Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central includes a built‑in manufacturing module designed for small to mid-sized manufacturers that need better visibility, control, and planning across production, inventory, and finance.
Rather than managing production in spreadsheets or disconnected systems, Business Central brings everything together in one ERP platform.
What Manufacturing Challenges Does Business Central Help With?
Many manufacturers struggle with:
- Poor visibility of stock and work in progress.
- Inaccurate production costs.
- Manual production planning.
- Disconnected finance and operations data.
Business Central addresses these issues by connecting production, inventory, and financial data in real time, so teams are working from the same information.
Core Manufacturing Capabilities in Business Central:
Bills of Materials (BOMs):
Business Central uses Bills of Materials to define what components are needed to produce an item, including quantities and structure. BOMs can support simple assemblies or more complex, multi-level manufacturing setups.
Routings:
Routings define how a product is made, outlining each operation, work centre, and step required during production. This helps manufacturers plan capacity and understand production timelines more clearly.
Production Orders:
Production orders control the full manufacturing process, from releasing work to the shop floor through to completion. Business Central supports different production order statuses so teams can plan, release, and track production accurately.
Work Centres and Resources:
Manufacturers can model machines, labour, or subcontractors as work centres, allowing them to understand capacity constraints and allocate resources more effectively.
Production Planning and Material Requirements:
Business Central includes MRP (Material Requirements Planning) and MPS (Master Production Scheduling) to help manufacturers:
- Plan production based on demand.
- Ensure materials are available when needed.
- Avoid excess stock or shortages.
This is particularly valuable for manufacturers producing in batches or managing multiple SKUs.
Manufacturing and Financial Visibility:
One of Business Central’s strengths is that production activity feeds directly into financials. Material consumption, labour, and overheads are automatically reflected in costs, removing the need for manual reconciliation between systems.
This gives finance and operations teams a shared view of true production costs.
Who Is Business Central Best Suited For?
Business Central is commonly used by manufacturers that:
- Build products from components or raw materials.
- Operate discrete or repetitive manufacturing processes.
- Need integrated production, inventory, and finance.
- Are growing and want a scalable ERP platform.
It is designed with small and mid-sized manufacturers in mind rather than large, enterprise-only environments.
Manufacturing in the Cloud:
Business Central is cloud‑based, meaning manufacturers benefit from:
- Anywhere access to production data.
- Automatic updates from Microsoft.
- Easier integration with other Microsoft tools.
This makes it particularly attractive for manufacturers moving away from legacy or on‑premise ERP systems.
Why the Right Implementation Matters:
While Business Central provides strong manufacturing functionality, how it’s implemented is critical. Configuration of BOMs, routings, planning parameters, and costing methods has a major impact on how well the system supports manufacturing operations.
This is where working with an experienced ERP partner really matters. With over 30 years of experience supporting manufacturing, wholesale, and distribution businesses, Frontline understands the challenges organisations face.
Alongside this, our Business Central practice is led by Steven Nettleship, our Head of Business Central, who brings a wealth of ERP and cloud expertise. His deep knowledge of the platform and hands-on experience means customers are guided by someone who truly understands how to make Business Central work in the real world.
Get in touch – Book a call – Frontline Consultancy and Business Services Ltd
