A company using Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central may consider upgrading or expanding to other Dynamics 365 applications for several strategic reasons — but it’s important to clarify terminology first:
Business Central is already part of the Dynamics 365 product suite.
So, when someone refers to “upgrading from Business Central to Dynamics 365”, they usually mean expanding to other, more robust Dynamics 365 applications such as:
- Dynamics 365 Finance
- Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management
- Dynamics 365 Sales or Customer Service
- Dynamics 365 Field Service or Project Operations
Here are some reasons a company might make that move:
- Business Growth and Complexity
Business Central is ideal for small to midsized companies, but as a company grows (e.g., entering multiple countries, managing complex supply chains or needing advanced financial capabilities), it may outgrow Business Central’s limits. Dynamics 365 Finance and Supply Chain Management offer advanced capabilities like:
- Global financial consolidation (multi-currency)
- Advanced budgeting, forecasting and compliance features
- Sophisticated inventory and manufacturing management
- Industry-Specific Needs
Larger Dynamics 365 apps support more industry-specific customizations — for example, discrete manufacturing, distribution, professional services automation or construction — which may be critical for vertical scalability.
- Integration with Other Business Apps
Some Dynamics 365 solutions (e.g. Sales, Customer Service, Field Service) offer tighter integration with Microsoft’s Dataverse, AI tools, and Power Platform than Business Central. This provides:
- Deeper customer engagement capabilities
- Field service scheduling and dispatch
- AI-driven sales forecasting and insights
- Scalability and Performance
If transaction volumes, users or reporting needs grow beyond what Business Central comfortably handles, a shift to Dynamics 365 Finance or Supply Chain may offer better performance and data management at scale.
Many companies with an on-premises implementation of Business Central, will consider an upgrade to D365 Finance as part of a cloud migration or digital transformation strategy.
- Advanced Reporting and Analytics
Larger D365 apps offer more robust reporting (often with Power BI embedded), including real-time data visibility across departments, multi-entity reporting and data warehousing support.
- Compliance and Security
Enterprises in highly regulated industries may need advanced compliance tracking, audit capabilities, or security roles that go beyond what Business Central provides.
- Access to unique enhancements for the Construction sector
Construct 365 is a full suite of solutions, developed by SIS, that allows project and service-driven organizations to better manage the complexities of Project Accounting and Project Management. Construct 365 is built on, and powered by, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Microsoft Azure.
