A Food and Beverage ERP implementation is no small feat – and it’s fraught with unique challenges that executives must navigate carefully.

After all, it’s not just the efficiency of the manufacturing operation that’s at stake; it’s your reputation and career.

It’s why many Food and Beverage executives turn to experts like Liberty Grove Software to ensure they know the scope of ERP implementation challenges and how to overcome them.

Understanding the potential risks and challenges of ERP implementation is crucial for many Food and Beverage manufacturers considering an ERP system.

Despite the significant benefits ERP systems can offer regarding integration, efficiency, and scalability, the journey to successful implementation is often full of minefields, particularly for small-to-medium companies with limited resources.

Why Implement a Food and Beverage ERP?

A modern Food and Beverage ERP is a robust software solution that integrates and manages various organizational business processes.

Think of it as the backbone of your operations, connecting different departments and streamlining data flow.

But it goes beyond data management. ERP automates tasks, enhances decision-making, improves efficiency, and boosts productivity.

Supply Chain Transparency: An ERP ensures transparency and traceability throughout the supply chain. Features like batch tracking, expiry date, and recall management help maintain quality standards and comply with safety regulations.

Production Optimization: An ERP is your key to better production planning and control, optimizing inventory levels, reducing waste, and minimizing costs. With real-time insights into demand forecasting, it ensures timely product availability, avoids stockouts, and maximizes customer satisfaction. An ERP empowers food manufacturers to thrive in a competitive landscape by enhancing operational efficiency and ensuring compliance.

A modern Food and Beverage ERP like DynamicsFoodERP from Liberty Grove, built on Microsoft Dynamics 365, is industry-specific yet fully customizable to your operational needs.

Before You Begin

If you’re considering a modern Food and Beverage ERP, there are some essential strategic organizational steps to take before you engage in implementation:

Decide on Objectives: Having clear goals for your ERP project is crucial. This means understanding your goals and ensuring the ERP system aligns with those objectives.

Achieve Buy-In: It is essential to gain support from top management and key stakeholders. Their endorsement can drive the project forward and encourage wider acceptance within the organization.

Choose a Vendor: Selecting the right vendor is a significant decision. You should assess their experience, support, and ERP system functionality to ensure it meets your needs.

Re-Validate Your Data: Data accuracy is paramount when migrating to a new ERP system. It’s essential to clean and validate your data to ensure it’s consistent and reliable in the new system.

Once you’ve addressed these points, you’re ready to begin. Let’s examine the ERP implementation challenges and discuss solutions to overcome them.

11 Common ERP Challenges Food and Beverage Managers Must Overcome

Once the decision to proceed has been made at the executive level, Food and Beverage manufacturers must overcome many challenges for a successful ERP implementation.

The following are 11 of the most common challenges and suggestions for addressing them.

Resistance to Change

In the fast-paced Food and Beverage sector, employees may resist changes that disrupt their quick decision-making processes and time-sensitive tasks. Employees often resist routine changes, and an ERP implementation can significantly alter daily workflows.

This resistance can stem from fear of job loss, lack of understanding of the new system’s benefits, or simply a preference for familiar processes. They may resist the change to a new ERP system due to fear of the unknown or comfort with current methods.

Solution:

• Communicate the benefits of the new ERP system clearly and frequently to all levels of staff.
• Involve employees in the selection and implementation process to increase buy-in.
• Take time to listen to their daily challenges and aim to address them with the ERP implementation.
• Provide adequate training and support to ease the transition.

Lack of Expertise

Modern Food and Beverage ERP systems are complex and require a certain level of expertise to implement successfully. A common pitfall is underestimating the skill set needed to navigate this process. Many organizations lack employees with the necessary skills, hindering the implementation process.

Implementing an ERP system requires specific skills that may not be present within the current workforce.

Solution:

• Hire or contract experienced ERP professionals for the implementation phase.
• Invest in training and development for internal staff to build expertise.
• Consider partnering with the ERP vendor for expert guidance and support.

Data Migration Issues

Transferring existing data into a new ERP system is often one of the most challenging implementation aspects. Inaccurate or incomplete data migration can lead to significant operational disruptions.

To function in the new system, the data must be accurate, complete, and formatted correctly, which can be a considerable challenge. Migrating data from old systems to the new ERP can be fraught with issues such as data loss, corruption, or incompatibility. Accurate data is vital for tracking inventory, expiration dates, and Food and Beverage industry safety standards.

Solution:

• Conduct a thorough audit of existing data and clean it before migration.
• Use automated data migration tools with robust error-checking features.
• Test the migration process thoroughly before going live.

Customization vs. Standardization

Deciding between customizing the Food and Beverage ERP to fit existing processes or standardizing processes to fit the ERP can be difficult. Customization offers familiarity but can be costly and complex, while standardization may streamline operations but require significant changes to current workflows.

Balancing regulatory compliance with operational efficiency requires a nuanced approach to customizing or standardizing processes within an ERP system. Organizations must decide whether to customize the new ERP system to fit their existing processes or adapt their processes to fit the ERP system’s standard functionalities.

Solution:

• Conduct a cost-benefit analysis to determine the value of customization versus standardization.
• Engage stakeholders from various departments throughout the process to understand their individual needs and concerns.
• Aim for a balance where critical processes are customized for efficiency while non-critical processes are standardized to reduce complexity.

Underestimating Time and Budget

ERP implementations are complex projects that often take longer and cost more than initially expected. That can be due to unforeseen technical issues, scope creep, or inadequate planning.

The cost of downtime or a rushed implementation can be exceptionally high in the Food and Beverage industry due to its slim margins and high competition. These challenges highlight the importance of careful planning and management throughout the ERP implementation process.

Solution:

• Develop a detailed project plan with realistic timelines and budget, including contingencies for unexpected issues.
• Regularly review project progress against the plan and adjust as necessary.
• Communicate any changes in scope or budget to stakeholders promptly to manage expectations.

Inadequate Testing

Testing is a critical phase in Food and Beverage ERP implementation, but it’s often given insufficient attention. Inadequate testing can lead to undetected issues that cause disruptions when the system goes live.

Plan the testing phase to ensure the ERP system can handle the complex batch tracking and recall management processes inherent in the Food and Beverage industry. Overlooking testing can lead to critical issues such as system errors, process inefficiencies, and user or customer dissatisfaction.

Solution:

• Develop a comprehensive testing strategy, including unit, system integration, and user acceptance testing.
• Involve end-users in the testing process to ensure the system meets their needs and to gain their buy-in.
• Plan multiple testing cycles to catch and fix issues before going live.

Poor Project Management

Food and Beverage ERP implementation is a complex project that requires strong management to stay on track. Poor project management can lead to delays, cost overruns, and failure to meet project goals.

Effective project management is essential to handle the multifaceted aspects of Food and Beverage operations, from raw material sourcing to distribution; it helps avoid scope creep, miscommunication, and the risk of project failure.

Solution:

• Appoint a dedicated project manager with experience in ERP implementations.
• Assemble a cross-functional team to represent and engage all business areas.
• Use project management tools to track progress, manage tasks, and facilitate communication.

Insufficient Training

Training users on the new ERP system is essential for successful adoption. Insufficient training can result in underutilization of the system and a lack of proficiency among users.

Staff training must cover the specific functionalities that support unique Food and Beverage processes, such as recipe management and shelf life tracking. Without proper training, staff may not fully adopt the new ERP system or may misuse it, leading to inefficiencies and errors.

Solution:

• Develop role-specific training modules that cater to different user needs.
• Provide hands-on training sessions and access to a sandbox environment for practice.
• Offer ongoing support and refresher courses post-implementation to ensure continued proficiency.

Vendor Support

Reliable vendor support is crucial for resolving system issues and facilitating updates. Problems with vendor support can lead to prolonged downtimes and operational inefficiencies, hindering the resolution of system problems and updates and affecting the smooth operation of the ERP system.

Ongoing vendor support is crucial for addressing Food and Beverage companies’ ever-changing regulatory requirements and market demands.

Solution:

• Choose vendors with robust support offerings, including clear service level agreements (SLAs).
• Ensure the vendor has a proven track record of responsive and practical support.
• Establish a direct line of communication with the vendor for timely assistance.

Integration with Existing Systems

Integrating the new Food and Beverage ERP system with existing software and systems can be technically challenging. It requires ensuring compatibility and seamless data flow between systems to avoid information silos and inefficiencies.

Integrating an ERP system with existing production and quality control systems is vital to maintaining seamless operations in the Food and Beverage industry.

Solution:

• Plan integrations early in the implementation process to identify potential issues and requirements.
• Use middleware or integration platforms to facilitate communication between the ERP system and other software.
• Test integrations extensively to ensure they work as intended and don’t disrupt existing workflows.

Keeping Up with Updates

Food and Beverage ERP systems are continually evolving, with vendors releasing updates that can include new features, security patches, and performance improvements. Keeping up with these updates is essential to maintain system efficiency and security.

Staying current with ERP updates is essential for food safety compliance, recall readiness, and maintaining a competitive edge through technological advancements.

Solution:

• Establish a process for regular review and application of ERP system updates.
• IT staff must continuously learn to stay informed about the latest ERP developments and best practices.
• Schedule updates during off-peak hours to minimize disruption to your business operations.

Conclusion

Understanding these challenges is critical for Food and Beverage executives looking to implement an industry-specific ERP system that enhances efficiency while meeting sector demands.

It is essential to select a vendor who recognizes these challenges and has a proven track record of successfully navigating them.

The solutions provided focus on proactive communication, stakeholder engagement, skill development, and meticulous planning to address the challenges associated with ERP implementation.

While they might seem daunting, they can be easily overcome with the help of your Food and Beverage ERP implementation specialist.

Is It Time for a Modern Food and Beverage 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.

Liberty Grove’s DynamicsFoodERP is powered by Microsoft Dynamics 365 and can help your team streamline your operations, ensure quality products, and achieve greater profits.

Contact Liberty Grove for a complimentary consultation on how its team of experts can guide your Food and Beverage manufacturing operation through a successful ERP implementation.

Related reading:

7 Advantages of a Food and Beverage Cloud ERP Deployment (libertygrovetech.com/website_c6b6bfc4/)

Increase Employee Productivity with A Modern ERP Solution (libertygrovetech.com/website_c6b6bfc4/)

5 Ways an ERP Helps with Compliance in Manufacturing (libertygrovetech.com/website_c6b6bfc4/)

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.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is undergoing another update. If it feels like a chameleon in the business world, it’s not surprising. Microsoft frequently updates Business Central (BC) in response to the ever-changing business environment, enabling customers to scale as their business needs evolve. Keep reading to learn what’s included in the Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central 2024 Release Wave 1.

What is Business Central?

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is a business management program for small and medium-sized businesses that automates and simplifies operations. Business Central is highly scalable and customizable, with a wide range of functions that allow businesses to manage finances, supply chain, manufacturing, shipping, projects, services, and other operations. Companies can add features relevant to their industry or location of operation by selecting apps from industry-leading ISVs and customizing them to meet their specific business requirements. Business Central is quick to install and simple to configure. Simplicity drives creativity in product design, development, implementation, and usability. 

The Microsoft Dynamics 365 2024 Release Wave 1 plan includes all new functionalities available to customers between April 2024 and September 2024. This article provides a product overview and information on what is new and planned for Dynamics 365 Business Central. 

The 2024 release is a significant step forward for Microsoft’s Copilot investment. The company is expanding its Copilot capabilities to help people streamline their business processes and perform tasks faster. Developers are already enhancing their efficiency with GitHub Copilot in Visual Studio Code, and these world-class development tools will continue to innovate for AL developers. With this release, they can add more details to the application metadata to improve the Copilot experience. 

By automating regulatory activities, Microsoft will let firms focus on their core business while maintaining compliance with numerous government requirements. Usability is always a priority, and this update improves efficiency with selection-aware, context-based actions. 

So, What’s Hot in BC 2024 Release Wave 1?

Adapt faster with Microsoft Power Platform: Workflows are easy to set up in Business Central. New templates cover more scenarios out of the box, allowing you to automate more operations and become more productive. 

Application: This release includes improvements to project and service management features. In the finance sector, we improved the consolidation experience. 

Country and Region: Business Central’s global availability has increased! It is now available in over 155 countries and regions. 

Development: Microsoft continues to invest in areas that improve productivity for developers working with GitHub, Visual Studio Code, and the AppSource marketplace. AL GO for GitHub introduces new code refactoring tools, a straightforward path to functional and performance testing, and support for ISVs and custom code. 

Governance and administration: Business Central adds self-service features to help administrators manage more granular access to environments and audit critical admin operations. Microsoft 365 Audit Log offers even more options for enforcing data privacy with customer-managed encryption keys and Azure Lockbox. 

Legislation: This update includes new functionality for retrieving VAT dates while previewing posting transaction results. This edition now includes the sustainability notebook, which can help you with sustainability reporting. 

Reporting and data analysis: Microsoft is expanding the capabilities of Analysis mode, and Power BI and Excel Layouts are now available. 

Service and platform: Microsoft continues to invest in its service foundation, focusing on high availability, performance, stability, resource governance, security, and compliance. 

Dynamics 365 Business Central 2024 Release Wave 1: Investment Areas

Adapt faster using the Power Platform

The seamless connection of Business Central and Power Platform enables you to boost organizational efficiency by automating repetitive operations. Use Power Automate templates to create workflows that improve your business operations for your specific needs. Investment in tight integration with Power Platform will continue to make it more powerful and provide more ways to use your company data efficiently. For example, you can use the Power Platform’s Copilot cloud flow features to develop linked business workflows and experiences. Furthermore, you can accomplish this using simple natural language terms. 

Application 

Microsoft prioritizes client requests and market trends to determine what gets into each program edition. For example, it has invested in assisting customers in using Copilot to streamline their business operations. 

Building on Previous Successes

In the last few releases, Microsoft invested in multi-company capabilities since many firms utilize Business Central to manage multiple companies across borders. It will continue to improve the experience of managing numerous firms through Business Central, investing throughout the application to improve inventory management, service, and project management experiences and integrations with other Dynamics 365 services. 

Copilot and AI Innovation 

According to the most recent business trends poll, nearly nine out of ten employees want to embrace artificial intelligence to minimize repetitive work chores. However, until recently, AI was a commodity that few small and medium-sized businesses could fully invest in. 

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Copilot allows professionals to complete their daily tasks with the support of cutting-edge AI. With Copilot in Business Central, customers can provide their employees with intuitive AI tools to help them do more with less effort without becoming data scientists. 

This wave builds on using Copilot capabilities to improve productivity for a more extensive range of SMB tasks. 

Country and Regional 

Business Central is now available in an increasing number of nations and areas. Partner-led localizations primarily drive this expansion. Partners develop and maintain apps for specific countries and regions and publish them on AppSource. Business Central can service consumers in over 155 countries and regions worldwide thanks to its built-in language solutions. In addition, Microsoft provides updates for all regulatory features in countries where Microsoft is responsible for localization. 

Development 

Microsoft created the groundwork for introducing namespace support to the platform and application to empower AL developers and boost efficiency. Namespace support simplifies app structure, improves object names, and prevents identifier collisions. As apps evolve, the need for refactoring becomes unavoidable. Microsoft has added the ability to transfer ownership of a database and its data between extensions. Additionally, developers can hide specific variable data so that other parties cannot access it while debugging, thus protecting internal data. 

When it comes to data analysis and reporting, developers have greater control. For example, you can disable Analysis Mode on pages and select how to incorporate content from Power BI. 

Consultants and developers can quickly launch Visual Studio Code in a production or sandbox environment to examine and comprehend objects across installed extensions, read code for owned extensions, and troubleshoot—all without explicitly configuring Visual Studio Code. Similarly, profiling in the client and Visual Studio Code is improved to make it easier to identify database-related performance issues. 

AppSource publishers can sell through CSPs, and improved handling of AppSource runtime packages allows publishers and resellers to design and troubleshoot apps with different dependencies. 

Governance and Administration 

Microsoft offers Business Central admins new options for managing environments, apps, and data migrations. The goal is for administrators to be self-sufficient, capable of addressing their customers’ needs, and capable of handling a wide range of administrative scenarios. Here’s how:

• More granular administrator roles give administrators greater control over their access. 
• Improved procedures for minor update releases. 
• Ability to integrate Business Central and Power Platform environments to reliably configure integrations and apply Power Platform environment settings to Business Central. 
• The option to cancel Cloud Migration replication runs. 

Legislation 

Business Central upgrades regulatory features in response to popular requests for enhancements and changing local authority regulations. Microsoft automates various processes to provide customers peace of mind, allow them to focus on their primary business, and ensure that features follow government standards. For example, you can automate the process if local requirements compel you to create vouchers that serve as proof of transactions and provide a complete audit trail. Business Central can automatically generate and link vouchers to general ledger entries, allowing accountants to be confident that they are compliant without having to do any additional actions.

The retention policy features will enable you to determine how long you want to keep vouchers before cleaning them up, giving you more control over the quantity of data you store. 

Microsoft is trying to make regulatory features a standard component of Business Central to deliver enhancements that are out of the box in the nations and regions where they are required. For example, the E-documents module serves as a framework for sales and purchase invoicing operations, and partners can easily extend it by developing country-specific e-invoicing applications. 

Reporting and Data Analysis 

Data has become a vital resource, the foundation for decision-making and advancement in all areas. Recent breakthroughs in AI technology and data analytics tools have allowed businesses to condense complex information into usable insight, unveil hidden patterns and trends, and uncover previously unknown correlations.

Data analysis offers vital insights enabling firms to optimize their strategy, improve customer experiences, find potential hazards, acquire new insights into the minutiae of their operations and environments, and innovate in unimaginable ways. 

As data continues to fuel innovation and generate revolutionary advances, SMBs must embrace its potential to remain competitive and shape a more efficient and sustainable future. 

The reporting strategy focuses on integrating universal BI and analytics into the Business Central experience to easily integrate in-context, rich, and immersive BI and analytics content from first and third parties into Business Central. With flexible self-service features, you can easily access and exploit your data for maximum value. 

User Experiences 

Business Central provides diverse user interfaces, allowing users to work with their data from anywhere and on any device. There are three user interfaces: installable desktop apps, browser-based web apps, and mobile apps. Whether you need to enter data quickly, edit entries casually, or analyze relational data, Business Central has various tools that are simple to use but powerful when needed. 

Conclusion

Every Dynamics 365 Business Central release improves usability, accessibility, performance, and reliability. In this release wave, Microsoft has improved performance while working with actions across choices in lists of records and seeing summarized data, allowing you to correct data entry errors quickly. 

If you’re already using Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, life is about to get even better! If not, it might be time to consider it—your business will love you for it.

Are you leveraging all the power of MS Business Central?

Liberty Grove can help you use all the tools in the Microsoft suite to help you improve your organization’s productivity, efficiency, and profitability.

Contact Liberty Grove for a complimentary consultation on how its experts can help you identify what you need to optimize 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.

The recent Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central Wave 2 2023 upgrade provides various advantages to businesses. According to Microsoft, the upgrade contains new capabilities and improvements that will assist companies in automating and streamlining their processes. The enhancements will help small and medium-sized businesses manage their finances, supply chain, manufacturing, shipping, projects, services, and other operations.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central Wave 2 2023 is a substantial upgrade to its predecessor, with many new features. One of the most noticeable improvements is the decrease in customization and increase in user flexibility, which we’ll discuss in this blog post.

The Wave 2 Release from Microsoft offers users additional features and solutions while requiring less modification and providing all-new functionality.

Its release is already underway and will continue through March 2024. The release consists of hundreds of new features across Dynamics 365 applications, including Marketing, Sales, Customer Service, Field Service, Finance, Supply Chain Management, Project Operations, finance and operations cross-app capabilities, Human Resources, Commerce, Business Central, Guides, and Customer Insights, as well as Microsoft Sales Copilot and Microsoft supply chain platform and its supporting products.

Top 6 takeaways Dynamics 365 Business Central Wave 2 2023

1. A more streamlined and intuitive user interface. The contemporary action bar is now more visible, making commonly used tasks easier to find and lowering the number of clicks needed. This modification makes it easier for users to traverse the system and rapidly access the required functionality.
2. More versatile menu customization system. Users can now tailor menus to their preferences and needs, providing greater flexibility over the system’s layout. This functionality especially benefits firms with unique workflows and processes requiring customized UI.
3. Enhanced automation and integration possibilities. Microsoft Power Platform is now linked with Business Central, making workflows and process automation easier to set up. This integration allows users to consume business events via the Business Central Power Automate connector. These qualities aid in reducing manual labor and increasing productivity.
4. Additional extension support. The latest version replaces the legacy C/SIDE programming tool and language with a modern solution based on Visual Studio Code, Azure DevOps, and an AL language that provides an extension-based approach to customization. This improvement makes it easier for developers to construct and maintain extensions that bring new functionality to the system.
5. Increased data loading speed. The upgrade optimizes specific scenarios inside the program, resulting in a faster and more responsive Business Central application.
6. Easier automation with Microsoft Power Platform. The upgrade includes templates supporting more scenarios out of the box, making setting up workflows in Business Central easier. You can also consume business events via the Business Central Power Automate connector.

Other upgrade improvements include better inter-company collaboration and consolidation functionality, reduced onboarding time, and more. Users can now integrate financial data and form inter-company alliances across several Business Central settings. This capability is especially beneficial for firms with several subsidiaries or business divisions that must share financial data.

So, What Does It All Mean for You?

According to Microsoft, the new release will allow organizations to migrate to Microsoft Power Platform more quickly, making workflows easier to set up in Business Central.

Microsoft is releasing templates that support more out-of-the-box scenarios, allowing you to automate more operations and increase productivity.

Dynamics 365 Marketing will improve Copilot functionality, allowing marketers to swiftly design new experiences and provide unparalleled degrees of personalization to email content, graphics, and layouts.

Furthermore, B2B dashboards and the functionality to directly allocate leads to the appropriate rep will align marketers and sellers, allowing them to function as a unified team throughout the purchasing journey.

Through increased sequence capabilities, Dynamics 365 Sales will focus on allowing sales teams to prioritize and manage digital sales processes.

With improved lead assignment capabilities, users can assign and monitor lead assignment status by providing recommendations, summarizing data, obtaining information, and completing actions in context and within the flow of work.

Microsoft Sales Copilot continues to develop and improve generative AI features such as email thread summarizing, recommended CRM modifications, sales email composition, CRM entity summary, sales meeting summarization, and real-time sales tips.

Are you getting the most out of MS Business Central?

If you haven’t jumped into the upgraded functionality of Microsoft Business Central, perhaps now is the time. Liberty Grove can help you optimize all the tools in the Microsoft suite to help you improve your organization’s productivity, efficiency, and profitability.

Contact Liberty Grove for a complimentary consultation on how our experts can help you identify what you need and provide the right solutions to elevate your market position.

Related reading

Business Central 2023 Wave 2 Update: What Matters?

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.

You already know how powerful Microsoft Business Central can be for optimizing your business processes. So, are you interested in how AI can be used within Business Central to take your business to new heights? Let us introduce your new business partner: Dynamics Copilot.

This blog will explore Microsoft Dynamics Copilot and highlight how businesses can use it for increased flexibility and efficiency.

A little history

• The concept of using computer power emerged in the 1940s-1950s (think about how computers were used to decode messages during WWII)
• 1960s – the first use of Materials Requirements Planning (MRP) – helping people to use computing power to assess inventory levels
• 1980s – Oliver Wight introduced MRP II to enrich supply chain planning processes
• 1990s – Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems emerged
• 2010s – Mobile computing integrated into ERP and the addition of Public Cloud – Microsoft began investing in technology infrastructure and laid the foundation for the technical functionality we all enjoy today
• At its inception in 1984, Business Central had a different name and was a single-user entity
• Re-branded to Business Central, it was officially launched in 2018 – look how far it’s come!

How can you use Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central Copilot?

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is rapidly using AI, or artificial intelligence, in a number of its features to improve it and give users wise insights. The following are some significant applications of Copilot in Business Central:

• Development of Marketing Text: imagine the time savings when you can produce concise information that will explain your products’ features and benefits to prospective customers
• Cash Flow Projections: knowing when a customer will pay based on their payment terms gives you insight into monies you can expect to leverage when needed.
• Late Payment Predictions: even though they’re not ideal, knowing when payments might be delayed is vital to business planning.
• Data Analysis and Reporting: Business Central analyzes a lot of data using AI algorithms. Businesses can make wise judgments based on precise insights thanks to their assistance in identifying patterns, trends, and anomalies.
• Intelligent Forecasts: Predictive analytics driven by AI can evaluate historical data and forecast future events. AI algorithms in Business Central can estimate sales, inventory levels, cash flows, and other critical performance metrics, assisting in improved resource allocation and planning.
• Process Automation: AI can automate tedious and repetitive operations, giving people more time to concentrate on strategic duties. For instance, Business Central can employ AI to automate expenditure management, invoice processing, and other typical administrative processes, saving time and increasing productivity.
• Customer relationship management (CRM): Business Central uses AI to improve CRM features. It can evaluate customer data, interactions, and purchase history to make personalized recommendations, improve marketing campaigns, and increase customer happiness and retention.
• Natural Language Processing (NLP): Business Central uses NLP to support commands and inquiries in natural language. Users can communicate with the system using voice or text to ask questions, give directions, or seek information. Business Central can process and reply to these interactions utilizing AI-based language comprehension capabilities.
• Fraud detection: AI algorithms can examine Business Central transactional data to detect fraud. It can assist companies in preventing financial losses brought on by fraudulent transactions by identifying patterns and abnormalities.
• Supply Chain Optimization: Using historical and current data on inventory levels, demand, and supplier performance, AI may improve Business Central’s supply chain operations. It can help with supply chain planning, inventory optimization, and demand forecasting, increasing productivity and lowering costs.
• Intelligent Document Management: Business Central’s AI-powered document management tools can automatically extract pertinent data from receipts, purchase orders, and invoices. Data entry is made more straightforward, there are fewer mistakes, and document processing is quicker, thanks to automation.

Future areas of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central Copilot’s capabilities include creating extended text, generating copy in multiple languages to facilitate international business endeavors, seasonal forecasting to assist production and sales teams, monitoring operational KPIs, and code creation.

It’s vital to remember that the specific AI capabilities offered by Business Central may change based on the software’s version, updates, and configuration. Microsoft is still investing in AI research and development, so additional AI capabilities and improvements will eventually be available.

Conclusion

Liberty Grove can help companies identify areas where a solution like Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central Copilot can make business administration a breeze, freeing time for more critical tasks and increasing profitability.

Contact Liberty Grove for a complimentary consultation on implementing Copilot into your ERP system for greater flexibility and functionality.

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.

If you are a veteran Microsoft Dynamics user, you probably know about Community Summit. For those of you who are new to Microsoft Dynamics, suffice it to say that the annual Summit conference is the largest independent gathering of Dynamics users in the world!

This year, Summit will be held at the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center from October 10 to 13^th in Orlando, Florida. The content will focus on people considering Dynamics, new to Dynamics, migrating to Dynamics, and optimizing their current Dynamics software system.

Liberty Grove Will Be at Community Summit. Will You Join Us?

In fact, we will be presenting three sessions with topics ranging from managing supply chain disruptions to onboarding employees.

Andrew Good, Liberty Grove CEO, will host all three sessions.

Here are the details:

Session 1:
Managing Supply Chain in Disruptive Times with Dynamics 365 Business Central

Date: Tuesday, October 11
Time: 11:00am to 12:00pm
Room: Destin 2 – Convention Center, Level 2
Synopsis: Leverage the tools at your disposal in Business Central to streamline operations, identify, and manage problems. Learn about several tools that you can use to identify supply chain problems early and keep them under control.

Session 2:
How to Onboard New Employees and Ensure Accuracy in NAV/BC
Date: Tuesday, October 11
Time: 2:30 to 3:00pm
Room: Gainesville 1 – Convention Center, Level 2
Synopsis: Let’s talk about what has worked for getting new people on board and effective with BC and NAV. This will have an operations focus.

Session 3:
Manufacturing – Managing Costing with Business Central
Date: Thursday, October 13
Time: 11:15am to 12:00pm
Room: Naples 2 – Convention Center, Level 2
Synopsis: Costing is key during the best of times. Let’s look at strategies to evaluate the impact of cost changes on your business. We know costs are changing, from materials and utilities to labor. Learn how to create a test company to work in and learn the elements of a good cost testing plan.

About Andrew Good

Andrew Good, our fearless leader, is Liberty Grove’s CEO.

He is a Software Engineer, project manager, analyst, manufacturing expert, and Lead NAV Microsoft Certified Trainer. Andrew works on implementations, project management, business process design, application analysis, end-user training, and implementation project management training. Andrew is part of the inaugural group of Dynamics Credentialed Professionals for Core Application Setup in Microsoft Dynamics NAV.

Let’s Say You Are Interested in the Topics We’re Presenting, but You Cannot Attend

We hope you will join us, but if you’re interested in one or more of our presentations but cannot attend, we would be happy to put you in touch with Andrew so you can chat. Just contact Liberty Grove Software. Call 630-858-7388 or email us at nav@libertygrovetech.com.

Recommended Blog to read:

The Top Key Benefits to Migrating Your ERP to the Cloud

In Part 1 of this 2-part series, we looked at what Digital Transformation (DT) does and doesn’t mean. We touched on the strategy and the journey. We explored the goals companies are trying to fulfill by embracing DT and implementing DT company-wide.

If you missed Part 1 of the series, you could still read it here to gain some insights and perspective into the overall value of DT before reading today’s blog, which is Part 2. Just click on the title below.

Digital Transformation in the Food & Beverage Industry: Part 1

Here, in Part 2, we will delve into the benefits of Digital Transformation specific to the Food & Beverage industry.

Think about the tasks that are the most mundane and time-consuming, perhaps some of the day-to-day grunt work that involves manual data entry. Think about your supply chain and how the recent supply chain disruptions and freight rate hikes have impacted your food business.

Then think: What if Digital Transformation could mitigate or eliminate those issues? Let’s see…

Mundane Time-Consuming Tasks

Obviously, there are many kinds of companies in several sectors under the Food & Beverage label. So, let’s take one example: A small company that imports beer, wine, and spirits from multiple sites around the globe, including Eastern Europe, Western Europe, and Asia.

The owner/president, who happens to be a woman, wears many hats, but mainly CFO (Chief Financial Officer) and COO (Chief Operations Officer). What does her day-to-day look like? Of course, she checks her email first thing in the morning. And then…

She starts checking on all her pending orders, bottling, labeling, packaging dates, container movement, expected arrivals, and drayage from the port to her warehouse. These are mundane tasks, some of which can be easily automated. All this has been very time-consuming.

In a company that has fully embraced and implemented Digital Transformation, she would not be sitting there running reports because those reports would have run automatically overnight. As soon as she logged in to her laptop, a list of the new daily reports would have automatically popped up. All she would need to do was select the ones she wanted to read.

Supply Chain Disruptions

Like so many importers, our fictitious importer has been plagued with supply chain nightmares: difficulties getting her container on ships in the ports of origin, port delays here in the United States, unloading delays, drayage to warehouse delays, and more, plus price increases across the board.

It’s an absolute nightmare, and she’s concerned about the very future of her company as cost increases have dug deeply into her profit margins. Her YOY revenue numbers are heading into the red. And that is not sustainable.

But there is such a thing as Supply Chain Management (SCM) software. And it is often an integral component in a company’s Digital Transformation. SCM software won’t get the container ships into the port faster. No, those ships will have to wait their turn. But here’s what SCM software can do!

Supply Chain Management software is a set of tools or modules used for:

• Executing supply chain transactions
• Managing supplier relationships
• Controlling associated business processes
• Maximizing the efficiency of business activities such as the planning and management of the entire supply chain
• Automating operations

By automating operations and logistics, SCM software increases a business’s physical and information flow. The entire business, therefore, benefits from:

• Higher performance
• Greater cost-efficiency, and thus
• Increased supply chain efficiency.

Supply Chain Management (SCM) software typically includes:

1. Customer requirement processing
2. Purchase order processing
3. Sales and distribution
4. Inventory management
5. Goods receipt
6. Warehouse management
7. Supplier management
8. Supplier sourcing

SCM software may also include forecasting tools that help companies balance the disparity between supply and demand. Such tools use algorithms, consumption analysis, AI (Artificial Intelligence), and BI (Business Intelligence) to improve planning.  

WOW!

Are you ready to explore what Digital Transformation can do for you?

We are here to assist you as you plan and strategize your digital journey. Just contact Liberty Grove Software. Call 630-858-7388 or email us at nav@libertygrovetech.com.

Relate Post

The Top Key Benefits to Migrating Your ERP to the Cloud

I don’t know about you, but I’m not superstitious. Furthermore, although I thought the cat crossing the street was a catchy image for this blog, trust me. I will not talk to you about black cats, broken mirrors, or sidewalk cats. I will talk to you about how you can avoid choosing the wrong ERP partner for your software implementation. Because in my long experience in this business – the business of ERP software – I have often heard from my customers about bad experiences they endured when they inadvertently chose the wrong partner to implement their ERP software system.

Let’s get right to the point…

Too Big

This is an example of the fish-pond analogy. Ask yourself: Do you want to be a small fish in a big pond? If you’re a small or midmarket company, choosing a very large ERP implementation partner could be the wrong choice. Realistically, you will not get the same mindshare as a bigger company. Your implementation is simply not going to be prioritized over more lucrative implementations. Of course, these ERP partners might claim to treat all of their clients equally, but when push comes to shove, that’s probably not the reality.

Too Small

Using that same analogy, you should ask yourself: Do you want to be a big fish in a small pond? Probably not, and I’ll tell you why. If, for the sake of argument, the small ERP implementation partner that you’re evaluating employs, say, 3-4 full-time ERP implementation specialists. One leaves the company, and a second comes down with COVID, leaving only 1 or 2 people to pick up the slack. If your implementation is one of the bigger ones this partner is currently working on, you may receive preferential treatment. But do you really want to test that theory?

ERP Partner Lacks Good Listening Skills

Some ERP partners like to hear themselves talk. They monopolize the conversation in an effort to show you how much they know and how successful they are. But where are you in that equation?

Are they listening to you?

A good ERP implementation partner should be putting you first, finding out what your company is all about, what your requirements are, what gaps in functionality you’re looking to fill, what your experience with previous implementations has been like, and what you want your relationship with them to be. They should not jump in and cut you off whenever you speak. They should be taking notes. This is known as “active listening,”^* and a good ERP implementation partner should be practicing it.

Poor Response Time

This is a reasonably straightforward pitfall to avoid when choosing an ERP implementation partner who will serve you well. In a nutshell, if the ERP partner or partners you’re evaluating are not responsive at this early stage, there is no reason to believe that they will be once you’ve inked your John Hancock on the dotted line of an implementation contract. Flee before that happens!

Quick Start Time

This is another easy sign that you’re barking up the wrong tree. When you’re ready to implement a new ERP software system, and you’re speaking with several partners as you attempt to choose a good one, you likely ask the question: When will you be able to start the job? If the partner tells you that they can begin immediately, you should see that as a red flag. It means that they don’t have a lot of work, and while there might be several reasons, none are good.

In Conclusion

We have now covered what we set out to do in this blog. We have delved into the “5 Signs that You’re Choosing the Wrong Partner for Your ERP Implementation” in some detail. However, the flip side is:

Now read “5 Signs You’re Choosing the Right Partner for Your ERP Implementation!”

About Us

Liberty Grove Software is a renowned Microsoft Partner specializing in sales, implementation, service, support, training, and upgrades of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central/NAV ERP solutions.

For more than 25 years, we have helped hundreds of small to mid-sized customers as well as Microsoft ERP Partners implement, train, customize, and upgrade their Microsoft Dynamics ERP solutions.

We are one of only a handful of Microsoft-recognized Business Central/NAV Upgrade Service Centers in the world. With hundreds of successful Business Central/NAV implementations and upgrades completed, you’ve come to the right place if you’re looking for the right-sized partner to execute your ERP software implementation.

Take the next step…

Contact Liberty Grove Software by calling 630-858-7388 or emailing nav@libertygrovetech.com.

*Active listening is the practice of preparing to listen, observing what verbal and non-verbal messages are being sent, and then providing appropriate feedback for the sake of showing attentiveness to the message being presented.

Related Post

Food & Beverage: How to Choose the “Right” ERP Implementation Partner

To stay ahead of the curve and ahead of your competition, your ongoing goal is to keep finding new ways to increase productivity, decrease operating costs, and streamline and optimize the work being performed in every department in your company. This often involves adopting new technologies and automating tasks that might otherwise require undue amounts of manual handling.

Here at , we always have our eyes on emerging opportunities for our Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and Microsoft Dynamics NAV clients to achieve those goals.

Introducing the Data Exchange Framework

You can use the Data Exchange Framework to more efficiently and effectively manage the exchange – the import and the export – of electronic business documents, bank files, currency exchange rates, and any other data files with your business partners. In other words, you can use the Data Exchange Framework in new integration features by setting up which data you want to exchange and how.

For example, the format of files for the exchange of data in bank files, electronic documents, and currency exchange rates (among others) with ERP systems vary depending on the provider of the data file or stream and on the country or region. Microsoft Dynamics Business Central/NAV already supports various bank file formats and data service standards. But to provide support for other electronic document formats, PDFs being a good example, you would use the Data Exchange Framework.

Setting the Framework up is a defined step-by-step process. But once it’s done, you will have eliminated the cumbersome, time-consuming manual handling of non-standard formats.

Perhaps the following diagrams that show the architecture of the Data Exchange Framework will help you better visualize how the import and export frameworks work:

WE will set it up for YOU

When you look at the architecture schematics above, you will quickly realize why it would be difficult to explain the Data Exchange Framework in just a few written words. However, the bottom line is that Liberty Grove can explain it to you and set it up for you. That’s what we’re here for!

Therefore, the next step is…

Contact Liberty Grove Contact by calling 630-858-7388 or emailing nav@libertygrovetech.com.

Related Post

Connecting Dynamics 365 Business Central to the World and Back. What is Microsoft Dataverse?

Our first blog in this 3-part series laid out our plan to explore three tools that connect your (BC) Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system to the world and back:

Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)

Microsoft Dataverse

Microsoft Power Apps

In Part 1, we took a deep dive into the features, functionality, value, and rewards of a powerful EDI solution and how it will enhance the connectivity and efficacy of your Dynamics BC ERP software. If you missed Part 1, don’t worry. You can still catch up and here.

In Part 2, we explored Microsoft Dataverse, which allows you to securely store and manage data that is used by various business applications. Dataverse is easy to manage, easy to secure and provides easy access to your data. If you missed part 2, you can still catch up and here.

Then you will be ready to continue as we dive into the final tool in this series.

Connecting Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central to the World and Back…

Part 3 – Microsoft Power Apps

Microsoft Power Apps is part of the that also includes – in addition to the Power Apps – , Power virtual Agents, and . As such, the Microsoft Power Platform is more than the sum of its parts. Because when you connect all four elements together, you can take the next step and connect to Office 365, Dynamics 365, Azure, and hundreds of other apps. Then you have the power to build end-to-end, impactful business solutions to resolve your most pressing business challenges.

It’s all about power and connections.

For our purposes today, we are going to focus on the . With Power Apps, anyone can quickly build and share low-code apps. With Power Apps, you can build great solutions to enhance the reach, the value, and the productivity of your existing system. Power Apps allow you to:

• Get started quickly – Empower your team to start building and launching apps right away using pre-built templates, drag-and-drop simplicity, and quick deployment—then roll out continuous improvements as needed.
• Build apps without compromises – Give everyone the power to build the apps they need with advanced functionality previously only available to professional developers— including pre-built AI components.
• Enable extensibility for developers – Provide professional developers the tools to seamlessly extend app capabilities with Azure Functions and custom connectors to proprietary or on-premises systems.

Power Apps drives business transformation, reduces development costs, and increases overall efficiency. A Forrester Consulting Total Economic Impact (TEI) study concluded that Microsoft Power Apps results in a:

• 188% ROI (Return on Investment) over a 3-year period
• 74% reduction in app development costs
• 3.2 hours per week average improvement in line-of-business employee productivity

With Power Apps, you will find that apps can be built in hours, not months, easily connecting to data and using familiar Excel-like expressions to add logic. Note, too, that Power Apps can run on Web, iOS, and Android devices.

Ready to connect your Microsoft Dynamics BC ERP to the world and back?

Take the next step…

Contact by calling 630-858-7388 or emailing nav@libertygrovetech.com.

Related Post

Connecting Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central to the World and Back (Part 1 – EDI)

Connecting Dynamics 365 Business Central to the World and Back. What is Microsoft Dataverse?

Our first blog in this three-part series laid out our plan to explore three tools that connect your Microsoft Dynamics Business Central (BC) Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system to the world and back:

Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)

Microsoft Dataverse

Microsoft Power Apps

In Part 1, we took a deep dive into the features, functionality, value, and rewards of a powerful EDI solution and how it will enhance the connectivity and efficacy of your Dynamics BC ERP software. If you missed Part 1, don’t worry. You can still catch up and here. Then you will be ready to continue as we dive into the next tool in the series.

Connecting Microsoft BC to the World and Back…

Part 2 – Microsoft Dataverse

Let’s start with the basics because Microsoft Dataverse is relatively new. It is entirely possible that either you have never heard of Microsoft Dataverse, or you have heard about it, but you don’t have a clear idea of what it is and why you might want to use it.

What Is Microsoft Dataverse?

Microsoft Dataverse lets you securely store and manage data that is used by various business applications. Microsoft Dataverse data is stored within a set of tables. Each column in the table is designed to store a particular data type, such as name, age, salary, etc. Microsoft Dataverse comes with a base set of standard tables covering the most typical scenarios. However, you can also create custom tables specific to your business and populate them with data by using Power Query. App developers can then build rich applications from this data by using .

Why Use Microsoft Dataverse?

Microsoft Dataverse is a secure, cloud-based storage option for your data. There are many reasons to consider Microsoft Dataverse and many benefits, too. Here are three:

• Easy to manage – Both the data and the metadata are stored in the cloud. You don’t have to worry about setting it up because that’s already done for you.
• Easy to secure – Users can see data only if you grant them access. Role-based security means that you control access for different users within your company.
• Easy Access to your Dynamics 365 Data – Data from your Microsoft Dynamics 365 applications is also stored within Microsoft Dataverse.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Microsoft Dataverse

Various applications use Dataverse to store and secure data. This enables you to build apps using Power Apps and Dataverse directly against your core business data. Since this data is already used within Microsoft Dynamics 365 ERPs, there is no need for any further integration. To elaborate a bit more, consider these Microsoft Dataverse benefits:

• Build apps against your Microsoft Dynamics 365 ERP data – Build apps quickly against your business data within Power Apps or by using the extensible platform that allows developers to:
• Programmatically interact with data and metadata
• Apply business logic
• Create custom connectors
• Integrate with external data
• Manage reusable business logic and rules – Business rules and logic already defined in your Dataverse tables are applied to apps created with Power Apps to ensure data consistency, regardless of how users access the data or which app they use.
• Reusable skills across Microsoft Dynamics 365 ERPs and Power Apps – Users who are skilled in Power Apps or Dynamics 365 can now take advantage of those skills across the Dataverse platform. Creating tables, forms, and charts are now common tasks that can be performed across applications.

Security in Microsoft Dataverse

Whenever you introduce new tools into your system, security is always a concern. That’s why it’s good to know that the Microsoft Dataverse rich security model protects users’ data integrity and privacy while promoting efficient data access and collaboration. You can combine business-unit security, role-based security, row-based security, and column-based security to define the overall access to information that any user will be granted in a Microsoft Dataverse environment.

As you can see…

There’s a lot to learn about Microsoft Dataverse, and we’re guessing that you probably have at least a few questions. That’s why we’re inviting you to…

Take the next step…

Contact by calling 630-858-7388 or emailing nav@libertygrovetech.com.

And stay tuned…

Because in Part 3 of this series, we will take a deep dive into the Microsoft Power Platform, emphasizing the popular Microsoft Power Apps. Keep watching the Liberty Grove blog for more great content.

Related Post

Connecting Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central to the World and Back (Part 1 – EDI)