+1 480 485 7373
Microsoft Teams
Why we write guides instead of news posts
Microsoft publishes release notes, roadmaps and product blogs of its own, and they are the right place for what changed this month. What they rarely answer is the question a controller asks before signing anything: what will this involve for a company like ours, and what tends to go wrong.
So we write evergreen guides. Each one takes a single decision, such as whether to leave QuickBooks, how to plan data migration or how to set up dimensions, and walks through the options, the trade-offs and the steps. When the product changes in a way that matters, we update the guide rather than writing a new post that contradicts the old one.
Start with these guides
Topics we write about
Buying decisions
When to leave an accounting package, how to compare ERP products and what to ask a prospective implementation partner.
Cost and licensing
The components that drive project cost and how Microsoft licenses Business Central, explained without quoting prices that change.
Migration
Moving from QuickBooks, Sage, Dynamics GP or NAV: what data moves, what stays behind and how to reconcile after cutover.
Finance setup
Chart of accounts design, dimensions, sales tax setup and a month-end close that finishes on time.
Inventory and warehouse
Costing methods, locations, bins and the warehouse features worth turning on for a distributor or manufacturer.
Reporting
What Business Central reports well out of the box, and when Power BI earns its place on top of it.
Integrations and extensions
APIs, per-tenant extensions and how to connect a web store, payroll provider or shipping tool without fragile workarounds.
Go-live and testing
User acceptance testing, security roles and the checklist we walk through in the days before switching over.
How to get the most from a guide
- 1
Pick your stage
Early research, active selection, mid-project or already live. The guides index groups them so you can go straight to the ones that fit.
- 2
Read with your own numbers in mind
Every guide explains drivers rather than averages. Note which drivers apply to you: user count, entities, integrations, data volume.
- 3
Share it internally
Send the relevant guide to your controller or operations lead before a meeting so everyone arrives with the same vocabulary.
- 4
Bring the questions it raises
A guide cannot see your business. When it raises a question specific to your setup, that is a good first message to send us.
Who the writing is for
- ✓Owners and CFOs deciding whether an ERP project is worth it now or next year
- ✓Controllers and accountants who will live with the chart of accounts and the close process
- ✓Operations and IT leads who have to keep integrations, users and data in good shape after go-live
Questions about our insights
How often do you publish new articles?
We add guides when there is a question worth answering properly, not on a fixed calendar. Our priority is keeping existing guides accurate as Microsoft updates the products twice a year. New topics usually come from questions buyers ask us repeatedly on calls. The guides index always shows the current list.
Are the guides specific to Business Central?
Most are, because Business Central is the product small and mid-sized companies ask about most. Several cover the wider Microsoft stack, including Dynamics 365 Sales, Field Service and Power BI. Where a guide applies to only one edition or one deployment type, it says so.
Why don't the cost guides give figures?
Because honest figures depend on your scope, and Microsoft licence prices change. A number quoted in a guide would be out of date or wrong for most readers. Instead, each cost guide explains what drives the total, so you can judge a proposal and ask sharper questions.
Can I suggest a topic?
Yes, email hello@d365consultant.com with the question you could not find answered. If it is a question other companies are likely to share, we may write a guide on it. Either way, a consultant will reply to you directly.
Talk to us about your project.
Tell us what you run today and what has to change. A senior consultant replies with a written next step.