PRICING | 4 MIN READ
2024 Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central Pricing Guide
How Much Does Dynamics 365 Business Central Cost?
This guide is designed to help you understand how Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central cost is calculated, focusing on User Licenses, Implementation Costs, Ongoing Costs, Microsoft Integrations, and additional fees. By comprehensively understanding these elements, businesses can accurately assess their financial commitments and leverage the full potential of Business Central for their operations.
How much does Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central cost? Pricing is influenced by various factors, such as the size of your organization, the scope of functionalities required, and additional integrations. On average, businesses’ monthly subscriptions range from $70 to $100 per user, with implementation costs averaging around $40,000 to $100,000+. It’s essential to delve deeper into the pricing components to understand better the overall investment and potential hidden fees associated when planning for a Business Central implementation.
Understanding Business Central Pricing Structure
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is a cloud ERP solution that manages a business’s financial and operational needs. There are two Business Central license tiers—Essentials ($70 monthly per user) and Premium ($100 monthly per user). However, additional fees associated with implementing and supporting Business Central translate to variable costs for different businesses.
Traditionally, Business Central’s cost depends on three main factors:
- The number and type of user licenses
- Implementation costs
- Additional features and functionality, including integrations
User Licenses & Features
Your business will need licenses for each user accessing Business Central. Microsoft offers different license types depending on the needs of individual team members and the wider organization. Users who need to use Business Central’s full functionality should purchase an Essentials or Premium license:
Essentials License:
Essentials covers eight core feature categories. These features primarily handle resource management across multiple teams, including sales, accounting, and operations. Due to its broad set of features with surprising depth, the Essentials license is ideal for mid-sized businesses needing advanced features covering common resource areas.
Premium License:
Offer all Essentials functionality, plus additional features for manufacturers and professional services providers. Instead of investing in third-party manufacturing or service management software for an exorbitant fee, Business Central users can pay an extra $30 per month for each user involved in these activities. Organizations with complex operational needs can thrive with the Premium Business Central license.
Essentials
At $70 per user per month, this is an affordable license option for Business Central.
Premium
At $100 per user per month, all of the Essentials plus more features for Business Central.
In addition to essentials and premium, Team Member licenses are an option. These licenses let team members use basic Business Central features for only $8 per user per month. These licenses grant users read-only access to Dynamics 365 Business Central with some limited functionality to:
- Update existing customer, vendor, or item records
- Approve or reject tasks in workflows
- Create, edit, and delete a quote
- Create, edit, and delete personal information
- Enter a timesheet for jobs
Team Member licenses are ideal for users who need to view reports and other valuable data kept in an ERP like Business Central but mainly work in other programs. For instance, executives may not need access to all of Business Central’s features and could use a Team Member license to manage approvals and view monthly reports.
You can manage your monthly subscription cost by purchasing full user licenses for the employees who need full access to the software only and purchasing Team Member licenses for everyone else.
→Visit our Demo Center to see these features and modules in action.←
Implementation Cost
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is an extensive and customizable solution that can match your unique business processes. You’ll need the support of an experienced implementation partner to help you set up the software to meet your needs so you can get the most out of your investment.
Implementing Business Central typically includes system setup and configuration, data migration, and user training. All these factors—plus your chosen Microsoft partner—influence the implantation cost of Business Central.
A quick-start implementation, which includes Business Central’s out-of-the-box features and excludes any customizations, might cost $40,000. A more complex implementation of the sales, purchasing, and inventory functionality that involves tailoring the software to your processes could cost as much as $100,000.
A reasonable industry average implementation cost estimate for your initial consideration is $75,000. Be sure to consult any potential partners about their costs before committing to an implementation.
Ongoing Costs
Like other cloud solutions, Business Central uses a subscription model for pricing. The monthly cost of Business Central is contingent on the number of users, the licenses they hold, and the extra costs associated with additional modules. Microsoft releases two major updates each year for Business Central. These releases in April and October come at no additional cost to users.
All Essentials and Premium licenses come with customization and extensibility options, a multi-environment structure, and multi-entity permissions. In addition, Microsoft offers support plans for Business Central customers. However, many software partners provide their own support options, so you have plenty of options based on your needs and budget. Because the list price for Business Central does not account for these additional costs, getting a reliable estimate from a trusted Microsoft partner is vital.
Microsoft Integrations
It is crucial to be mindful of the various integrations available when considering pricing for Dynamics 365 Business Central. While Business Central functions effectively as a standalone solution, its extensive capabilities are greatly enhanced through integrations. Being aware of these integration options allows businesses to leverage the full potential of their tech infrastructure. Many Business Central users operate within Microsoft ecosystems, benefiting from seamless integration with other Microsoft solutions. However, it’s essential to note that third-party integrations are also viable and can further expand Business Central’s functionality. Understanding and utilizing these integrations optimally can significantly enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of Business Central within an organization’s operations.
Microsoft 365
Formerly Office 365, Microsoft 365 is a productivity application suite that has become a mainstay for countless organizations. Here is what you’ll gain by integrating Microsoft 365 with Business Central:
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Teams
- OneDrive
Power Platform
Microsoft’s Power Platform is a collection of business intelligence tools for automation, artificial intelligence, and more. These tools come bundled in Essential and Premium Business Central license subscriptions and let you expand capabilities with the data you already have:
- Draw data from Business Central to produce low-code modules with Power Apps**
- Visualize Business Central’s real-time data using Power BI
- Create custom automated workflows within Business Central with help from Power Automate
- Automate repetitive tasks and generate content with Copilot
- Expand your sales and marketing teams’ customer web presence with Power Pages
**Included in Team Member licenses
Third-Party Integrations
Microsoft works with software and implementation partners to develop custom integrations. These connectors add unique functionality to Business Central:
- Shopify for e-commerce
- Vertex for tax services
- Nodus for integrated payments
- ForNAV for designing and printing reports
- Insight Works for warehouse management
Other popular integrations are available on AppSource, Microsoft’s library of third-party connectors.
Microsoft Partners
The Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program, formerly the Microsoft Partner Network, is a program that pairs software purchasers with skilled implementation specialists from trusted organizations. These partners often offer implementation services, training, support, and customizations.
Cargas is one of Pennsylvania’s largest and most experienced Microsoft partners. With more than 25 years of ERP implementation experience, plus a dedicated in-house customization team and a longstanding partnership with Microsoft. If you want to learn more about Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, we’re here to help.
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