Implementing a new ERP like Business Central promises operational efficiency and cost savings.
But beyond supporting day-to-day functions, Business Central can drive enterprise-wide transformation when aligned with strategic objectives.
With a strategy-focused approach, companies can unlock Business Central implementation full transformative potential.
Linking Business Central Capabilities to Strategic Priorities
Every organization has strategic priorities whether growth, cost optimization, or compliance. Business Central provides cross-functional capabilities that can be utilized to achieve these priority outcomes.
However, this requires mapping goals to relevant Business Central functionalities during the design phase.
For instance, a retailer may want to improve customer retention and lifetime value. Capabilities like integrated CRM, sales insights, and loyalty management in Business Central directly enable this growth goal.
Keeping the end outcome as the guiding light ensures that planned features support strategy.
Modeling and Visualizing End-State Processes
Many companies implement ERPs to merely replicate existing processes digitally. This is a missed opportunity.
Business Central allows reimaging end-to-end processes that best serve strategic aims rather than just mirroring legacy workflows.
Using Power Platform tools like Microsoft Power Automate and Visio, processes can be visually modeled to optimize for desired objectives.
Analytics can identify process inefficiencies to address. The future-state process blueprint becomes the guide for configuring Business Central functionality.
Maximizing Business Central with Extensions
Out-of-the-box Business Central provides extensive capabilities for most companies. However additional extensions from Microsoft and partners allow for enhancing the platform to bridge capability gaps.
Extensions like Payroll, Warehouse Management, and Service Order Management expand Business Central’s edge in supporting strategic goals like geographic growth or service excellence.
The right extensions can be deployed on top of base Business Central for a customized enterprise solution.
Integrating Related Apps and Data Sources
Business Central alone cannot achieve all strategic aims. It needs integration with surrounding apps like CRM, planning, and HR.
Microsoft Power Platform enables connecting Business Central seamlessly with 365 apps, on-premise systems, and external SaaS solutions.
This unified data environment provides singular insights that can drive strategic decisions. Carefully planning this app integration layer reinforces how .Business Central powers bigger objectives.
Driving User Adoption with Role-Based Training
The success of a new ERP depends on user adoption across teams. Whenever processes change, learning new behaviors is vital. Each employee needs training tailored to their role and strategic priorities.
Finance teams may need help with new period close workflows. Sales reps may need guidance on Business Central’s CRM and quoting. Personalized content keeps users engaged to adopt the solution.
Planning Ongoing Enhancements Beyond Go-Live
The initial Business Central rollout is just the beginning. As strategy evolves, new functionalities will be required.
Rolling out core capabilities upfront leaves room to deploy additional enhancements smoothly later.
Regular strategy reviews help plan the next level of configurations, apps, and extensions. Change becomes an ongoing journey rather than a one-time event.
Maintaining Alignment with Continuous Feedback
The success metrics for a Business Central implementation must tie back to strategic KPIs. This could include growth in customer spending, reduction in operational costs, better inventory turns, etc.
By continuously monitoring these metrics through user surveys and data analysis, alignment can be maintained. Any divergence is identified early to re-map processes or add capabilities if needed.
The Path to Digital Transformation
Implementing Business Central offers tremendous potential to digitally transform enterprises if aligned to strategy.
The key is approaching it not as a software rollout but as a blueprint for achieving strategic change.
Built right, Business Central can accelerate transformation rather than just deliver incremental benefits.
