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Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central vs Microsoft Dynamics CRM comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

ROI

Sentiment score
5.5
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central improved efficiency and savings but returns vary, with some experiencing delays up to six months.
Sentiment score
7.2
Users report substantial ROI from Microsoft Dynamics CRM through better sales, customer retention, and enhanced operational efficiency.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
4.1
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central offers responsive customer support, though technical assistance can be slow and sometimes checklist-driven.
Sentiment score
5.5
Microsoft Dynamics CRM support experiences vary, with praise for responsiveness but concerns about contact difficulty and expertise in complex cases.
The lack of senior technical consultants means Tier 1 support sometimes has limited experience, which could be better.
Some support personnel seem to stick to a checklist, which can be frustrating for experienced users.
Microsoft provides real-time support, which makes a big difference compared to SAP.
I would rate customer support as ten out of ten.
While the support operates within their standard SLA, it can be difficult to speak directly with someone over the phone.
Sometimes the technical support for Microsoft Dynamics CRM is not qualified enough, and in some situations, we know the tool better than they do.
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.0
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is scalable, best with cloud deployment, yet may require alternatives for large implementations.
Sentiment score
7.5
Microsoft Dynamics CRM is scalable, integrates widely, adapts to changing needs, but may face integration challenges and cost considerations.
Microsoft Dynamics CRM is highly scalable, rated at ten, even fifteen out of ten.
I would give it a ten out of ten for scalability.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.7
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is a stable, reliable platform for diverse, demanding organizational needs with minimal bugs.
Sentiment score
7.9
Microsoft Dynamics CRM is stable, reliable, and well-rated, with minor issues addressed through updates, suiting medium to large businesses.
For the cloud, we have not faced any downtimes or stability issues.
I would rate it ten out of ten.
 

Room For Improvement

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central faces challenges in pricing, customization, integration, and user experience while needing enhancements in support and management.
Microsoft Dynamics CRM requires enhancements in usability, customization, integration, cost-effectiveness, automation, and support for small businesses.
There's a gap in advanced features that other platforms like NetSuite handle better.
There is a need for improvement in consolidation and multi-country master data management.
More use-case-oriented material should be provided to help users and implementers learn how to do more, faster.
Microsoft Dynamics CRM needs improvement in simplifying the setup and configuration process, which can be relatively complex when we want all features to work properly.
 

Setup Cost

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central offers cost-effective, flexible pricing, starting at $70-$100 per user, with variable implementation fees.
Microsoft Dynamics CRM is costly yet valued for comprehensive features, with prices influenced by users, licensing, and deployment type.
However, it was very costly due to the numerous integrations we had.
The pricing for Dynamics 365 Business Central is reasonable.
The pricing of Microsoft Dynamics CRM can be complex due to Microsoft's complicated licensing model.
Microsoft Dynamics CRM costs about $110 to $115 per user per month, following a recent price increase.
 

Valuable Features

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central streamlines operations with seamless Microsoft integration, real-time insights, customization, scalability, and global compliance.
Microsoft Dynamics CRM offers easy customization, integration, and features for enhanced business processes, valued for scalability and cost-effectiveness.
It provides localized compliance for every country, covering VAT compliances, taxing policies, and corporate taxes.
The value for money is very high as it fits the business well.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is scalable, as it was able to grow with increasing business demands.
The backend storage integrates seamlessly with OneDrive, and the solution offers robust security features, including Azure integration, two-factor authentication (2FA), and comprehensive audit trails.
The most valuable feature of Microsoft Dynamics CRM is its integration with Outlook and other Microsoft products like Microsoft 365, which includes emails, Teams, and SharePoint.
I can also create fields and customize them according to my needs.
 

Categories and Ranking

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Busi...
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.5
Number of Reviews
66
Ranking in other categories
ERP (3rd), Activity Based Costing Software (1st)
Microsoft Dynamics CRM
Average Rating
7.8
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
79
Ranking in other categories
CRM Customer Engagement Centers (2nd), CRM (1st), Local Government CRM (1st), Marketing Management (2nd), Sales Force Automation (1st)
 

Mindshare comparison

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and Microsoft Dynamics CRM aren’t in the same category and serve different purposes. Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is designed for ERP and holds a mindshare of 6.5%, up 6.3% compared to last year.
Microsoft Dynamics CRM, on the other hand, focuses on CRM Customer Engagement Centers, holds 19.1% mindshare, down 25.5% since last year.
ERP Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central6.5%
SAP ERP17.2%
SAP S/4HANA9.6%
Other66.7%
ERP
CRM Customer Engagement Centers Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Microsoft Dynamics CRM19.1%
Salesforce Service Cloud13.7%
ServiceNow Customer Service Management9.3%
Other57.900000000000006%
CRM Customer Engagement Centers
 

Q&A Highlights

it_user514128 - PeerSpot reviewer
Mar 15, 2017
 

Featured Reviews

StefaanVandesompele - PeerSpot reviewer
Provides end-to-end accounting and finance module at reasonable pricing
365 Business Central integrates with Office 365 to streamline the invoice approval process. This allows businesses to manage and approve invoices efficiently within a unified system. Our organization plans to transition to the Dynamics 365 environment, where various functions will be centralized. We will consolidate everything into one system instead of maintaining multiple databases for each country with local data. Dynamics 365 is fully integrated, which should address many of our challenges when we migrate to this new environment. We look forward to seeing how it performs in practice. The project is progressing well overall, though integrating it with other tools and ensuring Dynamics 365 operates smoothly can be challenging. Dynamics 365 is user-friendly and effective. However, a deeper understanding of its technical capabilities and architecture might be necessary to optimize its use fully. The software landscape is evolving, and achieving the best reporting and functionality with just a click can be complex. A clear vision of what you want to achieve with Dynamics 365 is essential. Proper preparation and configuration are crucial to achieving the desired outcomes. This principle applies not only to Dynamics 365 but to all software packages. Understanding the system's flexibility and adaptability based on your specific business needs is key to its successful implementation. Overall, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.
Pawel-Gawronski - PeerSpot reviewer
Streamlining resource management and improving project insights with helpful support
The deployment of Microsoft Dynamics CRM is easy because it's a software as a service, which eliminates the need to deploy anything in our data center. It has improved the verification of value streams by mapping projects to products and demonstrating the total cost of ownership. This automation significantly impacts daily operations by reducing the time spent on manual tasks and improving the quality and delivery time.
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Answers from the Community

it_user514128 - PeerSpot reviewer
Mar 16, 2017
Mar 16, 2017
Dynamic CRM is “workflow” and base on email integration. CRP in Default Micrososoft Dynamic Nav only simple CRP Please see the comment below in web Key factor is where data is held The key factor in determining whether to deploy Dynamics NAV or Dynamics CRM to meet your needs will depend on where the data is held that your CRM processes need to access. If your marketing is based o...
2 out of 10 answers
it_user392145 - PeerSpot reviewer
Mar 14, 2017
Looking into Dynamics CRM is advisable. CRM as part of Dynamics NAV is limited, can be fine for B2B companies having little CRM requirements. For B2C Dynamics NAV CRM will often be to limited. Integration with social media is not available in CRM of Dynamics NAV. In CRM standard NAV you will find: segmentation, campagnes, tasks, interactions / contact moments, opportunities. But limited functionallity to create workflows within your sales proces (like follow up).
Mar 14, 2017
Hi,  there are certainly limitations with NAV CRM in comparison to Dynamics CRM. To understand whether your specific business requirements needs the additional features or not would require more information. In essence Dynamics CRM is about relationship management and has superb functionality for sales, marketing and customer service. NAV CRM is more an internal focussed operational tool. From the information below, I would be more concerned that you are bespoking your system to the extent indicated. This is not a recommended solution.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
12%
Manufacturing Company
12%
Comms Service Provider
7%
Retailer
7%
Computer Software Company
11%
Financial Services Firm
10%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Government
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business39
Midsize Enterprise12
Large Enterprise19
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business40
Midsize Enterprise22
Large Enterprise19
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Microsoft Dynamics NAV?
The platform offers a robust and comprehensive cycle for supply chain and inventory management, with features like minimum and maximum settings, dynamic monitoring of inventory levels, and integrat...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Dynamics NAV?
I don't have specific information about the pricing of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. However, it was very costly due to the numerous integrations we had.
What needs improvement with Microsoft Dynamics NAV?
When I started working with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, I was new and didn't know what ERP was or its purpose, but I was eager to learn more each day. The system can become overwhelmed...
What do you like most about Microsoft Dynamics CRM?
The most valuable features of Microsoft Dynamics CRM are all the filters and possible reports.
What needs improvement with Microsoft Dynamics CRM?
Microsoft Dynamics CRM needs to be improved in the visibility of add-on costs for end users, which can sometimes be tricky. On the reporting side, while there are various tools for reporting, they ...
What is your primary use case for Microsoft Dynamics CRM?
I use Microsoft Dynamics CRM in my day-to-day customer management tasks. Our usual use cases for Microsoft Dynamics CRM include task management and sales.
 

Also Known As

Dynamics NAV, MS Dynamics NAV
Dynamics CRM, MS Dynamics CRM
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Harris Farm Markets, Mister Spex GmbH, Bounce Foods, Eurofin Services SA, Medica Medizintechnik, Associated Gaskets, Onduline, Sitka Surfboard Corporation, World Animal Protection
Metro Bank, Nissan, Pandora, Delta, Haynes International, City of London, Trek and many more market leaders.
Find out what your peers are saying about SAP, Microsoft, Infor and others in ERP. Updated: August 2025.
866,744 professionals have used our research since 2012.