Microsoft Dynamics SL vs. SAP Business ByDesign

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Microsoft Dynamics SL
Score 7.2 out of 10
N/A
Microsoft Dynamics SL is one of the ERP products in the Dynamics family. This product was acquired from Solomon 2000. The product is typically used by SMBs, particularly in project-based businesses (e.g. construction). It has strong accounting and project management capabilities.N/A
SAP Business ByDesign
Score 7.5 out of 10
Mid-Size Companies (51-1,000 employees)
SAP Business ByDesign is SAP's cloud ERP suite offering, launched in 2007, designed for the SMB market. The product includes a broad range of capabilities including financials, human resources, sales, procurement, customer service, and supply chain. Business ByDesign is a new platform, delivered entirely through a SaaS model, with functionality that overlaps somewhat with BusinessOne, which is also an SMB product, although not a true SaaS product.N/A
Pricing
Microsoft Dynamics SLSAP Business ByDesign
Editions & Modules
No answers on this topic
No answers on this topic
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Microsoft Dynamics SLSAP Business ByDesign
Free Trial
NoYes
Free/Freemium Version
NoNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeOptional
Additional DetailsSAP Business ByDesign is available for a monthly software-as-a-service (SaaS) subscription, based on a base package, user types, and number of users.
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
Microsoft Dynamics SLSAP Business ByDesign
Top Pros
Top Cons
Features
Microsoft Dynamics SLSAP Business ByDesign
Payroll Management
Comparison of Payroll Management features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft Dynamics SL
8.5
2 Ratings
16% above category average
SAP Business ByDesign
8.4
2 Ratings
15% above category average
Pay calculation9.62 Ratings00 Ratings
Direct deposit files9.01 Ratings9.11 Ratings
Benefit plan administration00 Ratings4.51 Ratings
Customization
Comparison of Customization features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft Dynamics SL
6.0
6 Ratings
19% below category average
SAP Business ByDesign
9.2
5 Ratings
24% above category average
API for custom integration6.06 Ratings9.24 Ratings
Plug-ins6.04 Ratings9.25 Ratings
Security
Comparison of Security features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft Dynamics SL
7.3
9 Ratings
11% below category average
SAP Business ByDesign
9.3
5 Ratings
13% above category average
Single sign-on capability7.49 Ratings9.04 Ratings
Role-based user permissions7.38 Ratings9.65 Ratings
Reporting & Analytics
Comparison of Reporting & Analytics features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft Dynamics SL
6.8
9 Ratings
2% below category average
SAP Business ByDesign
9.2
5 Ratings
28% above category average
Dashboards7.15 Ratings8.85 Ratings
Standard reports7.19 Ratings9.25 Ratings
Custom reports6.19 Ratings9.65 Ratings
General Ledger and Configurable Accounting
Comparison of General Ledger and Configurable Accounting features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft Dynamics SL
7.4
10 Ratings
3% below category average
SAP Business ByDesign
8.7
5 Ratings
13% above category average
Accounts payable7.610 Ratings9.24 Ratings
Accounts receivable6.07 Ratings9.24 Ratings
Global Financial Support6.01 Ratings9.22 Ratings
Primary and Secondary Ledgers6.63 Ratings9.22 Ratings
Journals and Reconciliations7.43 Ratings8.82 Ratings
Configurable Accounting7.02 Ratings9.22 Ratings
Standardized Processes7.32 Ratings8.01 Ratings
Inventory Management
Comparison of Inventory Management features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft Dynamics SL
4.3
5 Ratings
58% below category average
SAP Business ByDesign
9.1
4 Ratings
15% above category average
Inventory tracking6.05 Ratings9.24 Ratings
Location management1.02 Ratings8.03 Ratings
Automatic reordering00 Ratings10.03 Ratings
Order Management
Comparison of Order Management features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft Dynamics SL
6.7
3 Ratings
15% below category average
SAP Business ByDesign
8.5
4 Ratings
9% above category average
Pricing6.02 Ratings9.24 Ratings
Order entry6.03 Ratings9.24 Ratings
Credit card processing7.02 Ratings4.51 Ratings
Cost of goods sold7.02 Ratings9.24 Ratings
Order Orchestration00 Ratings9.22 Ratings
Subledger and Financial Process
Comparison of Subledger and Financial Process features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft Dynamics SL
5.8
3 Ratings
24% below category average
SAP Business ByDesign
9.2
3 Ratings
22% above category average
Billing Management6.01 Ratings8.83 Ratings
Cash and Asset Management7.33 Ratings9.22 Ratings
Travel & Expense Management5.01 Ratings10.02 Ratings
Budgetary Control & Encumbrance Accounting6.32 Ratings10.01 Ratings
Period Close7.43 Ratings9.22 Ratings
Project Financial Management
Comparison of Project Financial Management features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft Dynamics SL
4.7
3 Ratings
47% below category average
SAP Business ByDesign
9.2
2 Ratings
19% above category average
Budgeting and Forecasting7.33 Ratings10.01 Ratings
Project Costing6.33 Ratings9.22 Ratings
Cost Capture2.12 Ratings9.22 Ratings
Capital Project Management8.01 Ratings9.22 Ratings
Project Revenue Recognition2.01 Ratings9.22 Ratings
Customer Contract Compliance00 Ratings8.01 Ratings
Grants Management
Comparison of Grants Management features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft Dynamics SL
6.3
1 Ratings
18% below category average
SAP Business ByDesign
10.0
1 Ratings
28% above category average
Award Lifecycle Management6.01 Ratings10.01 Ratings
Manufacturing
Comparison of Manufacturing features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft Dynamics SL
6.0
1 Ratings
23% below category average
SAP Business ByDesign
9.0
3 Ratings
18% above category average
Production Management6.01 Ratings9.23 Ratings
Production Process Design00 Ratings9.23 Ratings
Configuration Management00 Ratings8.02 Ratings
Work Execution00 Ratings8.02 Ratings
Manufacturing Costs00 Ratings9.23 Ratings
Supply Chain
Comparison of Supply Chain features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft Dynamics SL
6.0
1 Ratings
19% below category average
SAP Business ByDesign
8.6
3 Ratings
17% above category average
Inventory Planning6.01 Ratings9.23 Ratings
Forecasting00 Ratings9.23 Ratings
Performance Monitoring00 Ratings8.02 Ratings
Project Execution Management
Comparison of Project Execution Management features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft Dynamics SL
-
Ratings
SAP Business ByDesign
8.3
3 Ratings
19% above category average
Project Planning and Scheduling00 Ratings9.23 Ratings
Task Insight for Project Managers00 Ratings8.02 Ratings
Project Mobile Functionality00 Ratings8.02 Ratings
Procurement
Comparison of Procurement features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft Dynamics SL
-
Ratings
SAP Business ByDesign
8.0
1 Ratings
14% above category average
Bids Analyzed and Compared00 Ratings8.01 Ratings
Requisitions-to-Purchase Orders Integrated00 Ratings8.01 Ratings
Supplier Management00 Ratings8.01 Ratings
Logistics
Comparison of Logistics features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft Dynamics SL
-
Ratings
SAP Business ByDesign
9.2
3 Ratings
29% above category average
Warehouse Workforce Management00 Ratings9.22 Ratings
Best Alternatives
Microsoft Dynamics SLSAP Business ByDesign
Small Businesses
Acumatica
Acumatica
Score 8.7 out of 10
Acumatica
Acumatica
Score 8.7 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
Infor VISUAL
Infor VISUAL
Score 7.4 out of 10
Infor VISUAL
Infor VISUAL
Score 7.4 out of 10
Enterprises
SAP Business ByDesign
SAP Business ByDesign
Score 7.5 out of 10
Oracle Fusion Cloud ERP
Oracle Fusion Cloud ERP
Score 8.2 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
Microsoft Dynamics SLSAP Business ByDesign
Likelihood to Recommend
6.6
(17 ratings)
9.6
(7 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
5.4
(8 ratings)
9.0
(3 ratings)
Usability
1.8
(6 ratings)
8.0
(1 ratings)
Availability
9.9
(2 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Performance
1.0
(1 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Support Rating
9.5
(4 ratings)
9.0
(1 ratings)
Online Training
1.0
(1 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Implementation Rating
9.0
(4 ratings)
8.0
(1 ratings)
Product Scalability
1.4
(2 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
Microsoft Dynamics SLSAP Business ByDesign
Likelihood to Recommend
Microsoft
For a small to mid-size business, MS Dynamics SL is effective. We are capable of managing our finances with a very low risk of error. We have worked with MS Dynamics for almost 15 years and have more than doubled the size of our business in that time with very few issues from the program. We have exponentially increased our revenue and reporting demands and have found SL to be very dependable and stable. The program does have the occasional glitch and those are sometimes outside of the realm of expertise of our IT department. SL support is excellent, but their timeliness is not as urgent as ours.
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SAP
Do you plan on going public at some point? If so, this may not be the best solution for you
Read full review
Pros
Microsoft
  • Provides flexibility for complex project based cost accounting
  • Strong and flexible allocation processer for cost allocations, markups, and pricing
  • A "Flexible Billing" module under the project controller series that allows for multiple billing formats ranging from fixed price schedule of values, T&M or Cost Plus, and scheduled billing.
  • Flexible reporting with options using Crystal Reports, SSRS, a Quick Query tool, and ability to tie into MS Office tools such as MS Access and MS Excel
  • Tight integration with Financials, but also the ability to integrate with modules such as Sales Order, Inventory, and Field Service
  • Customization abilities ranging from a VBA (visual basic for application) foundation to allow customizing existing forms to the ability to use the SDK (Software Development Kit) to build more complex customizations that integrate with Dynamics SL.
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SAP
  • I like the ease of use and the implementation methodology.
  • With SAP Business ByDesign you can integrate other systems with Web Services, and data technology to get information easy and fast.
  • SAP Business ByDesign includes an Analytics Module to create new reports in regards to your needs.
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Cons
Microsoft
  • Reporting in the Project module is lacking functionality. I understand that most companies have specific needs when it comes to tracking project information but the standard reports are not good.
  • I would recommend a product like Management Reporter that is for Projects only. Project Reporter should allow users to pull in all Project related data into reports.
  • Fixing suspended batches. Obviously all of us users have experienced this mess. SL knows what needs to be corrected and there could be some step by step fixes in a separate repair module to do the steps we do in Query Analyzer.
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SAP
  • Time off request could be better. Right now, there is no option for sick time
  • It crashes often
  • Customization could be better
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Likelihood to Renew
Microsoft
Unfortunately, Dynamics' lack of ability to smoothly integrate with our CRM system is causing us to look at other solutions. The efficiencies that we gain by using Dynamics for our day to day accounting are lost in the constant headaches of getting sales quotes to import properly into the system for invoicing. Another major issue for us has been budgeting and reporting. We currently do all of our budgeting and board reporting in Excel, which is too time consuming and inefficient, especially when a system as robust as Dynamics should easily be able to handle this relatively simple task.
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SAP
SAP BYD work centers are consistent and easy to navigate once you understand one work center. The document flow tab that is in each window allows one to see all related transactions. Document flow is important because one is able to see the flow of transactions and can therefore reverse transactions by following the document flow in reverse. It is possible to group items in each overview screen to see what items are open. The system is working as hoped.
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Usability
Microsoft
I rate it a 10 because we have removed the fields we don't need so users can really crank the data into the system. The software was designed for the professional services firm in mind but does a tremendous job for construction firms and "blended" companies that are both distribution firms but project centric as well. Perhaps they drop ship inventory to a project where their employees or subs need to work on a project for example.
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SAP
Because SAP Business ByDesign allows us to improve our work, reduce the operational steps, implement audit controls, allows us found standard reports or it allows us to create new ones if you need more than the exists are enough for your work or your needs. Overall, SAP Business ByDesign allows us to standardize our operations, enhance our work, improve our skills, work over a web environment or mobile interface.
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Reliability and Availability
Microsoft
We have had only one unplanned outage for 2 hours in the last 30 months. We shut down for 30 min to 1 hour once a month, but that is for Microsoft OS updates to the servers. Being a 24/7 world wide operation, the reliability is really important. We do get an 8 hour window on the weekend that we can be down for a short period to install Microsoft Dynamics SL updates, but we do not have many of those. On our last version upgrade, we shut the users out at 9:30 am and were fully operational in less than 6 hours. The upgrade was New SQL server, New SL server and 2 new Citrix servers.
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SAP
No answers on this topic
Support Rating
Microsoft
Support is only used when needed, so unfortunately ,they get all the odd issues. It's a difficult business, but Microsoft and our firm do a great job of meeting customer needs. We get routine feedback that our support services are very good.
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SAP
The Business ByDesign support is stablished since you contract the service with SAP. SAP resolves according to the service level agreement. Currently, we continue with the service and we are using the support channels available. We are receiving the support. The SAP support gets an incident and after that, they contact us to resolve the incident, if necessary, they set the meeting to understand it or we explain the incident
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Implementation Rating
Microsoft
Just to let it take its course. The implementation for me once I became a part of my former organization was pretty seamless. Just get to know the basics and call the support team to ask questions if you need help on an issue, should they arise. They are ready, willing, and able to help!
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SAP
I recommend implementing all workshops during the ERP selection that you need to know very well about the ERP software. It allows us to gather information to accurate the plan of the project implementation. Additionally, we must reach the high-level commitment to achieve the main goals, to define the RACI matrix and communicate to all project stakeholders.
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Alternatives Considered
Microsoft
Of the comparable mid-range ERP systems, Dynamics SL competes at the lower end based on price, but also above the high-end based on flexibility, data, and reporting. Being able to stay with the same core accounting from a $100 million dollar company to a $3 billion dollar company shows the range of capabilities.
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SAP
ByDesign stacks up well against the competition. Companies that do multiple things are usually the best fit (manufacturing, distribution, and service). The more 'modules' used, the fewer competitors will be able to meet the company's needs. It is not inexpensive, but if the needs of the company have the complexity from either a global perspective and need localizations and foreign currency, or a volume perspective and need resources greater than what can be easily housed on-premise, ByDesign should be a top consideration.
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Scalability
Microsoft
Since the backbone of the database is MS SQLServer, the database can be easily scaled.
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SAP
No answers on this topic
Return on Investment
Microsoft
  • More time is spent on manipulating reports which can and should be automated.
  • Lack of electronic invoicing process and other green technology features creates more cost on printing and storage costs.
  • The lack of a user friendly interface requires more training and a bigger learning curve for staff.
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SAP
  • Positive - Access to the real-time reporting allowing for faster decision making especially when fixed price projects are heading into an over budget position.
  • Positive - Complex KPI can now be tracked and as a consequence intensive plans can be made to capitalise on this level of reporting. Staff also have clear visibility over their own performance.
  • Negative - We are a bit on the small side at 30 employees for a ByD solution so it was relatively expensive for us. It would be a much better value preposition above 50 employees.
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ScreenShots

SAP Business ByDesign Screenshots

Screenshot of With the embedded analytics of SAP Business ByDesign this is easily possible for key users or end users to define dashboards that contain tailored reports and KPIs for their roleScreenshot of Screenshot of SAP Business ByDesign comes with many reports pre-delivered by SAP. Customers can easily create additional reports or KPIsScreenshot of For each business document in ByDesign you can open the document flow, which shows you in a graphical the predecessor and successor business docuemnts as well as any associated accounting documents. This shows at what point you are in the entire business process.Screenshot of SAP Business ByDesign includes a Project Management module that is integrated with CRM to sell and bill projects, with HR to staff projects, and with SCM and SRM for procurement.Screenshot of The Financial Closing business scenario helps you to perform financial period-end closing activities to ensure correct financial statements, such as Balance Sheet, Income Statement, and Cash Flow Statement. The Closing Cockpit helps to minimize the risk of missing important steps or incorrect timing.