An ERP for zoos: Dynamics 365 Business Central

Unify ticketing, memberships, conservation projects, finance, retail, facilities and daily operations in one connected system. Dynamics 365 Business Central helps zoos improve guest experiences, streamline administration and strengthen sustainability goals.  

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Why zoos need Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central

Zoos and wildlife parks manage highly diverse operations: animal care, conservation programmes, education events, membership schemes, admissions, retail outlets, donations, staff scheduling and facility maintenance. Many rely on multiple systems for ticketing, member engagement, point‑of‑sale and donations whilst finance, stock and operational management sit elsewhere. This creates fragmentation that limits efficiency and visibility. 

Zoo‑management software used across the sector supports ticketing, membership management, POS transactions and visitor engagement. It helps attract and manage guests, organise visits and streamline admissions. Platforms such as Parker provide tools for admissions, memberships, donations and field‑trip organisation from one interface, reducing operational burden.  

Dynamics 365 Business Central complements these systems by bringing together the financial, operational and logistical backbone that zoos need. It acts as the core ERP layer for inventory, procurement, finance, HR‑related data, retail, food services, facilities upkeep and conservation‑programme administration, helping zoos centralise essential operations while integrating with specialist animal‑care or ticketing tools. 

 

Meet Business Central: an ERP designed for multi‑function zoo operations 

Zoos require systems that support diverse teams, safe visitor experiences and mission‑driven conservation work. Business Central brings these functions together in one place. 

Unified operational workflows 

Business Central centralises finance, purchasing, facilities management, retail, stock, food distribution, donations, membership integration and reporting. Zoo and aquarium software tools help operators enhance visitor‑facing tasks, while Business Central supports the internal operations behind them. Using industry‑specific apps and extensions, Business Central can be tailored to unique zoo‑sector needs.  

Better decision making 

Business Central provides dashboards that show revenue, visitor levels, membership renewals, retail performance, staff utilisation, conservation‑project funding and operating costs. Zoo‑management platforms emphasise the importance of data‑driven insights to streamline operations and improve outcomes. 

Scalable for small wildlife parks or major zoological institutions 

Whether you manage a small community zoo, a national wildlife park or a multi‑site conservation organisation, Business Central can adapt through flexible extensions and integrations. Comprehensive zoo‑management tools are used across small and large wildlife centres in the sector.  

Cost efficiency 

Automation reduces manual work across procurement, stock tracking, maintenance scheduling, financial reporting and retail operations. Zoo‑management solutions help teams increase efficiency and improve visitor experiences without increasing workload.  

Compliance and documentation 

Zoos must maintain strict animal‑welfare records (handled by specialist animal‑care systems), safety documentation, food‑prep safety records, facility audits, and financial compliance. Business Central supports audit trails, approvals and secure record‑keeping for all non‑clinical operations. 

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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 to support animal welfare, visitor engagement and conservation operations       

Business Central strengthens back‑office and visitor‑facing functions by bringing operations, finance and logistics into a single system. 

Admissions, ticketing and memberships      

Specialised zoo‑management tools support ticketing, access control, membership sales and renewals. Systems like Parker simplify admissions, manage memberships and improve visitor journeys. Business Central integrates with these platforms to consolidate financial, operational and reporting data.  

Retail and hospitality operations   

Zoos often operate cafés, kiosks, gift shops and seasonal stands. Business Central manages retail stock, cost-of-goods, pricing, POS integration and centralised financials. Zoo software platforms include POS functionalities shown to enhance guest journeys and improve operations.  

Facilities and asset management  

Manage maintenance tasks, habitat upkeep, vehicles, equipment, catering equipment and grounds. Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central provides tools for maintenance planning, budget controls and asset tracking.  

Inventory and supply management 

Manage feed stock, medical supplies (non‑prescription items), maintenance materials, retail stock and conservation‑project resources. Business Central’s inventory and purchasing tools ensure availability, traceability and cost control. 

Conservation and education programme support     

Zoos often run special projects, grants, education programmes and conservation initiatives. Business Central allows these to be managed like structured projects with budgets, tasks, reporting and cost tracking.

Finance and reporting governance

Business Central centralises accounting, budgets, donor revenue, sponsorships, payroll‑related data, subsidies, conservation‑grant funding and operational expenditure. It provides real‑time visibility across departments and improves financial governance. 

Why zoos choose Dynamics 365 Business Central

Improve visitor and member experience 

Business Central integrates with ticketing and membership tools to help provide smoother admissions, better renewals and improved engagement. Zoo‑management solutions enable effective membership and visitor‑management workflows.  

Increase retail and hospitality efficiency 

With accurate stock, streamlined purchasing and unified reporting, zoos can operate more efficient gift shops and cafés. Integrated zoo‑management tools enhance retail and POS operations.  

Strengthen operational oversight 

Centralised finance, maintenance, inventory and procurement help zoos maintain high standards while controlling costs. 

Support conservation and education accountability 

Business Central allows teams to track funding, commitments, spending and impact clearly. 

Scale operations across departments and sites 

Multi‑site wildlife organisations benefit from the consistency, reporting structures and shared data that Business Central provides. 

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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

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 zoo operations with an ERP built for wildlife and visitor‑focused organisations     

Zoos and wildlife parks need dependable systems that support daily operations, visitor engagement and mission‑led conservation work. Business Central unifies finance, maintenance, inventory, retail, membership‑integration and reporting so your teams can operate more efficiently and provide exceptional guest experiences. 

To learn more about Business Central for zoos — 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 zoos?

It is an ERP system that unifies financials, purchasing, maintenance, retail, inventory and operational functions for zoos and wildlife parks.

Does Business Central support ticketing and membership?

Yes, via integrations with zoo‑management platforms that handle admissions and memberships.

Can it manage retail operations such as cafés and gift shops?

Yes. Business Central manages POS integrations, stock, margins and reporting.

Does Business Central help with conservation‑project administration?

Yes. It allows conservation and education initiatives to be tracked as structured projects.

Can Business Central support multi‑site wildlife organisations?

Yes. It supports multi‑entity processes, consolidated reporting and cross‑site operations.

Does it reduce administrative workload?

Yes. Automation reduces manual tasks across finance, stock, reporting and maintenance scheduling.

Can Business Central integrate with animal‑care systems?

Yes. Specialist clinical/animal‑care tools remain separate, but integrate with Business Central for operational data.

Is Business Central secure and cloud‑based?

Yes. It is a secure Microsoft cloud ERP system.

Does it support visitor‑experience improvements?

Yes. Through integrations with ticketing, membership and POS systems.

How soon do zoos see value?

Many see improvement once finance, inventory, maintenance and retail data are centralised.