Your finance team is working too hard for results that arrive too late.
If you're running a UK business with 50-500 employees and your finance director is still scheduling board meetings for week 4 because that's how long it takes to close the books, you've got a problem. Your current system isn't just inefficient - it's actively holding your business back.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central fixes this. Here's your practical guide to understanding what it does, why it matters, and how to implement it without the usual expensive mistakes.
Overview of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
Business Central is Microsoft's cloud ERP designed specifically for growing businesses that need better financial control and operational visibility.
Think of it as your finance system, operations management, and business intelligence rolled into one platform that actually works together. Instead of jumping between multiple applications to understand your business performance, everything sits in one place with real-time data.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central evolved from NAV (which Microsoft discontinued in 2023) but rebuilt from the ground up for cloud operations. The latest updates include AI automation, enhanced workflow capabilities, and deeper integration with the Microsoft ecosystem your teams probably already use.
For businesses tired of fighting with legacy systems that can't deliver the reporting they need, Business Central provides the foundation for data-driven decision making.
Why Your Current Finance System is Costing You Money
Most finance teams we meet are dealing with identical problems:
Late reporting cycles - By the time you get financial reports, the information is outdated and decisions get made on old data. Your competitors with real-time systems are already moving while you're still calculating last month's performance.
Excel dependency - When your ERP can't produce the reports you need, your finance team builds workarounds in spreadsheets. These become business-critical processes that only one person understands. As we discuss in why Excel becomes a business liability, that's a risk you can't afford.
Manual processes everywhere - Tasks that should be automated still require manual intervention. Your qualified finance professionals spend time on data entry instead of analysis and strategic planning. If staff expenses are causing you grief, imagine how much time gets wasted on other manual finance processes.
Integration nightmares - Different systems that don't communicate properly mean duplicate data entry, reconciliation headaches, and constant risk of errors.
Poor cash flow visibility - Without real-time insight into receivables, work in progress, and upcoming commitments, cash flow management becomes reactive firefighting instead of proactive planning. Your finance system might be dictating the timing of your board meetings instead of supporting business rhythm.
What Business Central Actually Delivers
Real-time financial visibility: Your finance team sees current position immediately, not weeks later. Month-end close time drops from weeks to days. Board meetings move back to week 2 where they belong.
Automated reporting processes: Standard financial reports generate automatically with current data. No more manual compilation from multiple sources. Built-in analytics help you understand what the numbers actually mean.
Integrated operations management: If you handle physical products, inventory levels update automatically across all departments. Sales knows what's in stock during customer calls. Purchasing sees demand patterns in real-time.
Proper audit trails: Everything tracked systematically with full visibility into transaction history. No more hunting through spreadsheets to find supporting documentation.
Cash flow control: Proactive management with real-time visibility into receivables, payables, and projected cash position. You'll know where you stand today, not where you were last month.
Integration: The Real Business Central Advantage
Here's what sets Business Central apart from other ERP systems: it's built to work with the Microsoft tools your people already know.
Native Microsoft 365 connection means documents, emails, and collaboration happen within familiar interfaces. Your finance team doesn't need to learn entirely new software - they extend what they already use.
Power Platform integration lets you build custom apps and automated workflows without traditional development costs. Need a specific approval process? Build it in Power Apps. Want automated alerts for late payments? Set it up in Power Automate.
Third-party connectivity through APIs means your existing applications can connect properly. Whether it's e-commerce platforms, specialist industry software, or other business systems, Business Central integrates rather than replaces everything.
The Implementation Reality: What Actually Determines Success
Most businesses approach ERP implementation completely wrong. They focus on software features instead of implementation quality.
Here's the truth: your success depends entirely on partner choice, not product specifications. This is exactly what we explain in our no-nonsense guide to replacing your ERP - the software doesn't implement itself.
How to Choose an Implementation Partner
Meet the actual project team - Don't just meet the sales person. You need to be comfortable with the project manager, lead consultant, and support person who'll work on your implementation. If you can't access these people during the sales process, what makes you think you'll have access during the project?
Demand proof of methodology - There are two implementation approaches. The traditional approach (wrong) involves endless requirements gathering based on your current broken processes. The right approach gets you hands-on with Business Central early to confirm standard processes work for your business.
Check real customer satisfaction - Ask for their NPS score. Industry average is around 30. Anything below 40 suggests problems. Above 60 indicates genuine customer satisfaction. If they won't share this metric, that tells you everything. We discuss what price you pay for poor support - it's always more expensive than you think.
What You Should Actually Budget
Stop starting with an invented budget number. Your costs depend on three variables:
Business complexity - More locations, currencies, and regulatory requirements increase implementation time.
Process standardisation willingness - Teams that adopt Business Central's standard workflows implement faster and cheaper than those demanding extensive customisation.
Change management investment - Businesses that properly train their people and manage the transition see faster adoption and better ROI.
Ongoing costs include:
- Software subscriptions optimised for actual usage patterns
- Regular system updates and feature adoption support
- Continuous training as people join or roles change
- Quality support that keeps your business running smoothly
Implementation Best Practices That Actually Work
1. Data Migration Strategy
Clean your data before migration, not after. Poor quality data will undermine Business Central's effectiveness from day one. This isn't just a technical exercise - it's a business discipline that pays dividends long after go-live. We've seen too many data migration projects become expensive disasters because businesses tried to shortcut this step.
2. Phased Deployment Approach
Start with core financial modules and expand systematically. This reduces business disruption and allows your team to adapt gradually. Each phase should prove value before moving to the next.
3. Change Management Investment
Your people need time and support to adopt new workflows. Business Central includes regular updates with new capabilities - your team needs ongoing education to take advantage of these improvements.
4. Support Structure Planning
Plan for post-implementation support from day one. Establish clear escalation procedures, response time expectations, and ongoing maintenance arrangements. The quality of support determines whether your investment pays off.
Quality support is critical - if your people don't get quick, helpful answers to their questions, your business starts to go slow.
Common Implementation Failures to Avoid
Partner selection based purely on price - The cheapest implementation usually becomes the most expensive mistake. Poor implementation creates long-term costs that dwarf initial savings.
Over-customisation - Recreating old processes in new software defeats the purpose. Challenge every customisation request against Business Central's standard functionality. This is where getting to one system becomes critical for growing businesses.
Inadequate training - Assuming your team will figure out the new system without proper support leads to poor adoption and user dissatisfaction.
Working with TSG
Our NPS score is 86 (industry average is 30). We've been implementing Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central since launch and understand both the opportunities and pitfalls.
We provide:
- Comprehensive implementation methodology based on proven success patterns
- Access to TSG Academy for ongoing training and support
- Post-implementation optimisation and system evolution support
- Microsoft funding options that can offset costs
- Cloud Care services to optimise your Microsoft 365 environment alongside Business Central
The Bottom Line
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central can transform how your finance team operates and give you the real-time business visibility you need for better decision making.
But implementation quality matters more than software features. Choose a partner based on capability and customer satisfaction, not price. Invest in proper training and change management. Focus on adopting standard processes rather than recreating old problems in new software.
The difference between transformation and expensive disappointment comes down to these fundamentals.
Ready to see how Business Central could work in your specific situation? Come meet our people. Make up your own mind.
