How Do Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and Acumatica Compare?

In an uncertain economy, SMBs need to find any advantage. One way to improve efficiency and productivity is by investing in a modern, Cloud-based ERP system with good automation and AI-powered tools. 

Two prominent options for upgrading your ERP solution are Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and Acumatica. Microsoft has been a big name in ERP for decades, and its platform has evolved a lot over time. Acumatica may not have the same level of brand recognition, but they’ve been around since 2007, and their focus on the Cloud has positioned them as a top contender. And both companies find themselves in the Leaders tier of the most recent IDC MarketScape report on ERPs for SMBs: 

According to IDC, Microsoft has the edge in terms of both capabilities and strategies, and it also has a larger market share.   

Here’s a quick breakdown of some key categories: 

Integration and Familiarity  

Acumatica positions itself as an “all-in-one” solution that integrates well with existing software and systems, and Gartner Peer Insights gives it a 4 out of 5 on that front. Meanwhile, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central works seamlessly with commonly used apps like Excel, Teams and Outlook.   

BC will fit right into a Microsoft ecosystem, whereas Acumatica will take some time to adjust to. One reviewer says on Software Advice, “It has been a massive culture change and learning experience for us to change to Acumatica. We are slowly starting to reap the benefits, but it continues to be a long road.” If your team is already familiar with Microsoft products, the learning curve for BC could be relatively quick and easy, which is key for gaining widespread adoption.  

Usability and Scalability  

Acumatica and BC have a modular structure, making it possible to scale up and down as your company’s needs change.   

According to the CFO Club, Acumatica may be “overwhelming and not cost-effective” for small businesses, especially ones without dedicated IT teams, as Acumatica “often requires specialized knowledge.” BC, then, may be more flexible and usable for the average SMB. And with Power BI, you can centralize your data, easily analyze it, and automatically generate actionable reports, adding to BC’s overall usefulness.

Artificial Intelligence  

Both Acumatica and Microsoft understand the value of AI in ERP, but only one of the two companies has emerged as a notable innovator. According to Gartner, Microsoft is a major AI leader largely to Microsoft Copilot. Microsoft Copilot’s basic free version earned 4 stars from PC Mag, and its enterprise version earned an average of 4.3 stars on Gartner Peer insights.  

Acumatica, meanwhile, is considering integrating… Microsoft Copilot.   

If you want to ramp up your SMB’s use of AI, BC gives you the tools right away, and integration with Power Platform can help unlock even greater capabilities.  

Implementation  

Another advantage that Microsoft has is its established ecosystem of implementation partners who know how to help companies get the most out of their Microsoft ERP.   

With an expert partner like Enavate, you can get Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central up on its feet in weeks. More than 3,000 companies have favored our thoughtful, collaborative approach. And many of the people on our team came from Microsoft, where they worked directly on its ERP products.   

We can help you through your entire ERP journey, from comparing solutions to implementing them. To learn more, reach out to our team today.