Dynamics 365 Business Central: automating essential work flows

Next we'll explore the most important workflows you can automate in Business Central - from financial approvals and order management to service management, automated notifications and recurring tasks. Each of these automations has a clear role in optimizing operations and supporting sustainable business growth.

Automating sales processes

Sales is the lifeblood of any business, and efficient sales management is critical to long-term success. Automating sales processes in Business Central helps reduce time spent on repetitive operations, minimizes errors, and ensures a more consistent customer experience.

• Generate sales offers
  Based on predefined templates, the system can propose customized offers quickly and with minimal effort.
• Smart approval of trade discounts
  Standard discounts can be applied automatically, while those above a certain value threshold are automatically routed to the sales manager for approval.
• Automatically issue sales invoices
  Invoices can be generated automatically for recurring orders, without requiring manual intervention each billing cycle.

• Suggest similar items using Copilot, the platform's built-in AI assistant, based on item description or attributes defined at item level.

  This functionality is essential for companies looking to avoid delivery delays and maintain high customer satisfaction.

Automating procurement processes

Procurement processes play a crucial role in ensuring operational continuity and maintaining optimal inventory levels. Automating these activities in Business Central helps streamline the supply chain, reduce risk and improve collaboration between departments.

• Automatic generation of replenishment requests
  Based on the minimum stock levels configured for each item, the system can automatically initiate replenishment requests or purchase orders, avoiding stock-outs and delays in production or delivery.
• Approval flows for purchase orders
  Purchase orders can be subject to an automated approval process based on criteria such as total value, product type or selected supplier. This ensures budget control and decision traceability.

• Automated generation of purchase invoices

  Business Central enables automatic generation of purchase invoices based on approved purchase orders and goods receipts.

Automate inventory management

Efficient inventory management is essential for your company's operational balance. Automating this process in Dynamics 365 Business Central helps avoid overstocking, reduce wastage and ensure constant product availability.

• Automatic, real-time inventory updates
  The system automatically updates on-hand quantities as sales, purchases, transfers or internal consumption are recorded, providing complete visibility into stock levels at any given time.
• Automatic generation of inventory reports
  The system can create detailed inventory reports periodically, useful for internal audits, stock reconciliation or management analysis. These can be programmed to run automatically and sent to designated individuals.

• Automate the inventory transfer process between locations

  For companies with multiple warehouses or locations, you can automate stock transfers between them based on inventory levels.

• Batch creation of inventory units for items

  In Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, stockkeeping units (SKUs) are essential for detailed management of items by location and variant. Creating them automatically can significantly streamline planning and procurement processes.

Automate financial processes

The accuracy and timeliness of financial processes are critical to the stability and financial health of your organization. Automating these processes in Business Central optimizes workflows, reduces risk, and ensures compliance with internal policies and regulations.

• Automatically issue recurring invoices
  For subscription services or long-term contracts, the system can automatically generate and send invoices at set intervals, eliminating the need for manual intervention.
• Automatically send payment notifications
  Customers are alerted by notifications before and after payment deadlines, helping to improve collection and reduce delays.
• Automatic application of late payment penalties
  Penalties for late payments can be calculated and applied automatically according to commercial policies, ensuring compliance with contractual terms and incentivizing on-time payment.

• Bank reconciliation in Business Central

  Enables the import of electronic files and automatic mapping of incoming receipts to customer invoices.

Automate production processes

For companies in the manufacturing sector, Business Central provides advanced tools for planning and scheduling operations, ensuring a consistent and efficient workflow. The system enables:

• Automatic generation of production orders needed to fill sales orders, based on current stock levels and available capacities.
• Prioritize orders based on lead times, urgency and profitability.
• Automated approvals for changes to recipes and production routes allow any changes to be managed through a formal approval process, ensuring control and compliance.
• Automated generation of service invoices allows the system to issue invoices periodically (monthly, quarterly, etc.) according to the terms and conditions set out in service contracts.
• Automatic scheduling of service orders allows recurring orders to be generated for equipment or customers according to the parameters set in the service contracts.
• Automatic renewal of service contracts allows the automatic extension of their validity upon expiration, according to the pre-defined system settings.

Automating after-sales service and maintenance processes

For after-sales service companies, Business Central enables the digitization and full automation of service and maintenance activities, helping to increase customer satisfaction and operational efficiency.

 

Automating essential workflows in Dynamics 365 Business Central is not just a trend, it's a necessity for companies that want to stay competitive. By implementing automated processes, companies can reduce costs, respond faster to market demands, ensure data accuracy, and improve customer and employee satisfaction.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is a trusted partner in this transformation, providing flexibility, scalability, and complete integration of all your business processes.

Start automating essential processes today and you'll quickly see your company's productivity and efficiency reach new levels. Schedule a meeting with us and learn what workflow automation would mean for your business.