen as the successor to Microsoft Dynamics AX which was a software called Axapta when it was acquired by Microsoft.
    AX used to be targeted at large organizations "Enterprise", often being pitted against SAP, with implementation timelines to match (relatively long).
    Business Central – is just the rebranded Dynamics NAV which was a software called Navision when it was acquired by Microsoft.
    It is targeted at smaller businesses vs what AX was. For that reason alone, the implementations were much quicker.
    The general consensus is that Business Central is less complicated to implement. But that does not mean it is not complex or powerful, and in my personal opinion can do some unique things around inventory, out of the box, without customization. It has been used in the past as NAV by the likes of Ikea, McCain, Yamaha. 
    Interestingly both softwares have their origins in Denmark.
    As far as actual times and license costs, it would be a moving target impossible to pin down as it differs, with the contributing factors being: Region, number of users, choice of modules. Implementation costs will depend on the system you are migrating from and how technical users within your business are. On all fronts (in general) BC will come in lower than F&O and frankly some of this is due to the size of customers each traditionally has, many of which were migrated from the solutions I mentioned above, and therefore accustomed to a certain tier of service/expense.

    Hope this helps.
    Cheers,
    Val


     
  • Suggested answer
    Valentin Castravet Profile Picture
    Valentin Castravet 26,819 Super User 2025 Season 1 on at
    Business Central versus Finance and Operations
    To add to the below - you would chose BC over F&O due to its much lower cost of implementation and much shorter timeline. Business Central is marketed towards small and medium sized business but in the business realm those companies are still fairly big, its not your mom and pop shop with 2 employees. What this means is that while cheaper/less costly to implement, BC is still a very capable ERP system for major organizations. 
     
     
     
  • Jun Wang Profile Picture
    Jun Wang 7,635 Super User 2025 Season 1 on at
    Business Central versus Finance and Operations
  • CU17061112-0 Profile Picture
    CU17061112-0 4 on at
    Business Central versus Finance and Operations

    I understand you have questions about the differences between Business Central and Finance and Operations. Recently, our business had to change its infrastructure, and we decided to relocate to Singapore. The relocation was smoothly handled with the support of Lanturn, which helped us transfer our employees through the Entre Pass program . This move allowed us to streamline our operations and adapt to new markets efficiently.https://www.lanturn.com/sg/corporate-services/immigration/entre-pass

    Feel free to ask if you have any specific questions about the process!

    Differences Between Business Central and Finance and Operations

    1. Target Audience:

      • Business Central: Aimed at small to medium-sized businesses, offering a comprehensive ERP solution with a focus on ease of use.
      • Finance and Operations: Designed for larger enterprises, providing robust features for complex financial and operational needs.

    2. Functionality:

      • Business Central: Includes modules for finance, sales, purchasing, inventory, and project management.
      • Finance and Operations: Offers advanced capabilities for supply chain management, manufacturing, and retail.

    3. Integration and Customization:

      • Business Central: Easier to implement and integrate with other Microsoft products.
      • Finance and Operations: Highly customizable, suitable for businesses with complex processes and large-scale operations.
  • Suggested answer
    CU30042014-0 Profile Picture
    CU30042014-0 4 on at
    Business Central versus Finance and Operations
    Hi!
    Jumping into Business Central (BC) from Power Platform and Finance & Operations (F&O) is an exciting move! Here's some info that should help clear up your questions:
    • Dataverse and BC? Yep, you can totally pull Business Central data into Dataverse. This makes it super easy to mix it with other apps you're running on the Power Platform.
    • BC Data to Data Lake: Absolutely, you can sync BC data right into a data lake using Azure Synapse Link. It’s pretty slick for getting that real-time data flow going, especially if you’re looking to power up your Power BI or Power Apps.
    • BC vs. F&O: So, BC is usually a better fit for smaller or medium-sized setups. It’s easier to handle, less pricey, and you can get it up and running way faster—think 1 to 3 months tops. F&O is more for the big league with complex needs.
    Hope this helps with your exploration into Business Central! If you have more questions, feel free to ask.
     
    Regards,
  • Community member Profile Picture
    Community member 5 on at
    Business Central versus Finance and Operations
    Hi,
    If you are still looking for differences between F&O and BC video below is worth checking.... 
    https://youtu.be/2vFW54gfFr0
    V
  • Suggested answer
    YUN ZHU Profile Picture
    YUN ZHU 79,385 Super User 2025 Season 1 on at
    RE: Business Central versus Finance and Operations

    Hi, Just pick a part to answer.

    Is the  Business Central database available via dataverse.

    Yes, but it cannot be used directly because its data is not stored on the dataverse.

    https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/business-central/admin-common-data-service

    https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/business-central/admin-how-to-set-up-a-dynamics-crm-connection

    If I am using Power Bi or a Power App can i access the data via a data lake. I.e.

    Yes, but this is not directly accessing the database, but only accessing BC's APIs or Web Service. So if the standard APIs are not enough, you need to develop additionally.

    pastedimage1678751436221v1.png

    pastedimage1678751481789v2.png

    Can i link BC data to a data lake via azure synapse link?

    I haven't tried it, but it seems to work.

    https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/dynamics365/it/2022/04/11/host-your-dynamics-365-business-central-data-in-azure-storage/

    Why would I use BC instead of F&O? 

    https://connamix.com/comparison-bc-finance-and-operations/

    Hope this helps.

    Thanks.

    ZHU

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