Choosing an ERP (enterprise resource planning) system is one of the most significant decisions a business makes. Ideally, you can find a product that fits your needs in a few ways by considering the following:
- Price
- Flexibility
- Implementation
- Customization options
- Features
While this doesn’t seem like a long list, it isn’t easy to unify all your needs. That’s why it’s essential to look at all your options and consider alternatives to some more prominent ERPs.
Microsoft Dynamics BC is a relatively popular choice. Still, it may not have all the features you need in ERP software.
That’s why we’re analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of Microsoft Dynamics BC and seeing why Acumatica might be a better fit for your business.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central gives you the power to find, organize, and act on information from anywhere in your organization. You can use it to manage customer relationships, manage your finances, and run your operations more efficiently.
This product allows you to analyze data in real-time with Power BI reports and dashboards. Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is part of the Microsoft Dynamics 365 product family. It was released initially in 2018; its predecessor with Microsoft Dynamics NAV.
While there are options for on-premise hosting, the software is primarily cloud-based. It comes with tools and applications to help you manage your company: sales, marketing, customer service, operations, and finance.
We’ve already written about Microsoft Dynamics 365 ERP. Microsoft Dynamics Business Central (BC) is a similar program but differs in a few key metrics. While Dynamics 365 is designed as a modular solution, Business Central is an all-in-one program.
They also target different audiences. While Dynamics 365 has a 20-user minimum and is for businesses that are medium-sized and above, Business Central has a one-user minimum. The software is intended for companies with up to 250 members.
BC is a more stripped-down solution, with most offering core capabilities but not advanced ones.
Although pricing is only available on request, Business Central has a lower overall price tag.
Microsoft has positioned the software as an all-in-one ERP, CRM, and BI software solution. It prioritizes easy-to-read and customizable reports to make finding information quick and easy.
Pros of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
Microsoft Dynamics makes it easy to get a handle on your business’ state at any moment.
Customers report Business Central is a simple-to-use software that allows you to customize your reports. It’s easy to customize your dashboards, and analytics are built-in, so identifying key data points is intuitive.
These are some more pros:
- It can help you manage your customers’ experience with your business
- It can help you monitor customer feedback
- You can use it to monitor and analyze data
- You can make better decisions by using this software
- It provides the ability to get insights into the customer’s behavior and preferences with the help of predictive analytics.
- It can create personalized offers and promotions.
- It helps in integrating multiple data sources from different systems.
The final pro of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is its integration with other products in the Microsoft suite, such as Office 365 and Azure Active Directory.
Cons of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is a powerful suite of applications that help you manage your business. However, it has some cons you need to be aware of before you decide to use it.
One con of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is its price. Unfortunately, the price for this software can be relatively high, and some customers reported dissatisfaction with the value.
Some reports don’t come with the program, and you’ll have to set them up yourself, a process that purchasers remarked was highly time-consuming.
Set-up is also often reported as costly and lengthy, with some complaining that it wasn’t as thorough as it should be.
Some basic features that aren’t included in the program have to be added through customization.
The cost of support is also high and not always helpful. Upgrades are treated like new deployments, making it difficult or impossible for businesses without IT departments.
It’s almost impossible to change the program without the help of a partner or a developer’s license.
Acumatica as an Alternative to MS Dynamics 365 Business Central
Acumatica is a business software company that was founded in 2008. It produces ERP and CRM cloud solutions for SMBs (small to mid-sized businesses). While still a smaller company than Microsoft, Acumatica has been the fasted growing ERP for over six years.
Acumatica ERP is a modular software that can help you manage customers, inventory, warehouses, supply chains, and more.
Why Acumatica is an excellent alternative to MS Dynamics 365 Business Central
Acumatica’s most significant selling points are its award-winning customer service, simple customization options, and pricing options.
Investing in ERP software can significantly impact your business, but finding the right ERP package is crucial. Acumatica provides a 24/7 service and follows their ‘Customer Bill of Rights.’ They also offer complete installation and support.
Since Acumatica uses standard coding languages rather than a proprietary one, changing the software is a breeze. You can either use someone in-house or easily outsource projects.
Finally, Acumatica provides accurate pricing by basing the price on your usage rather than the number of users. This way, you’ll never need to pay for an inactive user. They also have transparent pricing and will provide a quote based on your circumstances.
Try Acumatica Cloud ERP
ERPs have a huge potential to revolutionize your business’ productivity and increase your bottom line. Microsoft Dynamics is not a bad choice, especially if you’re married to the Microsoft Suite and want easy integration. But if you’re a lower-tech company and want better tech support, easier customization, and a better bang for your buck, Acumatica ERP is the better choice.
Construction & Distribution Management Software from Acumatica
Acumatica Construction ERP is a full-featured construction accounting software that gives you a complete, real-time view of your business anytime, anywhere. It is a solution built for today’s complex and connected construction industry. Whereas, Acumatica Distribution ERP is a cutting-edge distribution software that streamlines purchasing, order fulfillment, inventory tracking, and customer care. It is designed to meet the demands of the distribution industry.
If you’re looking to start your ERP journey, Confianz can help! Our experts know the most painless and most efficient ways to implement ERPs. Get in touch with us to get started!
Recommended Posts:
