Supply chains that really work
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management is a cloud-based platform that combines procurement, warehousing, production, quality management and logistics in one integrated system. It is aimed at companies whose supply chains have become too complex for what standard solutions can achieve: Companies with multiple locations, international suppliers, demanding production processes or high traceability and compliance requirements.
As part of the Microsoft Dynamics 365 ecosystem, Supply Chain Management connects seamlessly with Finance, CRM, Human Resources and Power BI. Data from purchasing, production and logistics is immediately available across departments, without media disruptions and without manual transfers between systems.
300%
Return on investment
What sets Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management apart from traditional SCM systems is its end-to-end visibility across the entire supply chain. Microsoft Copilot is directly embedded in the platform: it detects supply bottlenecks at an early stage, suggests alternative suppliers, optimises order quantities based on demand forecasts and automatically prepares exceptions so that teams can act immediately instead of searching first.
According to a study commissioned by Microsoft Forrester study companies use Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management to reduce their inventory by an average of 20 per cent, lower their procurement costs and achieve a return on investment of over 300 per cent over three years.
Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management is built for companies that do not have simple supply chains. The platform supports multi-stage production processes, batch and serial number tracking, just-in-time manufacturing, intercompany trade relations and country-specific customs and compliance requirements. Updates are made automatically via the Microsoft Cloud, so that regulatory changes are imported directly, without IT projects and without system failures.
Companies start with the modules they need now and expand the system as new requirements arise, using certified apps from the Microsoft AppSource or customised extensions developed by collana.
A supply chain implementation affects every process that moves goods, whether raw materials, semi-finished products or finished goods. This is not an IT rollout. It is an operational project. As a certified Microsoft Solutions Partner, collana supports companies in the introduction and further development of Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management: from process analysis to implementation and ongoing operation.
Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management controls the entire procurement process: from the automated determination of requirements based on stock levels, demand forecasts and replenishment times to supplier evaluation, electronic ordering and invoice verification. Order proposals are generated by the system and can be approved based on rules. AI-supported supplier analyses help to identify risks in the supply chain at an early stage and provide alternatives.
Warehouse management in Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management goes far beyond simple inventory management. Storage locations, storage bins, storage strategies and picking logics are mapped completely digitally. Putaway, stock transfer, picking and despatch are controlled via barcode-supported or RFID-based processes. Wave processing, cluster picking and automated conveyor technology integration are designed for high-volume environments. Seamless traceability is standard, not optional.
Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management supports discrete manufacturing, process manufacturing and lean manufacturing. Parts lists, production orders, capacity planning and machine utilisation are controlled centrally. The master planning module automatically calculates material requirements and capacity utilisation and can be scaled to large volumes of data with the new, AI-optimised planning module (Planning Optimisation). Production costs, reject rates and OEE key figures are transparent at all times.
Relevant for: Production & Manufacturing, process industry, Food industry
For companies in regulated industries, seamless quality documentation is not an optional extra, but a must. Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management integrates quality inspections directly into incoming goods, production and dispatch. Inspection plans, blocking lists, batch tracing and complaint management are fully embedded in the material flow. In the event of a recall, every batch can be fully traced in seconds.
Relevant for: Production & Manufacturing, Healthcare, process industry, Food industry
Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management combines historical sales data, seasonal patterns and external market indicators to create reliable demand forecasts. Safety stock limits, minimum order quantities and ABC classifications are automatically calculated and maintained. This reduces overstocks as well as shortages and creates the basis for a supply chain that reacts to demand bottlenecks before they become a problem.
Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management provides role-based dashboards and real-time key figures that can be connected directly to Power BI. Delivery performance, stock turnover, production utilisation and procurement costs can be called up at any time without having to merge data from different systems. For companies with several locations or logistics centres, consolidated network evaluations are available in a single view.
Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management is designed from the ground up to make data usable for AI. Microsoft Copilot identifies supply risks, optimises production plans, suggests rescheduling and prepares decisions so that teams can act immediately. Those who rely on Dynamics 365 Supply Chain today are creating the data basis on which autonomous supply chain agents will be able to work tomorrow.
Not a bit better. Fundamentally different. Those who introduce Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management do not gain new warehouse software, but a new way of managing their own supply chain. Overview where there was previously uncertainty. Automation where previously there was manual labour. Proactive action where previously there was reaction. The following companies have taken this step and show what is possible.
Many companies today manage their supply chain with a mix of several systems: an ERP for accounting, a separate warehouse management system, spreadsheets for scheduling and industry-specific tools for quality or production. What was pragmatic in the early days becomes a structural problem as complexity increases. Interface costs increase, data is never really up-to-date and every exception in the supply chain requires manual intervention at several points.
A switch to Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management is a decision in favour of a system that masters the entire operational complexity. Master data, warehouse structures and historical transactions can be migrated in a structured way so that proven knowledge is retained. At the same time, the migration offers the opportunity to rethink processes: not as a copy of the old system, but as a best-practice supply chain that is designed for efficiency from the outset.
For companies that already use Dynamics 365 Finance or Business Central, Supply Chain Management closes the last gap. Financial data, key production figures and supply chain information come together in one integrated platform. This is the difference between departmental thinking and real corporate management.
A supply chain implementation is as individual as the supply chain it is intended to map. No two companies have the same suppliers, the same production processes or the same compliance requirements. What is needed is a partner who not only knows the platform, but also understands what really happens on the shop floor, in the warehouse and in scheduling. This is exactly what collana has been doing for years to support companies in the introduction and further development of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management.
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 our understanding of operational realities. Whether it's multi-stage production in medium-sized companies, batch requirements in the food industry or just-in-time logistics in wholesale: we know the processes, the stumbling blocks and the points at which standard configurations reach their limits. 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 SCM implementation right away. collana offers targeted introductory formats that quickly create clarity and deliver concrete added value without a great deal of upfront commitment. Those who are still in the orientation phase will find the SCM orientation workshop a structured first step. Those who are ready can start directly with the implementation.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management is billed as a monthly subscription per user. Licensing differentiates between full users with full access to all SCM modules and guest users for 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 core operational processes, but have been developed for different company profiles. Business Central is designed for small and medium-sized companies looking for an integrated ERP for finance, purchasing, sales, warehousing and simpler production processes. Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management is aimed at companies with greater operational complexity: multi-stage manufacturing processes, sophisticated warehouse logistics, international supply networks and strict quality or compliance requirements. collana provides targeted advice for this decision.
It depends on the scope. Companies that start with warehouse management or procurement and rely on best-practice configurations can have Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management up and running in just a few months. More complex projects with several locations, production modules, quality management and data migration from several legacy systems take correspondingly longer. The decisive factor is a clean process mapping before the project starts: the clearer the requirements are defined, the smoother the implementation will run.
Yes, Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management has modern API interfaces and can be connected to external systems: Transport management systems, automated warehouse technology, EDI platforms, quality inspection systems or industry-specific production systems. Certified extensions for specific industries and requirements are available via the Microsoft AppSource. Where standard interfaces are not sufficient, collana develops customised integrations, precisely tailored to the existing system landscape.
Yes, and the platform is one of the strongest solutions in this segment. Batch traceability, best-before dates, FIFO and FEFO strategies, quality checks in incoming goods and HACCP-compliant documentation are natively available in the platform. In the event of a recall, every batch can be fully traced, from the raw material to the delivered product. collana develops additional configurations or extensions for companies with particularly specific requirements.
Both are powerful SCM platforms, but they take different approaches. SAP is traditionally geared towards corporations with highly complex and highly customised processes, with correspondingly high costs in terms of implementation, operation and licensing. Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management offers comparable functional depth with faster implementation, lower overall costs and significantly closer integration into the Microsoft ecosystem. For medium-sized and growing companies, Dynamics 365 is in most cases the economically more sensible and strategically more future-proof choice.