10 Things You Must Know When Setting Up Your Business Central ERP Yourself

You’ve finally decided to move away from your old accounting software. You’re tired of multiple spreadsheets and manual work. So, you choose Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central to run your business smoothly.

But here’s the catch – you’re setting up Business Central ERP yourself.

Don’t worry. Many businesses think the same. It saves upfront costs. However, it’s easy to miss small but critical things that can cost you later.

Today, I’m sharing 10 things you must know when setting up Business Central ERP yourself to avoid sleepless nights and frustrating errors down the road.

1. Know Your Business Process Like Your Favorite Coffee Order

First, understand your entire business process. Map it from purchase to payment, sales to shipment, and inventory to accounting. Think about it like your daily coffee order – if you forget ‘no sugar,’ it changes the taste completely. The same goes for ERP setup. Missing a step creates confusion later.

2. Chart of Accounts – Keep It Clean

When setting up Business Central ERP, your chart of accounts is the backbone. Avoid unnecessary accounts. Keep it simple and structured. A clean chart means easier reporting and faster month-end closing. Remember, your future self will thank you for this neat setup.

3. Understand Posting Groups Properly

Posting groups connect your transactions to the correct general ledger accounts. If these are set up wrong, your financial statements can look like a messy art project. Spend time understanding how customer, vendor, and item posting groups work in Business Central ERP.

4. Don’t Ignore Number Series

Number series help keep documents in order – sales orders, invoices, purchase orders, and more. If you skip this during setup, you will end up with duplicate numbers or gaps in your records. It’s like skipping line numbers in your notes – chaos later!

5. Set Up Inventory Locations Smartly

When setting up Business Central ERP for inventory, define your locations clearly. Even if you’re small now, plan for future growth. Set up warehouses, bins, or sections properly so your team doesn’t waste time looking for products later. Watch this Business Central webinar that will you a high-level overview what you can expect from Business Central warehouse management module.

6. User Permission – Give the Right Access

Not everyone needs full access. Think of your ERP as a bank vault. Give permissions based on roles. Setting up Business Central ERP with proper user security keeps your data safe and reduces human errors.

7. Tax Setup – Don’t Mess This Up

Sales tax or VAT setup is often overlooked. If configured wrong, it affects your pricing, invoices, and tax returns. Always double-check your tax jurisdictions, rates, and reporting requirements in Business Central ERP setup.

8. Data Migration – Clean Before You Import

When moving data from your old system to Business Central, clean it first. Remove inactive customers, old vendors, and obsolete items. Remember, garbage in equals garbage out. Start your new ERP journey with clean, accurate data.

9. Test, Test, and Test Again

Before going live, run multiple tests. Test each module – sales, purchase, inventory, financials. Create sample transactions. Check reports. The more you test, the fewer surprises you get after go-live.

10. Know When to Ask for Help

Finally, understand that ERP is complex. Even if you’re setting up Business Central ERP yourself, sometimes you need expert help to avoid mistakes. Think of it like fixing your car – some fixes are easy, but for others, you need a mechanic.

How Navisiontech Helps You in This Journey

At Navisiontech, we’ve helped over 100+ small and mid-sized businesses implement Business Central ERP smoothly. Our team understands what it takes to set up your ERP the right way – from chart of accounts to user permissions, and everything in between.

Whether you want full implementation support or just expert guidance while setting up Business Central ERP yourself, we are here for you.

We believe your ERP journey should empower your team and simplify your life, not give you sleepless nights.