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Solving finance and compliance with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central

Managing financial operations and staying compliant with evolving regulations is a major challenge for growing businesses. Legacy systems often fall short, making it difficult to gain real-time visibility, ensure accurate reporting, and adapt to complex requirements.

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Microsoft

In this article, we’ll explore how Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central helps simplify financial management, enhance compliance, and support scalability. We’ll also show how our expert team supports implementation, builds custom automations, and ensures your ERP evolves with your business.

What is Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central? 

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is a comprehensive business management platform designed for small and mid-sized companies. It brings finance, sales, operations, and project management into one place, empowering teams to work smarter and make data-driven decisions. Integrated with Microsoft tools like Excel, Outlook, and Teams, it offers a familiar yet powerful experience. 

Key financial capabilities of Business Central 

All in one financial features

Financial management and reporting

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central offers a robust set of financial management tools to help businesses stay organized, accurate, and in control. You can manage everything from the general ledger and budgeting to accounts payable and receivable in one place. The system simplifies tracking cash flow, managing bank accounts, and reconciling transactions without hassle. Plus, with real-time reporting and built-in analytics, you get a clear and up-to-date picture of your financial health whenever you need it. 

Cash flow and banking

Business Central excels in banking and cash flow management by removing the guesswork from daily financial operations. It connects directly with your bank accounts for automatic reconciliation, enabling quick matching of payments and transactions without manual entry. 

Its cash flow forecasting tools provide a forward-looking view, helping you anticipate shortfalls or surpluses. You can easily manage incoming and outgoing payments, schedule vendor payments, and monitor customer balances—all while keeping a close eye on liquidity. These features combine to give you an accurate and clear picture of your cash position, supporting smarter, faster financial decisions. 

Budgeting and forecasting

Business Central’s budgeting and forecasting capabilities enable precise planning and help you meet your financial goals. You can create detailed budgets by department, project, or account and easily compare them with actual performance to identify trends or variances. 

The system supports multiple budget versions, allowing you to model different scenarios and adjust plans without starting over. Integration with Excel makes it simple for teams to collaborate and refine numbers before importing them back into the system. 

With built-in forecasting and data-driven insights, Business Central empowers you to make informed decisions and stay agile in a constantly evolving business environment. 


Project accounting and cost tracking

Project accounting and cost tracking in Business Central offer full visibility from start to finish. You can set up jobs, assign resources, and track time, expenses, and materials, all within a single system. 

Monitor project budgets in real time and compare actual costs to estimates to catch overruns early and keep projects on track. Revenue recognition is automated based on progress or milestones, ensuring accurate financials without extra effort. 

Built-in compliance and audit capabilities

Business Central helps businesses maintain compliance and audit readiness with features that enhance transparency, control, and accountability. For organizations subject to SOX (Sarbanes-Oxley) regulations, it provides robust role-based security, approval workflows, and detailed audit trails that record every system change, ensuring separation of duties and reducing fraud risks. 

Regarding IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standards), the system supports accurate and standardized financial reporting through flexible accounting structures, multi-currency management, and consolidated financial statements. It adapts to changing compliance needs, giving finance teams the tools to meet regulatory standards confidently. 

Financial management and reporting

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central offers a robust set of financial management tools to help businesses stay organized, accurate, and in control. You can manage everything from the general ledger and budgeting to accounts payable and receivable in one place. The system simplifies tracking cash flow, managing bank accounts, and reconciling transactions without hassle. Plus, with real-time reporting and built-in analytics, you get a clear and up-to-date picture of your financial health whenever you need it. 

Cash flow and banking

Business Central excels in banking and cash flow management by removing the guesswork from daily financial operations. It connects directly with your bank accounts for automatic reconciliation, enabling quick matching of payments and transactions without manual entry.

Its cash flow forecasting tools provide a forward-looking view, helping you anticipate shortfalls or surpluses. You can easily manage incoming and outgoing payments, schedule vendor payments, and monitor customer balances—all while keeping a close eye on liquidity. These features combine to give you an accurate and clear picture of your cash position, supporting smarter, faster financial decisions. 

Budgeting and forecasting

Business Central’s budgeting and forecasting capabilities enable precise planning and help you meet your financial goals. You can create detailed budgets by department, project, or account and easily compare them with actual performance to identify trends or variances.

The system supports multiple budget versions, allowing you to model different scenarios and adjust plans without starting over. Integration with Excel makes it simple for teams to collaborate and refine numbers before importing them back into the system.

With built-in forecasting and data-driven insights, Business Central empowers you to make informed decisions and stay agile in a constantly evolving business environment. 

Project accounting and cost tracking

Project accounting and cost tracking in Business Central offer full visibility from start to finish. You can set up jobs, assign resources, and track time, expenses, and materials, all within a single system.

Monitor project budgets in real time and compare actual costs to estimates to catch overruns early and keep projects on track. Revenue recognition is automated based on progress or milestones, ensuring accurate financials without extra effort.

Built-in compliance and audit capabilities

Business Central helps businesses maintain compliance and audit readiness with features that enhance transparency, control, and accountability. For organizations subject to SOX (Sarbanes-Oxley) regulations, it provides robust role-based security, approval workflows, and detailed audit trails that record every system change, ensuring separation of duties and reducing fraud risks.

Regarding IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standards), the system supports accurate and standardized financial reporting through flexible accounting structures, multi-currency management, and consolidated financial statements. It adapts to changing compliance needs, giving finance teams the tools to meet regulatory standards confidently.

Financial management and reporting

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central offers a robust set of financial management tools to help businesses stay organized, accurate, and in control. You can manage everything from the general ledger and budgeting to accounts payable and receivable in one place. The system simplifies tracking cash flow, managing bank accounts, and reconciling transactions without hassle. Plus, with real-time reporting and built-in analytics, you get a clear and up-to-date picture of your financial health whenever you need it. 

Cash flow and banking

Business Central excels in banking and cash flow management by removing the guesswork from daily financial operations. It connects directly with your bank accounts for automatic reconciliation, enabling quick matching of payments and transactions without manual entry.

Its cash flow forecasting tools provide a forward-looking view, helping you anticipate shortfalls or surpluses. You can easily manage incoming and outgoing payments, schedule vendor payments, and monitor customer balances—all while keeping a close eye on liquidity. These features combine to give you an accurate and clear picture of your cash position, supporting smarter, faster financial decisions. 

Budgeting and forecasting

Business Central’s budgeting and forecasting capabilities enable precise planning and help you meet your financial goals. You can create detailed budgets by department, project, or account and easily compare them with actual performance to identify trends or variances.

The system supports multiple budget versions, allowing you to model different scenarios and adjust plans without starting over. Integration with Excel makes it simple for teams to collaborate and refine numbers before importing them back into the system.

With built-in forecasting and data-driven insights, Business Central empowers you to make informed decisions and stay agile in a constantly evolving business environment. 

Call centers as fertile ground for successful genAI apps

Using generative AI to transcribe and summarize customer service calls in call centers leads to immediate and significant cost savings. Generative AI also improves customer follow-up by detecting cases where customers are dissatisfied.

We use generative AI alongside other techniques to help categorize and cluster calls by the reasons customers are calling and the problems they are experiencing. With this system, we can quickly detect if customers are experiencing a problem with a particular product or service.

Call centers as fertile ground for successful genAI apps

Using generative AI to transcribe and summarize customer service calls in call centers leads to immediate and significant cost savings. Generative AI also improves customer follow-up by detecting cases where customers are dissatisfied.

We use generative AI alongside other techniques to help categorize and cluster calls by the reasons customers are calling and the problems they are experiencing. With this system, we can quickly detect if customers are experiencing a problem with a particular product or service.

What common challenges faced by financial teams can Business Central solve?

Financial teams often face challenges that complicate daily operations more than necessary. Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is designed to simplify and streamline financial management, providing teams with the tools to tackle these challenges with greater accuracy, visibility, and confidence. Let’s explore some common pain points and how Business Central addresses them. 

Adapting to complex pricing and billing models 

Migrating from legacy accounting platforms 

Meeting local and international compliance standards 

Automating financial reports and KPIs 

Ensuring data security and user access control 

Supporting business growth and scalability 

How does Nortal’s Microsoft Evolving Team support Business Central success? 

Our Microsoft Evolving Team plays a crucial role in ensuring long-term success with Dynamics 365 Business Central by providing continuous, hands-on support that goes well beyond initial implementation. Rather than leaving you to manage the system alone, we assign a dedicated fractional team that acts as an extension of your business. This team handles day-to-day incident resolution, implements new features as your needs evolve, and regularly reviews your platform to keep it optimized—whether by improving configurations, optimizing licenses, or applying industry best practices.

It’s a flexible, scalable partnership designed to keep Business Central aligned with your goals, allowing your finance team to focus on what matters most: driving growth and performance. 

The importance of contextual data

Expert Business Central consultants

At the core of our Microsoft Evolving Team are experienced Business Central consultants—senior professionals with deep functional and technical expertise.

These specialists don’t just know the software; they understand how to tailor it to your unique business processes and financial objectives.

From configuring complex workflows and refining reporting structures to advising on compliance and scalability, our consultants work closely with your team to unlock the full potential of Dynamics 365 Business Central.

SLA-based continuous support

We provide SLA-based continuous support, ensuring your Business Central environment is always in capable hands.

With clearly defined response and resolution times based on issue severity, our team addresses everything from critical incidents to everyday questions quickly and reliably.

Custom extensions and automation

A key advantage of partnering with our Microsoft Evolving Team is the ability to deliver custom extensions and automation tailored to your business.

While Business Central is powerful out of the box, our team enhances it by building personalized features, workflows, and integrations aligned with your operations.

Whether automating repetitive financial tasks, creating advanced approval processes, or developing custom modules using .NET, Power Automate, or PowerApps, we ensure your system works smarter—not harder.

Smooth integrations with other platforms

Seamless integration with other platforms is a strength of our team. We ensure your ERP doesn’t operate in isolation but connects smoothly with your digital ecosystem.

This includes Microsoft tools like Power BI, Teams, and SharePoint, as well as third-party systems such as CRM platforms, e-commerce solutions, payment gateways, or external databases.

By enabling real-time data flow, we eliminate silos, reduce manual entry, and create a more unified, efficient operation tailored to your specific workflows. This makes it easier for your team to access the right information at the right time—without toggling between disconnected systems. 

 

Business Central in your digital ecosystem

 

Regulatory guidance and platform optimization

Navigating regulatory demands while maintaining ERP efficiency can be tough—this is where we truly add value.

Our Business Central experts provide ongoing regulatory guidance to keep your financial operations aligned with local and international standards such as IFRS and SOX. We assist with audit trails, role-based access, accurate financial reporting, and tax compliance to support your team at every step.

Simultaneously, we continuously optimize your Business Central environment by reviewing performance, streamlining workflows, and recommending improvements based on industry best practices. This dual focus on compliance and efficiency keeps your business agile, confident, and prepared for whatever lies ahead. 

What makes Nortal the right Business Central partner? 

Partnering with Nortal means gaining more than technical support—you get a flexible, fractional, dedicated team that acts as a true extension of your business.

Our evolving team model scales with your needs, offering consistent, SLA-backed support without the overhead of a full-time internal team.

What sets us apart is our deep finance-focused expertise. Our consultants not only understand how Business Central works but also how to tailor it to solve the real-world challenges finance teams face daily.

Beyond everyday operations, we provide strategic guidance to optimize performance and support long-term growth.

Whether refining workflows, expanding into new markets, or preparing for regulatory changes, we ensure your Business Central platform grows with you—smoothly, smartly, and successfully. 

The sales department is having a monthly summary meeting to bring it to the department manager.
The sales department is having a monthly summary meeting to bring it to the department manager.
The sales department is having a monthly summary meeting to bring it to the department manager.
The sales department is having a monthly summary meeting to bring it to the department manager.
The sales department is having a monthly summary meeting to bring it to the department manager.

Conclusion

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is more than just accounting software—it’s a dynamic, flexible platform that empowers financial teams to operate with clarity, control, and confidence. However, to fully unlock its potential, you need more than technology. You need the right partner.

That’s where we come in. Our evolving team approach ensures your Business Central environment evolves and grows with your business. From regulatory guidance and custom automation to seamless integrations and continuous optimization, we transform your ERP system into a strategic asset that drives long-term success.

Ready to elevate your financial operations with Business Central? Let’s discuss how our Microsoft Evolving Team can help you maximize your ERP investment and support your growth. 

Field‑level validations that must be enforced server‑side

When business rules need to apply everywhere (forms, mobile, integrations), server‑side validation is the only safe option. Low-code plug-ins provide that with no need to build a C# project from scratch. Use them for “must‑have” constraints—credit checks, cross‑field validations, or status transitions.

Lightweight enrichment and normalization

Used with create/update, clean addresses, standardize phone formats, set default owner/team based on region, or stamp SLA dates. These are the classic “one‑record in, one‑record updated” rules that don’t require orchestration across systems.

Server‑side calculations that outgrow business rules

Business rules are excellent for UI behavior, but they’re limited in scope and don’t always cover server execution across all channels. If a calculation must hold in data imports and API integrations, move it to server logic such as low‑code plug‑ins or formula columns, depending on the requirement.

Reusable validations across multiple apps

Because the logic lives in Dataverse, multiple model‑driven and canvas apps get the same rules by default—with no copy/pasted app formulas.

Best practices you can apply immediately

  • Think “small, sharp, synchronous.” Keep logic focused and deterministic. If your expression starts to emulate a flow engine, it probably suits a flow or C# instead.
  • Prefer queries that the platform can optimize. Avoid patterns that loop through large tables in Power Fx. If you must query broadly, consider moving that part into a flow or C# step designed for bulk operations.
  • Default to server‑side enforcement for data integrity. Use business rules for UX; use low‑code plug‑ins for truth.
  • Instrument your decisions. Even if you’re not writing C#, add operational breadcrumbs: clear error messages, consistent status codes, and admin views that surface “why” a record failed validation. You’ll thank yourself later.
  • Respect platform limits. If you call connectors from low‑code plug‑ins or hand off to flows, model the request budget early to avoid throttling surprises.

Get in touch

Nortal is a strategic innovation and technology company with an unparalleled track-record of delivering successful transformation projects over 20 years.