Mike Morton, Author at Microsoft Dynamics 365 Blog http://approjects.co.za/?big=en-us/dynamics-365/blog The future of agentic CRM and ERP Wed, 01 Apr 2026 20:00:12 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.3 http://approjects.co.za/?big=en-us/dynamics-365/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/cropped-cropped-microsoft_logo_element.png Mike Morton, Author at Microsoft Dynamics 365 Blog http://approjects.co.za/?big=en-us/dynamics-365/blog 32 32 .cloudblogs .cta-box>.link { font-size: 15px; font-weight: 600; display: inline-block; background: #008272; line-height: 1; text-transform: none; padding: 15px 20px; text-decoration: none; color: white; } .cloudblogs img { height: auto; } .cloudblogs img.alignright { float:right; } .cloudblogs img.alignleft { float:right; } .cloudblogs figcaption { padding: 9px; color: #737373; text-align: left; font-size: 13px; font-size: 1.3rem; } .cloudblogs .cta-box.-center { text-align: center; } .cloudblogs .cta-box.-left { padding: 20px 0; } .cloudblogs .cta-box.-right { padding: 20px 0; text-align:right; } .cloudblogs .cta-box { margin-top: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 20px; } .cloudblogs .cta-box.-image { position:relative; } .cloudblogs .cta-box.-image>.link { position: absolute; top: auto; left: 50%; -webkit-transform: translate(-50%,0); transform: translate(-50%,0); bottom: 0; } .cloudblogs table { width: 100%; } .cloudblogs table tr { border-bottom: 1px solid #eee; padding: 8px 0; } ]]> Enable accelerated growth with confidence: A Forrester TEI study projects more than 200% ROI over three years and six-month payback using Dynamics 365 Business Central http://approjects.co.za/?big=en-us/dynamics-365/blog/business-leader/2026/03/31/enable-accelerated-growth-with-confidence-a-forrester-tei-study-projects-more-than-200-roi-over-three-years-and-six-month-payback-using-dynamics-365-business-central/ http://approjects.co.za/?big=en-us/dynamics-365/blog/business-leader/2026/03/31/enable-accelerated-growth-with-confidence-a-forrester-tei-study-projects-more-than-200-roi-over-three-years-and-six-month-payback-using-dynamics-365-business-central/#respond Tue, 31 Mar 2026 17:00:00 +0000 Microsoft commissioned Forrester Consulting to evaluate the potential return on investment organizations may realize by deploying Business Central.

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Growth is exciting—but it introduces complexity. 

As small and midsize businesses scale, finance and operations become harder to manage. Transactions increase, reporting requirements expand, and disconnected systems start to strain visibility and margins. What once worked becomes a constraint. 

A newly published Forrester Total Economic Impact™ (TEI) study helps quantify what many organizations are already experiencing: modernizing on Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central delivers measurable financial impact.

Microsoft commissioned Forrester Consulting to evaluate the potential return on investment organizations may realize by deploying Business Central. Based on interviews with four business decision makers, which were aggregated to model a fictitious composite organization1, the study projected that the composite organization could potentially realize: 

  • More than 200% return on investment (ROI) over three years 
  • An estimated $460K net present value (NPV) over three years 
  • Potential payback in six months 

Across finance productivity, enterprise resource planning (ERP) consolidation, improved profitability, and reporting efficiency, the composite organization modeled by Forrester realized more than $680K in three‑year, risk‑adjusted present value benefits

These outcomes reflect the potential impact of modernizing finance and operations on a single, integrated cloud ERP platform—while also establishing the foundation for AI‑powered experiences like Microsoft 365 Copilot and intelligent agents. 

Where the value comes from 

The Forrester TEI study highlights several areas where organizations can potentially realize tangible, risk‑adjusted benefits when using Business Central. 

Support faster, more efficient finance operations 

Manual processes often slow growing organizations. Interviewed customers reported meaningful efficiency gains across accounts payable (AP), accounts receivable (AR), billing, and financial close. 

By year three, the composite organization was projected to potentially achieve: 

  • Up to 30% reduction in monthly close time 
  • Up to 50% time savings for AP, AR, and billing activities 

These improvements translated to more than $215K in present value over three years in finance productivity alone for the composite organization—allowing teams to shift focus from reconciliation to higher‑value analysis. 

Standardizing data and workflows in Business Central also creates the conditions necessary for AI‑enabled automation. While AI benefits were not independently quantified in this study, interviewees noted that unified processes accelerate the adoption of Copilot‑supported approvals, variance analysis, and exception handling. 

Lower total cost of ownership through ERP consolidation 

Interviewees reported operating aging on‑premises ERP systems alongside spreadsheets and disconnected point solutions. Consolidating onto Business Central reduced infrastructure complexity and IT overhead. 

The study projected the following potential benefits for the composite organization over three years: 

  • More than 10% reduction in total cost of ownership (TCO) 
  • More than $170K in present value savings from retired systems and reduced maintenance 

Beyond direct savings, simplification can reduce operational risk and improved scalability—allowing organizations to grow without layering on new systems to compensate for gaps. 

Enable improved profitability through better visibility 

Unified, real‑time visibility across finance and operations enables faster, more informed decisions. 

By year three, the composite organization was modeled to potentially experience: 

  • Up to 3% improvement in net profit margins 
  • More than $245K in present value from improved profitability 

Better insight into costs, projects, and performance enables earlier course correction. AI‑powered experiences such as Copilot can further assist by surfacing cost variances, project overruns, or unbilled work sooner. While AI alone does not drive margin improvement, modern ERP data and standardized processes strengthen an organization’s ability to act with precision. 

Fast reporting and audit readiness 

Business Central’s integrated data model and native Microsoft Power BI capabilities streamlined reporting and audit preparation. 

Based on modeling by Forrester, by year three, the composite organization was projected to potentially reduce: 

  • Audit preparation time by up to 30% 
  • Time spent creating internal and executive reports 

These projected improvements were valued at nearly $50K in present value, while also enabling increased confidence in data accuracy and consistency. 

Beyond the numbers: Building an AI-ready foundation

In addition to quantified financial outcomes, interviewees highlighted broader operational improvements, including enhanced customer experience, reduced days sales outstanding (DSO), better warehouse management, and a more intuitive user experience. 

Just as importantly, Business Central provides an AI‑ready ERP foundation. 

By unifying finance and operations data and aligning processes to best practices, organizations are better positioned to leverage Copilot, Power BI, and intelligent agents to: 

  • Help reduce time-to-insight—not just report creation
  • Surface anomalies and trends quickly 
  • Enable more proactive, data‑driven decision‑making 

While AI‑driven outcomes were not directly measured in this TEI, the study reinforces a critical principle: realizing AI value at scale depends on clean data, integrated systems, and standardized processes. Business Central delivers that foundation. 

Read the full study 

For SMB‑focused organizations and partners evaluating ERP modernization, the full Forrester TEI study provides a detailed financial framework to help quantify potential projected value—grounded in customer interviews and risk‑adjusted modeling. 

Join us at Directions North America 2026 

The Forrester TEI study highlights the potential value organizations may realize with Business Central—from faster financial processes to improved profitability and lower total cost of ownership. 

We’ll continue these conversations at Directions North America 2026, where partners, Microsoft engineering, and product leaders come together to discuss what’s next for the Business Central ecosystem and the future of AI-powered ERP. 

Join me for the keynote, where I’ll explore how Business Central is evolving into an AI-powered system of action with Copilot and intelligent agents. 

Attendees will: 

  • Gain insight into the Business Central roadmap 
  • Prepare for upcoming AI-powered capabilities 
  • Connect directly with Microsoft engineering and product experts 
  • Engage with partners across the Business Central community 

  1. Composite organization assumption: Results are based on a Forrester modeled composite organization derived from customer interviews, with $50M in annual revenue, 300 employees, 15 core finance and accounting users, and 100 light users, using Dynamics 365 Business Central in a cloud deployment. All quantified benefits represent the three-year, risk-adjusted present value for the composite organization.

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Tackle the future of business operations with the combined power of Microsoft 365 and Dynamics 365 Business Central http://approjects.co.za/?big=en-us/dynamics-365/blog/business-leader/2025/08/28/tackle-the-future-of-business-operations-with-the-combined-power-of-microsoft-365-and-dynamics-365-business-central/ Thu, 28 Aug 2025 15:00:00 +0000 http://approjects.co.za/?big=en-us/dynamics-365/blog/?p=195315 Empower your business with unified data, AI-powered workflows, and seamless Microsoft 365 integration using Dynamics 365 Business Central.

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Forward-looking organizations of all sizes that are looking to grow, scale, and accomplish more with the tools that they have today understand that managing financial data alone is not enough. These businesses need tools that centralize, manage, and optimize business processes from end to end.

Most teams looking to “graduate” from simplistic accounting software or outdated systems of record turn to cloud-first, and increasingly AI-powered Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software to deliver on this end-to-end vision.

If you’re thinking about end-to-end business management, and your business runs on Microsoft applications already for things like email, productivity, and business intelligence, there’s a Microsoft solution tailor-made for you: Dynamics 365 Business Central.

Dynamics 365 Business Central

Connect finance, sales, service, and operations.

Two salespeople sitting on a couch

We believe that Business Central is a rock-solid ERP solution in its own right, helping over 45,000 small and medium businesses (SMBs) worldwide manage finance, operations, sales, and service in one solution—but it doesn’t end there. On top of that rock-solid foundation, you get the muscle of Microsoft AI, the extensibility of thousands of apps on AppSource, and, yes, native connectivity to the Microsoft 365 services and applications you’re already using.

Here’s a taste of what that means in practice:

  • Data connectivity: Business Central synchronizes financial, operational, and customer data with Microsoft 365 apps, enabling users to access up-to-date information and edit that data in familiar interfaces like Excel without the need for middleware.
  • Workflow automation: With Microsoft Power Automate, users can create automated workflows that bridge Business Central and Microsoft 365, streamlining processes such as approvals, notifications, and document management. Tools like Agent Builder and Microsoft Copilot Studio are enabling businesses to deliver powerful, AI-first workflows that run through Microsoft systems and beyond.
  • Embedded experiences: Users can interact with Business Central data from within Microsoft 365 apps. For example, they can view and edit Business Central records in Excel, manage invoices and quotes in Outlook, and collaborate on business data in Microsoft Teams—all without switching contexts.
  • Security and identity: Both platforms share Azure Active Directory for authentication and authorization, ensuring secure access and unified identity management across the integrated environment.
  • AI and insights: The integration enables AI-powered features such as Microsoft Copilot and both prebuilt and custom agents, leveraging combined data from Business Central and Microsoft 365 to provide intelligent recommendations, automate routine tasks, and deliver actionable insights within daily workflows.

This architecture empowers SMBs to streamline operations, accelerate decision-making, and enhance customer experiences by leveraging unified data, automated processes, and AI-powered tools—all inside the applications teams use every day.

The nuts and bolts of seamless systems

Let’s take a deeper look at how these integrations can work in practice, the value that it can offer businesses, and the steps needed to manage these processes.

Outlook: Business Central can be made available in Outlook’s sidebar, and administrators even have the option to make finance, customer, and inventory insights available to users without a Business Central license. Advanced tools like Sales Order Agent in Business Central take this interconnectivity even further. With Sales Order Agent, inbound order requests can be fulfilled in Business Central automatically, taking into account inventory and customer preferences. All of this saves time and allows staff to focus on growth, not busy work.

Excel: Business Central allows users to view and edit business data—such as financial reports, budgets, or inventory lists—directly in Excel. The two-way synchronization means that changes made in Excel are instantly reflected in Business Central, and vice versa. This eliminates manual data exports and imports, reduces errors, and empowers finance teams to work with live data in a tool they know well. AI again can take these synergies a step further through Back Reconciliation with Copilot, saving hours of time and effort on month-end operations.

Teams: Collaboration is enhanced through Teams, where users can share Business Central records, discuss transactions, and make decisions together without switching apps. Teams’ chat and meeting features combine with Business Central’s business data—enabling sales, finance, and operations teams to work together in real time. This boosts transparency and ensures everyone is aligned on the latest information. With tools like Copilot Studio, you can create AI-powered agents in Teams that automatically update customer information, generate sales quotes, and centralize operational and engagement data in one place.

These connections work so well that you won’t even think about them, enabling better customer experience, faster growth, and a future-ready foundation for innovation.

Customers reaping the benefits of end-to-end connectivity

This of course isn’t a hypothetical—customers are seeing the benefits of unifying Business Central within the broader Microsoft ecosystem every day.

You can read many of these customer stories right now.

We see in many of these case studies how customers benefit significantly from the integration of Microsoft 365 and Business Central thanks to the seamless ease of use across familiar tools. By embedding business insights and workflows into applications like Outlook, Excel, and Teams, users are empowered to complete daily tasks without constantly switching between different systems. This intuitive experience minimizes the learning curve, reduces manual data entry, and ensures that employees can access real-time information within the environments they use every day. As a result, even those without a Business Central license can gain valuable insights, making financial and operational data more accessible and actionable for a broader range of users. 

The interconnectivity between Microsoft 365 and Business Central creates a unified digital workspace where data flows freely and processes are automated. Teams can collaborate in real time, make informed decisions together, and maintain alignment across departments through shared records and synchronized updates. This shared digital language eliminates silos and fosters transparency, allowing everyone in the organization to speak the same “data language.” Ultimately, these capabilities drive efficiency, enable faster innovation, and support growth by creating a future-ready foundation where technology adapts to business needs rather than standing in the way. 

A future-ready foundation

Integrating Business Central with Microsoft 365 is more than a technical upgrade—it’s a strategic shift. By unifying data, automating workflows, and embracing AI, SMBs gain the agility, resilience, and speed to grow confidently.

Whether you’re a manufacturer optimizing your supply chain, a finance team closing faster in Excel, or a partner building vertical solutions, Business Central + Microsoft 365 gives you a future-ready platform ready to tackle today’s challenges and set you up to own the future.

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Explore migration options for Microsoft Dynamics GP and Microsoft Dynamics SL customers http://approjects.co.za/?big=en-us/dynamics-365/blog/business-leader/2025/06/05/explore-migration-options-for-microsoft-dynamics-gp-and-microsoft-dynamics-sl-customers/ Thu, 05 Jun 2025 15:00:00 +0000 We are announcing updates to Dynamics GP and Dynamics SL product availability.

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As Microsoft continues innovating and investing in cloud solutions and technologies that help customers enhance productivity and streamline business processes, we are announcing updates to Dynamics GP and Dynamics SL product availability.

Dynamics GP 

After more than 40 years of availability, in September 2024 we announced that Dynamics GP’s product enhancements, regulatory (tax) updates, and technical support will end on December 31, 2029, with security updates available until April 30, 2031. The following related changes will be effective April 30, 2031: 

  • Service Plan coverage ends for Dynamics GP products. 
  • Subscription licenses for Dynamics GP (via Solution Provider Agreement (SPA)/Dynamics Price List (DPL)) are no longer renewable.
  • Additional perpetual users on existing Dynamics GP systems can no longer be added.
  • Subscription use of Dynamics GP via Services Provider License Agreement (SPLA) licensing (not to be confused with SPA program) is expected to end.

As a reminder, the final day for new customers to license Dynamics GP subscriptions is April 1, 2026. 

Dynamics SL 

Similarly, after serving customers for 30 years, mainstream support for Dynamics SL ended July 11, 2023, and its extended support (such as security updates) period will end on July 11, 2028. The following related changes will be effective January 15, 2030: 

  • Service Plan coverage ends for Dynamics SL.
  • Last day to license more perpetual users on existing Dynamics SL systems.
  • Expected last day to use Dynamics SL via SPLA subscriptions (this is not to be confused with the SPA program).

These dates may seem far off, but full cloud migration is not something that can be accomplished overnight, and forward-thinking organizations should begin the conversation today.

Why migrate to Business Central today?

Recently, we provided an in-depth review of the reasons, steps, and benefits of moving from Dynamics GP to Business Central. Here are some of the many reasons why customers running either Dynamics GP or Dynamics SL should consider migrating to Business Central today:

  • Future-proof your business. Business Central is a comprehensive solution for SMBs, covering sales, finance, project management, manufacturing, supply chain, and service—all on a single, AI-ready platform.
  • Use AI now. With built-in Microsoft Copilot capabilities and customizable AI agents, Business Central helps you automate and optimize operations today—not someday.
  • Reduce technical debt. Modernizing from legacy on-premises systems eliminates redundancies, cuts costs, and improves visibility into business performance.

How to migrate to Business Central

Microsoft provides a number of tools to help support the efficient and comprehensive transfer of business data from both Dynamics GP and Dynamics SL to Business Central. The first step in a migration process is to consult with your partner on the scope of migration and implementation timeline. If you need additional support or don’t know where to start, you can engage with a Microsoft representative.

The technical steps, whether you’re migrating from either Dynamics GP or Dynamics SL, will be largely the same.

Initially, the preparation phase helps to ensure that the on-premises environment meets all prerequisites for migration. This includes planning the migration timeline, verifying data integrity, and setting up the cloud migration environment. The data replication phase follows, where data is securely copied from the on-premises Microsoft SQL Server to the Microsoft Azure SQL Database using Azure Data Factory. This phase involves creating pipelines to manage the flow of data and checking that the data is accurately replicated in the new environment.

Once data replication is complete, the data upgrade phase begins, where the replicated data is upgraded to match the Business Central online environment. This step is crucial to facilitate compatibility and functionality. Finally, the completion and follow-up phase involves optimizing the new environment, setting up user access, and decommissioning the old on-premises system. Throughout the process, validation and troubleshooting are performed to address any issues and help to ensure a smooth transition.

Transition support

You may be wondering how the transition to Business Central will impact your workflows, operations, and reporting. Our engineering team is prepared with comprehensive overviews of how each capability functions to help you get started. Here are some videos that show direct companions for common workflows:

Migrating from Dynamics GP or Dynamics SL to Business Central marks a pivotal step toward modernizing your business operations. This transition not only streamlines financial and operational processes but also unlocks the power of cloud-based scalability, real-time data access, and seamless integration with the broader Microsoft ecosystem.

By moving to Business Central, organizations gain a unified platform that supports remote work, enhances collaboration, and delivers actionable insights through AI and analytics. The migration also reduces the burden of maintaining legacy systems, offering improved security, automatic updates, and lower total cost of ownership.

While the journey may involve careful planning and change management, the long-term benefits far outweigh the initial effort. Whether you’re looking to future-proof your business, improve agility, or align with evolving customer expectations, Business Central provides a robust foundation for growth.

As you consider your next steps, remember that success lies in choosing the right migration strategy, engaging stakeholders early, and using expert guidance. With the right approach, your move from an on-premises solution to Business Central can be more than a system upgrade—it can be a strategic transformation that positions your organization for long-term success in the digital era.

The post Explore migration options for Microsoft Dynamics GP and Microsoft Dynamics SL customers appeared first on Microsoft Dynamics 365 Blog.

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Why migrate now: The benefits of moving from Dynamics GP to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central http://approjects.co.za/?big=en-us/dynamics-365/blog/business-leader/2025/04/14/why-migrate-now-the-benefits-of-moving-from-dynamics-gp-to-microsoft-dynamics-365-business-central/ Mon, 14 Apr 2025 15:00:00 +0000 http://approjects.co.za/?big=en-us/dynamics-365/blog/?p=193494 There are many benefits to beginning the migration to Business Central now, with many resources that Microsoft has to support you.

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In September 2024, Microsoft announced the end of product support and updates for Dynamics GP on December 31, 2029. Microsoft is incredibly grateful to existing GP customers, and is committed to facilitating a stable, supported, and smooth migration for GP customers to a cloud solution.

As a follow-up to that announcement, I wanted to discuss the advantages of beginning the migration process now and review the many resources that Microsoft and our partner community have to support you.

Why migrate to Business Central today?

Microsoft has made sure to provide a lengthy runway so customers currently running Dynamics GP can comprehensively prepare for migration to a new system, but there are clear benefits to moving now, rather than waiting.

Here are a few key considerations.

  • Don’t wait to future-proof your business. Business Central is the leading comprehensive business management solution, designed for small and medium businesses, and engineered for Microsoft Copilot. On a single platform, it includes harnessing sales, finance, project management, manufacturing, supply chain, and service on a single platform, today. Migrating on your timeline means more time to help ensure you’re realizing value at every input.
  • Get ahead of the curve with AI. Most business leaders are curious about what AI will allow their business to achieve. With Business Central, you don’t need to wonder—you’ll benefit from what AI can do today with new use cases, prebuilt agents, and updated workflows. With the AI-powered agents, both prebuilt as well as customized, Business Central capitalizes on and offers a foundation that will put you ahead when this technology quickly becomes a “need-to-have”.
  • Avoid technical debt and realize time and operational savings. Waiting means sitting on a legacy on-premises tech stack than can and should be modernized. Migrating to modern Business Central today can help eliminate redundancies, save money, and offer more visibility into business health and areas for improvement.

Realizing big value for businesses of all sizes

The material value of upgrading is clear: In 2024, Microsoft commissioned Forrester Consulting to create a benchmark for the value-add to companies upgrading from an on-premises solution to Business Central. The results of the Total Economic Impact™ study were based on a combination of primary research, customer interviews, and methodological analysis.

Forrester aggregated the data collected into a composite organization with USD15 million annual revenues, 150 total employees, and 28 Business Central users across finance, supply chain, operations, and sales.

An organization of that size saw:

  • Realization of payback in less than six months.
  • 265% return on investment in three years.
  • Net Present Value (NPV) of USD529K over three years.
  • Productivity improvement of 12.5% for operations staff, 15% for sales staff, and 15.6% for finance staff.
  • More than USD80,000/year in third-party fee avoidance.

They achieved these savings through the move to Business Central from on-premises, which allowed:

  • A clear reduction in manual operations.
  • More direct access to systems and data remotely.
  • Clearer and more consistent access to data across the Microsoft ecosystem.
  • Significantly lower infrastructure, maintenance, and personnel costs, as well as upgrade fees.

So don’t treat this upgrade as an obligation, but as an opportunity to control the operational headwinds of your organization, virtually eliminate technical debt, and build a strong, repeatable operational framework that will require very minimal intervention in the months and years ahead.

In addition to these smart business reasons, many existing Dynamics GP customers are eligible for substantial promotional discounts offered by Microsoft when upgrading to an online Dynamics 365 Business Central solution. Promotional offers also allow eligible customers to avoid the need to simultaneously spend money on certain Microsoft on-premises fees while migrating. Be sure to ask your Microsoft systems consultant or reseller about your eligibility for Business Central migration offers.

These migration offers are intended to provide GP perpetual-license customers with a strong runway towards the cloud, driving business productivity, while reducing capital spending and costs of maintaining your on-premises applications while deploying Business Central.

The cloud migration process

With the business case clear, let’s discuss the technical steps in migrating your data and transitioning from Dynamics GP to Business Central.

The first step in a migration process is to consult with your partner on scope, costs, and timing. If your migration requirements go beyond need assistance outside of what your Dynamics GP is able to provide, you can engage a Microsoft representative​.

Here’s an overview of the different stages of migration:

  1. Migration Assessment, evaluating the readiness of the on-premises deployment for migration using the migration assessment tool.
  2. Preparation, developing a migration plan, verifying prerequisites, and checking data is in the best state possible for migration.
  3. Cloud Migration Setup, establishing the connection and pipeline between the on-premises database and online tenant database.
  4. Data Replication, migrating data from on-premises to online and verifying the migration.
  5. Data Upgrade, upgrading the replicated data in the online environment.
  6. Completion and Follow-Up, optimizing the new Business Central online environment, setting up user access, and going live.

What data is migrated

When you’re ready to migrate, Microsoft offers a comprehensive set of tools for migrating company data from Dynamics GP. The cloud migration tool typically migrates the following data:

  • System and company setup (for example: payment terms, shipping methods, sites)
  • Master data for accounts, customers, vendors, and items
  • Transactional data
  • Vendor 1099

See the detailed overview of data migrated to Business Central.

As mentioned previously, the on-premises environment will remain the active system until the migration process is complete.

Once the cloud migration is set up and underway, data entry in the Business Central online tenant is limited to data not included in the migration from on-premises.

How do Business Central processes differ from Dynamics GP?

It’s natural to have questions about how Dynamics GP compares to Business Central operationally, and Microsoft is here to support with common workflow comparisons available for review here, and on the Business Central YouTube channel. Additionally, we discuss many more of the implications and benefits of migration in this on-demand webinar.

Even with this powerful technology, though, there will naturally be some manual processes. Both Microsoft and your partners are here to support your transition with best practices, documentation, and support. The goal is not just a seamless transition, but an end-to-end enhancement of operations.

With these guides, you will have the tools you need to migrate from Dynamics GP to Business Central with confidence. Reach out to your partner to learn more.

The post Why migrate now: The benefits of moving from Dynamics GP to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central appeared first on Microsoft Dynamics 365 Blog.

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Sales Order Agent in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central: Now in public preview http://approjects.co.za/?big=en-us/dynamics-365/blog/business-leader/2025/04/03/sales-order-agent-in-microsoft-dynamics-365-business-central-now-in-public-preview/ Thu, 03 Apr 2025 15:00:00 +0000 http://approjects.co.za/?big=en-us/dynamics-365/blog/?p=193436 We’re pleased to share that the Sales Order Agent for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is now available in paid public preview.

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We’re pleased to share that the previously announced Sales Order Agent for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is now available for customers in paid public preview.

The first prebuilt agent in Business Central represents an important milestone in the changing landscape of business operations. As Microsoft Copilot begins to replace app-centric user interfaces, agents will automate process flows allowing businesses to save time, minimize repetitive tasks, and do more with fewer resources.

Let’s dig into what Sales Order Agent does.

What is Sales Order Agent in Dynamics 365 Business Central?

The Sales Order Agent is an autonomous tool for addressing, clarifying, and fulfilling customer requests received via email.

Here’s what the Sales Order Agent does in very basic terms:

  1. Customer request: A customer sends an email requesting a sales quote.
  2. Agent action: The agent processes the email, reviews the request, and finds the customer and requested items.
  3. Quote creation: It verifies item availability, creates the sales quote, and prepares an email response.
  4. User review: The agent engages with an end user to approve the quote before sending it to the customer.
  5. Customer confirmation: The customer reviews the quote and requests an order.
  6. Order conversion: The agent converts the quote to an order and sends a confirmation email to the customer.

Want to see what this looks like in action? Watch this video:

Pre-AI, this would be a reasonably straightforward workflow, but adding each sales line individually can be a laborious and error-prone task, and the workflow could bread down as soon as there were any bumps in the road, for example: What if a customer’s message is vaguely-worded? What if customers don’t approve the quotes? What if the customer isn’t recognized in the system?

The good news is that with the power of Copilot, Sales Order Agent has been meticulously engineered to proactively address these issues. Read more about scenarios and limitations.

Passing the power to the user

Sales Order Agent is engineered to take away the manual processes of simple order-taking from the end user, allowing them to spend more time on more strategic elements of managing a growing business, offering a faster turnaround for customers, and quicker realization of value. But the end user ultimately has control over Sales Order Agent operations:

  • Users are, by default, notified to approve any outbound correspondence from the agent for accuracy and to ensure that appropriate actions have been taken.
  • Users can at any time see a full picture of the task’s context and history (“timeline” view), including the key steps displayed in the Copilot pane.  
  • Users will see a detailed review of each entity the agent created (such as sales quotes or sales orders), review all changes and suggestions the agent makes for a specific task, and adjust appropriately.
  • Users have the power to discard the steps performed by the agent, adjust the quote or order as needed, and ask the agent to proceed with the flow.

All these actions (and more) provide users with the ultimate oversight, and over time, will improve the Sales Order Agent’s accuracy and usability.

Learn more about how this works in practice.

The business value of autonomous sales orders

So, in a world where you’ve taken away the mundane tasks of cross-referencing customer discounts and terms, double and triple-checking inventory, and fumbling through procurement systems to generate purchase orders, there are naturally repercussions throughout your business.

Outside of the binary gains that have been mentioned already, let’s talk about what this next step in autonomous ERP processes can help enable:

  • Scale your business without the traditional friction that accompanies growth: Traditionally, scaling up a business was a resource balancing act: How do we ensure that we’re able to meet the product, relationship, and personnel needs to increase operations? While the Sales Order Agent certainly doesn’t erase the full scope of challenges inherent with a growing business, it can help eliminate some of the friction by automating the systems that work within your current install base.
  • Sales spends more time doing what sales does best: Rather than getting sidelined with lengthy order evaluations and wasting time on guaranteed revenue, sales reps can focus on building client relationships, generating net-new business, and evaluating ways to expand existing customer relationships with the knowledge that transactional interactions are managed automatically, with their oversight, when needed.
  • Enjoy greater data accuracy across all systems of record: Business Central has always allowed finance, supply chain, and CRM systems to work in harmony with one another, and by further eliminating the prospect of human error, this is extended even further. This positive feedback loop will be further enhanced by prebuilt agents in the future, along with the custom agents that partners and end users build to help minimize clicks to complete and realize the goal of end-to-end ERP automation.

Sales Order Agent

Now available for customers in paid public preview

A mature businesswoman in discussion with colleague that is off camera.

Agents: The next frontier of AI

Our Dynamics 365 Business Central team is pleased and proud to bring this first agentic experience to market, but this is—of course—only the first. With our Payables agent launching later this year, along with the ability for partners and customers to design their own agentic workflows into Business Central, now is the time to begin this journey toward end-to-end business process automation.

If you’re a current Business Central customer, be sure to talk to your partner about how you can easily activate Sales Order Agent and accelerate your time to value in every inbound sales interaction today.

New to Business Central? See how partnering with Microsoft can accelerate your growth and unlock a new level of operational oversight and efficiency.

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Announcing End of Support for Dynamics GP http://approjects.co.za/?big=en-us/dynamics-365/blog/it-professional/2024/09/25/announcing-end-of-support-for-dynamics-gp/ Wed, 25 Sep 2024 16:00:00 +0000 http://approjects.co.za/?big=en-us/dynamics-365/blog/?p=192266 Today we are announcing that we will end product support and updates for Dynamics GP on the 30th of September 2029 (with security patches ending on the 30th of April 2031).

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Today, we’re announcing we will end product support and updates for Dynamics GP on the 31st of December 2029 (with security patches ending on the 30th of April 2031). We want to take a moment to express our heartfelt gratitude to our loyal GP customers. Your trust and collaboration have been essential to building an incredibly strong GP community! We’re dedicated to supporting your ongoing businesses and success during this transition.  

With advancements in technology and changing market dynamics, business leaders are looking at their operations tools now more than ever to stay competitive, drive growth, improve profitability and ensure long-term company success. Microsoft is committed to ensuring we offer robust and innovative solutions to meet these needs. Dynamics 365 Business Central is Microsoft’s flagship SMB ERP product, optimized to help businesses thrive in a new world of cloud and AI computing.  

We understand change can be challenging. Transitioning from a familiar system to a new one requires careful planning and support. Microsoft is here to support you every step of the way. Our extensive partner ecosystem is ready to assist in making a seamless transition to the Cloud. Additionally, our partners offer specialized expertise and services to help you implement Dynamics 365 Business Central successfully.

We are also offering a range of resources to support  you during this transition, including training programs, documentation, and community forums. These resources will help you and your team get up to speed with Dynamics 365 Business Central quickly and efficiently. By leveraging these tools, you can ensure a successful transition and start reaping the benefits of your new ERP solution. 

Continuous innovation built on trust

Dynamics 365 Business Central integrates cutting-edge AI tools that transform how businesses operate. From automating routine tasks to providing predictive insights, AI empowers you to make smarter decisions faster. Additionally, our commitment to security ensures your data is protected using encryption and other industry security best practices, giving you peace of mind and allowing you to focus on your core business. This integration enables you to leverage the full potential of your technology stack, driving efficiency and increased productivity.

Learn more and stay up to date with announcements around Dynamics GP here.

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Experience the new generation of financial analytics and reporting in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central http://approjects.co.za/?big=en-us/dynamics-365/blog/business-leader/2024/08/27/experience-the-new-generation-of-financial-analytics-and-reporting-in-microsoft-dynamics-365-business-central/ Tue, 27 Aug 2024 15:00:00 +0000 Amid the growing demand on CFOs to catalyze growth, maintaining a holistic view of business performance has never been more crucial.

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How CFOs and finance leaders can make data-driven decisions and optimize business performance.

Why being data driven is key for CFOs

Amid the growing demand on CFOs to catalyze growth, maintaining a holistic view of business performance can be crucial. Data-driven finance leaders not only ensure this is possible within their team, but also empower the entire organization with access to the analysis and insights needed to make informed decisions within the flow of their work, securely.

Dynamics 365 Business Central

The data-driven CFO can use Business Central to optimize business performance.

Businessman smiles as he talks on his mobile phone while walking down a street in the city.

According to a recent white paper for CFOs (9 Emerging Trends for the Futurist CFO), more than 50% of the identified trends that will affect their departments and businesses over the next few years are about data and reporting.

And if you ask Microsoft Copilot: What are the top three challenges that CFOs in small and medium-sized businesses face in 2024 that can be improved with internal reporting?

You might get an answer such as: In 2024, CFOs in small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) face several key challenges that can be significantly improved with effective internal reporting. Here are the top three:

  1. Economic uncertainty: With ongoing fluctuations in the global economy, CFOs need to make informed decisions quickly. Detailed financial reports can provide insights into market trends, helping CFOs to forecast and plan more accurately.
  2. Cost management: Identifying and controlling costs is crucial for maintaining profitability. Internal reports can highlight areas of inefficiency and suggest where cost-saving measures can be implemented without compromising quality.
  3. Performance measurement: Tracking the performance of various departments and projects is essential for strategic planning. Internal reports provide valuable data on key performance indicators (KPIs), enabling CFOs to assess progress and make data-driven decisions.

How can you as a CFO or financial leader turn this advice into something more practical, allowing you to help people become more data driven in their day-to-day work? Read on to understand how the business intelligence (BI) triangle model breaks analytics scenarios down into tangible tasks with suggestions of which tools are appropriate for each of them.

The BI triangle: Mapping analytics scenarios to tools

One of the challenges that you face is how to access, analyze, and present data in a way that suits your needs and preferences. Different scenarios and roles in the office of the CFO may require different tools and formats to deliver the best insights and outcomes. That’s why Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central offers a comprehensive and flexible set of analytics tools and capabilities that can address the diverse needs and preferences of finance leaders.

An illustration of the BI triangle which ensures leadership, management, and workers can securely access connected KPIs, dashboards, analysis, and reports

We call this the “BI triangle”, which consists of four types of analytics tools:

  • Microsoft Power BI finance reports: Access these reports out-of-the-box including powerful semantic models and stunning and interactive visualizations. You can use the Power BI reports to get an overview of finance KPIs, dive deeper into your data, create custom dashboards and metrics, and share your insights with others. The new Power BI reports are coming in the 2024 release wave 2.
  • Financial reporting: This capability set provides no-code financial reporting specialized for producing financial statements that look the way you want.
  • Ad-hoc data analysis: Delivers the ability to filter, group, and pivot data directly in Business Central. Use it to get an overview of analytic scenarios not covered by standard reports, drill down into details, and export data to Excel.
  • Excel finance reports: Excel reports use Microsoft’s familiar and widely used spreadsheet tool, which is loved by financial professionals for its powerful capabilities in performing calculations, analysis, and formatting. Whether you need to bring your financial data into Excel for easy manipulation, create charts and tables, apply formulas and functions, or analyze outliers with Copilot in Excel, the built-in Excel reports provide the flexibility to present your data exactly as you prefer.

With the BI triangle, you can choose the best tool for the job, depending on your scenario and audience. You can also switch between the tools seamlessly, as they are all integrated with Business Central and use the same data source.

Access more information about the BI triangle here.

Analyze your business data with new Power BI reports

One of the benefits of using Power BI reports is that you can access a rich set of new and improved reports designed specifically for Business Central and that cover various aspects of your business, such as finance, sales, purchasing, inventory, and projects.

These reports are available out of the box and can be accessed from within Business Central or from Power BI.

A screenshot of a Profitability overview in Dynamics 365 Business Central using Power BI

Another benefit of using Power BI reports is that you can access your data and insights while on the go from various devices. Whether you’re in the office, on the road, or at home, you can use the Power BI app on your phone or tablet to view and interact with your reports, get notifications and alerts, and stay on top of your business performance.

In the 2024 release wave 2, Dynamics 365 Business Central will include more than 70 reports covering analytics scenarios across finance, sales, purchasing, inventory, and projects.

Track your finance KPIs with Power BI metrics and get alerted in Microsoft Teams when they cross thresholds

With Power BI, you can create and monitor metrics, which are key performance indicators (KPIs) that measure progress toward your goals and objectives. You can easily create metrics on any number shown in your Power BI finance reports and set targets and thresholds for them. You can also view your metrics on your Power BI dashboard and see how they change over time and compare to your targets and thresholds.

You can even integrate your KPIs with Teams and get alerted when your KPI metrics cross certain thresholds, such as when your expenses exceed your budget or when your revenue falls below your forecast. This way, you can stay informed and act quickly and efficiently.

Get executive summaries on your finance data with Copilot in Power BI

Want to use AI to get more from your data? With Copilot in Power BI, you get a conversational AI assistant that can help you get answers and insights from your data using natural language. How about asking Copilot for an executive summary on your financial overview?

A screenshot of Copilot in Power BI providing an executive summary of the Financial Overview report

You can use Copilot in Power BI to ask questions about your data, such as: “What is my net income for the last quarter?” or “How does my cash flow compare to the previous year?”. Copilot in Power BI will analyze your data and provide you with relevant and concise answers in the form of charts, tables, or text. You can also use Copilot in Power BI to get executive summaries on your data, by using prompts such as: “Summarize my financial performance for the last month” or “Highlight the main drivers of my revenue growth”. Copilot will generate a summary report that highlights the key facts and insights from your data in a clear and engaging way.

Other ways that Business Central supports the data-driven CFO

Power BI is not the only way that Business Central supports the data-driven CFO. Other analytics features and capabilities can help you access, analyze, and present your data in an effective and efficient way. Here are some examples:

Create financial statements with no-code financial reporting (new templates coming in 2024 release wave 2). This feature allows you to create and customize your own financial statements, such as income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements, using a simple and intuitive interface. You can choose from a variety of templates; add or remove accounts, columns, and rows; and format and style your statements. You can also drill down into the details of your data or export your statements to Excel or PDF to share them with others. Access more information about the new Financial Reporting templates in the 2024 release wave 2 here.

Analyze finance data your way with Copilot in Dynamics 365 Business Central analysis assist. This feature allows you to analyze your finance data using natural language and get suggestions and recommendations from an AI assistant. You can explore your data, discover patterns and trends, and find answers and insights.

If you prefer to slice and dice the data, you can open any list in Business Central, switch on analysis mode, and group, filter, and pivot the data your way. When your analysis is ready, you can save it, or maybe share it with a coworker.

Use out-of-the-box Excel reports for finance (when you want the power and flexibility of Excel). Business Central comes with pre-built and curated Excel reports that cover various aspects of your finance data, such as Trial Balance by Period, Aged Account Receivables, and Aged Account Payables. You can use these reports to view and manipulate your data in your familiar and preferred data tool, create charts and tables, and use formulas and functions, or analyze for outliers with Copilot in Excel.

A screenshot of how Excel copilot can be used on finance data from Business Central to identify data outliers.

Harness the full potential of the analytical tools within Business Central

As the roles of the CFO and finance teams continue to evolve, the ability to harness data for strategic decision-making is a necessity. Dynamics 365 Business Central offers a comprehensive and flexible set of analytics tools and capabilities that can empower finance leaders to make data-driven decisions and optimize business performance. Whether you need a quick and easy way to view and explore your data, a powerful and popular tool to analyze and visualize your data, or a familiar and widely used tool to manipulate and present your data, Business Central has you covered. With Business Central, you can also take advantage of the power of AI and cloud to access your data and insights while on the go from various devices, and to get answers and summaries from natural language queries and commands. You can also integrate your data and insights with other Microsoft products, such as Teams, to collaborate and communicate more effectively with your colleagues and partners.

Learn more about using Business Central

If you want to learn more about how the data-driven CFO can use Business Central, visit the financial analytics section of our documentation, where you can find more information and resources on the various analytics scenarios and tools.

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Work smarter with Microsoft Copilot in Dynamics 365 Business Central http://approjects.co.za/?big=en-us/dynamics-365/blog/business-leader/2024/05/13/work-smarter-with-microsoft-copilot-in-dynamics-365-business-central/ Mon, 13 May 2024 15:00:00 +0000 http://approjects.co.za/?big=en-us/dynamics-365/blog/?p=191233 In the quickly changing world of AI, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is leading the way with innovations that have equipped more than 30,000 small and medium-sized businesses to succeed. Powered by next-generation AI, Microsoft Copilot in Dynamics 365 Business Central introduces new ways to streamline workflows, boost productivity, and unlock creativity.

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In the quickly changing world of AI, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is leading the way with innovations that have equipped more than 30,000 small and medium-sized businesses to succeed. Powered by next-generation AI, Microsoft Copilot in Dynamics 365 Business Central introduces new ways to streamline workflows, boost productivity, and unlock creativity. At a time when nine out of ten people want simpler ways to automate daily tasks, Copilot helps to free time so employees can focus on their most meaningful work.1

Copilot in Business Central is your everyday AI companion, helping you to speed through tasks, build momentum, and improve the way work gets done. With Copilot, you can:

  • Get answers quickly and easily using natural language.
  • Spark creativity with creative content ideas.
  • Save time by automating tedious, repetitive tasks.
  • Anticipate and overcome business challenges.

Reclaim time for important work

In a small or medium-sized business, there is often a lot to do and not enough people to get it all done. Everyday activities like tracking down documents and bringing new employees up to speed can drain your valuable time. Conversational chat using Copilot in Business Central helps you answer questions quickly and easily, locate records faster, and even learn new skills—all using natural language. Save time and effort by navigating to documents without having to use traditional menus, and rapidly onboard new users with answers to questions on how, when, or why to do things.

Unlock creativity with marketing text suggestions

Copilot in Business Central helps product managers to banish writer’s block and drive sales with compelling AI-generated marketing text suggestions. Using key attributes already in Business Central like color and material, Copilot can create product descriptions in seconds tailored to your preferred tone, format, and length. Once you’ve made any adjustments, you can easily publish to Shopify or other ecommerce platforms with just a few clicks.

Simplify the sales order process

Creating or updating customer orders can be a tedious process, often requiring repetitive lookups or navigating through extensive product catalogs. To quickly add items to a sales quote or order, Copilot enables you to describe the goods or services needed, paste in relevant details from an email, or reference a previous order. Based on your prompt, Copilot then suggests line items from your product catalog. By streamlining the order taking process, Copilot frees time for sales teams to focus on building relationships and delivering exceptional customer experiences. 

Automate workflows quickly and easily

Streamlining business processes is easier than ever with Copilot helping to create Microsoft Power Automate flows using natural language. Users can simply express their needs directly in Business Central, and Copilot drafts an initial automation flow for you. You can continue refining the flow in Power Automate with Copilot by your side, streamlining the process of tailoring best-practice workflows to your business.  

Nine out of ten people want simpler ways to automate daily tasks so they can focus on the work that matters.1

Streamline month end with enhanced bank reconciliation

Reconciling bank transactions has traditionally been a time-consuming monthly task, especially with complex scenarios where multiple charges consolidate into a single transaction. Copilot in Business Central makes bank reconciliation easier by analyzing bank statements that you import into Business Central, matching transactions, and proposing entries for transactions that weren’t auto-matched. By comparing and interpreting transaction descriptions, amounts, dates, and patterns across fields, Copilot can help you improve the accuracy of your financial records while reducing manual effort.

Keep finances organized with e-invoice matching

Say goodbye to hours spent manually merging incoming e-invoices with outstanding purchase orders. Using rule-based matching and assistance from Copilot, you can quickly compare and map incoming e-invoices to your open orders. Save time and keep your accounts payable current, all while building positive supplier relationships with on-time payments. 

Make data-driven decisions with analysis assistance

Business Central has powerful built-in capabilities to create analytical views of data, but manually constructing those views requires time and skill. Copilot simplifies analysis by transforming raw data into clear views with totals, grouping, pivots, and filters—all from simple text instructions and without ever leaving Business Central. Prompted by just a simple sentence, Copilot can identify trends and anomalies in your data, helping you make data-driven decisions that propel your business forward.  

Boost customer service with inventory forecasting

Effective inventory management is crucial in a competitive business environment as it can significantly influence a company’s success and customer retention. This process involves balancing customer service with cost control. Maintaining low inventory reduces working capital, but risks missing sales due to stock shortages. Using AI, the sales and inventory forecast extension uses past sales data to forecast future demand, helping to prevent stockouts. Once a shortfall is identified, Business Central streamlines the replenishment process by generating vendor requests, helping you keep your customers happy by fulfilling their orders on time.  

Reduce risk with late payment prediction

Managing receivables effectively is vital for a business’s financial wellbeing. With the late payment prediction extension, you can reduce outstanding receivables and refine your collections approach by forecasting if outstanding sales invoices are likely to be paid on time. For instance, if a payment is anticipated to be delayed, you could modify the payment terms or method for that customer. By proactively addressing potential late payments and adapting accordingly, you can minimize overdue receivables, reduce risk of non-payment, and ultimately improve your financial performance.

Improve financial stability with cash flow analysis

Powered by AI, Business Central can create a comprehensive cash flow analysis to help you monitor your company’s cash position. Cash flow is a critical indicator of a company’s solvency, and cash flow analysis is an important future-focused planning tool that helps you maintain control over your financial health and make proactive adjustments to meet your financial commitments. With insights from Business Central, you can pivot quickly to safeguard your company’s fiscal wellbeing, such as by obtaining loans to cover cash shortfalls or cutting back on credit when you have surplus cash.

Transform the way work gets done with Copilot in Business Central

Copilot gives your company an edge with AI-powered innovations that are a catalyst for unleashing human potential, fostering creativity, and driving efficiency in ways previously unimaginable. The integration of AI into everyday business processes is not just about staying ahead in a competitive market, it’s about redefining what’s possible in the workplace. With Dynamics 365 Business Central, your company is empowered to navigate today’s complex business environment with agility, precision, and a renewed focus on what truly matters.

Dynamics 365 Business Central

Work smarter, adapt faster, and perform better with Business Central.

A person sitting at a desk talking to another person

Sources

1  Four Ways Leaders Can Empower People for How Work Gets Done, January 2023

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Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and Microsoft 365: Connect data to the tools where work is done http://approjects.co.za/?big=en-us/dynamics-365/blog/business-leader/2024/02/12/microsoft-dynamics-365-business-central-and-microsoft-365-connect-data-to-the-tools-where-work-is-done/ Mon, 12 Feb 2024 18:00:00 +0000 With Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and Microsoft 365, businesses can establish a unified experience where data seamlessly connects with productivity apps including Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Outlook, and Microsoft Teams. This connectivity ensures that employees can access timely information, gain valuable insights, and collaborate directly within the tools they use daily—all without the need to switch between applications.

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The pace of business operations continues to accelerate daily, presenting an ongoing challenge for employees who increasingly struggle to keep up. They often find themselves overwhelmed by the very tools designed to enhance their work, leading to frequent switching between various documents, apps, and websites as they hunt for data.  

Dynamics 365 Business Central

Realize the power of a connected workplace

a remote sales worker uses productivity apps to get work done on his tablet

Harvard Business Review addresses this issue in its article How Much Time and Energy Do We Waste Toggling Between Applications?, where it describes the prevalent “swivel chair” approach to work, which has become the norm for most employees. This is primarily because many software applications weren’t originally designed to connect with each other. Consequently, employees often serve as the connective tissue bridging the gap between these disparate applications. They engage in manual processes of fetching, transforming, and submitting data from one system to another, constantly shifting between apps. This practice is both time-consuming and mentally draining. 

The true cost of this constant app-switching becomes apparent when we consider that the average user toggles between different apps nearly 1,200 times each day, spending approximately four hours per week reorienting themselves after switching to a new application. Annually, this adds up to a staggering five working weeks, accounting for a significant 9% of their total work time.1  

What’s the solution to this productivity-sapping dilemma? The answer lies in connecting business systems and productivity tools, providing employees with easy access to the information they need without switching between applications. Seamless sharing of data across tools and applications not only simplifies access for employees but also lays the foundation for AI and Microsoft Copilot to offer proactive insights and assistance within their everyday tools. 

With Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and Microsoft 365, businesses can establish a unified experience where data seamlessly connects with productivity apps including Excel, Outlook, and Microsoft Teams. This connectivity ensures that employees can access timely information, gain valuable insights, and collaborate directly within the tools they use daily—all without the need to switch between applications. 

By harnessing connected solutions powered by real-time data, businesses can begin to unlock the full potential of AI-enabled productivity with Microsoft Copilot. With Copilot, businesses can automate tasks and guide users through assisted workflows—saving them time, improving collaboration, enhancing decision-making, and allowing employees to focus on what truly matters—driving business success. 

More collaboration with Business Central and Teams 

Modern workplaces are challenged by fragmented data and communication tools—employees often find themselves juggling various apps and struggling to disseminate timely information, making collaboration difficult. With Teams connected to Business Central, your organization can efficiently share and interact with real-time data, transforming Teams into a centralized hub for your daily operations.  

Dynamics 365 Business Central connects seamlessly with Microsoft 365 Teams

With Business Central and Teams, employees can: 

  • Make data accessible and collaborative. With Teams connected to Business Central, timely data can be shared in group chats or channels, transforming Teams into the hub for all and daily operations that unite employees, processes, and the data they need to work together. 
  • Take action from the app they prefer. From Business Central, quickly share data to jumpstart conversations in Teams. From Teams, stay in the flow of work by viewing and editing business data without having to switch apps. 
  •  Streamline collaboration across departments. Empower each department to self-serve by unlocking the data they need to work better together—even without a Business Central license. Get read-only access to Business Central data in Teams at no additional cost with your Microsoft 365 license. 

More productivity with Business Central and Excel 

Employees often find themselves working in specific applications that align with their roles and responsibilities. For finance and operations teams, Excel is a fundamental tool that plays a pivotal role in their daily tasks. Enabling these teams to maximize their productivity within their preferred application can lead to significant productivity gains. 

With Business Central and Excel, employees can: 

  • Simplify daily tasks. Export any Business Central data to an Excel worksheet to capture data snapshots or share for review. Save time by updating records in bulk in Excel and uploading the revised records to Business Central with just a few clicks.  
  •  Go from raw data to insights faster. Get timely operational insights from Business Central as Excel reports and adapt quickly by customizing report layouts as Excel worksheets. Easily analyze transactions and business data using pivot tables, charts, and calculations to get answers quickly. 
  • Collaborate in the tools where teams work best. Streamline team-based activities like budgeting and planning with multi-player co-authorship and functionality. Create, edit, and access Excel documents as a team, then publish the final outcomes back to Business Central. 

More impact with Business Central and Outlook 

At the core of most businesses lies the unwavering commitment to deliver exceptional products and services to its customers. To achieve this goal, businesses must foster strong and meaningful relationships with their clients, vendors, and stakeholders. With Business Central and Outlook working together, employees gain valuable business insights delivered directly to their inbox, so they can save time while staying focused on delivering extraordinary experiences.  

With Business Central and Outlook, employees can: 

  • Enhance customer experience directly from their inbox. Connect real-time data from Business Central to Outlook. Save time with visibility into customer and vendor information like sales, purchase details, and more without leaving their inbox.   
  • Stay in the flow of work. Use templates to quickly send payment reminders, order confirmations, and other emails directly from Business Central connected to a shared mailbox. 
  • Go from quote to cash without leaving Outlook. Set up customers or vendors, create quotes, submit invoices, and more from within Outlook so employees can focus on the task at hand. 

Embrace the future of work with AI and Dynamics 365 Business Central and Microsoft 365 

When Dynamics 365 Business Central and Microsoft 365 work together, small and medium-sized businesses can boost productivity and redefine how work gets done. With data delivered directly to familiar apps like Excel, Outlook, and Teams, employees get the information they need without switching between applications. Using next-generation AI with Microsoft Copilot, employees can further streamline routine tasks like drafting content, summarizing meetings, providing email follow up, and quickly finding answers to questions—all within the tools where they work best. 

Learn more about connecting your data with Business Central.

Sources:

1 Harvard Business Review, How Much Time and Energy Do We Waste Toggling Between Applications, 2022 

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Transform the way work gets done with Microsoft Copilot in Dynamics 365 Business Central http://approjects.co.za/?big=en-us/dynamics-365/blog/business-leader/2023/11/30/transform-the-way-work-gets-done-with-microsoft-copilot-in-dynamics-365-business-central/ http://approjects.co.za/?big=en-us/dynamics-365/blog/business-leader/2023/11/30/transform-the-way-work-gets-done-with-microsoft-copilot-in-dynamics-365-business-central/#comments Thu, 30 Nov 2023 18:30:00 +0000 http://approjects.co.za/?big=en-us/dynamics-365/blog/?p=188311 In the rapidly evolving AI landscape, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is taking the lead with innovations that have equipped more than 30,000 small and medium-sized businesses to work smarter. Powered by next-generation AI, Microsoft Copilot offers new ways to enhance workplace efficiency, automate mundane tasks, and unlock creativity.

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In the rapidly evolving AI landscape, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is taking the lead with innovations that have equipped more than 30,000 small and medium-sized businesses to achieve success. Powered by next-generation AI, Microsoft Copilot offers new ways to enhance workplace efficiency, automate mundane tasks, and unlock creativity. At a time when nearly two in three people say they struggle with having the time and energy to do their job, Copilot helps to free up capacity and enables employees to focus on their most meaningful work.1 

Dynamics 365 Business Central brings the power of AI to small and medium-sized businesses to help companies work smarter, adapt faster, and perform better. AI in Dynamics 365 Business Central improves the way work gets done, enabling you to:

  • Get answers quickly and easily using natural language.
  • Save time by automating tedious, repetitive tasks.
  • Spark creativity with creative content ideas.
  • Anticipate and overcome business challenges.

Reclaim time for important work

In a small or medium-sized business, there is often a lot to do and not many people to help get it all done, so it’s important to make the most of your limited resources to accomplish your goals. Everyday activities like tracking down documents and bringing new employees up to speed can drain your valuable time. What if you had an AI-powered assistant ready to help you find exactly what you need without the hassle?

Available in early 2024, conversational chat using Copilot in Dynamics 365 Business Central helps you answer questions quickly and easily, locate records faster, and even learn new skills—all using natural language. Save time and effort by navigating to documents without having to use traditional menus, and rapidly onboard new users with answers to questions on how, when, or why to do things. Copilot is your everyday AI companion, helping you to speed through tasks, build momentum, and free time for your most impactful work. 

Streamline month-end tasks with enhanced bank reconciliation

Reconciling bank statement transactions with your financial system has often been a tedious monthly chore. Meticulously matching every line item to new or existing accounting entries takes time (and isn’t the most exciting way to spend an afternoon.) In the past, Business Central helped by auto-matching many of the simple one-to-one transactions, but the logic wasn’t able to decipher more complex scenarios such as when multiple charges were paid in a single transaction.

Now, Copilot in Business Central makes bank reconciliation even easier by analyzing bank statements that you import into Business Central, matching more transactions, and proposing entries for transactions that weren’t auto-matched. By comparing and interpreting transaction descriptions, amounts, dates, and patterns across fields, Copilot can help you improve the accuracy of your bank reconciliation while reducing manual effort.

Unlock creativity with marketing text suggestions

Copilot in Business Central helps product managers save time and drive sales with compelling AI-generated marketing text suggestions. Using key attributes like color and material, Copilot can create product descriptions in seconds tailored to your preferred tone, format, and length. Once you’ve made any adjustments, you can easily publish to Shopify or other ecommerce platforms with just a few clicks. Discover how Copilot can help you banish writer’s block and launch new products with ease.

Boost customer service with inventory forecasting

Effective inventory management is crucial in a competitive business environment as it can significantly influence a company’s success and customer retention. This process involves balancing customer service with cost control. Maintaining low inventory reduces working capital, but risks missing sales due to stock shortages. Using AI, the Sales and Inventory Forecast extension uses past sales data to forecast future demand, helping to prevent stockouts. Once a shortfall is identified, Business Central streamlines the replenishment process by generating vendor requests, helping you keep your customers happy by fulfilling their orders on time, every time.  

Reduce risk with late payment prediction

Managing receivables effectively is vital for a business’s financial wellbeing. With the Late Payment Prediction extension, you can reduce outstanding receivables and refine your collections approach by forecasting if outstanding sales invoices are likely to be paid on time. For instance, if a payment is anticipated to be delayed, you could modify the payment terms or method for that customer. By proactively addressing potential late payments and adapting accordingly, you can minimize overdue receivables, reduce risk of non-payment, and ultimately improve your financial performance.

Improve financial stability with Cash Flow Analysis

Powered by AI, Business Central can create a comprehensive Cash Flow Analysis to help you monitor your company’s cash position. Cash flow is a critical indicator of a company’s solvency, and cash flow analysis is an important future-focused planning tool that helps you maintain control over your financial health and make proactive adjustments to meet all your financial commitments. With insights from Business Central, you can pivot quickly to safeguard your company’s fiscal wellbeing, such as obtaining loans to cover cash shortfalls or cutting back on credit when you have surplus cash.

Work smarter with Copilot in Business Central

Copilot in Business Central gives your company an edge with AI-powered innovations that are a catalyst for unleashing human potential, fostering creativity, and driving efficiency in ways previously unimaginable. The integration of AI into everyday business processes is not just about staying ahead in a competitive market, it’s about redefining what’s possible in the workplace. With Business Central, your company is empowered to navigate today’s complex business environment with agility, precision, and a renewed focus on what truly matters.

Dynamics 365 Business Central

Work smarter, adapt faster, and perform better with Business Central.

Customer using a tablet while wearing headphones and working securely remote from a café.


Sources

1 Microsoft Work Trend Index Annual Report, May 2023

The post Transform the way work gets done with Microsoft Copilot in Dynamics 365 Business Central appeared first on Microsoft Dynamics 365 Blog.

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