Each April, Business Central rolls out its latest version release. This one in particular, the Business Central 16 Release, comes packed with feature ideas straight from the user community as well as noticeable performance improvements. For us, the latest release delivered; and as consultants, it’s our job to keep our users informed of the latest updates to their system. We’re excited to share with you the top 5 things you can look forward to in the Business Central 16 Release.
1. Visibility into performance issues
With the April 2020 release and the subsequent patch, partners have more visibility into what’s causing performance issues for users. This means better, smoother troubleshooting for all. Previously, if there was a database lock on a customer’s system, we had to open a ticket with Microsoft to identity and resolve the issue. Getting an initial response and resolution could take up to two business days. With the increased visibility, we can see who’s logged in and what’s locked in real time. This helps us identify the issue, cancel any sessions if necessary, and resolve the problem independently.
2. Closing the loop on approvals
We get asked all the time to create a customized modification that notifies the requester when their purchase order is manually approved. People get busy and forget to let their teammate know that the approval request is complete on their end. At Silverware, we call this “closing the loop” and consider it one of our internal habits. We love making this possible for users because it eliminates having to double, triple, quadruple check on something that could be automated. With the Business Central 16 Release, this feature is now included in the base product.
3. A single-click solution for over receiving
Another common issue we’ve fixed for customers is building a process to receive more quantity on a Purchase Order than was ordered. There are plenty of instances where there’s a custom order, (e.g., construction materials) but the quantity often comes in over or under ~10% based on that production run. The old way of managing could involve cumbersome and manual changes to the PO before receiving or adjusting the inventory manually after the quantity was received. However, the problem with these workarounds is that you lose visibility of your original ordered quantity. In the Business Central 16 Release, there’s a new quantity field on the PO to account for the difference in inventory: Quantity to Over Receive, or Over Received Quantity. This field enables you to account for a difference in inventory and update your stock in a single click.
4. Resource lines on a purchase order
Previously, we had to use GL accounts to buy services from vendors. We had to know which GL to use out of the hundreds in the Chart of Accounts. In the Business Central 16 Release, resources are available as a drop-down so that as a buyer, you can purchase resources from a shortlist without having to know your chart of accounts and avoid keeping those account numbers on a corkboard by your desk.
5. Data export permissions for increased security
Before the Business Central 16 release, any data you had access to (customers, items, etc.) could be exported to Excel, then taken anywhere. For some companies, this poses a major security risk. A new security feature lets System Admins designate which users can or cannot export data. This feature is convenient for allowing managers to continue exporting the data they need while restricting access to general users.
Key Takeaways
Overall, the Business Central 16 Release is solid. There’s a nice mix of improvements that benefit both users and partners. Some of these features, such as the closed loop on approvals and single-click solution for over receiving came directly from the community. We appreciate that Microsoft is listening and staying true to their two-pronged approach to deliver on both performance enhancements and user-suggested features.
Nearly all of the features highlighted in this post were submitted to Microsoft and voted on by you, the Business Central Community. If there is a feature you want to see added, head on over to https://experience.dynamics.com/ideas/ and click on Dynamics 365 Business Central. You can search to see if somebody else already has the same idea then add your vote, or you can create a new idea. Microsoft is paying attention!
At any time, if you have questions about how you’ll be affected by updates or news from Microsoft, reach out to us at info@silverw.com. We’re here to help you realize a future that incorporates the latest updates that Microsoft has to offer.
