Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central vs. Paychex Flex

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.N/A
Paychex Flex
Score 6.7 out of 10
N/A
Paychex Flex, of Paychex' Online Payroll Services, is a cloud-based human resource management and payroll platform. Paychex offers core and specialized services, and scales to meet the needs of small businesses, SMBs, and large enterprises.
$59
per month/+$4 per employee
Pricing
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business CentralPaychex Flex
Editions & Modules
No answers on this topic
Paychex Go
$59
per month/+$4 per employee
Paychex Flex Service
Contact sales team
Paychex Flex Enterprise
Contact sales team
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business CentralPaychex Flex
Free Trial
NoNo
Free/Freemium Version
NoNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeRequired
Additional Details
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business CentralPaychex Flex
Top Pros
Top Cons
Features
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business CentralPaychex Flex
Payroll Management
Comparison of Payroll Management features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
7.6
6 Ratings
5% above category average
Paychex Flex
8.5
288 Ratings
6% above category average
Pay calculation7.86 Ratings9.0271 Ratings
Benefit plan administration7.04 Ratings7.3156 Ratings
Direct deposit files9.35 Ratings9.3270 Ratings
Off-cycle/On-Demand payment00 Ratings9.1136 Ratings
Salary revision and increment management00 Ratings8.5193 Ratings
Reimbursement management00 Ratings7.9105 Ratings
Customization
Comparison of Customization features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
8.0
16 Ratings
10% above category average
Paychex Flex
-
Ratings
API for custom integration8.015 Ratings00 Ratings
Plug-ins8.013 Ratings00 Ratings
Security
Comparison of Security features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
9.0
20 Ratings
10% above category average
Paychex Flex
-
Ratings
Single sign-on capability9.016 Ratings00 Ratings
Role-based user permissions9.020 Ratings00 Ratings
Reporting & Analytics
Comparison of Reporting & Analytics features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
5.1
21 Ratings
31% below category average
Paychex Flex
-
Ratings
Dashboards5.117 Ratings00 Ratings
Standard reports5.121 Ratings00 Ratings
Custom reports5.120 Ratings00 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
8.8
21 Ratings
14% above category average
Paychex Flex
-
Ratings
Accounts payable9.020 Ratings00 Ratings
Accounts receivable8.419 Ratings00 Ratings
Global Financial Support9.08 Ratings00 Ratings
Primary and Secondary Ledgers10.07 Ratings00 Ratings
Journals and Reconciliations10.010 Ratings00 Ratings
Configurable Accounting10.010 Ratings00 Ratings
Standardized Processes9.011 Ratings00 Ratings
Inventory Management
Comparison of Inventory Management features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
8.7
16 Ratings
10% above category average
Paychex Flex
-
Ratings
Inventory tracking9.016 Ratings00 Ratings
Automatic reordering6.79 Ratings00 Ratings
Location management9.013 Ratings00 Ratings
Order Management
Comparison of Order Management features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
7.9
19 Ratings
2% above category average
Paychex Flex
-
Ratings
Pricing7.117 Ratings00 Ratings
Order entry8.016 Ratings00 Ratings
Credit card processing10.011 Ratings00 Ratings
Cost of goods sold8.015 Ratings00 Ratings
Order Orchestration8.05 Ratings00 Ratings
Subledger and Financial Process
Comparison of Subledger and Financial Process features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
8.4
11 Ratings
13% above category average
Paychex Flex
-
Ratings
Billing Management8.39 Ratings00 Ratings
Cash and Asset Management9.010 Ratings00 Ratings
Travel & Expense Management7.86 Ratings00 Ratings
Budgetary Control & Encumbrance Accounting8.37 Ratings00 Ratings
Period Close10.010 Ratings00 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
13% above category average
Paychex Flex
-
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
7.7
4 Ratings
12% above category average
Paychex Flex
-
Ratings
Project Planning and Scheduling8.03 Ratings00 Ratings
Task Insight for Project Managers8.03 Ratings00 Ratings
Project Mobile Functionality8.03 Ratings00 Ratings
Definable Resource Pools7.03 Ratings00 Ratings
Grants Management
Comparison of Grants Management features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
9.7
3 Ratings
25% above category average
Paychex Flex
-
Ratings
Award Lifecycle Management10.03 Ratings00 Ratings
Procurement
Comparison of Procurement features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
8.0
6 Ratings
14% above category average
Paychex Flex
-
Ratings
Bids Analyzed and Compared8.03 Ratings00 Ratings
Contract Authoring8.03 Ratings00 Ratings
Contract Repository7.03 Ratings00 Ratings
Requisitions-to-Purchase Orders Integrated7.55 Ratings00 Ratings
Supplier Management8.03 Ratings00 Ratings
Risk Management
Comparison of Risk Management features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
9.6
3 Ratings
38% above category average
Paychex Flex
-
Ratings
Risk Repository9.32 Ratings00 Ratings
Control Management9.43 Ratings00 Ratings
Control Efficiency Assessments9.32 Ratings00 Ratings
Issue Detection10.03 Ratings00 Ratings
Remediation and Certification9.72 Ratings00 Ratings
Logistics
Comparison of Logistics features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
7.7
3 Ratings
12% above category average
Paychex Flex
-
Ratings
Transportation Planning and Optimization8.02 Ratings00 Ratings
Transportation Execution Management8.02 Ratings00 Ratings
Trade and Customs Management8.02 Ratings00 Ratings
Fulfillment Management7.93 Ratings00 Ratings
Warehouse Workforce Management8.02 Ratings00 Ratings
Manufacturing
Comparison of Manufacturing features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
7.1
3 Ratings
6% below category average
Paychex Flex
-
Ratings
Production Process Design9.02 Ratings00 Ratings
Production Management5.83 Ratings00 Ratings
Configuration Management1.32 Ratings00 Ratings
Work Execution9.02 Ratings00 Ratings
Manufacturing Costs8.63 Ratings00 Ratings
Supply Chain
Comparison of Supply Chain features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
9.5
5 Ratings
27% above category average
Paychex Flex
-
Ratings
Forecasting9.05 Ratings00 Ratings
Inventory Planning10.05 Ratings00 Ratings
Performance Monitoring10.05 Ratings00 Ratings
Product Lifecycle Management
Comparison of Product Lifecycle Management features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
9.3
2 Ratings
25% above category average
Paychex Flex
-
Ratings
Proposal Management9.01 Ratings00 Ratings
Product Master Data Management9.01 Ratings00 Ratings
Human Resource Management
Comparison of Human Resource Management features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
-
Ratings
Paychex Flex
6.7
247 Ratings
16% below category average
Employee demographic data00 Ratings8.0197 Ratings
Employment history00 Ratings8.0220 Ratings
Job profiles and administration00 Ratings6.8155 Ratings
Workflow for transfers, promotions, pay raises, etc.00 Ratings7.4154 Ratings
Organizational charting00 Ratings1.01 Ratings
Organization and location management00 Ratings7.9138 Ratings
Compliance data (COBRA, OSHA, etc.)00 Ratings7.5132 Ratings
Leave and Attendance Management
Comparison of Leave and Attendance Management features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
-
Ratings
Paychex Flex
7.0
144 Ratings
14% below category average
Approval workflow00 Ratings6.3102 Ratings
Balance details00 Ratings7.5136 Ratings
Annual carry-forward and encashment00 Ratings7.3110 Ratings
Employee Self Service
Comparison of Employee Self Service features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
-
Ratings
Paychex Flex
8.5
249 Ratings
5% above category average
View and generate pay and benefit information00 Ratings8.6228 Ratings
Update personal information00 Ratings9.0239 Ratings
View company policy documentation00 Ratings7.7111 Ratings
View job history00 Ratings8.7168 Ratings
Asset Management
Comparison of Asset Management features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
-
Ratings
Paychex Flex
7.8
40 Ratings
1% above category average
Tracking of all physical assets00 Ratings7.840 Ratings
HR Reporting
Comparison of HR Reporting features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
-
Ratings
Paychex Flex
6.1
164 Ratings
22% below category average
Report builder00 Ratings5.8134 Ratings
Pre-built reports00 Ratings6.9154 Ratings
Ability to combine HR data with external data00 Ratings5.783 Ratings
Onboarding
Comparison of Onboarding features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
-
Ratings
Paychex Flex
8.0
158 Ratings
0% below category average
New hire portal00 Ratings8.1151 Ratings
Manager tracking tools00 Ratings7.9100 Ratings
Recruiting / ATS
Comparison of Recruiting / ATS features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
-
Ratings
Paychex Flex
8.5
59 Ratings
9% above category average
Job Requisition Management00 Ratings9.632 Ratings
Company Website Posting00 Ratings9.730 Ratings
Publish to Social Media00 Ratings6.923 Ratings
Job Search Site Posting00 Ratings6.830 Ratings
Duplicate Candidate Prevention00 Ratings6.928 Ratings
Applicant Tracking00 Ratings9.633 Ratings
Notifications and Alerts00 Ratings9.753 Ratings
Best Alternatives
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business CentralPaychex Flex
Small Businesses
Acumatica
Acumatica
Score 8.7 out of 10
Patriot Software
Patriot Software
Score 9.0 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
Infor VISUAL
Infor VISUAL
Score 7.4 out of 10
Paypro Workforce Management
Paypro Workforce Management
Score 9.5 out of 10
Enterprises
SAP Business ByDesign
SAP Business ByDesign
Score 7.5 out of 10
Infor Human Resources
Infor Human Resources
Score 7.3 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business CentralPaychex Flex
Likelihood to Recommend
8.0
(21 ratings)
7.7
(298 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
10.0
(1 ratings)
8.9
(42 ratings)
Usability
9.0
(3 ratings)
8.0
(240 ratings)
Availability
8.0
(1 ratings)
9.3
(10 ratings)
Performance
-
(0 ratings)
9.1
(10 ratings)
Support Rating
10.0
(2 ratings)
7.8
(245 ratings)
In-Person Training
-
(0 ratings)
4.5
(1 ratings)
Online Training
-
(0 ratings)
7.0
(4 ratings)
Implementation Rating
-
(0 ratings)
9.4
(11 ratings)
Configurability
-
(0 ratings)
7.6
(8 ratings)
Ease of integration
-
(0 ratings)
9.0
(3 ratings)
Product Scalability
-
(0 ratings)
9.3
(10 ratings)
Vendor post-sale
-
(0 ratings)
8.9
(31 ratings)
Vendor pre-sale
-
(0 ratings)
9.2
(32 ratings)
User Testimonials
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business CentralPaychex Flex
Likelihood to Recommend
Microsoft
It addresses well some integration and connectivity issues with other software and adapted technologies: formulation and manufacturing batching software, scanners and bar codes, inventory, financials, emailing of invoices and statement, sales and purchasing... etc. I believe it to be better suited to a medium to large company. Not as simple and seamless as we expected for migrating from another Microsoft Dynamics software product (we moved from GP to NAV). Our staff is going through a tougher time than we thought to learn some procedures. Normal growing pains?!
Read full review
Paychex, Inc.
In my experience, Paychex Flex is well suited for small to medium sized businesses. It has been helpful in streamlining the onboarding process and it is easy to update and maintain employee profiles and records. It has worked will in a non-profit environment where there is clergy pay and housing, which can get quite complicated. I cannot think of a scenario where it would be less appropriate.
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
Paychex, Inc.
  • I like I can enter payroll and if I need to leave the program, I can resume at a later time and my information is saved.
  • I like the analytics & reports features.
  • I like how all my employees have easy access to their portal.
Read full review
Cons
Microsoft
  • The version of software that we currently use isn't compatible with Windows 7, therefore we had to install it using the virtual computer under Windows XP. This created a few additional steps that the users had to go through in order to access the software which generated more calls to our IT Helpdesk.
  • We did research how much it would cost to upgrade the software so that we could get a version compatible with Windows 7, but the cost was way too expensive for our organization. Also, when we need to make updates or changes to the software, there are very few consultants who are familiar with the software so we are limited in who we can use for consulting services. Since we are limited in choosing consultants who can make updates and changes to the software the fees are usually really expensive for their services.
  • There is a .zup file that we constantly have to delete in order for the database to work properly and update. Users get a pop-up about once a week asking if they want to replace the .zup file and if the file is not deleted then the opening page for the software will not show up correctly and the database will not have the most up to date information.
Read full review
Paychex, Inc.
  • Reporting writing is difficult to figure out
  • Employee turnover inside Paychex was a problem, until we were assigned to Neil Williams - since that time it has settled down
  • Pressure to convert personal connection with payroll advisor to using automated service
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
Paychex, Inc.
Overall I like the features that Paychex Flex offers. I am sure that there are other features that I am unaware of, so I am excited to see if there is more that Flex is capable of to make my job easier. The basic features are really user friendly and easy to access. If there ever is an issue customer service is great
Read full review
Usability
Microsoft
It has simplified all processes and reduces turnaround time for month end processes. You can easily navigate through the dashboard which is very user friendly and easily guides you to different functionalities. Duplications of Invoices is avoided because NAV rejects posting of an invoice number already in the system so you increase accuracy.
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Paychex, Inc.
Some things could be streamlined. For example, we could do custom options for the "add items" tab which has so many options that we never use. "Medical Pay" could be something that the system remembers for the applicable employees. Salaried employees' salaries should definitely be auto-filled. Overall the system works well but I think it could be improved to be easier to use and read.
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Reliability and Availability
Microsoft
No answers on this topic
Paychex, Inc.
We have not experienced any difficulties with unplanned outages. Notifications are always made for outages, and they do not effect normal business operations.
Read full review
Performance
Microsoft
No answers on this topic
Paychex, Inc.
Unless there is lag time within the internet, the Paychex Flex website loads exceptional fast, pages load quickly and reports that I need to print or download load quickly. If I need to create a specialized report, once I complete it I receive an e-mail telling me my report is ready to be downloaded. Changing between web pages is fast as well.
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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.
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Paychex, Inc.
Our dedicated representative is one of the main reasons we are sticking with Paychex Flex. If it were not for this person, other platforms could provide the same/similar functionality. It is the ability to speak with someone that understands our business and is willing to get questions answered in a timely fashion that keeps us with Paychex Flex.
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In-Person Training
Microsoft
No answers on this topic
Paychex, Inc.
We did online training only
Read full review
Online Training
Microsoft
No answers on this topic
Paychex, Inc.
It was easy to understand and follow along. I do like the informational videos that we can utilize before we opt to call in for customer service support. It has made a difference since sometimes that resolves the issue I may have had and saved myself a phone call to Paychex support.
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Implementation Rating
Microsoft
No answers on this topic
Paychex, Inc.
Implementation was very smooth. The most cumbersome task was entering the current employees into the system during initial set up, but Paychex staff handled most of that and verified against prior system reports as well as internal reports provided to ensure 100% accuracy.
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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
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Paychex, Inc.
We still use QB Desktop Pro to maintain a Check Register / Overall Balance for the company, but once having tried QB Payroll Online for about 3 months prior to finding Paychex Flex I can tell you that there's just no comparison. QB online is VERY EXPENSIVE and not so user-friendly. I hated every minute of those 6 payrolls we ran through QB online.
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Scalability
Microsoft
No answers on this topic
Paychex, Inc.
Employees can log in at home and get up to date information on their FSA balance and any medical bill reimbursements they may have uploaded. At renewal time they have the ability to make changes to their FSA or for new employees star the enrollment.
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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
Paychex, Inc.
  • I do not believe we have saved anything additionally. The time we've had to spend to get things to hopefully work is sad. This is the reason we've had to turn off all extra "products" of Paychex Flex. Time and Attendance is horrible. Benefits management is horrible. The user experience is horrible.
  • One thing I do not understand is why are updates for states, cities, counties, school districts, etc. not automatically updated? Should we not get a big red flag if we have an employee living/working, being paid in CA, but they aren't set up for CA sick time? If it is required to be on the paycheck stub to show the balance of the sick time, why would we not be notified that we are out of compliance?
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ScreenShots

Paychex Flex Screenshots

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