An ERP for the retail industry: Dynamics 365 Business Central

Unify POS, e‑commerce, inventory, finance and customer service in one connected system. Dynamics 365 Business Central helps retailers reduce manual work, improve stock accuracy and deliver better customer experiences. 

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Why retailers need Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central

Retail is fast‑paced and margin‑sensitive. Whether you manage a single store, a multi‑site chain or a growing e‑commerce operation, you must juggle stock control, purchasing, supplier management, POS activity, financial reporting and customer service. When these processes sit across different systems, the risk of stockouts, fulfilment delays, pricing issues and inaccurate reporting increases. 

Dynamics 365 Business Central is widely adopted in retail because it connects point‑of‑sale (POS), inventory, finance and online sales channels in one cloud‑based ERP platform. Retail accelerators built on Business Central consolidate POS, inventory and financial operations into one system.

The platform supports retailers by automating sales orders, monitoring stock availability and flagging operational issues in real time. Retailers also benefit from omnichannel capabilities. Business Central integrates stock data across stores, warehouses and online platforms to provide a single view of inventory.  

 

Meet Business Central: an ERP designed for growing retail businesses  

Business Central helps retailers unify data, streamline workflows and gain clearer visibility over store and online performance. 

Unified retail operations 

Business Central centralises POS, purchasing, stock, pricing, finance and reporting. Retail‑specific solutions built on Business Central integrate POS and ERP into a single retail‑inventory platform, providing a clear view of stock across all channels. Solutions such as POS365 and retail accelerators provide real‑time synchronisation between in‑store POS and ERP data.

Better decision making 

With real‑time dashboards, retail leaders can monitor product performance, profitability, stock velocity, pricing trends and customer demand. Retail case studies highlight how Business Central gives managers better insights into sales and customer engagement. This helps teams adjust purchasing, pricing and replenishment strategies quickly.  

Scalable for single‑store or multi‑location retailers 

Business Central supports retailers as they grow from small shops to multi‑location chains or hybrid retail‑e‑commerce businesses. Retail implementations focus on eliminating inventory errors, automating multi‑channel order processing and providing real‑time visibility across sales, stock and finance.  

Cost efficiency

Automation reduces admin effort across purchasing, stock counts, order fulfilment, returns and financial processes. Retail ERP solutions help reduce inventory errors and streamline processes for omnichannel retailers.  

Compliance and audit control 

Business Central supports accurate financial reporting, margin monitoring, purchase approvals and audit‑ready records. All are essential for retail governance.

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Discover how Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central works

Why your business needs an ERP

82%

of businesses are utilising an ERP

1 in 5

businesses are dissatisfied with their current ERP

96%

of businesses say using an ERP has contributed to achieving business outcomes

Data taken from a survey we commissioned in December 2024

ERP designed for omnichannel, POS‑driven and customer‑centric retail   

Business Central gives teams the tools needed to run stock, sales and fulfilment operations reliably across channels. 

Point‑of‑sale and customer service     

Business Central connects directly to retail POS systems, enabling immediate synchronisation of sales, payments, returns and customer information. POS365 for Business Central provides real‑time updates across sales, inventory and finance. This helps teams serve customers faster and maintain accurate records.   

Inventory and supply‑chain control  

Accurate inventory is essential in retail. Business Central provides a central stock ledger for stores, warehouses and online channels, helping teams prevent stockouts and over‑ordering. Retail ERP solutions unify POS and inventory for improved accuracy and omnichannel visibility.  

E‑commerce and marketplace integration   

Retailers can integrate Business Central with Shopify and other e‑commerce platforms, enabling synced orders, stock and pricing across channels. Retail guides highlight how Business Central supports online sales operations and integrations.  

Purchasing and supplier management 

Manage suppliers, purchase orders, lead times, delivery schedules and cost changes in one system with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. Retail ERP helps eliminate stock discrepancies and streamline reordering workflows.  

Financial management and reporting   

Track revenue, margins, stock value, cashflow and retail KPIs in real time. Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central automates payables, monitors sales orders and flags issues proactively.  

Why retailers choose Dynamics 365 Business Central

Improve stock accuracy and demand forecasting 

Centralised inventory helps retailers track stock in real time and reduce replenishment errors. Retail systems built on Business Central support inventory optimisation and purchase planning.  

Deliver consistent omnichannel fulfilment 

With integrated inventory across stores and online channels, retailers can ensure accurate order fulfilment, click‑and‑collect operations and smooth returns. Omnichannel ERP improves customer experience and operational consistency.

Enhance customer engagement 

Connected CRM and sales functionality enable retailers to track customer interactions, loyalty and purchase behaviour. Retail CRM success stories show improved engagement and sales performance.

Reduce manual work across retail operations

Automated order processing, stock adjustments, pricing updates and reporting reduce admin overhead. Retail ERP implementations help remove operational bottlenecks and boost efficiency.

Support business growth  

Business Central helps retailers scale new stores, expand online sales and add new supply‑chain locations without changing systems.

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Download our report

The Dynamics of Success

Get a better understanding of the benefits of using a CRM system - allowing businesses like yours to overcome fragmented systems and disconnected workflows. Don't just read about them either, our report provides you with actionable insights and practical recommendations so that you can begin to make data-led decisions.

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Download our report

The Dynamics of Success

Get a better understanding of the benefits of using a CRM system - allowing businesses like yours to overcome fragmented systems and disconnected workflows. Don't just read about them either, our report provides you with actionable insights and practical recommendations so that you can begin to make data-led decisions.

the-dynamics-of-success-report-download-1

Strengthen your retail operations with an ERP built for fast‑moving commerce   

Retail teams need accurate stock data, efficient workflows and dependable financial management to compete. Business Central brings POS, inventory, purchasing, finance and customer data into one unified system. Helping retailers deliver better experiences with less manual effort. 

To learn more about Business Central for retail — or to book an assessment — get in touch using the form below.

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Frequently asked questions

What is Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central for retailers?

It is an ERP that unifies POS, inventory, purchasing, finance, CRM and omnichannel operations into one connected system.

Can Business Central integrate with retail POS systems?

Yes. Retail solutions such as POS365 integrate fully with Business Central to unify sales and inventory.

Does Business Central support e‑commerce platforms?

Yes. Many retailers integrate Business Central with Shopify and other online platforms.

How does Business Central help with stock accuracy?

It centralises stock across stores, warehouses and online channels, providing real‑time visibility.

Can Business Central simplify multi‑store operations?

Yes. It supports multi‑location inventory, shared purchasing and consolidated reporting.

Does Business Central reduce administrative workload?

Yes. Automation reduces manual tasks across purchasing, stock control, pricing and reporting.

Does it support CRM for retail?

Yes. Retail CRM tools built on Business Central improve customer engagement and sales.

Is Business Central secure and cloud‑based?

Yes. It is a Microsoft cloud ERP with strong security and partner support.

Can Business Central improve supply‑chain visibility?

Yes. It provides real‑time updates on stock, suppliers, purchasing and fulfilment.

How soon do retailers see value?

Retailers often see improvements once stock, POS and finance systems are centralised.