Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central vs. SAP S/4HANA Cloud

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
Score 7.9 out of 10
N/A
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central (formerly Dynamics NAV) is one of the ERP products in the Dynamics family. The technology is based on the Navision product acquired by Microsoft in 2002. This product is the best-selling Microsoft ERP platform, and is often used by companies in the manufacturing and distribution verticals.
$8
per month per user
SAP S/4HANA Cloud
Score 8.5 out of 10
N/A
SAP S/4HANA Cloud is a modular ERP that enables users to run mission-critical operations in real time from anywhere, introduce new business models in any industry, and expand globally. SAP S/4HANA Cloud is a SaaS product and can also be deployed in a hybrid landscape for quicker time to value.​ ​​ SAP S/4HANA Cloud is a foundational component of the SAP…N/A
Pricing
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business CentralSAP S/4HANA Cloud
Editions & Modules
Dynamics 365 Business Central Team Members
$8
per month (billed annually) per user
Dynamics 365 Business Central Essentials
$70
per month (billed annually) per user
Dynamics 365 Business Central Premium
$100
per month (billed annually) per user
No answers on this topic
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business CentralSAP S/4HANA Cloud
Free Trial
YesYes
Free/Freemium Version
YesNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoYes
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeRequired
Additional DetailsPer user, per month
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business CentralSAP S/4HANA Cloud
Considered Both Products
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central

No answer on this topic

SAP S/4HANA Cloud
Chose SAP S/4HANA Cloud
It ended up being a race between Dynamics and SAP. The superior SAP EWM was the final decider. In some areas, Dynamics outperformed SAP, especially on API maturity and integrations.
Chose SAP S/4HANA Cloud
Microsoft is an all-in-one business management solution designed for small and medium-sized enterprises. It covers finance, operations, sales, and customer service, and it integrates with other Microsoft 365 applications. SAP S/4HANA Cloud is often seen as more suitable for …
Chose SAP S/4HANA Cloud
SAP provides brilliant capabilities, specifically around alliances with other solutions and alliance partners.
Chose SAP S/4HANA Cloud
More efficient tool to manage business processes and improve productivity in short run.
Chose SAP S/4HANA Cloud
In comparison, all features of the software are the same. All are cost-effective and produce high productivity. The best in SAP S/4HANA Cloud is their implementation and adding more features by doing modifications as per company need. Easy to integrate with other software.
Features
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business CentralSAP S/4HANA Cloud
Payroll Management
Comparison of Payroll Management features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
6.8
10 Ratings
8% below category average
SAP S/4HANA Cloud
8.1
389 Ratings
10% above category average
Pay calculation6.910 Ratings7.8340 Ratings
Benefit plan administration6.08 Ratings7.8331 Ratings
Direct deposit files6.99 Ratings7.6329 Ratings
Customization
Comparison of Customization features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
7.6
23 Ratings
2% above category average
SAP S/4HANA Cloud
7.7
594 Ratings
4% above category average
API for custom integration7.522 Ratings7.8569 Ratings
Plug-ins7.720 Ratings7.7525 Ratings
Security
Comparison of Security features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
8.8
27 Ratings
5% above category average
SAP S/4HANA Cloud
8.3
684 Ratings
0% below category average
Single sign-on capability8.823 Ratings8.5642 Ratings
Role-based user permissions8.926 Ratings8.1673 Ratings
Reporting & Analytics
Comparison of Reporting & Analytics features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
7.6
28 Ratings
4% above category average
SAP S/4HANA Cloud
7.7
693 Ratings
5% above category average
Dashboards7.324 Ratings7.7641 Ratings
Standard reports7.728 Ratings7.8681 Ratings
Custom reports7.727 Ratings7.6631 Ratings
General Ledger and Configurable Accounting
Comparison of General Ledger and Configurable Accounting features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
8.4
28 Ratings
9% above category average
SAP S/4HANA Cloud
8.3
709 Ratings
8% above category average
Accounts payable8.827 Ratings8.2693 Ratings
Accounts receivable8.526 Ratings8.2664 Ratings
Global Financial Support7.615 Ratings7.9218 Ratings
Primary and Secondary Ledgers8.214 Ratings7.9225 Ratings
Journals and Reconciliations8.317 Ratings8.0243 Ratings
Configurable Accounting7.717 Ratings8.0224 Ratings
Standardized Processes8.518 Ratings8.3252 Ratings
Inventory Management
Comparison of Inventory Management features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
8.6
24 Ratings
8% above category average
SAP S/4HANA Cloud
8.3
600 Ratings
5% above category average
Inventory tracking8.324 Ratings8.3588 Ratings
Automatic reordering7.816 Ratings7.8508 Ratings
Location management8.220 Ratings7.9484 Ratings
Order Management
Comparison of Order Management features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
7.9
26 Ratings
1% above category average
SAP S/4HANA Cloud
8.2
607 Ratings
5% above category average
Pricing8.223 Ratings7.9581 Ratings
Order entry8.523 Ratings8.0590 Ratings
Credit card processing6.615 Ratings8.924 Ratings
Cost of goods sold8.821 Ratings8.2554 Ratings
Order Orchestration8.412 Ratings7.8184 Ratings
Subledger and Financial Process
Comparison of Subledger and Financial Process features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
8.1
18 Ratings
8% above category average
SAP S/4HANA Cloud
8.4
240 Ratings
12% above category average
Billing Management8.116 Ratings9.01 Ratings
Cash and Asset Management8.317 Ratings7.8218 Ratings
Travel & Expense Management7.212 Ratings10.01 Ratings
Budgetary Control & Encumbrance Accounting8.014 Ratings7.4187 Ratings
Period Close7.917 Ratings7.9235 Ratings
Project Financial Management
Comparison of Project Financial Management features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
8.7
8 Ratings
14% above category average
SAP S/4HANA Cloud
-
Ratings
Budgeting and Forecasting10.08 Ratings00 Ratings
Project Costing10.07 Ratings00 Ratings
Cost Capture10.08 Ratings00 Ratings
Capital Project Management8.05 Ratings00 Ratings
Customer Contract Compliance10.06 Ratings00 Ratings
Project Revenue Recognition8.04 Ratings00 Ratings
Project Execution Management
Comparison of Project Execution Management features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
7.5
10 Ratings
7% above category average
SAP S/4HANA Cloud
9.3
1 Ratings
28% above category average
Project Planning and Scheduling7.19 Ratings10.01 Ratings
Task Insight for Project Managers6.79 Ratings8.01 Ratings
Project Mobile Functionality6.78 Ratings10.01 Ratings
Definable Resource Pools6.69 Ratings9.01 Ratings
Grants Management
Comparison of Grants Management features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
8.9
7 Ratings
19% above category average
SAP S/4HANA Cloud
8.1
101 Ratings
10% above category average
Award Lifecycle Management6.77 Ratings8.1101 Ratings
Procurement
Comparison of Procurement features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
7.8
14 Ratings
11% above category average
SAP S/4HANA Cloud
7.9
199 Ratings
12% above category average
Bids Analyzed and Compared6.78 Ratings7.7138 Ratings
Contract Authoring6.58 Ratings7.8142 Ratings
Contract Repository6.98 Ratings7.6137 Ratings
Requisitions-to-Purchase Orders Integrated7.812 Ratings8.1178 Ratings
Supplier Management7.111 Ratings7.9176 Ratings
Risk Management
Comparison of Risk Management features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
8.2
10 Ratings
21% above category average
SAP S/4HANA Cloud
9.8
1 Ratings
39% above category average
Risk Repository6.79 Ratings10.01 Ratings
Control Management6.89 Ratings10.01 Ratings
Control Efficiency Assessments6.89 Ratings10.01 Ratings
Issue Detection7.19 Ratings9.01 Ratings
Remediation and Certification7.47 Ratings10.01 Ratings
Logistics
Comparison of Logistics features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
7.4
8 Ratings
8% above category average
SAP S/4HANA Cloud
8.0
160 Ratings
15% above category average
Transportation Planning and Optimization6.66 Ratings8.1143 Ratings
Transportation Execution Management6.66 Ratings7.9139 Ratings
Trade and Customs Management7.26 Ratings7.7126 Ratings
Fulfillment Management7.08 Ratings8.2130 Ratings
Warehouse Workforce Management8.36 Ratings8.0130 Ratings
Manufacturing
Comparison of Manufacturing features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
7.7
8 Ratings
3% above category average
SAP S/4HANA Cloud
8.2
155 Ratings
10% above category average
Production Process Design8.36 Ratings8.2139 Ratings
Production Management8.07 Ratings8.3143 Ratings
Configuration Management6.66 Ratings8.2133 Ratings
Work Execution8.36 Ratings8.2138 Ratings
Manufacturing Costs7.88 Ratings8.1135 Ratings
Supply Chain
Comparison of Supply Chain features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
7.5
10 Ratings
4% above category average
SAP S/4HANA Cloud
7.8
186 Ratings
8% above category average
Forecasting6.610 Ratings7.7164 Ratings
Inventory Planning7.610 Ratings7.9178 Ratings
Performance Monitoring6.910 Ratings7.7170 Ratings
Product Lifecycle Management
Comparison of Product Lifecycle Management features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
8.9
7 Ratings
21% above category average
SAP S/4HANA Cloud
9.0
170 Ratings
22% above category average
Proposal Management7.16 Ratings10.01 Ratings
Product Master Data Management7.86 Ratings7.9170 Ratings
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User Ratings
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business CentralSAP S/4HANA Cloud
Likelihood to Recommend
8.2
(29 ratings)
8.3
(738 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
10.0
(1 ratings)
9.4
(17 ratings)
Usability
8.5
(9 ratings)
8.0
(631 ratings)
Availability
8.0
(1 ratings)
9.0
(3 ratings)
Performance
-
(0 ratings)
9.0
(2 ratings)
Support Rating
10.0
(2 ratings)
6.6
(78 ratings)
In-Person Training
-
(0 ratings)
9.0
(1 ratings)
Online Training
-
(0 ratings)
9.0
(1 ratings)
Implementation Rating
-
(0 ratings)
7.5
(9 ratings)
Configurability
-
(0 ratings)
8.4
(4 ratings)
Contract Terms and Pricing Model
-
(0 ratings)
4.9
(2 ratings)
Ease of integration
-
(0 ratings)
8.0
(2 ratings)
Product Scalability
-
(0 ratings)
8.0
(2 ratings)
Professional Services
-
(0 ratings)
9.0
(1 ratings)
Vendor post-sale
-
(0 ratings)
6.8
(3 ratings)
Vendor pre-sale
-
(0 ratings)
7.2
(3 ratings)
User Testimonials
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business CentralSAP S/4HANA Cloud
Likelihood to Recommend
Microsoft
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is well suited for inventory management in all aspects. Its accessibility, along with my other apps, when out of the office is unparalleled. I find it easy to work with on a desktop or laptop; however, it could use some work on a mobile device.
Read full review
SAP
The software reduces the stress of managing multiple departments in the supply chain sector. It offers great performance for both small and large businesses. With the built-in AI, it improves the overall efficiency of the organization and helps in reducing maintenance. The product customer care and support services are available 24/7.
Read full review
Pros
Microsoft
  • Automate the creation of bills of materials for production. We can now generate a BoM from a sales order.
  • Organization of all data pertaining to thousands of parts, assemblies, and finished goods. Engineering and purchasing have a common portal.
  • We can create sales orders from quotations instead of re-entering them (this did require some bolt-on software). Less redundant work with fewer entry errors.
  • Accounting can provide reports based on specific criteria stored in NAV. We can pull better and more detailed intelligence.
Read full review
SAP
  • SAP S/4HANA Cloud is entirely based on continuously monitored processes enhanced in numerous operational business areas.
  • The solution allows the immediate analysis of company performance indicators due to enhanced functions.
  • Ideally built on future technologies, the organization’s platform aims at providing a system intended to expand based on business complexity.
Read full review
Cons
Microsoft
  • Some functions could be a bit more user friendly, intuitive.
  • Better migration from previous ERP software (especially other Microsoft products). "Growing pains" associated with change?! Maybe.
  • A few redundancies and procedural missteps on menus and tabs can make the portal a bit crowded.
Read full review
SAP
  • The beginner's user-friendly UI can help learners learn easily, and it feels a bit complex.
  • Implementation of AI bot on common tasks.
  • There are no offline functionality that users can use remotely.
  • As the scalability of the products grows, they become more expensive.
Read full review
Likelihood to Renew
Microsoft
We've already decided to continue using this software. It is too expensive for us to upgrade so we made a workaround by using the virtual computer with Windows XP installed on it. We did research replacing this software, but it was a better financial decision to keep what we had instead
Read full review
SAP
The cost of SAP as an ERP is quite high and the switching costs associated with ERP systems are even higher. That being said moving from one ERP to another only happens once in a great while for large organizations. Those switching costs include retraining, IT hardware requirements, outside consultants and more
Read full review
Usability
Microsoft
Best in terms of reporting or coming up with a great dashboard. Seamlessly collaborated with teams without depending on particular device as its web version is the buddy for people with work flexibility. Licensing price and integrations can be the areas of improvement and can simplify the interface which will be easy for a new user.
Read full review
SAP
Day to day data insight is more accurate for manufacturing industry to procure as per forecasted from supplier. Supply and fulfillment cycle becomes more easier. I would say more about performance as we are using this new server so we can see clear difference between SAP S/4HANA Cloud and ECC. Also it has customized business extensions for rapid development.
Read full review
Reliability and Availability
Microsoft
No answers on this topic
SAP
I would rate SAP S/4HANA Cloud’s availability as 10 out of 10. The system is generally reliable and accessible whenever needed, with minimal unplanned outages. Occasional minor application errors or brief maintenance windows can occur, but overall the platform provides a high level of uptime and stability, which supports continuous business operations effectively.
Read full review
Performance
Microsoft
No answers on this topic
SAP
I would rate SAP S/4HANA Cloud’s performance as 10 out of 10. Most pages load quickly, and reports generally complete in a reasonable time frame, even for complex queries. The system handles integrations with other software smoothly, though in a few high-volume scenarios, certain reports or dashboards may take slightly longer to process. Overall, performance is strong and meets the needs of most business operations effectively.
Read full review
Support Rating
Microsoft
It provides one to efficiently be able to manage bookkeeping and inventory without much challenges. One can easily navigate through workflow processes while managing usages and budgets. Being able to produce reports in Word, Excel or PDF means one is able to have a working document to produce trends and graphs or produce pivot tables.
Read full review
SAP
The support system I find great as whenever I run into problems they rectify them quickly as possible they never reacted late the support is just up to the mark for me. They provide many solutions to the problems I faced the [technical] team support is always amazing they [listen] to mean work accordingly.
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In-Person Training
Microsoft
No answers on this topic
SAP
More effective
Read full review
Online Training
Microsoft
No answers on this topic
SAP
I gave this rating because the SAP S/4HANA Cloud trainings were well-structured, comprehensive, and practical. They provided clear guidance on system functionality, hands-on exercises, and real-world scenarios that made it easier for our team to understand and adopt the platform. At the same time, there’s room for improvement in providing more role-specific or advanced scenario trainings, which would further enhance learning for specialized users.
Read full review
Implementation Rating
Microsoft
No answers on this topic
SAP
SAP requires
a lot of internal and external resources to complete its successful
implementation. The cloud version requires a deeper understanding of the
different capabilities of the local systems (hardware) and the connection
towards your local IT team. We found several problems on our systems that we
couldn't foresee before the implementation and roll out.
Read full review
Alternatives Considered
Microsoft
I have personally supported all of the Dynamic family of ERP systems and made the decision to concentrate on NAV as the solution of choice. From a support and development standpoint there are few if any packages that can compare. It is not uncommon for most of the companies that I support to only call me once or twice a month after the first year. This is due to the ease of tracking down problems and errors and the ability for a developer to provide the end-user with routines that automatically correct the most basic kind of error
Read full review
SAP
In our quest for an ERP solution, we evaluated alternatives such as Oracle ERP Cloud and Microsoft Dynamics 365. However, SAP S/4HANA Cloud's reputation for advanced analytics, scalability, and seamless integration with other SAP solutions made it the natural choice for our organization's digital journey.
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Scalability
Microsoft
No answers on this topic
SAP
The platform is highly flexible and cloud-based, allowing deployment across multiple departments, locations, and business units with minimal infrastructure constraints. It supports growth, additional users, and new business processes efficiently. The only reason for a 10 that it’s a perfect that certain highly specialized integrations or legacy system migrations can require extra planning to scale seamlessly, but overall the platform handles expansion very well.
Read full review
Professional Services
Microsoft
No answers on this topic
SAP
I would rate the professional services for SAP S/4HANA Cloud as 10 out of 10. The team was highly knowledgeable, responsive, and provided valuable guidance throughout the implementation process. They helped with system configuration, best practices, and troubleshooting, ensuring a smoother deployment and faster user adoption. The only minor area for improvement would be slightly faster turnaround on certain non-critical queries, but overall, the services greatly contributed to the project’s success.
Read full review
Return on Investment
Microsoft
  • Automation processing, including EDI functionality, has increased employee efficiency and prevented the need for adding additional employees.
  • Implementation of the warehouse functionality, including cycle counts, has resulted in better inventory control/less shrinkage.
  • Implementation of e-Ship and e-Receive, has resulted in greater efficiency and order accuracy.
Read full review
SAP
  • The financial management part ensures every process is well planned and allocated resources are used efficiently.
  • The development of payroll management ensures that all employees are happily remunerated and, hence, very productive.
  • The creation of solid financial reporting acts as the primary driver in decision-making, which brings more insights into development.
Read full review
ScreenShots

SAP S/4HANA Cloud Screenshots

Screenshot of the Order to Cash Dashboard - For the management of the order-to-cash process more efficiently across revenue streams and business models - including sales of physical and digital goods, services, subscriptions, projects, and bundles.Screenshot of a Sales Management Overview - Helps ensure sales reps meet their goals with an overview of orders and key sales performance metrics, with status tracking for each order in real time for the early detection of potential issues.Screenshot of the Purchasing Spend Dashboard - For weighing various aspects of purchasing spend through quick access to clear, complete, and real-time data, with less risk, and without opening different reports and transactions.Screenshot of Operational Supplier Evaluation - Provides a transparent overview of suppliers. Users can approve the most reliable vendors and get the right mix to serve business needs while reducing risk.Screenshot of Inventory Management - Provides visibility to manage supply chains, to mitigate risk, avoid unnecessary costs, maximize efficiency, and fulfill customer orders on time.Screenshot of Inventory Processing - Enables real-time supply chain visibility and provides meaningful metrics, with customizable dashboards and reports that display real-time inventory that track the status of inbound and outbound deliveries.