Exactly what do we mean when we talk about a game-changer? Merriam-Webster offers this simple, straight forward definition:
Game changer – a newly introduced element or factor that changes an existing situation or activity in a significant way
Thus… a game-changer for a marathon runner, for example, could be the purchase of “hi-tech” running shoes that would give the runner a significant competitive edge.
A game-changer for your company could be the implementation of a more robust, more efficient ERP software solution, one that would provide a significant competitive edge. There are several mid-market ERP systems that could claim the title of a game-changer for your manufacturing or distribution company. Future blog posts from Strategic Systems Group (SSG) will cover our top recommendations. Today’s post focuses on all the ways that Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central (BC) provides the competitive edge you are looking for.
Game-Changing Elements of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central (BC)
- Native cloud ERP
- Purpose-built for the mid-market
- Fully functional, flexible, and highly configurable platform to monitor critical aspects of business operations
- Intelligent, role-based dashboards quickly display pertinent information related to individual job functions
- Direct integration to the Microsoft Stack of Cloud Productivity Applications (Office 365, Outlook, Teams, Excel, Word, etc.)
- Direct integration with Microsoft Cloud Business Applications (CRM, Azure)
- Direct integration with advanced reporting tools (Power BI)
- Fully integrated technology platform that optimizes critical aspects of your business operations
Game-Changing Financials in Business Central
Financials are at the very core of every ERP system. And financials are also at the very heart of every conversation we have with our clients and prospective clients regarding the best choice of an ERP solution that will provide them with a game-changing competitive edge.
Those conversations start with the basics:
- GL, AP, and AR (also fondly known as GLAPAR)
Then the conversations move on to the areas of BC strengths:
- Dimensions
- Excel integration
- Customizable reports
- Role-based dashboards for your finance team to increase productivity
- Month-end, quarter-end, and year-end closing procedures are more straightforward and therefore faster
With a strong financial base for increased productivity, BC gives you back your time! This allows your finance team to focus on some of the projects that are critical to your competitive edge.
Game-Changing Warehousing and Inventory Control in Business Central
Show me a distribution company or a manufacturing enterprise that does not have world-class warehousing and inventory control, and I will show you a company that desperately needs Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central in order to achieve and maintain a winning competitive edge.
BC excels in all of the following areas:
- Warehousing that includes
- Multiple warehouses
- Trucks as locations
- Item identification that includes
- BOMs
- Assemblies
- Inventory management
- Field inventory management
- Supply chain management (SCM)
- Lot and serial number tracking
In Business Central, it is easy to set up inventory level alerts so that you are always ahead of the supply chain curve. Your customers will welcome the fact that with BC, you will reduce or eliminate backorders, which, as we all know, have a negative impact on your business and theirs.
NOTE ON COVID-19: In addition to the human toll of the pandemic, COVID-19 has caused significant disruptions in global supply chains, with manufacturing facilities shuttered, border closures, and port closures. Companies with more flexible inventory management, supply chain management, and warehouse management systems are better positioned to react swiftly to these changing landscapes so that they can continue to fulfill orders and serve their customers.
Game-Changing Manufacturing Features in Business Central
As you look at the list below, bear in mind that it is not merely the presence of these features, which are included in many ERP solutions. It is the level of functionality built into each feature, and the integration of these manufacturing features with the warehousing and inventory systems above, and the integration with the back office, that makes BC manufacturing a game-changer. And one more difference is that the entire integrated system resides in the cloud.
So, of course, you can expect Business Central to offer the following for manufacturers:
- Bills of material (BOMs)
- Light assembly
- Routings
- Shop floor and beyond
- Work centers
- Material resource planning (MRP)
- Capacity planning
- Project management
At Strategic Systems Group (SSG) we will soon be celebrating our 30th anniversary. That is right. We have spent the past (almost) 30 years selling, implementing, maintaining, supporting, and optimizing ERP software solutions exclusively for manufacturers and distributors. We have always been laser-focused on those two complementary, vertical industries. It is where we excel. And it is where Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central excels, too.
We have been Microsoft Dynamics ERP consultants since the earliest days…when Microsoft Dynamics GP was still Great Plains, and Microsoft Dynamics NAV was still Navision. SSG has grown a lot since then, but we have never wavered from our core.
Business Central Services Provided by Strategic Systems Group (SSG)
For clients who are new to Microsoft Dynamics, SSG will guide you through the software selection process, including the identification of any add-on applications offered by independent software vendors (ISVs) that will round out your solution so that it meets your every need.
For clients who are currently running Microsoft Dynamics GP, it is essential to note that, in all likelihood, only 7-9 years are remaining on the GP product roadmap before the end of life. It is always best to take the long view and proactively transition to an “evergreen” ERP solution like Business Central. For GP clients, SSG provides a full range of…
Migration from Dynamics GP to Business Central Services
- Business Central migration tool
- Secure, persistent pipeline between SQL databases
- Periodical system synchronization
- Run parallel systems
- Work on GP, train on BC
- Evaluation using a sandbox instance
When all of the “I”s have been dotted, and all of the “t”s have been crossed, then and only then will it be time to pull the trigger, shut down GP, and start using BC.
Migration from Dynamics NAV to Business Central Services
Since Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central was developed based on Microsoft Dynamics NAV, the migration process from NAV to BC is even simpler than the migration from GP to BC. The structures of NAV and BC are so similar that there are really only two steps involved in the migration:
- Software development migration
- Transfer of customizations from on-premises to cloud-based
It is important to note that the last release of Dynamics NAV was in 2018. Since then, it has been supplanted by Business Central, which is updated twice a year.
Strategic Systems Group – ERP Consultants Extraordinaire!
As a Microsoft Dynamics ERP consulting organization, we are continually looking for ways to improve our clients’ experience with the ERP software of their choice, ways to provide value-added services (such as ERP infrastructure support), and value-added material. Toward that end, we have developed seven short videos to showcase the power of Business Central. You will find links to all 7 Business Central videos here.
Contact SSG – Microsoft Dynamics ERP Consultants Extraordinaire
We can be reached at 310-539-4645 or via our contact form today!