In Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central ISVs are crucial in enhancing the platform's core functionality. Liberty Grove Software, a renowned Microsoft Partner, specializes in providing a range of ISV solutions that cater to businesses' unique needs.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 ERP offers business solutions with state-of-the-art functionality for a solid foundation to meet the most common business requirements.
Microsoft solutions are comprehensive and continually evolving to meet changing requirements for the market. However, customers with unique industry requirements may need more functionality.
The Liberty Grove Software team has decades of experience with best-of-class, proven Dynamics Business ISV solutions. It can recommend, implement, and support these third-party solutions to fit your operations seamlessly.
Recommended Business Central ISVs
Here's a synopsis of some mission-critical Dynamics 365 Business Central ISVs under the Liberty Grove Software umbrella:
YAVEON PROBATCH is designed for small and medium-sized enterprises, particularly in the life sciences industry. It offers a customized solution with a modular design for easy extension, ensuring more reliable and efficient processes2. This ISV extends Microsoft ERP with industry-relevant functions, making it a valuable addition for businesses in this sector.
CONTINIA provides innovative solutions for accounts payable (AP) and accounts receivable (AR), including expense management, AP matching, approval workflows, and document management. This ISV helps businesses streamline their financial processes and maintain accurate records.
FORNAV is a tool for creating and modifying reports for Microsoft Dynamics NAV and Business Central. It makes running legacy reports in Business Central easy, ensuring a smooth transition for businesses upgrading from NAV.
ANVEO specializes in business process solutions integrated into NAV and Business Central solutions. The company provides enhancements for mobile apps, web portals, Power Apps, and EDI, making it easier for businesses to streamline their operations and improve efficiency.
Lanham is a proven leader in advanced supply chain technology. It offers comprehensive management, from shipping and receiving to EDI. It is available in the cloud or on-premise and fully integrates with NAV and Business Central.
INSIGHT WORKS offers manufacturing and distribution apps, including warehouse management, inventory control, shop floor management, scheduling, Configure, Price, and Quote (CPQ). This ISV helps businesses optimize their production processes and improve overall efficiency.
Dynaway offers Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) solutions that seamlessly integrate with Dynamics 365 Business Central. Their EAM solution helps businesses streamline maintenance operations, reduce costs, and extend asset lifetimes by providing tools for tracking maintenance assets, planning work orders, and managing spare parts inventory. This integration ensures a unified platform experience, enhancing productivity and operational efficiency.
Netronics provides Visual Production Scheduling (VPS) and Visual Jobs Scheduler (VJS) solutions for Dynamics 365 Business Central. These tools offer visual scheduling capabilities, allowing businesses to manage production schedules and resource planning more effectively. With features like drag-and-drop scheduling, transparency in planning, and improved resource utilization, Netronics' solutions help businesses achieve better on-time deliveries, reduce bottlenecks, and enhance overall production efficiency.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Liberty Grove Software's expertise in working with ISVs is invaluable for businesses leveraging Dynamics 365 Business Central. As a renowned Microsoft Partner, Liberty Grove ensures that organizations can tap into the enhanced functionalities offered by various Business Central ISVs to meet their unique operational needs.
The robust solutions provided by ISVs like YAVEON PROBATCH, CONTINIA, FOR NAV, ANVEO, Lanham, INSIGHT WORKS, Dynaway, and Netronics are seamlessly integrated into Business Central to drive efficiency, accuracy, and business growth.
Supercharging Dynamics 365 Business Central
Liberty Grove's extensive experience and commitment to delivering best-of-class Dynamics 365 Business Central ISV solutions means businesses can rely on their expertise to recommend, implement, and support these third-party tools. By bridging the gap between standard ERP capabilities and specific industry requirements, Liberty Grove empowers businesses to maximize their investment in Dynamics 365 Business Central, ensuring a comprehensive and effective ERP solution that evolves with the market demands.
Partnering with Liberty Grove Software enhances your business operations with state-of-the-art ISV solutions and provides the confidence and support needed to thrive in today's competitive environment. Embrace the full potential of Dynamics 365 Business Central ISVs with Liberty Grove's unparalleled expertise and comprehensive support.
Contact Liberty Grove for a complimentary consultation on how its experts can help you optimize Dynamics 365 BC to meet your organization’s specific needs.
Related Reading
Transitioning from Dynamics NAV to Dynamics 365 Business Central
The Importance of Keeping Business Central Data Clean
About the author
Liberty Grove Software is an established Microsoft Partner that focuses on providing customers with sales, service, and support for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central/NAV solutions and training and upgrades.
Over more than 25 years, Liberty Grove has assisted hundreds of customers with businesses ranging from small to mid-sized to Microsoft Partners in implementing, training, customization, and upgrading Microsoft Dynamics ERP solutions.
The organization is one of only a few companies worldwide that Microsoft recognizes as qualified to provide Business Central/NAV Upgrade Service Centers.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central (BC) is often the central transaction system for an organization. As such, it needs to be a trusted source of information for the daily operations and reporting. So, ensuring Business Central data is clean is essential to being a trusted resource.
Following his recent UST Education session, our CEO, Andrew Good, will explore the various Business Central resources and techniques to ensure your data starts and remains clean.
And that trusted data is based on a couple of critical areas:
- Ensuring the setup data is correct and keeping it clean, and when you have transactions, making sure that those flow through, have the information they need, and are gathering it as they proceed through the business.
- Having the tools to fix issues when they arise.
This blog will address:
- The various data sources and techniques to ensure the data starts and remains clean.
- Tools to correct transactions when things go wrong.
Andrew will share some techniques to keep your static and transaction data clean. He'll also discuss correcting transactions if they go wrong in Business Central. Because we're going to review several different areas, we're not going to get into any area in depth, but you will walk away with a sense of how you can set things up and keep things under control.
Overview of Business Central: A Brief Introduction
Business Central is an all-encompassing business management solution designed to streamline operations and enhance efficiency for small to medium-sized enterprises. It integrates various business processes, providing finance, sales, customer service, and supply chain management tools. Business Central enables organizations to make informed decisions, improve productivity, and foster growth by unifying these functions.
Business Central has a rich history dating back to the 1980s. Over the years, it has undergone significant evolution, starting as a single-user version. As Windows evolved in 1995, Microsoft acquired The Vision and rebranded it as part of its suite of ERP solutions in 2005. The most significant evolution came in 2018 with the introduction of Business Central, a game-changer for businesses, and the simultaneous introduction of NAV to take it to the cloud.
This evolution is crucial for you to understand, as it sets the context for the current capabilities of Business Central.
The result was that Business Central was on premises for legacy customers hosted in the cloud through data centers and private hosting or as a software-as-a-service solution (SaaS), or the cloud as we now refer to it. In 2023, many things happened. The ecosystem has continued to grow from both a user and a partner perspective. Microsoft introduced AI to Business Central last year, and the ecosystem has exploded with apps that fill in the gaps with Business Central, which is good at providing base functionality.
The Flexibility of Business Central
Organizations may have unique needs related to multi-company manufacturing or specific needs such as Food and Beverage. For instance, a manufacturing company might need to track production across multiple locations, or a Food and Beverage company might require specific inventory management features. Some apps address these differences between the base product and your needs.
If we look at critical static data that you would have in Business Central, there's a lot of setup information, such as General Ledger sales, purchasing, manufacturing, inventory, and warehouse.
Then, you must consider those accessing the system, so user setup is essential. What permissions do they have within the system?
For example, we can start with Finance and consider various functional areas in the system. We have critical base data such as our chart of accounts and the dimensions used within Business Central posting groups. These are the background tables that record a payment from a customer. What balance sheet account has the payment hit? How does that flow into the General Ledger set up in the background so that users don't have to pick GL accounts on a transaction-by-transaction basis?
As we move away from Finance and look at some of the other operational areas of the system, we will have customers, vendors, items, and bills of material routings. We also have work centers, machine centers, and work center groups.
That makes for a considerable amount of data you want to store correctly initially and continually as time passes.
Your organization's chart of accounts might morph. You may need to adjust your chart of accounts by adding new accounts or dimensions. You may want to gather information in a more detailed fashion, so there might be several changes you wish to make related to dimensions.
The intent here is not to get into the dimensions in significant detail but from a Business Central perspective. You might have a typical chart of accounts where transactions flow and accumulate underneath those accounts in the General Ledger and its entries.
Dimensions are the ability of Business Central to stamp additional characteristics on each transaction. Those additional characteristics your team may have worked with when they had a segmented chart of accounts represent the various segments.
Business Central provides tremendous flexibility to accumulate data so that you can go back and look at how your organization is performing. But suppose you're going to analyze the data down the road. In that case, you want to ensure that people aren't adjusting a chart of accounts, changing an account number, adding new dimensions, or blocking dimensions without your control.
With these things under control, you start to have Clean Master Data or static data that you can trust.
Maximizing Efficiency with Microsoft Business Central
A robust ERP system like Microsoft Business Central is crucial in today's fast-paced business environment. This powerful tool helps manage static and transactional data, ensuring your operations run smoothly and efficiently. Here's how Business Central can benefit your business and why it stands out as a top choice for managing complex business processes.
Managing Static Data
Comprehensive Setup: Business Central allows you to manage extensive static data, including pricing locations, warehouse descriptions, and more. This static data forms the foundation upon which dynamic business processes are built.
Project and Service Management: Business Central integrates project management and service management functionalities, streamlining various aspects of your business operations.
Handling Transaction Data
Versatile Journals: Business Central offers a range of journals to manage different types of transactions. These include:
- Financial and General Journals: For recording standard financial transactions.
- Recurring General Journals: For repetitive financial entries.
- Fixed Asset Journals: For managing asset transactions.
- Sales and Purchase Journals: For sales and purchase-related entries.
- Manufacturing Journals: For consuming and outputting manufacturing components.
- Item and Warehouse Journals: For inventory adjustments and warehouse management.
Transaction Tracking: Sales orders, purchase orders, and production orders in Business Central automatically build and post journals in the background, ensuring comprehensive transaction tracking and accuracy.
Key Tools and Controls
Role Centers: Each user in Business Central is assigned a role, providing a customized interface relevant to their specific tasks. That ensures users have access to the tools they need without unnecessary complexity.
Workflows for Data Validation: Business Central's workflow functionality helps validate data setup for customers, vendors, and items. It ensures data integrity and smooth operations. For example, setting up a vendor approval workflow ensures no one can engage a vendor until their setup is fully approved, maintaining data accuracy.
Permissions Management: Business Central allows you to control user access through permission sets and security groups. That ensures that users have the appropriate access based on their roles, maintaining data security and compliance.
Dimensions and Data Integrity
Setting Up Dimensions: Business Central allows the setup of multiple dimensions to characterize transactions. These dimensions help categorize data meaningfully, enhancing reporting and analysis capabilities.
Default Values and Gatekeeper Rules: By setting up default values and gatekeeper rules, you ensure that all necessary data characteristics are present before posting transactions to the general ledger. That prevents errors and maintains data integrity.
Validation Rules: Business Central allows you to establish validation rules to prevent invalid data combinations. It ensures that only accurate and relevant data enters your system, simplifying reconciliation and reporting processes.
Benefits of Business Central
Integration with Dynamics 365: Business Central integrates seamlessly with other Dynamics 365 applications, offering a comprehensive solution for mid-sized organizations.
Enhanced User Experience: The intuitive interface and role-specific dashboards make Business Central user-friendly, reducing the learning curve and increasing productivity.
Scalability and Flexibility: Whether you operate on-premises or in the cloud, Business Central scales with your business needs, providing the flexibility to adapt to changing market conditions.
Optimizing Business Operations with Microsoft Business Central
Microsoft Business Central provides a robust ERP solution for businesses looking to enhance operational efficiency and ensure data integrity. This platform offers comprehensive tools to manage static and transactional data effectively, ensuring your business runs smoothly. Here's how Business Central can benefit your organization:
Ensuring Data Integrity
Defining Dimensions and Gatekeeper Rules
Defining dimensions and setting gatekeeper rules, essentially mandatory checks for data accuracy, are essential to maintaining accurate records. For example, if you're dealing with inventory, you might require an item type code for every transaction. By setting this as a gatekeeper rule, any transaction missing this dimension will prompt the user to correct it, ensuring consistency and accuracy. The advantage is that once set on an item, this information flows seamlessly into transactions, reducing the need for manual entry.
Master Data Management - Synchronizing Data Across Entities
If your organization operates across multiple legal entities, such as international branches, master data synchronization is vital. Business Central allows you to set up a parent company with standardized charts of accounts, dimensions, and other data. This data can then be synchronized across all local companies, ensuring consistency. For example, a client with 47 companies uses this feature to keep their data in sync, making consolidation processes much more efficient.
Correcting Data and Ensuring Accuracy
Dimension Corrections
Mistakes happen, and Business Central provides tools for corrections when someone records data incorrectly. The Dimension Correction tool, a feature that allows you to update previously posted entries, ensures your records remain accurate. This tool is crucial for maintaining the integrity of your financial and operational data, as it allows you to correct any errors without compromising the accuracy of your records.
Audit Trails and Transaction Reversal
Business Central maintains a sequential ledger for all transactions, providing a complete audit trail. If a transaction is incorrect, you can reverse and replace it, ensuring transparency and accuracy in your records. For instance, if a sales transaction was recorded incorrectly, you can use the Transaction Reversal feature to reverse the entry and replace it with the correct one, maintaining the accuracy of your records. This feature is particularly useful in maintaining compliance and accountability.
Practical Tools for Data Management
Workflows for Data Validation
Workflows in Business Central help validate data setup, ensuring the correct configuration of customers, vendors, and items in the system. For example, a vendor approval workflow prevents using a new vendor until the setup is fully approved, maintaining data integrity from the start.
Permissions and Security
User access control is essential for data security. Business Central uses permission sets and security groups to manage user access based on their roles, ensuring users have the appropriate access while maintaining data security.
Real-World Applications
Managing Complex Transactions
For businesses involved in manufacturing, Business Central handles complex transactions like production orders. A release production order allows you to manage the production process, from component consumption to final output. This feature ensures that you can track and record all aspects of production accurately.
Keeping Data Clean
Timely Review and Validation
Regular review and validation of transactions are crucial for data accuracy. With Business Central's proactive approach, you can set up workflows and validation rules to ensure all necessary data characteristics are present before posting transactions. This proactive approach empowers you to prevent errors and maintain the integrity of your data.
At Liberty Grove, we have one client in the manufacturing area where about three different departments touch a given item (or four!), so the engineering department sets up the new item. When they're ready for approval, it goes from engineering to the production department to purchasing, and then ultimately, finance reviews everything and completes the approval process.
So, in that case, the client has four levels of approval before that item is used. That focus on control has paid dividends since they implemented a rigorous process and control in and around the item approval process.
At Liberty Grove, our CRM system spans both countries that we work in, and we have one CRM entity, but in the background, we have two legal entities for the transactions. One of the ways to set up a template effectively in Business Central is to set up a recurring journal.
You can establish setup templates in Business Central for customers and items, allowing you to have different types of customers, such as service or parts customers. You can set up templates, and they will populate your typical choices.
And lastly, timely review of transactions. You can resolve an issue and revisit the business process if you find it. Root cause analysis is crucial. Consider this technique when you're running into problems in your system.
Keeping Business Central Current
Microsoft updates Business Central significantly twice a year and in a minor way another ten times a year, meaning there is a monthly update to your system when you're in the cloud. It's in the background, and Microsoft manages it. Additionally, you can schedule when to upgrade your sandbox, which is your test environment, versus your production environment.
Microsoft's learning environment has evolved significantly, and there are a couple of tools related to workflows. In addition, there are tools for dimension corrections and master data management available in Microsoft Learn.
The principles and the concepts of clean data apply to any system you're working with, whether it be CRM or accounting. If you have control of your static data and limit access to those who can access, approve, or change it, you know your transactions are trustworthy. You're in an excellent spot to move forward, consider your techniques for dealing with exceptions when they occur, and make necessary changes.
Conclusion
Microsoft Business Central offers a comprehensive solution that meets all your needs for managing complex business operations. With its robust tools for data management, synchronization, and correction, you can ensure data integrity and operational efficiency.
Business Central is a powerful tool designed to manage complex business processes efficiently. By ensuring accurate static and transactional data, providing robust controls and workflows, and offering flexible user permissions, Business Central helps businesses maintain data integrity and operational efficiency.
Investing in Business Central means embracing a future-proof solution that supports informed decision-making and drives business success.
Is Your Business Central Data Clean and Optimized?
Liberty Grove can help you make the most of Business Central to ensure your organization's productivity, efficiency, and profitability.
Contact Liberty Grove for a complimentary consultation on how its experts can help you ensure your data in Business Central is clean and easy to analyze and understand so you can make informed business decisions.
Related Reading
Microsoft Dynamics Business Central 2024 Release Wave 1
Transitioning from Dynamics NAV to Dynamics 365 Business Central
About the author
Liberty Grove Software is an established Microsoft Partner that focuses on providing customers with sales, service, and support for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central/NAV solutions and training and upgrades.
Over more than 25 years, Liberty Grove has assisted hundreds of customers with businesses ranging from small to mid-sized to Microsoft Partners in implementing, training, customization, and upgrading Microsoft Dynamics ERP solutions.
The organization is one of only a few companies worldwide that Microsoft recognizes as qualified to provide Business Central/NAV Upgrade Service Centers.
Future-proof your Food and Beverage business with an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution that streamlines operations, enhances productivity, and boosts profitability.
One of the questions I often hear from Food and Beverage manufacturers is, “How do we select a suitable ERP for our operation that will future-proof our growth and scalability without us making repeated, significant investments?”
Undoubtedly, it’s a good question.
Nothing saddens me more than seeing a Food and Beverage company invest significantly in an ERP solution only to find that it isn’t specific to their industry and doesn’t meet their needs.
How Does It Happen?
It’s a costly mistake and one that’s made all too often in the rush to streamline operations, overcome challenges, and increase profits.
Liberty Grove has been serving the Food and Beverage industry for years. The sector is undergoing rapid transformation due to shifting consumer preferences and demands, such as the increasing demand for organic and sustainable products, increasingly complex global supply chains, and changing legislation.
These changes present significantly greater challenges, and many Food and Beverage manufacturers now find that a modern, cloud-based, industry-specific ERP system is crucial for overcoming these obstacles and streamlining processes.
Common Challenges in Food and Beverage Manufacturing
The Food and Beverage industry faces various challenges, and global food supply chains experience particular difficulties. Here are some that customers turn to us to help address:
Variable Raw Material Costs and Availability: Unexpected shortages or increases in the cost of essential ingredients can devastate business operations. Adaptive supply chain planning is necessary for this.
Complexities of Inventory Management: Stock levels, expiration dates, and other factors must be carefully monitored to avoid wasting perishable commodities.
Dynamic Safety Regulations: Diverse local, national, and international requirements for food safety compliance lead to a maze of complications.
Quality Control: Maintaining uniformity across various product lines and facilities is difficult but not negotiable.
Globalized Supply Chains: With numerous hand-offs and ingredients sourced worldwide, products frequently cause disruptions.
Demands from Customers: Consumers today need sustainable, healthful goods and packaging that is entirely transparent about its sources and manufacturing methods.
ERP Software Provides Essential Solutions
Food and Beverage companies are implementing industry-specific ERP software solutions to overcome these obstacles.
Modern, industry-specific ERP systems like DynamicsFoodERP from Liberty Grove, powered by Microsoft Dynamics 365, guarantee the company's smooth operation by integrating disparate activities into coherent ecosystems.
Let's take a look at the main benefits industry-specific ERP platforms provide to this sector:
Agile Planning with Real-Time Data: Insights into operations, sales, and inventory allow for more intelligent supply chain planning even in changing circumstances.
Increased Facility Visibility: A single interface offers transparency throughout the business, essential for monitoring inventory freshness, cutting waste, and increasing productivity.
Adherence to Regulations Simplified: Integrated tools match procedures to current food safety standards at various locations.
Unwavering Quality Control: Consistent batch genealogy and sample testing procedures ensure product quality across product lines and production locations.
Improved Customer Experience: ERP enables businesses to provide outstanding responsiveness, openness, and distinctive products that clients like.
Global Supply Chain Resilience: Integrated systems give you the insight you need to spot and swiftly fix source constraints.
Actionable Insights: With robust analytics, plant managers and executives can make data-driven, strategic choices more quickly.
The correct ERP system offers enormous benefits for Food and Beverage companies that want to streamline complex processes and plan for future growth.
ERP Features Specific to the Food and Beverage Manufacturing Industry
Food and Beverage companies need their ERP systems to have specialized industry skills in addition to typical ERP operations.
Recipe management: modify and cost recipes in response to changing consumer tastes and maintain profitability.
Shelf-life Monitoring: Track real-time expiration dates across facilities to prevent losses.
Integrated Workflows: aligning workflows with quality management software ensures consistency and unwavering excellence in quality control.
Regulatory Compliance: Comply with changing safety standards in various plants and nations.
Batch Traceability: allows for quick, focused recalls by tracking ingredients and product lots back to their precise sources.
Production Scheduling: Increase efficiency and planning in the production of perishable items.
Integrated Warehouse Management: to keep accurate inventory records and monitor expiration dates.
Modern ERP systems can enable food producers to function more efficiently by offering these capabilities along with fundamental ERP characteristics.
Essential Things to Look for When Choosing a Food and Beverage ERP
At Liberty Grove, we advise Food and Beverage manufacturers to consider more than just typical software features and costs when evaluating ERP solutions to ensure the proper fit and future scalability.
Liberty Grove Tips | Resulting Benefit |
Selecting the right ERP partner is crucial. | Seek a partner with experience and accomplishments in your industry. Examine whether their solution is tailored to the Food and Beverage sector. |
Examine the system's scalability to ensure it meets your future growth plans. | The solution must increase as your business grows across locations, products, and continents. To avoid outgrowing your system, purchase the one you require in five years rather than one that suits your requirements today. |
Consider whether modules include customization options. | Ensure modules, such as quality control routines or formula management requirements, fit your procedures. Watch out for too much personalization. The best systems will meet your needs with minimal modification. |
Analytics drives strategic decisions. | Select forecasting and reporting solutions that provide lucid, practical insights based on data. |
Adopt a gradual implementation strategy. | Implementing the ERP system gradually by department or site frequently makes the transition easier. |
Factor in the cost of the entire project before purchasing. | In addition to the program or per-user fees, support, customization, training, and integration all add up. |
Evaluate the benefits of a cloud-based ERP solution. | Consider control vs flexibility, as pricing models vary widely. |
How Does the Future Look for Food and Beverage ERP Solutions
ERP systems for the food manufacturing sector keep innovating in the following areas as consumer needs and laws change. We’re seeing today’s ERPs:
- Utilizing machine learning and artificial intelligence to facilitate intelligent forecasting and improvements.
- Enabling greater mobility and access from any location via tablets and smartphones.
- Incorporating cutting-edge technology such as automation, blockchain ledgers, and IoT (Internet of Things) sensors.
- Monitoring waste and carbon footprints to help with sustainability projects.
- Supplying digital twin modeling for simulations and virtual testing.
Modern, forward-thinking ERP systems give Food and Beverage producers the resilience and flexibility to handle any future obstacles, ensuring the continuity and growth of their businesses.
Conclusion
ERP software gives complicated food and beverage businesses the digital tools they need to integrate dispersed processes, get rid of silos, cut waste, guarantee traceability, and foster data-driven agility. It's crucial to assess your present systems and how they might help you expand your business if you haven't recently established a new one.
Choosing the right ERP system for your Food and Beverage operation can be challenging and costly. However, making an informed decision can empower you and your business, preventing potential frustration and lost opportunities.
Is Your Food and Beverage Company Future-Proofed with an ERP Solution?
Whether you’re considering upgrading your ERP or implementing a system for the first time, the Liberty Grove team of ERP consultants can guide you through each step for a smooth ERP solution utilizing the most recent version of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central ERP software.
Our team of experts will provide you with a calculated roadmap to automate your processes and streamline your way to success. Liberty Grove's decades of experience and proven technology result in increased flexibility, scalability, and reduced costs for your business.
Contact Liberty Grove for a complimentary consultation on how our team of experts can help your manufacturing operation successfully implement an ERP.
Related reading
How ERP Systems Revolutionize Manufacturing Costs
Increase Employee Productivity with A Modern ERP Solution
5 Ways an ERP Helps with Compliance in Manufacturing
About the author
Liberty Grove Software is an established Microsoft Partner that focuses on providing customers with sales, service, and support for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central/NAV solutions and training and upgrades.
Liberty Grove Software helps manufacturing firms compete by automating tedious operations with Microsoft technologies. Our extensive manufacturing knowledge has established us as the preferred Microsoft partner for assisting mid-sized manufacturers in increasing production.
Over more than 25 years, Liberty Grove has assisted hundreds of customers with businesses ranging from small to mid-sized to Microsoft Partners in implementing, training, customization, and upgrading Microsoft Dynamics ERP solutions.
The organization is one of only a few companies worldwide that Microsoft recognizes as qualified to provide Business Central/NAV Upgrade Service Centers.
Data talks. And if you listen, it will reveal some powerful secrets about your business operations. Many companies are turning to Microsoft’s Power BI, part of the Power Platform suite, for data-driven insights to transform data into actionable insights and facilitate informed decision-making.
Power BI’s standout features are its user-friendly interface, seamless integration with other Microsoft applications, and powerful Power BI data visualization capabilities, making it a prominent business intelligence platform.
Power BI: An Overview
In today's data-driven world, it is essential to possess the appropriate instruments to analyze and visualize data. Power BI has become a premier solution for companies of all sizes, from small startups to large enterprises.
Whether in retail, finance, healthcare, or any other industry, Microsoft's Power BI, an interactive business intelligence and data visualization application, can help you generate visually appealing and informative reports and dashboards.
10 compelling reasons why Power BI is the premier data visualization tool
- User-Friendliness
One of the most compelling factors for utilizing Power BI is its user-friendly interface. Power BI's intuitive interface allows users with limited technical knowledge to create complex data visualizations. The platform's ability to generate reports is accessible to non-technical personnel, which alleviates the workload of your IT department. The drag-and-drop functionality facilitates the process, and the platform offers many templates to develop reports rapidly.
2. Integration with the Microsoft Ecosystem
Power BI integrates seamlessly with other Microsoft products, including SQL Server, Azure, and Excel. This integration improves the tool's capabilities and ensures compatibility with the tools you may already use. It simplifies importing data from various sources and streamlines your workflow. Power BI guarantees a seamless and efficient data analysis process regardless of whether you utilize Azure services or Office 365.
3. Access to Real-Time Data
Real-time data access is indispensable in today's fast-paced business environment. Power BI delivers real-time data access, enabling users to track their business metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs) as they occur. This feature is especially beneficial for maintaining a competitive edge and making timely decisions.
4. Advanced Data Modeling
Power BI allows for the development of sophisticated data models that facilitate in-depth analysis. The tool supports diverse data sources and provides various comprehensive data transformation, cleansing, and integration features. The Power Query and DAX (Data Analysis Expressions) functionalities enable users to manipulate data and effortlessly generate intricate calculations.
5. Individualized Visualizations
Power BI supports custom visualizations and a diverse selection of built-in visualizations. Users can use the Power BI marketplace to acquire and integrate supplementary visualizations corresponding to their precise requirements. This adaptability enables you to customize your dashboards and reports to offer pertinent insights.
6. Dashboards and Interactive Reports
Power BI's interactive capabilities are well-known. Users can explore data, apply filters, and engage with reports to uncover more profound insights. This interactivity facilitates the comprehension of trends, the identification of patterns, and the formulation of data-driven decisions. It is also possible to share Power BI dashboards with team members, which fosters informed decision-making and collaboration.
7. Performance and Scalability
The volume of data that requires analysis increases in tandem with your business's expansion. Power BI intends to ensure optimal performance as data volumes increase by efficiently managing large datasets. Due to its scalability, the tool is appropriate for businesses of all sizes, making you feel secure and confident in its ability to grow with your company.
8. Compliance and Security
Data security is paramount for any organization. Power BI provides various security features to safeguard your data, such as data encryption, row-level security, and compliance with industry standards like GDPR. These features guarantee the security of your data and instill confidence in the tool's reliability, making you feel reassured and confident in using Power BI.
9. Accessibility on Mobile Devices
In today's mobile-centric world, it is essential to have access to data on the go. Power BI provides iOS and Android mobile applications, enabling users to access reports and dashboards from any device or location. This mobility guarantees that you can remain connected to your data and make informed decisions, irrespective of location.
10. Cost-Effective Solution
Power BI provides a cost-effective solution compared to other available data visualization products. Microsoft offers a range of pricing plans for Power BI, including a free edition, to accommodate businesses with varying budgets. Due to its value in terms of features and capabilities, Power BI is a beneficial investment for any organization.
Conclusion: Implementing Power BI to Achieve Business Success
In conclusion, Power BI is a versatile and robust tool that can revolutionize how businesses analyze and visualize data. It is the optimal choice for data visualization due to its simplicity, integration capabilities, real-time data access, advanced data modeling, custom visualizations, interactive reports, scalability, security, mobile accessibility, and cost-effectiveness.
Organizations can achieve significant business success by leveraging Power BI's strengths to obtain deeper insights and make data-driven decisions. Power BI provides the necessary tools to maximize the potential of data, regardless of whether you are a modest business owner or a member of a large enterprise.
Therefore, if you have not already done so, it is imperative to investigate Power BI's potential for your organization. By embracing the power of data visualization with Power BI, you can take your business intelligence to the next level.
Is It Time to Get Greater Data Insights with Power BI?
Liberty Grove can help you use all the Microsoft Power Platform suite tools to improve your organization's productivity, efficiency, and profitability.
Contact Liberty Grove for a complimentary consultation on how its experts can help you use Power BI to understand your data and make informed business decisions.
Related Reading
Greater Data Insights? 6 Reasons to Implement Power BI
The Power Pair: Business Central and Power Platform
About the author
Liberty Grove Software is an established Microsoft Partner that focuses on providing customers with sales, service, and support for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central/NAV solutions and training and upgrades.
Over more than 25 years, Liberty Grove has assisted hundreds of customers with businesses ranging from small to mid-sized to Microsoft Partners in implementing, training, customization, and upgrading Microsoft Dynamics ERP solutions.
The organization is one of only a few companies worldwide that Microsoft recognizes as qualified to provide Business Central/NAV Upgrade Service Centers.
The customer is king, right? That’s why customer experience is so important. Many retailers are integrating their e-commerce platform with a modern Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system to provide more streamlined workflows and a great customer experience.
It’s a revolution driven by changes in consumer behavior that retailers are adapting to and explains the surge toward e-commerce and ERP integration.
Retail enterprises have consistently balanced various responsibilities, including inventory management, financial management, supply chain management, manufacturing, sales, marketing, and customer relationship management.
Before modern, cloud-based ERP systems, individual data divisions stored core information on a self-serve basis.
If your sales director required production data from the factory floor, they would typically have to wait for it, contingent upon availability.
Cloud-based Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Software Has Disrupted These Inefficiencies
ERP systems are ideal for multi-department e-commerce enterprises because they curate company-wide data in a single shared database accessible to all relevant stakeholders.
ERP eCommerce integration connects an organization's interface eCommerce site and its backend ERP system. It facilitates synchronizing data regarding consumers, orders, products, and other relevant information between the two platforms.
Automatic data synchronization results in revenue maximization and productivity enhancement.
Your business can accomplish this by integrating an ERP system.
Integrating ERP with E-commerce
Integrating and synchronizing your e-commerce platform with an enterprise resource planning system is known as “enterprise resource planning (ERP) e-commerce integration.”
Through e-commerce ERP integration, all data your team accumulates during the operation of your online business is made accessible to all stakeholders.
That encompasses various items, such as market research, customer data, sales reports, branding guidelines, supplier information, and product designs. So, ERP systems consolidate all your data in a single view.
ERP system integration empowers team members across disciplines, enabling them to strategize and collaborate effectively. How? A modern ERP provides extensive access to valuable data. This sense of empowerment can significantly boost morale and productivity.
Why Integrate ERP with E-commerce?
ERP e-commerce integration efficiently consolidates data from all e-commerce business processes into a comprehensive, readily sortable database. Those can include product design, sales, marketing, inventory, customer relationship management (CRM), and more.
This efficiency ensures that your business operations run smoothly and effectively.
ERP e-commerce integrations have substantially relieved businesses from the challenges and risks of manual data entry associated with business operations.
Users no longer need to photocopy sales ledgers or disseminate them to various departments.
ERP integration ensures that your organization's information is consistently current. It autonomously synchronizes data from all operations, providing relief from repetitive tasks.
Ensuring Security
Nevertheless, this does not imply that all company data is accessible to every individual or department within your organization.
Everyone can establish a personalized ERP portal that provides access to the data pertinent to their work and security clearance.
That prevents, for example, an unvetted contractor from obtaining access to trade secrets while enabling a product engineer with elevated access permissions to review previous designs.
7 Advantages of a Modern ERP Integration
Integrating your ERP system with your e-commerce platform allows you to optimize your business operations by delivering precise and timely data to the appropriate stakeholders.
Here are seven advantages that could benefit your organization:
Advantage | Benefit |
Counts of inventory in real-time in both front-end and back-end systems | By consistently delivering the most current inventory counts across your warehouses and stores, an ERP system can enhance ecommerce inventory management. This real-time data can prevent stockouts, reduce excess inventory, and improve order fulfillment, enhancing customer satisfaction. It applies to user-facing front-end and back-end systems, such as servers and databases. |
Automated transaction placement procedures | An ERP system can automatically initiate the subsequent stages in the fulfillment process, such as the generation of shipping labels and the sending of confirmation emails, when customers place orders on your ecommerce store. Automation saves time and mitigates the risk of errors, ensuring a smooth and efficient order-processing experience for both the business and the customer. |
Tracking of orders | E-commerce businesses must monitor all orders, including inbound orders from suppliers and outbound orders to consumers. An ERP system can deliver precise shipment data in real-time, allowing companies to track orders from when they are placed to when they are delivered. It improves customer service, provides insights into order processing efficiency, and helps identify potential supply chain issues. |
Vendor management | An ERP system facilitates the organization of the numerous suppliers and vendors you employ. It allows you to store and promptly retrieve data, including contact information and order fulfillment performance. |
Customer-specific pricing options that are dynamic | If you implement a dynamic pricing model that adjusts prices in response to real-time market factors, your listed prices will fluctuate. An ERP system can assist in the automatic adjustment of prices without the need for human intervention. Your e-commerce store will automatically display new rates due to the integration of datasets. |
Automated financial assessments | ERP systems enable businesses of all sizes to synchronize financial data across departments, locations, and even company subsidiaries. They can also be programmed to communicate this data automatically, making them valuable assets. |
Automation of manual procedures | ERP systems can replace manual data syncing that your personnel would otherwise be required to perform. That allows team members to concentrate on the more innovative aspects of their responsibilities and mitigates the likelihood of human error affecting your data sets. |
8 Strategies for Choosing the “Right” ERP
When selecting an ERP solution for your e-commerce business, prioritize the following features.
1. Systems that operate on the cloud
Most e-commerce businesses have implemented cloud computing, necessitating a cloud-based ERP system that integrates with an IPaaS model.
Alternatively, you may implement an enterprise service bus (ESB) integration or a point-to-point integration; however, these approaches are incompatible with cloud-based digital commerce.
2. Financial automation
Search for an ERP system that automatically synchronizes financial data from your departments and bank accounts. Since financial data is subject to minute-by-minute fluctuations, selecting a real-time update system is imperative.
3. Inventory management
Some of the most effective ERP solutions include inventory management capabilities that enable you to monitor pending orders from suppliers, warehouse stock, and incoming orders.
4. Fulfillment of orders
You can utilize your ERP software to manage all customer order-related duties, such as billing, sending confirmation emails, generating shipping labels, and conducting follow-up surveys to solicit customer feedback.
5. Customer relationship management
CRM integration is one of your ERP's capabilities. It enables you to furnish your sales team and pertinent stakeholders with customer information and personal purchase histories.
6. Marketing data
Your ERP allows you to archive marketing data, such as marketing scripts, promotions, and campaign performance data.
7. Business intelligence
The most effective ERP platforms do not merely accumulate data; they also offer analytical business intelligence to assist in interpreting the data and applying it for strategic purposes.
Each ERP vendor, including Oracle, SAP, and Microsoft Dynamics, has its proprietary tools.
8. Pricing
ERP software is costly; it frequently exceeds six figures, and enterprise-grade ERP systems can cost millions of dollars.
The cost depends on the number of users, the integration of systems, and the availability of customization options. When contemplating ERP capabilities, prioritize your organization's requirements and financial constraints.
Conclusion
In summary, the most effective e-commerce ERP software is an indispensable asset for organizations that seek to optimize operations and maximize profits.
By selecting the appropriate solution, executing it correctly, managing your system efficiently, and routinely optimizing its performance, you can guarantee that your e-commerce store functions efficiently and profitably and encounters few complications.
Join the Revolution: Integrate Your E-commerce Platform with a Modern ERP Solution
Implementing an e-commerce integration with an ERP is a significant undertaking. Whether you’re using an existing ERP or upgrading to a modern solution, the Liberty Grove team of ERP consultants can guide you through each step to smoothly integrate your e-commerce platform using the most recent version of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central ERP software.
Its team of experts will provide you with a calculated roadmap to facilitate your integration and streamline your way to success. Liberty Grove's decades of experience and proven technology result in increased flexibility and reduced costs for your business.
Contact Liberty Grove for a complimentary consultation on how its team of experts can guide your manufacturing operation through a successful enterprise resource planning (ERP) e-commerce integration.
Related reading
Increase Employee Productivity with A Modern ERP Solution
Payment Automation in Business Central: A Strategic Advantage for Businesses
About the author
Liberty Grove Software is an established Microsoft Partner that focuses on providing customers with sales, service, and support for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central/NAV solutions and training and upgrades.
Liberty Grove Software helps manufacturing firms compete by automating tedious operations with Microsoft technologies. Our extensive manufacturing knowledge has established us as the preferred Microsoft partner for assisting mid-sized manufacturers in increasing production.
Over more than 25 years, Liberty Grove has assisted hundreds of customers with businesses ranging from small to mid-sized to Microsoft Partners in implementing, training, customization, and upgrading Microsoft Dynamics ERP solutions.
The organization is one of only a few companies worldwide that Microsoft recognizes as qualified to provide Business Central/NAV Upgrade Service Centers.
Manufacturing costs are not the only factors increasing; the costs of quality, transportation, and energy are also becoming increasingly difficult to manage. It’s why many manufacturers are implementing or upgrading to modern, cloud-based Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems to optimize cost efficiency.
The primary business motivations for ERP selection strategies are the pressure to reduce costs, the necessity to manage growth, and the desire to enhance customer service.
Understanding and managing product costs is crucial for maintaining efficiency and profitability in the highly competitive manufacturing industry.
Choosing an ERP system that aligns with your organization's needs and improves its overall business processes is a direct path to effective cost management.
A cloud-based ERP solution is not just a tool; it's an empowerment device for decision-makers. It provides a comprehensive solution to streamline and optimize cost management, which can be a game-changer.
With a modern ERP, a manufacturing company can confidently develop comprehensive product costs, knowing they have the right tools to make informed decisions.
8 Ways a Modern ERP Can Streamline Manufacturing and Reduce Costs
1. Centralized Data Management
One of the primary advantages of an ERP system is centralized data from multiple departments.
This integration ensures that all cost-related information, including basic materials, labor, and overheads, is stored in a single, easily accessible location.
A cloud-based ERP efficiently manages the process of tracking and managing expenses by eliminating data silos and providing a comprehensive understanding of all cost components, giving you confidence in the reliability of your data.
2. Accurate Cost Monitoring
Modern manufacturing ERP systems are designed to achieve precise cost tracking throughout the production process. They can track procurement, production, and distribution expenses in real-time.
This real-time monitoring ensures the prompt identification of cost overruns and inefficiencies, allowing immediate corrective measures.
It's not just tracking; it's about feeling the system's responsiveness and adaptability.
3. Improved Inventory Management
Product cost control requires efficient inventory management, which can be achieved through a modern ERP system.
A Cloud-based ERP system offers comprehensive information regarding inventory levels, usage rates, and reorder points.
By optimizing inventory management, manufacturers can lower overall product costs by reducing transport costs, avoiding stockouts, and minimizing waste.
4. Enhanced Resource Allocation
A resource allocation system, such as a cloud-based ERP system, facilitates the efficient allocation of labor, machinery, and materials.
A modern ERP solution can enhance productivity by optimizing resource utilization, reducing inactive time, and analyzing production schedules and resource availability—this optimization results in increased profitability and reduced production costs.
5. A Comprehensive Cost Analysis
With the assistance of an ERP, manufacturers can conduct a comprehensive cost analysis to determine the actual production cost.
The system can deconstruct expenses into categories, including direct materials, labor, and manufacturing expenditures.
This detailed analysis is not just about numbers; it's about feeling well-informed and in control of your pricing decisions.
6. Automated Analytics and Reporting
Cloud-based ERP systems' reporting and analytics capabilities are robust. They can produce comprehensive cost reports, trend analyses, and forecasts, offering valuable insights into future cost projections and patterns.
These automated reports facilitate strategic planning and decision-making by guaranteeing that cost management is consistent with business objectives.
7. Improved Compliance and Auditability
Complying with industry regulations and standards is imperative for manufacturing companies. Implementing or upgrading to a cloud-based ERP system makes it feasible to document and effortlessly trace all cost-related data accurately.
This traceability mitigates the likelihood of penalties and fines by streamlining audits and guaranteeing adherence to financial reporting standards.
- Data Security
Businesses value data because it is important for making informed decisions. Cloud-based ERP software can help safeguard this asset.
It enhances protection by keeping all data in a single location rather than dispersed across numerous systems with varying levels of security.
A cloud ERP system typically distributes your information across multiple remote servers to establish redundancies and defend against a single point of failure, thereby adding a layer of security.
It's particularly critical if your organization manages a significant volume of confidential consumer information, enabling you to protect that data and avoid a costly breach.
Conclusion
A modern manufacturing-specific ERP system can substantially improve a manufacturing company's capacity to manage and control product costs. Cloud-based ERP systems are highly effective tools for achieving cost efficiency and maintaining a competitive edge by centralizing data, optimizing inventory and resource allocation, improving cost tracking, and providing comprehensive cost analysis.
The return on investment from such a system is significant. It’s not solely about cost management; it’s about transforming the manufacturing process to promote growth and profitability.
Is It Time for a Modern ERP Solution?
Whether you’re considering upgrading your ERP or implementing a system for the first time, the Liberty Grove team of ERP consultants can guide you through each step for a smooth ERP solution utilizing the most recent version of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central ERP software.
Its team of experts will provide you with a calculated roadmap to automate your processes and streamline your way to success. Liberty Grove's decades of experience and proven technology result in increased flexibility and reduced costs for your business.
Contact Liberty Grove for a complimentary consultation on how its team of experts can guide your manufacturing operation through a successful ERP implementation.
Related reading
Increase Employee Productivity with A Modern ERP Solution
5 Ways an ERP Helps with Compliance in Manufacturing
About the author
Liberty Grove Software is an established Microsoft Partner that focuses on providing customers with sales, service, and support for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central/NAV solutions and training and upgrades.
Liberty Grove Software helps manufacturing firms compete by automating tedious operations with Microsoft technologies. Our extensive manufacturing knowledge has established us as the preferred Microsoft partner for assisting mid-sized manufacturers in increasing production.
Over more than 25 years, Liberty Grove has assisted hundreds of customers with businesses ranging from small to mid-sized to Microsoft Partners in implementing, training, customization, and upgrading Microsoft Dynamics ERP solutions.
The organization is one of only a few companies worldwide that Microsoft recognizes as qualified to provide Business Central/NAV Upgrade Service Centers.
Yes, it’s that time of the year again. The fall conference schedule is in full swing, and Community Summit 2024 is fast approaching. This year’s event will be hosted in beautiful San Antonio, TX, October 13-17, 2024.
Community Summit is the largest independent innovation, education, and training event for Microsoft business applications delivered by Expert Users, Microsoft Leaders, MVPs, and Partners. It features:
- 5,500 Microsoft Business Applications Users
- 600 Education Sessions
- 500 Speakers
- 35 Academy Classes
- 250 Microsoft Business Applications Partners
- ...and a host of networking opportunities
Liberty Grove Software at Community Summit 2024
Community Summit NA is one of the year's most anticipated events, and Liberty Grove experts Andrew Good and Brad Hearn will be there to share their wealth of knowledge in the BC/NAV category.
Here are their speaking sessions:
Andrew Good - President and CEO at Liberty Grove Software, Lead MCT, DCP
Supply Chain/WMS/Inventory - Roundtable for Your Challenges
Monday, October 14, 2:30 PM - 4:00 PM CT
This session will allow users to ask panel members queries regarding Inventory, Warehousing, or Supply Chain.
Reporting - Roundtable for Your Challenges and Explore the Many Options Available in BC
Tuesday, October 15, 2:30 PM - 4:00 PM CT
Business Central offers many reporting alternatives. This session provides an opportunity to deliberate on the current situation, offer recommendations for the absence of certain features, and determine the most effective approach to addressing the information requirements of all Business Central users.
- Options in base BC
- Excel functionality
- PowerBI
- General Discussion about third-party solutions (not ISV-specific)
- Data Structures
Manufacturing - Roundtable for Your Challenges
Wednesday, October 16, 2:45 PM - 4:15 PM CT
Share your manufacturing challenges with your colleagues. This session will be an excellent opportunity to leverage the collective experiences of the BC community. Many perspectives are available, and these supplementary viewpoints may help your challenge.
Thursday, October 17, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM CT
Business Central is frequently an organization's primary transaction system. As such, it must serve as a reliable source of information for daily operations and reporting. Maintaining the integrity of the data in BC is imperative to establish it as a trustworthy resource. This session will investigate the techniques and data sources to guarantee its initial and ongoing cleanliness.
Brad Hearn - Senior Analyst at Liberty Grove Software MCA, CFA
Reporting - Roundtable for Your Challenges and Explore the Many Options Available in BC
Tuesday, October 15, 2:30-4:00 PM CT
Business Central offers many reporting alternatives. This session provides an opportunity to deliberate on the current state of affairs, offer recommendations for the absence of certain features, and determine the most effective approach to addressing the information requirements of all Business Central users. Brad will discuss:
- Base options BC
- Excel's capabilities
- Power BI
- General Discussion regarding third-party solutions (not specific to ISVs)
- Data Structures
Sales Order Processing, from Soup to Nuts
Thursday, October 17, 11:00 AM-12:00 PM
Business Central facilitates recording the entire sales process, from the entry of the sales quote/order to the posting of the sales shipment and invoice, with various nuances and capabilities. This session will encompass the following topics:
- Capitalizing on Blanket Sales Orders or Recurring Sales Lines
- Establishing customer prices and discounts
- Utilizing Catalog Items and Substitutions
- Generating Sales Quotes
- Generating sales orders
- Posting Partial Shipments and Sales Shipments
- The posting of invoices
- Correcting or Cancelling Posted Sales Shipments and Invoices
- The effect of posting on Item Ledger Entries, Value Entries, G/L Entries, Customer Ledger Entries, and Detailed Customer Ledger Entries to update your inventory and General Ledgers.
Mark your Calendar
Andrew and Brad hope to see you at Community Summit NA, so be sure to stop by and say “hello!” Explore the full agenda for this premier event and register here.
About the Author
Liberty Grove Software is an established Microsoft Partner that focuses on providing customers with sales, service, and support for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central/NAV solutions and training and upgrades.
Liberty Grove Software helps manufacturing firms compete by automating tedious operations with Microsoft technologies. Our extensive manufacturing knowledge has established us as the preferred Microsoft partner for assisting mid-sized manufacturers in increasing production.
Over more than 25 years, Liberty Grove has assisted hundreds of customers with businesses ranging from small to mid-sized to Microsoft Partners in implementing, training, customization, and upgrading Microsoft Dynamics ERP solutions.
When it comes to Microsoft licensing, the array of options can be daunting. Making the proper license selection can be much like navigating a complex maze.
However, understanding the distinctions between the types of licenses can empower you to make the best decision for your business needs.
Let’s dive into the specifics of Premium vs Essentials, Team Member, Device, and Dynamics CRM licenses.
Premium vs. Essentials Licenses
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central offers two primary license types: Essentials and Premium.
- Essentials: This license is for businesses that need core financial and business management capabilities. It includes modules for financial management, sales and marketing, purchasing, inventory, and project management. Essentials is ideal for small to medium-sized businesses requiring robust functionality without advanced manufacturing or service management features.
- Premium: This license includes all the features of the Essentials license, plus additional capabilities for manufacturing and service management. It’s suited for businesses with more complex needs, such as those in the manufacturing sector or those that require advanced service management features.
Team Member Licenses
Many organizations have users who may ingest data or reports from line-of-business systems or perform basic tasks such as updating HR records or entering time sheets but do not require full user capabilities.
These users are eligible for the Dynamics 365 Team Members license.
The Dynamics 365 Team Members license is a named user subscription designed explicitly for users whose occupations are not necessarily associated with a specific function but require access to a line-of-business system's fundamental functionality.
Within the Team Member experience, this license allows users restricted access through specific scenarios.
Dynamics 365's customer engagement applications (Dynamics 365 Sales, Dynamics 365 Customer Service, Dynamics 365 Field Service, Dynamics 365 Marketing, and Dynamics 365 Project Operations) offer this Team Member experience through a designated set of applications:
- Member of the Customer Service Team
- Member of the Sales Team
- Project Resource Hub
The Dynamics 365 Team Members subscription is not designed for scenarios that exceed those specified in the Microsoft Dynamics 365 Licensing Guide and does not grant access to custom applications.
The Team Member license is a lighter, more affordable option for users needing basic system access. This license allows users to:
- Read data and reports
- Update existing data and entries
- Approve or reject tasks in workflows
- Use employee self-service features
Team Member licenses are perfect for employees who need to perform specific tasks but do not require full access to the system.
Device-Based Licenses
The Device license is for shared devices used by multiple users. Instead of licensing individual users, you license the device itself.
It is beneficial in environments like retail stores, warehouses, or manufacturing floors where multiple employees might use the same device throughout the day.
Device licenses can help reduce costs and simplify management in these scenarios.
Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise is accessible to all users of a license-equipped device. For instance, assume that your organization employs 20 laptops and devices.
Assigning a license to each device enables each individual who signs in to one of the devices to utilize Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise without obtaining their own license.
Device-based licensing for Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise is exclusively available as an add-on license for specific commercial and education customers.
The license for commercial customers is Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise (device) and is exclusively available through Enterprise Agreement/Enterprise Agreement Subscription.
The license for education customers is Microsoft 365 Apps for Education (device) and is exclusively available through Enrollment for Education Solutions (EES).
Dynamics CRM Licenses
Dynamics 365 Customer Relationship Management (CRM) licenses for businesses focused on sales, customer service, and marketing. The main types of CRM licenses include:
- Sales: This license provides tools for managing the sales process, from lead generation to closing deals. It includes features like opportunity management, sales forecasting, and pipeline management.
- Customer Service: This license is for businesses that manage customer service interactions. It includes case management, service level agreements (SLAs), and knowledge management.
- Marketing: This license offers tools for creating and managing marketing campaigns, lead scoring, and customer segmentation. It’s ideal for businesses looking to enhance their marketing efforts and drive customer engagement.
Conclusion
Choosing the right Microsoft license type should be based on your business needs and the specific functionalities your team requires. Whether you need comprehensive business management tools, basic access for team members, shared device access, or specialized CRM capabilities, Microsoft offers a range of licenses to fit your requirements. Understanding these options is key to making an informed decision and maximizing the value of your investment in Microsoft solutions.
Need Licensing Advice?
Contact Liberty Grove for a complimentary consultation on how its team of experts can guide your organization through the complex maze of Microsoft licensing options and secure the right license for your business needs.
About the Author
Liberty Grove Software is an established Microsoft Partner that focuses on providing customers with sales, service, and support for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central/NAV solutions and training and upgrades.
Liberty Grove Software helps manufacturing firms compete by automating tedious operations with Microsoft technologies. Our extensive manufacturing knowledge has established us as the preferred Microsoft partner for assisting mid-sized manufacturers in increasing production.
Over more than 25 years, Liberty Grove has assisted hundreds of customers with businesses ranging from small to mid-sized to Microsoft Partners in implementing, training, customization, and upgrading Microsoft Dynamics ERP solutions.
The organization is one of only a few companies worldwide that Microsoft recognizes as qualified to provide Business Central/NAV Upgrade Service Centers.
Undoubtedly, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central has changed how we work and become one of the primary tenets of business operations.
Yet, clients frequently ask us how to print from this vital tool.
Imagine that you are the captain of a modern, sleek sailboat.
The wind is ideal, the sea is tranquil, and your destination is unambiguous. Your vessel glides effortlessly across the water with a steady hand on the tiller and a gentle tug on the sails.
Similarly, printing documents from Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is straightforward and effortless, saving you valuable time.
You can concentrate on guiding your business toward success without any disruption as you prepare and print your documents with a few keystrokes.
We like that idea, too, so based on Microsoft’s guidelines, we compiled this step-by-step guide to get you started.
A little background
Regardless of the Business Central client or app you employ, submitting print jobs directly to one of your organization's printers is generally advisable. Local printers connected to users' devices are not directly accessible through Business Central online, as it is a cloud service.
However, cloud-enabled printers can be attached to Business Central online.
What printer options are available in Business Central?
Business Central provides the following features to accommodate your printing requirements:
Universal Printing
Microsoft offers Universal Print as a cloud service for printer management. This feature, designed for convenience, enables you to configure your printers in Universal Print and subsequently register them for use in Business Central. This feature necessitates the Universal Print Integration extension and a Universal Print subscription.
Email Print
This function enables the configuration of printers that are compatible with email. Business Central then transmits print tasks to the printer using the printer's email address. The Send to Email Printer extension and email-enabled printers are necessary for this feature.
Browser printing
The user's browser's print functionality, a flexible option, manages print tasks. If a cloud printer is not installed and configured or malfunctions, printing will default to the browser's printing options. The browser will manage the Printer field on the report request page.
The Printer Management site in Business Central, your guiding tool, is the primary tool for setting up printers. Nevertheless, when employing Universal Print devices, the Azure Portal or the Microsoft 365 admin center may be necessary.
For Universal Print and Email Print in Business Central on-premises, Microsoft Entra ID or NavUserPassword authentication is necessary.
Custom printer extensions
Business Central is compatible with additional custom printer extensions that enhance print features. If you have any custom printer extensions installed, your application may incorporate print features not detailed in this article.
Configuring Universal Print Printers
Universal Print operates exclusively on Microsoft Azure, a Microsoft 365 subscription-based service. It provides centralized printer management through the Universal Print portal. Using the Universal Print Integration extension, Business Central facilitates the accessibility of printers configured in Universal Print to client users.
Universal printing configuration
The complete configuration requires using Microsoft Azure, Business Central, and the Azure portal. Two primary duties comprise the setup:
- Set up Universal Print in Microsoft Azure and add the printers you wish to utilize in Business Central to a print share. Navigate to this section.
- Add the printers from the print shares in Universal Print to Business Central.
Requirements
Supported printers:
Business Central supports Universal Print–compatible or non-compatible printers—the same way Universal Print does. Universal Print supplies additional connector software for non-compatible printers, enabling them to communicate directly with the system. Support may not be available for certain ancient printers.
Universal Printing:
- A Universal Print subscription/license for your organization.
- You possess at least the Printer Administrator position in Microsoft Entra ID.
Your Microsoft Entra ID account must possess at least the Printer Administrator role to administer Universal Print. Universal Print Management necessitates these positions exclusively. The printers from Business Central and the individuals setting them up do not require them.
Business Central online and on-premises:
- Business Central 2021 release wave 1 or later.
- The Universal Print Integration extension has been deployed.
Business Central online and on-premises include this extension by default.
Business Central on-premises:
- The authentication method is either Microsoft Entra ID or NavUserPassword.
The Universal Print extension does not support service-to-service (S2S) authentication. You must be a signed-in user to submit print tasks to the Universal Print service via the Graph API.
- Your Microsoft Entra tenant and Business Central have registered an application for Business Central.
Universal Print, like other Azure services that integrate with Business Central, necessitates completing an app registration for Business Central in Microsoft Entra ID. The app registration service offers authentication and authorization services between Universal Print and Business Central.
Your deployment may already utilize an app registration for other Azure services, such as Power BI. It is advisable to use the current app registration for Universal Print rather than creating a new one. In this scenario, the sole action required is to incorporate the necessary print permissions for the Microsoft Graph API into the app registration: PrinterShare.ReadBasic.PrintJob.Create, PrintJob, and all.ReadBasic.
Adhere to the procedures outlined in the "Register an application in Microsoft Entra ID" guide to register an application and establish the appropriate permissions.
Configuring Universal Print and printers in Microsoft Azure
Before you can begin managing Universal Print printers in Business Central, you must complete several duties to ensure that Universal Print is operational in Azure with the printers you intend to use.
Refer to Microsoft’s "Get Started" section for comprehensive instructions on configuring your system. Consult the Universal Print documentation to configure Universal Print. The subsequent procedures must be executed. The Azure portal implements most of these procedures.
Assign Universal Print licenses to yourself and other users
How you designate the license depends on whether you integrate with Business Central online or on-premises.
You assign licenses through the Microsoft 365 admin center with Business Central online.
You assign licenses to your tenant using the Azure portal with Business Central on-premises.
Install the Universal Print connector to register printers that cannot communicate directly with Universal Print.
You must install the Universal Print connector, as most in-market printers cannot communicate directly with Universal Print.
Registering your printers with Universal Print
By registering a printer, Universal Printer becomes aware of the specific printer.
Follow the instructions provided by the printer manufacturer for printers capable of communicating directly with Universal Print.
Modify the properties of the printer (optional)
After registering a printer, you can access and modify its properties, including its default preferences.
To utilize any printer in Business Central, you must add it to a printer share in Universal Print. All users who require printer access must be added as members of the printer share.
Facilitate the conversion of documents
Universal Print generates content in XPS format for printing. However, in many instances, legacy in-market printers do not support rendering XPS content; they only support the PDF format.
Therefore, printing to these printers will be unsuccessful unless Universal Print is configured to convert documents to the printer-supported format.
You are now prepared to add the printers to Business Central, establish default printers for reports, and Print.
Incorporate printers into Business Central online
Once printers have been configured and shared in Universal Print, you can incorporate them into Business Central. Two methods are available for adding Universal Print devices. You can add the printers altogether or individually, one at a time.
Individually adding printers makes it possible to configure the same Universal Print printer in Business Central multiple times. Subsequently, you can modify the print parameters for each installed printer, including the orientation, size, and paper tray. In this manner, it is possible to configure printers for various reports and documents with unique output requirements.
Note
If you use Business Central on-premises, proceed to the next section; the initial configuration differs marginally.
To activate the “Tell Me” feature, select the Lightbulb icon. Then, navigate to Printer Management and select the relevant link.
Select Universal Print and then select one of the following options:
Include all Universal Print printers, which are all printers that have yet to be defined. This option is available regardless of the presence of existing printers.
To include a particular printer, add a Universal Print printer.
Adhere to the instructions that appear on the screen.
If you select "Add all Universal Print Printers," the "Add Universal Print Printers" configuration will commence.
Selecting "Add a Universal Print Printer" will appear on the Universal Printer Settings page. Select the printer share that contains the Universal Print printer by filling in the Name field and then selecting “next” to the Print Share in the Universal Print field.
Complete the remaining fields as necessary. To read a brief description, hover over a field.
The Printer Management page allows you to modify and review a printer's configurations after it is added. To do so, select the printer and select "Edit printer settings."
Incorporate printers into Business Central on-premises
Before a user can add or use Universal Print printers in Business Central, they must authorize access to the Azure services used by Universal Print and grant permission to data and operations, such as:
- Reading the user profile and signing in
- Comprehending fundamental employment information in Print
Producing print projects
This is typically performed during the initial connection to the Azure registered app utilized for Universal Print.
Business Central Online executes this authorization process without user intervention. Business Central on-premises, however, functions differently.
You, or any other user who wishes to utilize Universal Print printers, must initiate the authentication process—typically, only once.
The following stages outline the most direct approach. Connecting to an integrated service utilizing the same Azure registered app, such as OneDrive or Power BI, is less direct. Each user is typically required to complete this task only once.
Note
If you are an administrator, complete this task before other users. Subsequently, provide instructions to users who require Universal Print devices. If the Azure-registered app for Universal Print necessitates admin consent for API permissions, it is more convenient to grant consent on behalf of the organization. Granting administrative consent is feasible through the Azure Portal or by conducting the subsequent procedures.
First-time connection to Universal Print
Follow these steps to connect to the Universal Print service for the first time.
- To activate the Tell Me feature, select the Lightbulb icon. Then, navigate to Printer Management and select the relevant link.
- To initiate the add universal print printers assisted configuration guide (wizard), select Universal Print > Add all universal print printers.
- Continue to adhere to the on-screen instructions until you reach the MICROSOFT ENTRA SERVICE PERMISSIONS page.
- Click on the "Authorize Azure Services" link.
- If the Permission Requested page appears, review it closely and select Accept to proceed. If you are an administrator, you can approve it on behalf of the organization to all users.
Azure request permissions page
- Sign in with your name and password if prompted.
- Successful authorization returns you to the Add Universal Print Printers page. To finalize the configuration, select Next > Finish.
- The Printer Management page allows you to modify and review a printer's configurations after it is added. To do so, select the printer and select "Edit printer settings."
After you have completed the initial sign-in process, use the Universal Print printers to print reports and other print tasks. To add, remove, or modify any printers, simply return to the Print Management page and select Universal Print.
Common issues and their resolutions
This section will help you understand the most prevalent issues users may encounter when configuring or operating Universal Print devices.
The printer is not accessible to you.
This message may be the result of one of the following conditions when a user attempts to print a document to a Universal Print printer:
Universal Print licensing is not associated with the user's Azure Active AD or Microsoft 365 account.
Universal Print does not designate the user to the printer share.
Universal Print's Azure app registration is either nonfunctional or has undergone recent modifications since the user's most recent login.
(On-premises) The user has not yet opted into the Azure registered app for the Universal Printer app and has provided consent for the first time.
The printers shared with you were not retrieved due to an error.
Suppose a user encounters this message while attempting to add a Universal Print printer from the Printer Management page. In that case, it is probable that they have not yet signed in to the Azure registered app for the Universal Printer app and provided consent for the first time.
Setting up email printing
This section explains the process for configuring email-enabled printers in Business Central. Business Central transmits print tasks to these printers using the printer's email address.
Requirements
- Business Central 2020 release wave 1 or later
- You have successfully installed the Send to Email Printer extension.
This extension is included in the default installation. For additional information about installing extensions, visit the "Installing and Uninstalling Extensions in Business Central" page.
Incorporate an email printer
The Printer Management page displays the established printers. It also allows you to access the Settings page for each printer, enabling you to modify an existing setup or set up a new one.
To activate the “Tell Me” feature, select the Lightbulb icon. Then, navigate to Printer Management and select the relevant link.
Select "Email Print" and then "Add an email printer."
Fill in the fields as required on the Email Printer Settings page. To read a brief description, hover over a field.
Note
As there is no capacity to retain local printers or user settings, it is necessary to select the appropriate paper size for a printer manually.
It is important to note that the Email Printer extension is configured to print on A4 paper by default.
Notice of Privacy
With the Email Printer extension, the email address associated with the printer is the recipient of all or a portion of the print tasks. A printer device should be associated with a unique email ID by utilizing the services provided by the hardware manufacturer, such as HP ePrint, Konica Minolta EveryonePrint, or Epson Email Print.
Ensure that the email printing solution is correctly configured for permissions, privacy settings, and retention policies, and take all necessary privacy precautions. You are responsible for furnishing an operational, verified, and accurate email address. For additional information, please refer to the Microsoft Privacy Statement.
Specifying a Default Printer
Print task sizing
It is possible to designate the default printer after establishing printers in Business Central.
Two methods exist by default to designate printers for reports and other print tasks. A default printer can be beneficial if you work with reports requiring distinct printers due to their placement within the organization or output capabilities.
Note
Microsoft Print to PDF and cloud printers configured for use in Business Central, such as Universal Print and Email printers, are the only printers designated as default. An administrator typically configures cloud printers.
Designate a printer as the default printer for all print tasks
Accessing the Printer Management page allows you to designate a printer as the default printer for all print tasks. You can designate the printer as the default for all users or just yourself.
To activate the “Tell Me” feature, select the Lightbulb icon. Then, navigate to Printer Management and select the relevant link.
You can also access the Printer Management page from the Printer Selections page by selecting "Printer Management."
On the Printer Management page, select a printer from the list, select Manage, and then select either Set as my default printer or Set as the default printer for all users.
Note
Setting a default printer in the Printer Management page adds an entry to the Printer Selections.
Establish a default printer for particular reports
The Printer Selections page allows you to designate the default printer a report will utilize. Users establish default printers within their respective accounts. You can establish a default printer for all users, another user, or yourself.
Open the “Tell Me” feature by selecting the Lightbulb icon. Enter Printer Selections and then select the relevant link. Alternatively, select a printer from the Printer Management page and then select the Printer Selections action.
Select the "New action" option to include a printer selection for a particular report.
Complete the sections as required.
The default setting for the specified report is to print to the selected printer.
Note
The Print field on the report request page allows you to select a separate printout when you print the above report.
Suppose a report is not configured for a specific printer on the Printer Selections page. In that case, it will be printed to the company's default printer, as specified on the Printer Management page.
You or the administrator may also utilize the Printer Selections page to establish alternative printing configurations for users and reports.
Print a report to a designated printer for all users
Fill in the Report ID and Printer Name fields with appropriate values while leaving the User ID field vacant.
For a particular user, print all reports to a designated printer. Fill in the User ID and Printer Name fields with appropriate values while leaving the Report ID field vacant. This entry performs the same function as the "Set as my default printer" action on the Print Management page.
Establish the default printer for all users and all reports. Fill in the Printer Name field and leave the User ID and Report ID columns empty. This entry performs the same function as the "Set as default printer for all users" action on the Print Management page.
To print a particular report to the user's default printer, leave the Printer Name and User ID columns blank and enter a value in the Report ID field.
Provide values for all three fields to print a report to a particular printer for a specific user.
Note
Printer selections that are more specific override those that are more general. For instance, a printer selection that contains values in the User ID, Report ID, and Printer Name fields is superior to a printer selection that contains vacant entries in the User ID or Report ID fields.
Selecting the printer during the execution of a report
You can modify this configuration from the request page rather than employing the preset printer when generating a report. Select the printer you wish to utilize for this report from the Printer drop-down menu.
Documents of a reasonable quantity are the intended use of cloud printing. Most cloud services, such as HP ePrint and PrintNode, have a maximum file size of 10 MB per task. If you require printing more extensive reports, dividing them into multiple outputs may be necessary.
Still Need Help with Printing from MS 365 Business Central?
Liberty Grove can help you use all the tools in the Microsoft suite to improve your organization's productivity, efficiency, and profitability.
Contact Liberty Grove for a complimentary consultation on how its experts can help you optimize Microsoft 365 Business Central to elevate your market position.
Related reading:
The Power Pair: Business Central and Power Platform
Leveraging AI in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
About the Author
Liberty Grove Software is an established Microsoft Partner that focuses on providing customers with sales, service, and support for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central/NAV solutions, as well as training and upgrades.
Over more than 25 years, Liberty Grove has assisted hundreds of customers with businesses ranging from small to mid-sized to Microsoft Partners in implementing, training, customization, and upgrading Microsoft Dynamics ERP solutions.
The organization is one of only a few companies worldwide that Microsoft recognizes as qualified to provide Business Central/NAV Upgrade Service Centers.
Ensuring food safety and compliance is paramount in the ever-changing food and beverage industry. Increasingly, Food and Beverage manufacturers utilize ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) systems to manage compliance requirements and ensure quality assurance in response to consumers' increasing demands, tightening industry standards, and growing food recalls.
The Food and Beverage industry, with its numerous complex supply chains and innovative products, is no exception to the rule that regulatory compliance can be one of the most time-consuming and cost-intensive aspects of conducting business.
Technology, on the other hand, has the potential to simplify this process. That’s where an ERP like Liberty Grove’s DynamicsFoodERP, powered by Dynamics 365 Business Central, can be a game-changer for food and beverage manufacturers.
ERP and Its Role in the Food and Beverage Industry
ERP is a powerful software solution that integrates and manages various organizational business processes. Consider it the hub of your operations, linking multiple departments and optimizing data flow.
But what does ERP do? It goes beyond simply handling data. ERP enables companies to automate and streamline operations, enhancing decision-making, efficiency, and production. It provides a consolidated platform for storing and accessing all vital information, making it easier for employees to collaborate and achieve common goals.
In the food and beverage business, ERP systems play a critical role in managing complex processes such as inventory control, quality assurance, supply chain management, and other business aspects. By integrating these processes into a single system, ERP systems enable firms to increase productivity, reduce costs, and improve overall performance.
Quality Assurance and Compliance
In the food and beverage industry, ensuring compliance with industry standards without compromising quality is not just a goal but a necessity. ERP systems, with their sophisticated quality control modules, enable end-to-end monitoring of product quality parameters. They gather essential data from raw material inspection to finished product testing, allowing you to identify and correct errors as they occur.
ERP enables firms to meet regulatory requirements by offering a single repository for documents, certifications, and safety processes. It ensures your items satisfy the highest quality standards and protects your brand's reputation.
Transparency and Traceability
ERP provides transparency and traceability throughout the supply chain. Its capabilities include batch tracking, expiration date management, and recall management, which assist firms in maintaining quality standards and complying with safety laws.
Consider the situation in which a food product is found to be tainted. ERP enables businesses to immediately identify faulty batches, track their sources, and take appropriate action to prevent further distribution. It protects both customers and the company's reputation.
In addition to compliance, ERP improves production planning and management, optimizes inventory levels, cuts waste, and lowers prices. It gives real-time demand forecasts, ensuring you have the correct products at the right time, preventing stockouts, and increasing customer satisfaction.
For example, assume you manufacture a range of health beverages. An ERP enables you to analyze sales data and consumer preferences to forecast demand for various types of drinks accurately. It also lets you plan your production schedule accordingly, ensuring enough inventory to fulfill client demand while reducing waste.
ERP software can also help manage multiple recipes and track ingredient costs, allowing you to make more informed pricing decisions. Estimating the cost of ingredients, labor, and overhead will enable you to set the most profitable pricing for your products while remaining competitive.
ERP Systems Assist with Inventory Management and Control
Efficient inventory management is critical in an industry with perishable items and stringent rules. ERP solutions give Food and Beverage managers real-time visibility into inventory levels, allowing them to optimize stock replenishment and lower carrying costs. ERP provides automatic reordering, barcode scanning, and serial number tracking capabilities to help you keep correct stock records and minimize overstocking or stockouts.
Also, an ERP can link with warehouse management systems, allowing for seamless pick, pack, and ship operations. This connection streamlines the supply chain, increasing order fulfillment accuracy and decreasing transit time.
Recipe and Product Costing
The profitability of food and beverage industries depends on accurately determining the costs of recipes and products. ERP systems include extensive recipe management features that enable detailed cost analysis. ERP estimates each product's actual cost by considering ingredient costs, labor charges, overheads, and packaging costs.
This information lets you make more educated pricing decisions, uncover cost-cutting opportunities, and maximize profit margins. ERP also allows you to run "what-if" analyses to see how ingredient pricing fluctuations or production process changes affect product costs.
Supply Chain and Distribution Management
A well-organized supply chain is essential for delivering items on schedule and keeping customers satisfied. ERP systems improve supply chain performance by integrating supply and demand planning, procurement, manufacturing, and distribution operations.
ERP helps firms simplify operations, detect bottlenecks, and increase efficiency by offering real-time visibility into inventory levels, manufacturing plans, and order fulfillment status. With capabilities like automatic order entry, efficient route planning, and delivery tracking, ERP enables you to meet client requests quickly and effectively.
The Effect of ERP on Operational Efficiency: Streamlining and Reducing Waste
A top advantage of ERP software in the Food and Beverage sector is that it streamlines processes and reduces waste. ERP improves operational efficiency and reduces errors by automating tasks previously performed by humans. It also helps avoid redundant data entry and ensures proper information flow.
With better process visibility and control, your staff can detect bottlenecks, streamline workflows, and cut expenses. Real-time data analytics means data-driven decisions, elimination of guesswork, and risk mitigation.
Enhanced Decision-Making Through Real-Time Data
ERP software offers real-time visibility into numerous aspects of your business. You can effortlessly obtain essential information, including inventory levels and sales performance. This real-time data allows you to make informed decisions quickly and efficiently.
ERP's integrated reporting and analytics capabilities facilitate the development of personalized reports, the monitoring of key performance indicators (KPIs), and the acquisition of insights into trends and patterns.
A data-driven decision-making process enables Food and Beverage manufacturers to identify opportunities, mitigate risks, maintain a competitive edge, and increase profits.
Improved Customer Service and Satisfaction
Flawless customer service is essential in the highly competitive food and beverage industry. An ERP system assists manufacturers in delivering products on time, managing inventory levels, and providing accurate order information, thereby improving customer service.
ERP's CRM (Customer Relationship Management) connection centralizes customer data, enabling enhanced customer segmentation, targeted marketing campaigns, and personalized support. By comprehending consumer preferences and purchasing patterns, you can improve overall satisfaction, construct enduring relationships, and enhance customer loyalty.
Enterprises in the food and beverage sector increasingly depend on ERP solutions. By selecting the appropriate system and implementing best practices, ERP can assist manufacturers in achieving long-term growth, ensuring regulatory compliance, and increasing productivity.
Choosing the Right ERP System for Your Business
Before beginning your ERP journey, you must evaluate your business requirements. Take stock of your pain issues, process inefficiencies, and growth goals. When designing your ERP system requirements, consider scalability, flexibility, and ease of use.
A thorough needs analysis can help you determine the features and functionalities of your company's needs, ensuring that the ERP system you choose corresponds with your business goals.
Conclusion
ERP offers valuable insights into consumer preferences, trends, and behavior. By analyzing marketing, sales, and supply chain data to identify patterns and trends, Food and Beverage manufacturers can more effectively customize their services to meet their customers' requirements, resulting in increased consumer satisfaction, loyalty, and repeat business.
ERP is a game-changing technology in the food and beverage industry. It guarantees compliance, reduces costs, enhances performance, increases efficiency, and streamlines operations. In the current fast-paced and competitive industry, Food and Beverage manufacturers can maintain a competitive advantage and flourish by implementing an ERP system.
Is Your Food and Beverage Company Compliant? Time for an ERP?
Liberty Grove can help you implement an ERP solution that will ensure you’re always on the right side of compliance laws.
Contact Liberty Grove for a complimentary consultation on how the Liberty Grove team can help you ensure compliance throughout the supply chain, guarantee quality, and maximize profits.
Related reading:
Food Traceability | How Cloud ERP Can Help
Compliance Matters: 8 Ways ERP Can Help Food and Beverage Manufacturers
Modern ERP for Food & Beverage: Enhancing Traceability & Recall
About the author
Liberty Grove Software is an established Microsoft Partner that focuses on providing customers with sales, service, and support for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central/NAV solutions and training and upgrades.
Over more than 25 years, Liberty Grove has assisted hundreds of customers with businesses ranging from small to mid-sized to Microsoft Partners in implementing, training, customization, and upgrading Microsoft Dynamics ERP solutions.
The organization is one of only a few companies worldwide that Microsoft recognizes as qualified to provide Business Central/NAV Upgrade Service Centers.