Professional service firms have specific needs when it comes to managing operations within their ERP solution. This means it’s important to look for a business management solution that can be adapted to your industry and needs. is a great choice for professional services and project-based firms. An all-in-one solution, Business Central offers several key features for the management of professional services and projects. Here are some of our favourite Business Central features for services firms and how they can help you.
Homepage
What we like about this homepage is that it makes everything accessible from the same place. You can customize it based on user roles and preferences. The members of your staff then have a quick view of what is most important to them on a daily basis, for example:
- Dashboards
- KPIs to quickly access important actions.
- Integration to Power BI reports for quick access to your favourite reports.
- General navigation which can be tailored based on your role and preferences for ease of use.
- Research tools to help you find the information you need across the entire system.
Estimates
Business Central lets professional services firms build and adjust clear, visual project estimates easily. You can track project information as soon as it is entered into the system for a real-time view of budgets vs actuals. This means estimates that are closer to reality, for better project control and higher client satisfaction. You can also review and track commitments to not lose sight of expenses that will be allocated to the project as well.
Project Structure
Professional services and project-based firms need a solution that will support any project structure. Business Central helps you track all information related to your projects for better project control and planning. You can allocate resources to tasks, establish rates and costs for projects, and create your quotes, all from the same solution.
Timesheets
The integrated timesheet allows employees to add time directly to projects. This ensures that all costs and revenue are captured to the correct project. Users can add hours to both client and administrative projects.
Data analysis tools
Business Central puts at your disposal a ton of business intelligence and analysis tools. Reports, graphics, KPIs, integration to , you name it. All these tools let you to exploit the wealth of data stored in your Business Central solution. You can then consume it in real time, in the way that makes the most sense based on your role and needs.
Bonus! Integration to Microsoft 365
The integration to (previously known as Office 365) can help you leverage all the tools you use on a regular basis. These include Excel, Outlook, SharePoint, Teams and OneNote, facilitating collaboration and file sharing across your organization. This improves productivity and efficiency, and facilitates the adoption of your solution by your users.
Professional services firms have their own language and need their own tools to manage their operations. This is why it’s important to find an ERP solution that will work with your existing processes and support your future growth. Business Central features for services firms provide the foundations and tools you need to do just that. Look for a Dynamics 365 partner specialized in professional services firms to ensure they have experience in your industry and include best practices when implementing your solution.
Learn more about or learn more about the top challenges faced by professional services firms with a matrix organizational structure.
By JOVACO Solutions,
About JOVACO Solutions
JOVACO Solutions is a leading ERP and CRM solution provider operating for over 35 years. As a specialist of Microsoft Dynamics business management solutions, we offer a wide range of products and services to meet all the needs of professional services firms and project-based organizations. We also offer specialized project management tools and timesheet add-ons fully integrated to Microsoft Dynamics solutions. Visit or for more information.
These are all useful features, especially Microsoft 365 integration. Programs such as Word and PowerPoint are going to be essential to service firms, so it's good to see that there is a seamless transition to be seen there.