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Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central vs Microsoft Dynamics SL comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 3, 2024

Review summaries and opinions

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

Categories and Ranking

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Busi...
Ranking in ERP
5th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.4
Number of Reviews
67
Ranking in other categories
Activity Based Costing Software (2nd)
Microsoft Dynamics SL
Ranking in ERP
24th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
3
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of March 2026, in the ERP category, the mindshare of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is 4.0%, down from 6.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Dynamics SL is 1.0%, up from 0.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
ERP Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central4.0%
Microsoft Dynamics SL1.0%
Other95.0%
ERP
 

Featured Reviews

reviewer2746122 - PeerSpot reviewer
Automation Engineer
Integrations Help Bring Efficiency while Documentation Needs Improvement
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 because you cannot control the number of integrations, and our team struggled to manage the numerous integrations we had. More documentation is needed on how to use Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and its capabilities. From a technical perspective, it was challenging because understanding the system requires familiarity with financial sectors. Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central could benefit from more AI integration. Learning the application was challenging as there was much to understand about accounts payable, receivable, accounting, and general ledger.
Marisol Caamaño - PeerSpot reviewer
Information Technology Manager at Clarimex
Reliable product with straightforward setup process
Overall, Dynamics SL served us well for many years. However, organizations should consider more modern solutions, especially those that support transactional processing, to avoid the inefficiencies associated with batch processing. I would advise looking into more modern solutions that avoid batch processing. While it was reliable, its batch system is outdated compared to newer transactional systems. I rate it a nine out of ten.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"NAV covers everything from purchasing and selling items to invoicing. Everything is within NAV, so it's all very neat."
"The most valuable features of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central are the dashboards, ease of use, and flexibility."
"Microsoft Dynamic 365 has everything we need, like Teams, Outlook, Excel, etc. I do a lot of data visualization, so I work a lot with Power BI. I bring in tables from Oracle and use Power Bi to manipulate and visualize the data. I handle all the stats and track everything that goes in and out of the company. We use all the modules, but I work primarily with Power BI, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams. They are all equally important and work together."
"It's quite useful for our production line, and it's easy to configure to our requirements."
"Microsoft Dynamics NAV is brilliant and it's a different segment when comparing it with Dynamics AX. Dynamics AX is a larger product with much more features and it's aimed at a different segment of the market."
"Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is a good platform that has many integrations, and you can use it for multiple things, having all functionality in one place."
"The most valuable feature of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is cloud accessibility."
"The solution makes everything organized for my organization or enterprise. It makes workflows more than clear."
"The solution has provided a good return on investment by ensuring our financial and operational information is accurate and timely."
"It's pretty easy to set up."
"If I put myself in the customer's shoes, it's easier to use. Reporting would be a very valuable feature."
 

Cons

"There is a lot of improvement needed in the top model, such as better integration with logistics, quality management, and data modeling for all revenue types."
"The solution could include the retail tool in the native version."
"The price of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central could be reduced."
"The solution can improve by having better integration with Microsoft PowerBI and reporting."
"They need to improve their processes."
"Any request that had come from the website had to go through an e-form which was then plugged into Microsoft Dynamics NAV. There was no direct data capture. That was the pain point, where clients had to build e-forms, and that caused delays in transactions and getting information."
"There are some aspects of the solution that is complex."
"The advanced warehouse functionalities are not available and should be improved. The purchase requisition process is also lacking, and more advanced functionalities for intercompany consolidations could be added."
"The product's primary improvement area would be its batch processing system."
"An area of improvement could be around automation and predictability."
"The licensing of the solution should be adjusted. The policies aren't ideal. They should make it easier to understand. Right now, it's too confusing."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The price of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central could improve. It is costly. We are paying for the solution on a monthly basis."
"There are two types of licenses. One is the essential license in which everything is covered, and the next is the premium. If your company is a manufacturing or service management company, then you can go for the premium license because those two modules are the premium ones. You can manage your manufacturing activities and your service activities."
"The license changes every year. Sometimes it's for fixed users, and sometimes it's for concurrent users."
"We have a perpetual license to use Microsoft Dynamics NAV."
"You have to pay a yearly licensing fee for the solution."
"The solution's license is costly compared to other CRM tools."
"The first time we tried to buy the newest version, it was expensive."
"The price of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is reasonable."
"If the value proposition is clear for the customer, they won't see it as an expensive solution. A solution becomes expensive when it doesn't do what it promises."
"The licensing costs were reasonable."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
12%
Computer Software Company
8%
Comms Service Provider
8%
University
6%
No data available
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business40
Midsize Enterprise12
Large Enterprise19
No data available
 

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?
A point of sale solution is still lacking in the retail industry. A basic point of sale would help a great deal because there are certain requirements where Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central ...
What needs improvement with Microsoft Dynamics SL?
The product's primary improvement area would be its batch processing system. Transitioning to a transactional processing system would significantly enhance its efficiency and usability.
What is your primary use case for Microsoft Dynamics SL?
Our primary use case for the platform was managing our financial and operational processes across multiple companies. We are a group with 11 to 12 companies, and Dynamics SL has been integral in ma...
What advice do you have for others considering Microsoft Dynamics SL?
Overall, Dynamics SL served us well for many years. However, organizations should consider more modern solutions, especially those that support transactional processing, to avoid the inefficiencies...
 

Also Known As

Dynamics NAV, MS Dynamics NAV
Dynamics SL, MS Dynamics SL
 

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
ASAP, Espartec, S.A de C.V., TGLT, Calder‹n Autopartes El_ctricas, GGS Systems, CLEAResult, Shared Spectrum Company, Scope Global Pty Ltd
Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central vs. Microsoft Dynamics SL and other solutions. Updated: March 2026.
884,797 professionals have used our research since 2012.