How Dynamics Business Central Connects with Your Office Tools

The inception of MRP (Material Requirement Planning) and MRP II (Manufacturing Resource Planning) during the 1900s provided companies with a way to digitalise business-critical tasks like accounting and human resources only. And what once was used only for the labour-intensive industry of manufacturing, ERP (enterprise resource planning), is now has become one of the core components in running an institution across many sectors.

Because of the benefits that ERP systems can give to enterprises, it is continually developed along with advancements in technology and business process requirements. The introduction of cloud-based ERP solutions became one of the breakthroughs in the industry because of its efficiency, ease of access, and security. Highlighted by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, cloud ERP helped numerous firms make the remote work model to be permanent without losing productivity and compromising the security of customer data.

Recently, cutting-edge innovation in ERP has made it possible to connect business tools in any location, especially with the increased need for a remote work setup. Cloud-based ERPs, such as organisations to have a centralised digital platform where various internal departments can collaborate to make the operations more seamless.

The rapid digitalisation of business operations in the past decade led to Microsoft creating interconnected applications which help streamline vital tasks in the organisation. Dynamics 365 offers a plethora of customisable ERP and CRM modules that can cater to the firm’s needs. Its ERP application, the Microsoft Business Central, the predecessor of Dynamics NAV, is considered a flexible, user-friendly modern

Advantages of Microsoft Business Central

Dynamics 365 Business Central significantly helps in enhancing the employee’s productivity. It acts as a centralised platform for all business-critical data that everyone can access for various functions. The data can be continuously updated to assist the workforce make informed decisions that can help with the company’s growth.

And since Dynamics 365 is designed for SMEs, implementing Business Central is much affordable to startups and SMEs  than other solutions in the market. The license price is competitive and is ideal for any enterprise. .

But what makes Business Central a top-notch system is its ability to integrate with other Microsoft products smoothly. This makes it easier for the staff to fulfil tasks crucial for its growth. Apart from Microsoft applications, Business Central can also integrate with other third-party services using pre-built connectors or custom-built integrations.

If there are cases where you need custom developments for your unique workflows, Integral Management can help you with building your own applications and extensions to truly unleash the potential of the Microsoft eco-system.

Integration with Other Business Tools

Allowing the workforce to have interconnected tools can help institutions To be transparent across their departments, which eliminates, duplicates, data redundancy, repetitive tasks and other unnecessary headaches for your stakeholders. Business Central’s capability to be connected with other vital tools, such as an email can be converted in to a sales order by connecting your outlook and business central makes your life much simpler.

Business Central and Dynamics 365 for Sales (CRM)

As flagship products under Dynamics 365, connecting Business Central and Dynamics CRM helps make a single source of truth that team members can use. These two can be easily connected by enabling the “Dataverse Connection Setup” in Business Central. The system will need the URL of the CRM and the system administrator’s credentials to allow the setup.

When connected, employees can sync the information stored in both applications with each other. This will allow employees who use either system to have more accurate data to help them with their work.

Connecting these two will allow staff under the sales and customer service departments to have insightful information to make informed decisions by accessing purchase patterns, marketing campaign information, target audiences, and much more. They will have access to numerous backend activities, such as order processing and finance management, which can also help turn prospects into regular customers.

Connection with Microsoft Outlook

Emails are a vital part of running a business and are used by numerous prospects in communicating with brands. This is why connecting emails to the ERP can make it easier for salespersons to make sales quotes and purchase orders. Microsoft Outlook can be integrated into Business Central by setting up the connection on the “Assisted Setup” section of the “Setup and Extensions” tab on the home page.

All emails received in Outlook will have a Business Central icon when connected. This icon has an option for “Contact Insights”, which, when clicked, looks for the contact information in a small tab on the right side of the screen. If there is no existing account information for the email, the employees will have the ability to create a new contact from their Outlook pages. There is also an option to perform multiple sales tasks without leaving Outlook, making it more efficient for the staff.

Improve Collaboration in MS Teams

Another innovative feature of Business Central is its extension available in the MS Teams Marketplace. It can be used in either Desktop, Mobile App, or Web version of Teams, making it more accessible for the workforce.

Having Business Central allows team members to find necessary customer details in the ERP system. This includes transactions, documents, and interaction history, all helpful when interacting with clients. The workforce will also have the ability to share relevant records in the conversation quickly. MS Teams will turn the record link from Business Central into a card that will show the needed information to the recipients. This capability of Business Central and MS teams significantly improves the collaboration of various departments and enhances responsiveness to inquiries.

Quickly Revise Files for MS Office

Many employees regularly deal with countless Excel and Word files for their tasks, and switching tabs between various applications to edit information can be time-consuming. A Microsoft Dynamics Business Central plug-in can be installed in MS Office applications to make revising more effortless for the workforce.

For example, staff can export certain sections of Business Central, such as customer lists and sales orders, to an Excel file. Once they open the file, there will be a Microsoft Dynamics tab on the right side of the screen with options to refresh, publish, filter, and design. If someone made changes on Business Central, it would reflect on the Excel file when the employee selects the “refresh” button on the tab. And if they edited some information directly from the Excel application, the changes will be synced instantly to Business Central when they click on “publish”.

Any changes made in either MS Office or Business Central will be emailed to concerned people when fully integrated. This can ensure the legitimacy of the revision and avoid any potential attacks from malicious people.

With dramatic changes in the business landscape in recent years, finding a suitable ERP can give firms a considerable edge in the market. Microsoft Business Central can deploy robust digital tools for their employees that will significantly improve productivity and user experience. It will also help them gain useful information that can be valuable in formulating future campaigns for the enterprise.

Implementing cloud ERP like Microsoft Business Central is beneficial for companies but can also be tedious if organisations do not have a deep understanding of the system. Third-party services can ensure that Microsoft Dynamics are adequately deployed for all employees to use.

Integral Management Systems PTY LTD has been in the ERP industry since 1989 and is the preferred Microsoft Dynamics (CRM and ERP) partner in Western Australia. We can provide consultations, migration, implementation to support and maintain all your ERP and CRM needs.