How many times does an employee switch between applications during the workday?
They answer a customer email in Outlook. Open their ERP to look up an invoice. Jump into Microsoft Teams to ask a coworker a question. Export data into Excel. Return to Outlook to reply.
Each interruption only takes a few seconds, but over the course of a day, those interruptions add up. Context switching slows productivity, increases the likelihood of errors and makes even simple tasks take longer than they should.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central was designed differently.
Instead of forcing employees to constantly move between applications, Business Central brings ERP data into the Microsoft tools people already use every day. That means employees can respond faster, collaborate more effectively and spend more time focused on meaningful work instead of searching for information.
In this installment of our Business Central Demo Series, we’ll explore how Business Central integrates with Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Teams and Microsoft Excel to create a more connected way of working.
Work where your conversations already happen with Outlook
Most customer conversations begin in Outlook.
A customer requests a copy of an invoice.
Someone asks about the status of an order.
A vendor has a billing question.
Traditionally, answering those requests means leaving Outlook, opening your ERP, searching for the right record, finding the document and then returning to your email.
Business Central eliminates many of those extra steps.
With the Outlook integration, users can access customer information, review invoices, create sales documents and send records without leaving their inbox. Customer insights are available directly alongside the email, helping employees answer questions faster while keeping the conversation moving.
Watch the demo below to see how Business Central brings ERP data directly into Outlook.
Why it matters
Employees spend less time switching between applications and more time responding to customers. Faster access to ERP information helps improve responsiveness while reducing repetitive work throughout the day.
Key takeaways
- Viewing customer insights directly in Outlook
- Accessing invoices without opening the ERP
- Replying with documents in just a few clicks
- Creating sales orders from customer emails
- Managing customer interactions from one workspace
Collaborate with confidence in Microsoft Teams
Business decisions rarely happen in isolation.
Sales teams need input from finance.
Operations needs visibility into customer activity.
Managers need quick answers without asking someone to send screenshots or export reports.
Business Central extends those conversations into Microsoft Teams by making ERP data available where collaboration is already happening.
Users can securely share records, view customer information, access lists and receive automated notifications directly within Teams. Instead of sending static screenshots or copying information into chat messages, employees can work with live Business Central data together.
The result is faster collaboration, better visibility and fewer delays caused by searching for information across multiple systems.
Watch the demo below to see how Business Central integrates with Microsoft Teams.
Why it matters
Collaboration improves when everyone works from the same information. Bringing Business Central into Teams helps employees make decisions faster while reducing duplicate communication and manual information sharing.
Key takeaways
- Sharing Business Central records directly into Teams
- Viewing ERP information without leaving Teams
- Working with live customer and operational data
- Automating notifications with Power Automate
- Building collaborative workspaces around Business Central data
Keep Excel connected to your ERP
Let’s be honest. Excel isn’t going anywhere.
Finance teams rely on it. Operations teams rely on it. Sales teams rely on it. Leadership relies on it.
The goal isn’t to eliminate Excel. It’s to eliminate disconnected spreadsheets.
Business Central allows users to open live ERP data directly in Excel, refresh it when information changes and even publish approved updates back into the system, all while respecting Business Central’s security and business rules.
Instead of maintaining multiple versions of the same spreadsheet, employees continue working in the tool they know while staying connected to a single source of truth.
Watch the demo below to see how Business Central and Excel work together.
Why it matters
Connected spreadsheets reduce duplicate data entry, improve accuracy and allow employees to keep using the analytical tools they already know without sacrificing data integrity.
Key takeaways
- Opening Business Central data in Excel
- Refreshing live ERP data
- Publishing approved updates back into Business Central
- Working with journals and master data
- Maintaining security while working in Excel
The power of a connected Microsoft ecosystem
Business applications deliver the most value when they work together.
That’s one of the biggest advantages of Business Central.
Rather than existing as a standalone ERP, it connects with the Microsoft tools employees already use every day, including Outlook, Teams, Excel, Power BI, Power Automate, and Copilot. Information flows more naturally between applications, reducing duplicate work, improving collaboration, and helping employees stay focused on higher-value activities.
As your business evolves, that connected foundation also makes it easier to adopt new capabilities, automate processes, and take advantage of Microsoft’s continued investment in AI, analytics, and business applications.
Thinking of moving from Dynamics GP to Business Central?
The hardest part is often knowing where to start.
Our free GP to Business Central Assessment Tool gives you greater visibility into your current GP environment, identifies customizations and ISVs that may impact your migration and provides personalized recommendations to help you plan your next steps with confidence.
As one of Microsoft’s selected partners offering this assessment, Sikich combines the insights from the tool with decades of ERP consulting experience and a proven implementation methodology to help organizations build a migration strategy that’s tailored to their business.
Start your free GP to Business Central Migration Assessment
Plan your move with certainty, not guesswork.
Every business starts from a different place
Every organization has different goals, different processes and different challenges.
Some are replacing Dynamics GP, NAV, or SL. Others have outgrown QuickBooks or are evaluating alternatives to Sage Intacct, NetSuite, Acumatica, or another ERP. Many are simply looking for a better way to support growth, improve visibility or reduce manual work.
Our consultants take the time to understand your operations, your long-term objectives and the systems that support them today. If Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is the right fit, we’ll help you get there using our proven implementation methodology. If another solution makes more sense, we’ll tell you that too.
Is Business Central right for you?
If Business Central is the right fit, we’ll help you get there. If it isn’t, we’ll tell you that too.
Continue the Business Central demo series
Part 1: Getting started with Business Central: Navigation, Personalization & Search
Part 2: See how Business Central works inside Outlook, Teams and Excel (You’re here)
Part 3: How Business Central simplifies reporting, Power BI and automation (Coming soon)
Part 4: From AI assistant to AI teammates: Business Central Copilot and AI agents (Coming soon)
This publication contains general information only and Sikich is not, by means of this publication, rendering accounting, business, financial, investment, legal, tax, or any other professional advice or services. This publication is not a substitute for such professional advice or services, nor should you use it as a basis for any decision, action or omission that may affect you or your business. Before making any decision, taking any action or omitting an action that may affect you or your business, you should consult a qualified professional advisor. In addition, this publication may contain certain content generated by an artificial intelligence (AI) language model. You acknowledge that Sikich shall not be responsible for any loss sustained by you or any person who relies on this publication.
