Managing Your Projects in Dynamics 365 Business Central: A Practical Guide for Busy Professionals

Picture this: It’s Monday morning. You’re sipping your first coffee, inbox overflowing, and your team’s asking for updates on three different projects. One’s over budget, another’s behind schedule, and the third? You’re not even sure who’s assigned to it. Sound familiar? 

 

If you’re running or supporting a small to mid-sized business (SMB), you know the chaos that can come with managing multiple projects—especially when your tools don’t talk to each other. Spreadsheets, emails, disconnected systems… it’s a recipe for missed deadlines, budget overruns, and frustrated teams. 

That’s where Dynamics 365 Business Central steps in—not just as an ERP, but as a project management ally that brings clarity, control, and collaboration to your operations. 

Let’s break down how. 

The Real-World Pain Points SMBs Face 

Before we dive into features, let’s talk about the headaches Business Central is designed to solve: 

• Lack of visibility: You can’t manage what you can’t see. Many SMBs struggle to get a real-time view of project progress, costs, and resource allocation. 

• Manual tracking: Time sheets in Excel. Budgets in Google Sheets. Invoices in a separate system. It’s inefficient—and error-prone. 

• Disconnected departments: Finance, operations, and project teams often work in silos, leading to miscommunication and delays. 

• Forecasting blind spots: Without historical data and analytics, it’s tough to predict future project costs or resource needs. 

Sound familiar? Business Central tackles these challenges head-on. 

What Business Central Brings to the Table 

Business Central isn’t just about accounting—it’s a full-fledged business management solution. And when it comes to projects, it’s surprisingly powerful. 

Here’s how it adds value: 

1. Centralized Project Setup and Planning 

Creating a project in Business Central is straightforward. You can define: 

• Project tasks and planning lines: Break down your project into manageable chunks. 

• Budgets: Set expectations for costs and revenue. 

• Resources: Assign employees, machines, or other assets. 

This structure gives you a clear roadmap from day one [1]. 

2. Time Sheets That Actually Work 

Forget chasing down time logs. Business Central lets your team submit time sheets directly tied to project tasks. These entries flow into project journals, making it easy to track labor costs and progress in real time[1]. 

For finance managers, this means accurate cost tracking. For project leads, it means better visibility into who’s doing what—and when. 

3. Integrated Budgeting and Cost Control 

Budgets in Business Central aren’t static. You can compare budgeted vs. actual usage of items and resources, helping you spot overruns early [1]. 

And because everything’s connected—inventory, purchasing, invoicing—you get a 360-degree view of project finances without jumping between systems. 

4. Work in Process (WIP) Tracking 

WIP is a big deal for long-term projects. Business Central helps you monitor the financial value of ongoing work, ensuring your books reflect reality—even before the final invoice goes out [1]. 

This is especially useful for accountants and CFOs who need to maintain accurate financial statements throughout the project lifecycle. 

5. Flexible Invoicing Options 

Whether you invoice at milestones, on completion, or via installments, Business Central has you covered. You can: 

• Set up fixed-price contracts 

• Handle installment payments 

• Generate project-specific invoices with ease [2] 

This flexibility is a win for both finance teams and customer satisfaction. 

6. Copy Projects to Save Time 

Running similar projects for different clients? You can copy existing projects, including planning lines and pricing, to save time and reduce errors [2]. 

Consultants and developers love this—it’s a huge time-saver when onboarding new clients or replicating successful project templates. 

7. Analytics and Reporting with Power BI 

Business Central integrates with Power BI, giving you rich dashboards and KPIs to monitor project performance [1]. Think: 

• Budget vs. actuals 

• Resource utilization 

• Profitability by project 

It’s like having a project health check at your fingertips—perfect for decision-makers who need insights fast. 

Practical Tips to Get Started 

If you’re new to Business Central or just haven’t explored its project capabilities, here’s how to ease in: 

✅ Start with a Pilot Project 

Pick a small, manageable project and set it up in Business Central. Use it to test time sheets, budgeting, and invoicing workflows. 

✅ Involve the Right Roles Early 

• Finance managers should define budget structures and invoicing rules. 

• IT leads can handle integrations and user permissions. 

• Consultants can help tailor the setup to your industry or processes. 

✅ Use Templates and Copy Features 

Once you’ve got a project structure that works, copy it for future use. This reduces setup time and ensures consistency. 

✅ Train Your Team on Time Sheets 

Time tracking only works if people use it. Make it easy for your team to log hours—and explain how it helps them (not just management). 

✅ Leverage Built-In Reports 

Don’t reinvent the wheel. Business Central comes with built-in project reports that cover everything from usage to profitability [1]. 

What to Watch Out For 

No system is perfect. Here are a few things to keep in mind: 

• Initial setup takes time: Especially if you’re migrating from spreadsheets or legacy systems. But the payoff is worth it. 

• User adoption is key: If your team doesn’t use time sheets or update tasks, your data won’t be accurate. 

• Customization may be needed: Depending on your industry, you might need a partner or developer to tweak workflows or reports. 

Real Talk: Is Business Central Right for Your Projects? 

If you’re managing complex, multi-phase projects—or just tired of juggling disconnected tools—Business Central is worth a serious look. 

It’s especially valuable if: 

• You already use Business Central for finance or operations 

• You need better visibility into project costs and timelines 

• You want to scale without adding more manual processes 

And because it’s cloud-based, it grows with you—no need for expensive infrastructure or long implementation cycles. 

Final Thoughts: Take the Next Step 

Managing projects shouldn’t feel like herding cats. With Dynamics 365 Business Central, you can bring structure, visibility, and control to your project operations—without adding complexity. 

So here’s your challenge: Pick one project and try managing it in Business Central. Or talk to your consultant about enabling the Jobs module. You might be surprised how much smoother things run when your data, people, and processes are finally in sync. 

And hey—next time you’re sipping that Monday coffee, maybe you’ll be looking at a clean dashboard instead of a chaotic inbox. 

Need help getting started? Reach out to us at 📧 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we’ll help you take the first step.