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Dynamics 365 Business Central vs Skyward ERP

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Our analysts compared Dynamics 365 Business Central vs Skyward ERP based on data from our 400+ point analysis of ERP Software, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

Overview Pricing Benefits & Features User Ratings Analyst Summary Screenshots
Dynamics 365 Business Central Software Tool
Skyward ERP Software Tool
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Product Basics

Dynamics 365 Business Central, formerly known as Dynamics NAV, is a widely used ERP platform that benefits businesses of small and medium sizes. It’s a multi-faceted ERP product that assists in the streamlining of aspects such as accounting, contact management and inventory management. This program has high integration capabilities due to its status as a Microsoft product and is currently used by more than 100,000 companies.

Personalization is a key benefit of this tool that is expressed throughout the program’s different modules. For example, you can customize dashboards and reports to ensure that your employees are obtaining useful insights quickly and easily. The program is also highly automated and can reduce human error through its connected systems.

Pros
  • User-friendly interface
  • Seamless integrations
  • Flexible customization
  • Robust financial management
  • Strong reporting capabilities
 Cons
  • Limited industry-specific features
  • Potential customization complexity
  • Scalability concerns for large enterprises
  • Reliance on third-party add-ons
  • Potentially high ownership costs
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Skyward ERP is a comprehensive software solution designed to streamline and manage various administrative and operational tasks within educational institutions. It is particularly well-suited for K-12 schools and districts, offering tools for financial management, human resources, payroll, and student information systems. This software helps schools enhance efficiency, reduce manual errors, and improve data accuracy.

Key benefits include centralized data management, real-time reporting, and user-friendly interfaces that facilitate easy navigation and task completion. Popular features encompass budget tracking, employee records management, and automated payroll processing. Users often appreciate its integration capabilities and the ability to customize modules to fit specific needs.

Compared to similar products, Skyward ERP is praised for its intuitive design and robust support services. Pricing typically varies based on the size of the institution and the specific modules required, with options for annual or multi-year payment plans. This flexibility makes it accessible for a range of educational organizations.

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$70/User, Monthly
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$30,000 Annually, Quote-Based
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Product Assistance

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Videos
Webinars
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Email
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FAQ
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Product Insights

  • Centralized Data: Dynamics 365 Business Central leans in to the essence of ERP software — data centralization. For example, the system’s contract management program maintains a shared database of customers and prospects that can be customized and filtered. The program also removes any duplicates found in the system, which is especially helpful when you have multiple people entering prospect information or liaising with customers. Customized dashboards and visualizations are also available for insights developed across your company. 
  • Accessibility: This software is available either on-premise or as a cloud-based ERP. If you opt to go with a cloud deployment, the solution will be accessible to your employees anytime and anywhere as long as an internet connection is available. This broadly increases the scope of where your employees can complete their duties and access pertinent information. 
  • Forecasting: Dynamics 365 Business Central contains forecasting tools that include the use of historical demand to estimate future demand. This is helpful because it can improve efficiency, reduce spoilage and improve the likelihood that you will be able to fulfill orders from customers. 
  • Simple Integration: As a Microsoft product, Dynamics 365 Business Central is well poised for integration. The software can work with programs such as Word and Excel and is also available across iOS, Android and Windows devices. Microsoft offers a wide variety of software solutions that can be connected to Dynamics 365 Business Central, such as Dynamics 365 for Sales. 
  • Collaboration: Dynamics 365 Business Central provides visibility and control over multiple production sites. This allows you to collaborate with employees located in that facility to determine benchmarks such as optimal inventory level. Additionally, because of Dynamics 365 Business Central’s availability as a cloud-based solution, it is easy for employees to collaborate on and access materials whether they are in a corporate office or at a production facility. 
  • Security: With this program, you can configure user access to different components of the software. For example, if you don’t want an account representative to have visualization of the payroll, you can limit the scope of a user’s access to the application. Disaster recovery tools also assist with security measures. 
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  • Improved Efficiency: Skyward ERP streamlines administrative tasks, reducing the time spent on manual data entry and allowing staff to focus on more strategic activities.
  • Enhanced Data Accuracy: By centralizing data entry, Skyward ERP minimizes errors and inconsistencies, ensuring that all departments work with the same accurate information.
  • Real-Time Reporting: The software provides up-to-date reports and analytics, enabling informed decision-making based on the latest data.
  • Cost Savings: Automating routine processes reduces the need for additional staff and lowers operational costs, leading to significant financial savings over time.
  • Scalability: Skyward ERP can grow with your organization, easily accommodating new users, departments, and functionalities as needed.
  • Improved Compliance: The system helps ensure that your organization adheres to regulatory requirements by maintaining accurate records and providing audit trails.
  • Enhanced Collaboration: By providing a single source of truth, Skyward ERP fosters better communication and collaboration across departments.
  • Customizable Workflows: The software allows for the customization of workflows to match your organization's specific processes, improving overall efficiency.
  • Better Resource Management: Skyward ERP helps in tracking and managing resources effectively, ensuring optimal utilization and reducing waste.
  • Increased Transparency: With centralized data and comprehensive reporting, stakeholders have greater visibility into operations, enhancing accountability.
  • Enhanced Security: The system includes robust security features to protect sensitive data, ensuring that only authorized personnel have access.
  • Improved Customer Service: By providing quick access to accurate information, Skyward ERP enables staff to respond to customer inquiries more efficiently.
  • Streamlined Financial Management: The software integrates financial data across departments, simplifying budgeting, forecasting, and financial reporting.
  • Reduced Redundancy: By eliminating duplicate data entry and redundant processes, Skyward ERP ensures that efforts are not wasted on repetitive tasks.
  • Enhanced Decision-Making: With comprehensive data analytics and reporting tools, leaders can make more informed decisions that drive organizational success.
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  • Sales Order Management: Dynamics 365 Business Central’s sales order management module allows you to alter quantity available amounts based on posted invoices. You can also use the program to create prepayment invoices and to manage partial shipments. 
  • Analysis Reports: The analysis reports tool is based on helping decisionmakers within your company gain meaningful insights that will positively influence daily decisions. With this customizable tool, you can use factors such as customers, items and vendors to view information such as inventory turnover and customer behavior. You can also use this tool to more accurately pinpoint problems across your business that are creating bottlenecks or inefficiencies. 
  • General Ledger: Accounting and financial reporting tools are a commonly requested feature in ERP software. Dynamics 365 Business Central offers a general ledger in its base package that includes internal and external reporting tools, ability to export data in various formats, employee ledger entries, linking to external documents and reporting in your company’s preferred currency format. 
  • Requisition Management: Dynamics 365 Business Central’s Requisition Worksheet allows you to optimize your inventory based on factors such as predicted demand and material availability. You can also set minimum and maximum quantity levels to determine a reordering point in your manufacturing center. 
  • Multi-Site Functionality: With this software, you can track inventory levels across multiple distribution centers, warehouses, production plants, showrooms and more. You can also track inventory as it moves from different locations while accounting for its value during transit. 
  • Contact Management: The contact management feature allows you to input and maintain a list of your business contacts and prospects. The tool lets you know when duplicate contact information is entered, enables you to issue quotes or sales documents, allows for the categorization of people associated with a specific contact and segments people based on profiling questions. 
  • Optical Character Recognition (OCR): Dynamics 365 Business Central includes support for Kofax Invoice Capture Service (ICS) out of the box. This tool can take information from unstructured PDFs, extract it, and turn it into structured data. 
  • Currency Exchange Rates: This system allows you to update currency exchange rates as they shift. This can be done either manually or automatically. Dynamics 365 Business Central supports Yahoo and European Central Bank (ECB) currency feeds out of the box, but you can add other currencies to the tool using the currency exchange rates setup. 
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  • Human Resource Management: Make the hiring process smarter with a data-driven applicant tracking system. Manage job openings and position requests with ease. 
    • Position Management: Leverage the position management module to track employees’ professional growth, degrees and certifications and credits. Identify useful development milestones to trigger updates in payroll. Review hire dates and staff vacancies to fill up open positions. 
    • Position Budgeting: Categorize employees into batches to automate salary calculations and boost transparency with what-if scenarios. View hourly rate, FTE counts and assignment details and more from a single interface.
    • Substitute Tracking: Use custom rate tables to formulate robust pay rates. Automate pay hikes based on sub frequency, and auto calculate half-day, full-day or hourly pay rates. 
  • Financial Management: Eliminate budgeting guesswork and implement robust financial controls to eliminate fraud and deception. Automate manual workflows to save time and effort. 
    • Accounts Receivable: Receive and process payments faster with the accounts receivable module. Clone and import invoices and apply discounts to them with ease. Make use of graphical indicators to assimilate complicated information within seconds. 
    • Accounts Payable: Clone invoices for monthly bill payments, generate fixed asset records from invoices and automate encumbrance adjustments with the accounts payable module. Auto-populate invoices with the purchase order information. 
    • Budgeting: Access real-time information and printable budget worksheets to create budget forecasts. Use built-in state reports or e-files to create or customize reports based on local requirements. 
  • Employee Portal: Empower employees to access and manage personal information, including work experience, educational qualifications, skills, payslips and more to boost transparency and accountability. 
    • Employee Access: Provide real-time access to payroll history, time-off balances, time-off days, expense reimbursements and more to employees to boost communication with team members. Employees can access W2s and other important forms electronically via a dedicated customer portal. 
    • Expense Reimbursement: Set up default accounts based on expense reimbursement types. Attach notes, receipts and screenshots and empower managers to review details and approve requests from any device. It facilitates transparency in the review and approval process. 
    • Custom Forms: Personalize forms, roll out surveys or event sign-ups and set up virtual signatures for acknowledgment to boost the onboarding experience. 
  • Asset Management: Manage supplies and track the value of assets in real time. 
    • Fixed Assets: Evaluate existing assets and gauge their status to reduce the possibility of shortages and overstocks. Simulate depreciation, log additions and disposals for review by auditors. 
    • Warehouse Management: Get real-time stock updates to see if items are below a certain level. Set alerts and notifications to inform the users if items are under certain thresholds. Leverage built-in reporting capabilities to make informed decisions 
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Product Ranking

#18

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ERP Software

#97

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ERP Software

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User Sentiment Summary

Good User Sentiment 366 reviews
Great User Sentiment 283 reviews
75%
of users recommend this product

Dynamics 365 Business Central has a 'good' User Satisfaction Rating of 75% when considering 366 user reviews from 4 recognized software review sites.

88%
of users recommend this product

Skyward ERP has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 88% when considering 283 user reviews from 3 recognized software review sites.

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4.7 (9)
3.6 (142)
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3.7 (85)
4.4 (137)
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4.4 (137)
4.3 (9)
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3.9 (130)
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Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Easy to Learn: Precisely 53% of users say the system has a simple implementation process and helpful training materials.
Extensive Features: Features include BOM management, finance management, document management, reporting, search filters, accounting and other modules, according to 79% of users.
Intuitive Interface: Familiar layout and guided workflows simplify data entry and task completion for non-technical users.
Automated Processes: Reduce manual tasks and errors with automated workflows for finance, inventory, sales, and customer service.
Actionable Insights: Gain real-time visibility into business performance through comprehensive dashboards and reporting tools.
Powerful Integrations: Connect seamlessly with Microsoft 365, Power BI, and other popular business applications for a unified data ecosystem.
Cloud-based Scalability: Adapt to growth with a flexible cloud infrastructure that supports diverse user needs and data volumes.
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User-Friendly Interface: Users praise Skyward for its intuitive design and ease of navigation, making it simple to find the information they need without extensive training.
Streamlined Communication: Skyward facilitates seamless communication between teachers, administrators, and parents through features like messaging and notifications, keeping everyone informed and connected.
Comprehensive Reporting: The platform offers robust reporting capabilities, allowing administrators to generate detailed reports on student performance, attendance, and other key metrics, enabling data-driven decision-making.
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User Interface: Of the users who discussed the interface, 46% said it was not intuitive and the layout is old-fashioned.
Glitchy Performance: Approximately 67% of users said the program's overall performance is slow and glitchy.
Industry Gaps: While strong for core ERP functions, may require additional add-ons or integrations for complex industry-specific needs like manufacturing or healthcare.
Customization Curve: While offering customization options, extensive modifications might require developer expertise, increasing costs and implementation time.
Large Enterprise Scalability: While cloud-based and scalable, very large enterprises with intricate operations might encounter limitations or require additional configuration.
Add-on Dependence: Fulfilling specific needs may rely on third-party add-ons, introducing potential compatibility and support challenges.
Cost Considerations: While offering subscription plans, total cost of ownership can be influenced by user licenses, customization needs, and add-on integrations.
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Clunky Interface: Users frequently express frustration with the user interface, finding it cumbersome and outdated compared to modern software.
Limited Customization: Adjusting the system to fit specific workflows or unique business needs can be challenging due to limited customization options.
Reporting Complexities: Generating reports and extracting meaningful data from the system is often perceived as a difficult and time-consuming process.
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Users appreciated Dynamics 365 Business Central's user-friendly interface and automation capabilities, highlighting its ease of use even for non-technical personnel. The streamlined workflows and intuitive layout simplified data entry and task completion, especially compared to competitor solutions with steeper learning curves. The automated processes proved beneficial in eliminating manual work and errors, boosting efficiency in areas like finance, inventory, and customer service. However, some users pointed to limitations in industry-specific features compared to more specialized competitors like SAP Business One or Acumatica. While Business Central excels in core ERP functions, complex needs in manufacturing or healthcare might require additional add-ons or integrations, increasing complexity and potentially cost. Customization, while available, also presented a potential hurdle. While offering flexibility, extensive modifications could necessitate developer expertise, raising implementation time and costs compared to competitors with more drag-and-drop customization options. Business Central's cloud-based scalability was praised, accommodating growth and diverse user needs effectively. This stood out compared to some on-premise competitors with less flexibility. However, very large enterprises with intricate operations might encounter limitations or require additional configuration compared to solutions like Oracle NetSuite designed for such complexity. Overall, user reviews suggest Dynamics 365 Business Central shines for its user-friendliness, automation, and cloud-based scalability. However, limitations in industry-specific features and potential customization complexity compared to some competitors are important considerations, especially for niche businesses or large enterprises.

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Skyward ERP is a cloud-based ERP solution that has received positive reviews from users. They praise its user-friendly interface, which makes it easy to learn and use, even for employees who are not familiar with ERP software. Users also appreciate the wide range of functionality that Skyward ERP offers, which allows businesses to manage all of their core operations in one place. However, Skyward ERP is not without its drawbacks. Some users have reported that the software can be slow and buggy at times. Others have complained that the customer support is not as responsive as they would like. Despite these weaknesses, Skyward ERP is a solid ERP solution that is well-suited for small and medium-sized businesses. Its user-friendly interface and wide range of functionality make it a good choice for businesses that are looking for an ERP solution that is easy to use and can grow with their business.

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