Business Central vs QuickBooks Enterprise
Compare the affordability and flexibility of two top ERP solutions
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and QuickBooks Enterprise are two leading business solutions with overlapping features and functions. While these products share some capabilities, several key differences may make one a better fit for your business than the other.
Deployment Options
Software Updates
Supported Industries
Features & Pricing
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Small vs Mid-Sized Businesses
Your business’s size often determines your software implementation budget and scope. Smaller companies traditionally require fewer users and seek a less expensive implementation, while mid-sized businesses are willing and able to invest in more comprehensive solutions that support growth.
Small businesses are drawn to QuickBooks Enterprise because it is a cost-effective solution that provides the essential accounting functions required by most companies. With inventory management, pricing, and reporting features at the solution’s core, QuickBooks Enterprise limits its bells and whistles to keep the cost and learning curve low.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is built for growing small and mid-sized businesses. Because the software is intended to scale with your organization, it offers flexibility and long-term value. Business Central also provides many extra features not found in QuickBooks Enterprise, and while that might be intimidating for smaller organizations, there are no requirements to use these features. The solution’s core capabilities are robust enough for various businesses to enjoy. You might expect that a more comprehensive solution like this costs more than QuickBooks Enterprise—however, the basic, out-of-the-box version of Business Central is less expensive than QuickBooks! Integrations and customizations can raise the price, so account for all of that when considering the cost.
Accounting Software vs ERP
Based on the core and advanced features of the two solutions, we can categorize QuickBooks Enterprise as traditional accounting software and Business Central as a full-fledged enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution.
QuickBooks Enterprise is a no-frills option for organizations in need of basic price management, reporting, and financial management features. Even the advanced modules in its Platinum and Diamond versions remain high-level, providing simple but effective warehouse and order management, advanced reporting, and pricing features. Every feature available in QuickBooks Enterprise serves an important accounting purpose. So, organizations with light operational needs will find QuickBooks Enterprise a great fit.
ERP solutions like Business Central provide accounting, inventory, and operations management right out of the box. Small and mid-sized companies experiencing or anticipating growth often rely upon these additional features to ensure sustainable development. Business Central has some industry-specific ERP functionality, such as supply planning and warehouse management, but most of its features are universal across industries. If your business requires collaboration between finance and operations, Business Central is the software for you.
Open API vs the Microsoft Platform
Some companies rely on a single platform for all their solutions, while others enjoy mixing and matching software to benefit from unique features. Ultimately, the solutions you pick will influence what type of software environment your organization can handle.
QuickBooks Enterprise’s integration-friendly open API makes it comparable to best-in-class accounting solutions like Sage Intacct. Businesses that use a mix of HR, marketing, or sales solutions can add QuickBooks Enterprise to their software environment. Depending on which solutions need to communicate, a custom integration at an additional cost may be necessary.
If you’re a Microsoft shop, you’ll find great value in how Business Central fits into your existing environment. Microsoft’s Dynamics 365 suite of applications, including Business Central, integrates seamlessly with the Microsoft 365 productivity suite and Power Apps. While other integrations are possible, Microsoft’s solutions achieve the most depth when working with one another.
Sum It Up
QuickBooks Enterprise is an ideal solution for small businesses with basic accounting and operational needs. It may not have all the bells and whistles of bigger solutions on the market, but QuickBooks Enterprise is a cost-effective, easy-to-use option for organizations without the time or resources for lengthy customization and implementation processes. The solution’s open API lets it integrate with best-in-class software.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is a solution built to scale alongside your business. Small and mid-sized businesses can benefit from its ERP functionality, including out-of-the-box inventory management, supply planning, and warehouse management. Microsoft’s Dynamics 365 solutions integrate seamlessly with software across Microsoft’s platform like Microsoft 365 and the Power Platform.
At Cargas, our expert consulting team specializes in ERP and financial management solutions, including Business Central. We were even one of the first Microsoft partners to begin implementing Business Central! If you’re struggling to determine which of these solutions is the best fit for your business, we’d love to help. Let’s connect to talk about your needs and what you’re looking for in a software solution.
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