Adopting advanced technology has become critical for business success. While some are ready to make the leap, others aren’t.
It can be tricky when members of the “Let’s leap!” camp and those in the “Noooope! we’re not ready!” camp coexist in the same company.
Concerns about costs, the upheaval of implementation, and the burden of training and getting everyone on board with new technology can feel overwhelming.
Let’s have a chat with fictional Stan, the CFO of a mid-size manufacturing company, for his take.
Every morning, he walks into his office, armed with his second cup of turbo brew, braced for another day of battling outdated systems. Despite the company’s success, it relies on a patchwork of legacy software and manual processes, making Stan’s job more stressful and complicated than it should be.
Stan is pitching his tent and has his supplies ready at Camp Let’s Leap!
His aspirations to finally improve the company’s performance are consistently thwarted by the outdated systems he’s been stuck with. “I wouldn’t be surprised to come in tomorrow and find they are installing an IBM AS/400 in a closet with no air conditioning,” he lamented.
Stan may not be alone in his struggles, so let’s take a look at some common roadblocks for most organizations.
The Struggles of Outdated Technology
Data Disasters: “…my kingdom for a horse – I mean, API!” Financial data scattered across multiple systems leaves Stan struggling to piece the company’s financial picture together.
Every month, he faces the same frustration – trying to piece together data from various departments that never quite fits. It’s like trying to complete a puzzle from a jumble of 4 combined in the same box.
Time-Consuming Reports: The end of month is done. YAY!
But no reporting.
Generating reports in Stan’s world is a marathon, not a sprint. He manually pulls data from different sources and updates spreadsheets, a painfully slow process requiring late nights at the office.
And by the time the reports are ready, they’re often already out of date.
Communication Breakdowns: The lack of integrated systems leads to costly miscommunications, such as Sales promising delivery dates without verified inventory levels, leading to delayed shipments and unhappy customers.
Stan is left to untangle and make sense of the mess.
Security Concerns: What’s our data recovery policy – do we even have one??
Sensitive financial information is stored in on-premises servers that are vulnerable to breaches, the thought of which often keeps
Stan is up at night – as if he isn’t already exhausted enough.
Enter Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
Stan’s struggles demonstrate that outdated systems just don’t cut it in today’s fast-paced business environment.
This is where Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central steps in—a cloud ERP solution designed to unify systems, automate routine tasks, and provide real-time insights.
How Dynamics 365 Business Central Transforms Businesses
The four most compelling ways that Dynamics 365 Business Central can transform your business are unified data, automated reporting, enhanced communication, and improved security.
Let’s take a look at each.
Unified Data: Dynamics 365 Business Central brings all financial data, inventory levels, and customer orders into one unified system. Piecing information together from different sources becomes ancient history. Now, with a single source of truth, decision-making becomes straightforward and accurate.
Automated Reporting: Put the days of manually generating reports in your rearview mirror. Business Central allows you to easily create real-time reports with just a few clicks. These accurate, up-to-date reports save time and reduce the risk of errors for a month-end that has never been so efficient and stress-free. Need a custom report? No problem. Power BI can visualize your Business Central data and add outside datasets if needed.
Enhanced Communication: Business Central’s integrated system improves communication across departments. Sales, production, and finance can all be on the same page, leading to better coordination and happier customers. With everyone accessing the same data, miscommunications become a thing of the past.
Improved Security: With data stored securely in the cloud, everyone can sleep better. There’s no need to worry about potential breaches once Microsoft’s powerful security protocols are in place. Need to restore from backup? There’s a button for that— just choose the date and time! You can rest assured that sensitive information is well-protected for peace of mind that previously seemed impossible.
Key Features of Dynamics 365 Business Central
Although D365 Business Central comprises many features, here are a few of the most valuable ones:
Financial Management: Having all your accounting processes streamlined and insights into your financial health at your fingertips can feel transformational. With automated workflows and real-time data, managing finances becomes a breeze. No more scrambling to find information—it’s all right there, ready when you need it.
Operations Management: Keeping your supply chain and operations running smoothly can feel like a juggling act. Business Central simplifies it – you get tools for inventory management, order processing, and logistics, so they all flow effortlessly – banishing chaos and boosting productivity.
Sales and Service: Want to improve your customer interactions and boost sales? Now, you can manage customer relationships, improve customer service, and track sales performance. It’s like having a 24/7 sales assistant.
Project Management: Managing projects and budgets can feel like herding cats. Dynamics 365’s project planning and tracking tools allow you to efficiently oversee resources, timelines, and costs, guiding you through each step to ensure your projects stay on track.
Benefits for Your Business
The full business benefits achievable through Business Central are beyond extensive, but here are three that can be absolute game changers for any company:
Improved Communications: Unified data gets everyone on the same page. When you’re all working with the same information, it’s like finally speaking the same language—misunderstandings vanish, and teamwork flourishes.
Increased Productivity: Automating routine tasks that consume your team’s time frees them to focus on the big picture. This increases efficiency and allows everyone to engage in higher-value activities.
Competitive Edge: Staying ahead of the competition is crucial, and Dynamics 365 Business Central gives you the tools to do just that. You can respond faster to market changes and customer needs with real-time insights, streamlined operations, and improved customer interactions. It’s like a secret weapon that keeps you one step ahead, ensuring you’re always in the lead.
Stan’s company finally made the shift to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and is now keeping pace with the competition and setting itself up for future growth. Stan reports that he finally feels less like a fire chief and more like a CFO – a testament to the transformative power of adopting modern technology.
Do you feel your company is stuck in a time warp and losing market relevance and competitive edge?
If so, we can help.
UGM solves problems with clarity, simplicity & honesty. A proud Microsoft Partner since 2003, we can help you determine the best solutions for your organization’s unique needs.
While we lead with accounting solutions such as Business Central, our off-the-shelf solutions can be configured with custom front ends for a customized, personalized, user-friendly interface with unique reporting options.
We’d love to learn more about your challenges. Contact UGM to learn more!
