The financial platform for discerning companies
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance is a cloud-based ERP platform that has been specially developed for companies that need to manage complex financial processes centrally and fulfil the highest requirements in terms of compliance, transparency and scalability. It combines financial accounting, controlling, budget planning, treasury and reporting in one integrated system, replacing the traditional combination of fragmented financial tools, manual closing processes and error-prone interfaces.
As part of the Microsoft Dynamics 365 ecosystem, Finance fits seamlessly into the tools that many companies already use on a daily basis: Excel, Power BI, Teams and Azure. Financial data is recorded once and is immediately available across departments, in real time and without media disruptions between accounting, controlling and management.
159%
Return on investment
What sets Dynamics 365 Finance apart from traditional finance solutions is the combination of deep process automation and embedded intelligence. Microsoft Copilot is firmly integrated into the platform: It recognises variances in company codes, suggests reconciliations, generates forecast texts and prepares financial statements before the finance team even asks for them. The result is shorter closing cycles, less manual intervention and more time for strategic work.
According to a study commissioned by Microsoft Forrester study companies achieve an average return on investment of 159 per cent over three years with Dynamics 365 Finance, reduce their monthly closing costs by up to 50 per cent and measurably reduce compliance costs.
Dynamics 365 Finance is not made for simple cases. The platform supports multi-company and multi-currency scenarios, consolidated financial statements, intercompany transactions and country-specific tax requirements in over 160 countries. Updates are carried out automatically via the Microsoft Cloud so that regulatory changes such as new tax laws or changes to reporting standards can be implemented directly without the need for complex IT projects.
Companies start exactly where they are: with the modules they need now and the option to expand the system at any time to include Supply Chain, Human Resources or other Dynamics 365 applications.
A finance implementation affects every process in the company that has to do with money. This is not an IT project. It is a transformation project. As a certified Microsoft Solutions Partner, collana supports companies in the introduction and further development of Dynamics 365 Finance: from process analysis to implementation and ongoing operation.
Dynamics 365 Finance brings together all company codes, charts of accounts and posting periods in a centralised general ledger. Accounts receivable and accounts payable, asset management, bank reconciliation and G/L accounting are fully integrated. Postings from the entire Dynamics 365 ecosystem flow automatically into the general ledger without manual transfers. Microsoft Copilot recognises posting discrepancies, suggests corrections and significantly speeds up the month-end closing process.
Dynamics 365 Finance enables granular cost accounting at cost centre, cost unit and project level. Budgets are planned directly in the system and mirrored against actual values. Variance analyses, contribution margin calculations and internal activity allocations run automatically. Reporting structures can be freely configured so that controlling analyses always follow the company logic and not vice versa.
Relevant for: Production & Manufacturing, process industry, Healthcare, NPOs & associations, Food industry
Cash flow forecasts, bank account management, payment transactions and risk management all come together in Dynamics 365 Finance. AI-supported liquidity forecasts recognise bottlenecks at an early stage before they become critical. Payment runs are automatically suggested and can be authorised based on rules. For companies with multiple bank accounts and currencies, the platform provides an overview where spreadsheets previously dominated.
Relevant for: Wholesale & Foreign Trade, Production & Manufacturing, Healthcare, NPOs & associations
Dynamics 365 Finance supports country-specific tax configurations, VAT reporting, e-invoicing requirements and regulatory reporting obligations in over 160 countries. Tax rules are maintained centrally and automatically applied to all relevant transactions. New legal requirements are imported with the semi-annual Microsoft updates so that companies do not have to plan their own resources for regulatory adjustments.
Relevant for: All sectors, especially Food industry, Healthcare, process industry, internationally active companies
Dynamics 365 Finance offers a complete consolidation solution for corporate groups with multiple companies, locations or currencies. Intercompany postings are automatically reconciled, eliminations are rule-based and consolidated financial statements are prepared in the consolidated view. Subsidiaries are managed with their own company codes without the need to merge data manually.
Dynamics 365 Finance delivers role-based dashboards and real-time financial reports that can be connected directly to Power BI. CFOs receive consolidated KPIs, finance teams operational analyses and auditors auditable evidence, all from one system. AI-supported analyses automatically recognise patterns, outliers and trends. Consolidated multi-company analyses are available in a single view for international corporate groups.
Dynamics 365 Finance is not a platform that will be retrofitted with AI at some point. Microsoft Copilot is firmly embedded in day-to-day finance: it detects booking variances, creates cash flow forecasts, summarises closing reports and suggests optimisations in payment transactions. Clean, fully integrated financial data is a prerequisite for AI applications to function reliably at all. Those who rely on Dynamics 365 Finance today are laying the data foundation for the AI strategies of tomorrow.
Not a bit faster. Fundamentally different. When you introduce Dynamics 365 Finance, you don't gain new accounting software, but a new way of managing your company's finances. Real-time data instead of outdated monthly reports. Automated financial statements instead of manual Excel night shifts. Compliance as a default state instead of a permanent follow-up topic. The following companies have taken this step and show what is possible.
Many companies are still working with financial solutions that were once built for a different business reality: older SAP versions, outdated Microsoft Dynamics AX or NAV instances, self-developed systems or combinations of all of these. What worked when the company was smaller becomes a brake as complexity increases. Maintenance costs rise, reporting requirements become more complex and international compliance adjustments consume more and more resources.
Switching to Dynamics 365 Finance is more than just a system upgrade. It is an opportunity to fundamentally rethink financial processes. Master data, charts of accounts and posting histories can be migrated in a structured way so that proven knowledge is not lost. At the same time, the migration offers the opportunity to clean up established structures and reorganise processes according to best practice logic.
For companies that already use Business Central or other Dynamics 365 applications, there is particular added value: Finance integrates seamlessly into the existing ecosystem. Sales data from Dynamics 365 Sales, key production figures from Supply Chain and customer data from CRM flow directly into financial reporting. This is real corporate management, not departmental thinking.
A finance implementation doesn't just affect IT. It changes how a company understands and manages itself. This requires a partner who combines technical depth with a real understanding of finance. This is exactly what collana has been doing for years to support companies in the introduction and further development of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance.
collana is a six-time certified Microsoft Solutions Partner and fulfils the requirements in several areas of expertise: Business Applications, Data & AI, Digital & App Innovation, Infrastructure, Security and Modern Work. These certifications are not an end in themselves. They prove that we not only know the Microsoft platform, but that we have mastered it at enterprise level and are continuously developing it further.
What distinguishes collana from a pure technology service provider is its understanding of what really counts in day-to-day finance. Whether it's group consolidation in wholesale, cost accounting in production or audit-proof accounting in the Swiss healthcare sector: We know the requirements, the typical stumbling blocks and the processes that can be mapped particularly well with Dynamics 365 Finance. This knowledge flows into every project right from the start.
collana not only supports companies right up to the go-live. The aim is a long-term partnership: from the initial process analysis and implementation through to ongoing operation and continuous further development of the solution. More than 1,000 customers in Germany, Switzerland and other European markets rely on this collaboration for projects of all sizes and complexities.
Not every company needs a complete finance implementation straight away. collana offers targeted introductory formats that quickly create clarity and deliver concrete added value without a great deal of upfront commitment. For those who are still in the orientation phase, the finance orientation workshop is a structured first step. Those who are ready can start directly with the implementation.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance is billed as a monthly subscription per user. Licensing differentiates between full users with full access to all finance modules and guest users for read-only or restricted access. There are also costs for implementation, customised configurations and ongoing support, which vary depending on the scope of the project. A reliable cost estimate is best obtained during a structured initial consultation, as the licence model and project scope always depend on the specific company.
Both platforms cover financial processes, but are designed for different company profiles. Business Central is designed for small and medium-sized companies looking for an integrated ERP for finance, purchasing, sales and warehousing. Dynamics 365 Finance is aimed at companies with greater complexity: multiple companies, international tax structures, sophisticated group consolidation and strict regulatory requirements. The decision depends on company size, process complexity and international requirements. collana provides targeted advice on this assessment.
It depends on the scope. Companies that start with the core financial accounting and controlling modules and rely on proven best practice processes can have Dynamics 365 Finance up and running in just a few months. More complex projects with group consolidation, international tax structures, data migration from legacy systems and multiple companies will take longer. Proper preparation is crucial: the clearer the requirements and processes are defined before the start of the project, the smoother the implementation will run.
Yes, Dynamics 365 Finance has modern API interfaces and can be connected to a wide range of external systems, from banking systems and treasury platforms to e-invoicing solutions and industry-specific ERP components. Certified extensions for specific industry or country requirements are also available via the Microsoft AppSource. Where standard interfaces are not sufficient, collana develops customised integrations that are precisely tailored to the existing system landscape.
Yes, and it is one of the platform's strengths. Dynamics 365 Finance fulfils international compliance requirements and is regularly updated to reflect regulatory changes. For regulated environments such as healthcare, the food industry or public administration, the platform offers audit-proof accounting, seamless audit trails and role-based access controls. Industry-specific requirements that go beyond the standard can be mapped via certified add-ons or customised development.
Switching to Dynamics 365 Finance is the logical next step. Master data, charts of accounts and posting histories can be migrated in a structured way so that proven knowledge is not lost. At the same time, the migration offers the opportunity to clean up established structures and rethink processes. As Microsoft support for older AX versions is gradually being phased out, now is the right time to migrate, not when the pressure increases and the room for manoeuvre decreases.