Dynamics 365 for Manufacturing: Features, Benefits & Costs
Comprehensive guide to Dynamics 365 for manufacturing. Explore key features, modules, implementation considerations, pricing, and why manufacturing companies choose Dynamics 365.
Dynamics 365 for Manufacturing
Dynamics 365 is a cloud-native with on-premise options ERP solution from Microsoft that provides manufacturing companies with the tools they need to streamline operations, improve efficiency, and drive growth. With capabilities spanning Finance, Supply Chain Management, Business Central, Commerce, and more, Dynamics 365 addresses the unique challenges facing today's manufacturing organizations.
Manufacturing companies face increasing pressure around production efficiency and throughput optimization, quality control and compliance, supply chain disruption management. Dynamics 365 provides purpose-built functionality to help organizations overcome these challenges while maintaining compliance with standards such as ISO 9001, OSHA, EPA environmental regulations.
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Key Features and Modules for Manufacturing
Dynamics 365 offers a comprehensive set of features tailored for manufacturing operations:
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Production planning: Dynamics 365 provides robust production planning capabilities that help manufacturing organizations manage their production planning processes more effectively, with real-time visibility and automation to reduce manual effort.
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Bill of materials (BOM): Dynamics 365 provides robust bill of materials (bom) capabilities that help manufacturing organizations manage their bill of materials (bom) processes more effectively, with real-time visibility and automation to reduce manual effort.
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Shop floor control: Dynamics 365 provides robust shop floor control capabilities that help manufacturing organizations manage their shop floor control processes more effectively, with real-time visibility and automation to reduce manual effort.
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Quality management: Dynamics 365 provides robust quality management capabilities that help manufacturing organizations manage their quality management processes more effectively, with real-time visibility and automation to reduce manual effort.
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MRP/MRP II: Dynamics 365 provides robust mrp/mrp ii capabilities that help manufacturing organizations manage their mrp/mrp ii processes more effectively, with real-time visibility and automation to reduce manual effort.
Beyond these core modules, Dynamics 365 offers seamless Microsoft 365, Teams, and Power Platform integration, Power BI analytics built in, and modular licensing—pay for what you need to provide a complete solution for manufacturing businesses.
Benefits for Manufacturing Companies
Implementing Dynamics 365 can deliver significant benefits for manufacturing organizations:
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End-to-end production visibility: Dynamics 365's integrated platform ensures that manufacturing companies can achieve end-to-end production visibility, reducing inefficiencies and improving overall performance.
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Automated scheduling and capacity planning: Dynamics 365's integrated platform ensures that manufacturing companies can achieve automated scheduling and capacity planning, reducing inefficiencies and improving overall performance.
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Real-time inventory tracking: Dynamics 365's integrated platform ensures that manufacturing companies can achieve real-time inventory tracking, reducing inefficiencies and improving overall performance.
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Reduced scrap and rework: Dynamics 365's integrated platform ensures that manufacturing companies can achieve reduced scrap and rework, reducing inefficiencies and improving overall performance.
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Streamlined supplier collaboration: Dynamics 365's integrated platform ensures that manufacturing companies can achieve streamlined supplier collaboration, reducing inefficiencies and improving overall performance.
Ready to evaluate Dynamics 365 for your manufacturing business? Get a personalized pricing estimate based on your specific requirements, or connect with a certified implementation partner who specializes in manufacturing.
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Implementation Considerations
When implementing Dynamics 365 for a manufacturing organization, there are several important factors to consider:
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Timeline: A typical Dynamics 365 implementation for manufacturing companies takes 3–12 months, depending on the scope of modules deployed and degree of customization required.
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Data migration: Manufacturing organizations often have complex data structures spanning production planning, bill of materials (BOM), shop floor control that must be carefully mapped and migrated to Dynamics 365.
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Regulatory compliance: With manufacturing regulations including ISO 9001 and OSHA, the implementation must ensure all compliance requirements are configured from day one.
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Change management: Training and change management are critical for adoption. Dynamics 365's modern interface and guided workflows can help ease the transition for end users.
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Integration requirements: Most manufacturing companies need Dynamics 365 to integrate with existing systems. Dynamics 365 supports this through open APIs and pre-built connectors, though integration complexity should be scoped early.
Pricing and Cost Considerations
Dynamics 365 pricing for manufacturing companies starts at $70/user/month for Finance, $65/user/month for Business Central. The total cost of ownership depends on:
- User count and licensing: $65–$210/user/month depending on the application
- Modules selected: Manufacturing-specific modules such as production planning, bill of materials (BOM), shop floor control may require additional licensing
- Implementation services: Professional services for configuration, customization, data migration, and training
- Ongoing costs: Annual maintenance, support, and cloud hosting fees
For a detailed cost estimate tailored to your manufacturing requirements, get a custom Dynamics 365 pricing quote.
Why Choose Dynamics 365 for Manufacturing?
Dynamics 365 stands out as a strong ERP solution for manufacturing companies for several key reasons:
- Seamless Microsoft 365, Teams, and Power Platform integration helps manufacturing organizations gain a competitive edge
- Power BI analytics built in ensures smooth end-to-end operations
- Copilot AI assistance across modules supports growth and geographic expansion
- Industry-specific functionality for production planning, bill of materials (BOM), shop floor control addresses the unique needs of manufacturing businesses
- Compliance with ISO 9001 and OSHA is built into the platform
Get Started with Dynamics 365 for Manufacturing
Ready to move forward? Here are your recommended next steps:
- Get Dynamics 365 Pricing — Receive a personalized cost estimate based on your manufacturing requirements
- Find a Certified Partner — Connect with Dynamics 365 implementation partners who specialize in manufacturing
- Compare Dynamics 365 — See how Dynamics 365 compares to other ERP solutions for manufacturing
- Define Your ERP Requirements — Use our free tool to build your manufacturing ERP requirements checklist
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Dynamics 365 for Manufacturing?
Dynamics 365 for Manufacturing is a cloud-native with on-premise options ERP solution designed to help manufacturing organizations manage their core business processes including production planning, bill of materials (BOM), shop floor control, quality management. It is developed by Microsoft and is widely used by manufacturing companies ranging from mid-size businesses to large enterprises.
How much does Dynamics 365 cost for manufacturing companies?
Dynamics 365 pricing for manufacturing organizations starts at $70/user/month for Finance, $65/user/month for Business Central. Total cost depends on the number of users, modules selected (such as production planning and bill of materials (BOM)), and implementation requirements. Get a personalized Dynamics 365 quote for your manufacturing organization.
How long does it take to implement Dynamics 365 in a manufacturing organization?
Implementation timelines for Dynamics 365 in manufacturing typically range from 3 to 12 months, depending on the complexity of operations, number of modules, and extent of customization required. A phased approach is often recommended to reduce risk and accelerate time to value. Find an implementation partner to help plan your rollout.
Does Dynamics 365 support ISO 9001 compliance?
Yes, Dynamics 365 includes features and configurations that support compliance with ISO 9001, OSHA, EPA environmental regulations. The platform provides audit trails, reporting tools, and process controls that help manufacturing organizations meet their regulatory obligations. Implementation partners can further customize compliance workflows to match specific requirements.
Can Dynamics 365 integrate with other manufacturing systems?
Dynamics 365 offers robust integration capabilities through APIs, middleware, and pre-built connectors that enable connectivity with other manufacturing systems including specialized production planning software, shop floor control platforms, and third-party applications. This ensures manufacturing companies can maintain a connected technology ecosystem.
What are the main benefits of Dynamics 365 for manufacturing companies?
The primary benefits of Dynamics 365 for manufacturing companies include end-to-end production visibility, automated scheduling and capacity planning, and real-time inventory tracking. The platform also provides seamless Microsoft 365, Teams, and Power Platform integration and Power BI analytics built in to help manufacturing organizations improve operational efficiency and drive growth.
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