Side-by-side comparison

Gravity Software vs. Microsoft Dynamics 365 BC (Business Central)

A comprehensive comparison of cloud accounting solutions for growing businesses

Choosing the right accounting software is crucial for your business's success. Both Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central (BC) and Gravity Software are powerful accounting solutions. However, they cater to different business needs. BC is an extensive ERP system typically suited for large enterprises, while Gravity Software offers a streamlined, user-friendly cloud-based accounting solution designed for small to mid-market companies seeking an efficient financial platform.
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Looking for a Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central alternative? Switch to Gravity Software for a true cloud accounting solution that simplifies multi-entity management, integrates seamlessly with Microsoft tools, and scales with your business needs.

Looking for a Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central alternative?

Switch to Gravity Software for a true cloud accounting solution that simplifies multi-entity management, integrates seamlessly with Microsoft tools, and scales with your growing business needs.

If you're looking for a powerful, flexible, and easy-to-use accounting solution, this comparison will help you understand why Gravity Software is a smart alternative to Microsoft Dynamics 365 BC. Let’s explore the key features, benefits, and differentiators that set Gravity Software apart.

Table of contents

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  • What is Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central (BC)?

    • What is Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central (BC)?

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    Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central (BC) is an advanced ERP system built to handle the financial and operational management needs of larger businesses. It integrates various aspects of business processes such as financial management, supply chain operations, inventory control, and customer relationship management (CRM) into one unified solution.

    BC has its roots in Navision, an older ERP solution originally developed in the 1980s in Denmark and later acquired by Microsoft in 2002. This legacy solution was rebranded as Microsoft Dynamics NAV before being fully integrated into the Microsoft Dynamics 365 family as Business Central. As such, BC has a long history of being used by larger enterprises with complex business needs, and while it has evolved significantly, its underlying architecture still reflects its legacy.

    While BC is powerful and feature-rich, its complexity and cost make it better suited for large organizations with extensive operations. Smaller businesses or those with simpler accounting and reporting needs may find BC to be overkill, as it often requires significant resources for implementation, training, and customization.

  • Why choose Gravity Software over Microsoft Dynamics BC?

    • Why choose Gravity Software over Microsoft Dynamics BC?

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    If you're evaluating Microsoft Dynamics 365 BC and Gravity Software, here are the key reasons why Gravity Software may be the better choice for your business:

    1. Simplified Pricing Structure

    Gravity Software offers transparent, easy-to-understand pricing starting at $375/month for the first user, with $275/month for each additional user. This is ideal for small to mid-market businesses who need predictable costs without hidden fees.

    Microsoft Dynamics 365 BC, in contrast, starts at $100/user/month for the Essentials plan but requires additional costs for premium features (e.g., multi-entity management, advanced reporting), which may quickly escalate. Additionally, BC requires third-party integrations for certain features, which lead to extra costs. Some of the third-party features include:

    • Payment Portal: Business Central does not provide a native payment portal for clients to pay invoices online. Instead, businesses must rely on third-party payment gateways (e.g., PayPal, Stripe, Authorize.Net) and configure integrations to enable client-facing payments. These integrations often require additional setup and costs.
    • Subscription Billing: To manage subscription billing and recurring payments, BC requires an external add-on, such as Chargify or SaaSOptics, for automated billing cycles.
    • Revenue Recognition: BC supports basic revenue recognition, but advanced features like ASC 606 or IFRS 15 compliance require third-party extensions (e.g., Revenue Recognition for Dynamics 365 BC by Binary Stream).
    • Investment Management: For investment management, businesses using BC must rely on third-party tools like BlackLine or Finastra, as BC lacks built-in functionality for managing securities or portfolio performance.

    In contrast, all these features are natively built into Gravity Software:

    • Investment Management is included at no additional cost, making it easy to manage your portfolio without relying on third-party tools or extra licenses.
    • Payment Portal, Subscription Billing, and Revenue Recognition are considered advanced functionality in Gravity Software, which are available at additional license fees. However, they are fully integrated into the system, offering a seamless experience without requiring third-party integrations or extra setup.

    These additional third-party solutions required by Microsoft Dynamics 365 BC can lead to increased complexity and additional costs, making the overall pricing for Business Central more difficult to predict.

    2. Fully Cloud-Based Solution

    Gravity Software is fully cloud-based, ensuring that businesses do not need to worry about server management or hosting fees. Business Central is also cloud-hosted, but it may require additional IT support for complex deployments or on-premise installations, especially for businesses requiring custom configurations.

    3. Ease of Use

    Gravity Software scores higher in ease of use, with a more intuitive interface designed for businesses that do not require extensive training. Microsoft Dynamics 365 BC, while robust, requires more technical expertise to fully leverage its capabilities, especially for customizations and complex setups. BC’s ease of use rating on G2 is 7.7/10, compared to 8.6/10 for Gravity Software.

    4. Multi-entity management

    Both Business Central and Gravity Software offer multi-entity accounting, but Gravity Software provides a more intuitive approach. While BC supports multi-entity transactions and multi-currency accounting, it requires more custom setup and third-party extensions for advanced features, which can increase implementation time and cost.

    5. Customer Support Quality

    Gravity Software has an 8.8/10 support rating (on G2), reflecting responsive and accessible customer service. Microsoft Dynamics 365 BC has a 7.3/10 rating, indicating that businesses may experience slower response times for more complex issues or customizations.

  • Gravity Software vs. Microsoft Dynamics BC: Feature Comparison

    • Gravity Software vs. Microsoft Dynamics BC: Feature Comparison

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    Here’s a clear, side-by-side comparison of the key features offered by Gravity Software and Microsoft Dynamics 365 BC:

    Better. Smarter. Accounting.

    Gravity
    Software®
    Microsoft Dynamics 365 BC
    True cloud/browser based
    Hosted in Azure, not fully cloud
    Accounts payable automation
    Automated payment processing
    Accounts receivable automation
    Automated reconciliation with connections to banks and credit cards
    Automated revenue recognition
    Audit Trail
    Automatic updates
    Business intelligence
    Requires Integration
    Can run on Apple Mac
    Unlimited
    Windows Only
    Data hosting
    Additional Cost
    Dimensional reporting
    Ease of use
    8.6/10 (G2)
    7.7/10 (G2)
    Editable screen forms
    Developer required
    Inventory tracking & reporting
    Investment Management
    Third Party
    Microsoft Power BI business intelligence built in
    Pro License Required
    Microsoft Power Automate workflow engine built in
    Limited
    Multi-entity chart of accounts
    Multi-currency accounting
    Multi-entity operational reports
    Multi-entity transactions
    Payment Portal
    Third Party & Development
    Purchase orders
    Quality of support
    9.0/10 (G2)
    7.9/10 (G2)
    User definable dashboards
    Limited
    User definable security roles
    User definable workflows
    Complex
    Payroll
    Third party
    Third Party
    Price
    $375/month first user
    Basic $100/mo Premium $200/mo
    Additional users
    $275/user/month
    Not published
    Subscription Billing
    Third-Party
    Download Now Gravity vs Dynamics BC Comparison

     

  • A true cloud-based
    accounting software landscape

    • A true cloud-based
    accounting software landscape

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    As businesses evolve, many are moving away from traditional enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems like Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central (BC), Sage Intacct, and Oracle NetSuite due to their high costs and complex implementation processes. These legacy systems are designed to integrate a wide range of business functions, including financial management, inventory, CRM, HR, and supply chain. While they are suitable for large enterprises with extensive needs, the complexity and price of such systems often prove prohibitive for smaller or mid-sized businesses.

    For businesses that don’t require an all-encompassing ERP system, the flexibility and scalability of cloud-based accounting software like Gravity Software is a more efficient and cost-effective choice. Many growing businesses are choosing cloud-based accounting solutions that offer the essential financial functionality—without the burden of unnecessary complexity or overhead.

    This shift towards cloud accounting software allows businesses to streamline operations, enhance productivity, and lower operational costs. Unlike traditional ERP systems like Microsoft Dynamics 365 BC, which often require additional customizations and third-party integrations, Gravity Software provides a comprehensive solution for accounting and financial management—without the extra cost or setup time.

     

    Success Story: Weight Watchers of Maine

    Weight Watchers of Maine made the decision to transition from Microsoft Dynamics GP (which is part of the broader Dynamics family, including BC) to Gravity Software to avoid outdated infrastructure and costly hosting fees. Their server was nearing the end of its lifecycle, and rather than investing in a costly new server, they chose Gravity Software to support their expanding business needs.

    By switching to Gravity Software, Weight Watchers of Maine was able to:

    • Optimize their operations for better efficiency
    • Cut operational costs by leveraging a cloud-based solution
    • Enjoy a flexible, user-friendly accounting platform tailored to their needs

    Read the full case study to discover how Gravity Software helped Weight Watchers of Maine simplify their accounting, reduce costs, and improve overall business efficiency.

    Success Story: 360 Destination Group

    360 Destination Group was struggling with accounting for its inter-company financials using QuickBooks Desktop (QBD). With five companies and multiple factors in their hospitality business to manage, their accounting team faced inefficiency and redundancy in business processes. QBD couldn’t handle inter-company transactions effectively, and maintaining multiple siloed databases for each company added to the complexity.

    Additionally, their CRM (Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM) couldn’t integrate with QBD, leaving them with redundant data entry and manual work. When it came time to evaluate financials, QBD’s reporting capabilities fell short, and they were missing out on valuable real-time insights.

    360 Destination Group needed a solution that could streamline their accounting processes and integrate seamlessly with their existing CRM system. They decided to move to Gravity Software to address these challenges.

    By switching to Gravity Software, 360 Destination Group was able to:

    • Eliminate redundant data entry and streamline workflows across multiple entities
    • Consolidate multi-company financials into one system for greater efficiency
    • Leverage real-time reporting and advanced multi-dimensional insights for improved decision-making

    Read the full case study to discover how Gravity Software helped 360 Destination Group simplify their accounting, reduce manual work, and gain real-time financial insights.

     

  • Explore more resources

    • Explore more resources

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    At Gravity Software, we provide a range of resources to help you better understand our solutions, stay updated on industry trends, and optimize your accounting practices.

    EBook
    Discover how integrating business intelligence tools like Power BI can enhance your financial data analysis and decision-making
    BLOG
    How to empower your multi-entity accounting team with the right software
    BLOG
    Why use Microsoft Power Platform for accounting
    Advanced functionality
    Microsoft Copilot Integration: Learn how Gravity Software’s integration with Microsoft Copilot enhances your productivity by automating tasks and improving decision-making
    Video
    Watch this video to see how Gravity Software can simplify your payment processing and improve customer experience.
    BLOG
    Watch our 7-minute demo to see how Gravity Software simplifies multi-entity accounting and empowers businesses to manage multiple companies with ease, all on the Microsoft Power Platform.
    EBook
    Learn how Gravity's multi-entity accounting software simplifies financial management across multiple organizations.
    BLOG
    Discover how switching from GP to cloud accounting can streamline operations and simplify financial management for multi-entity businesses.
    BLOG
    Stay ahead of the curve with the latest finance trends and insights specifically tailored for CFOs.

    Ready to take the next steps?

    Streamline your business operations and experience the power of a cloud-based accounting solution built to grow with you. Schedule a demo today to discover how Gravity Software can simplify your financial management and enhance your team’s productivity.
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