Odoo vs Dynamics 365 Business Central

Last Updated:

Our analysts compared Odoo vs Dynamics 365 Business Central based on data from our 400+ point analysis of ERP Software, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

Odoo Software Tool
Dynamics 365 Business Central Software Tool

Product Basics

Odoo offers more than 10,000 integrated business applications for website building, sales, business operations management and employee productivity. It’s available for deployment through the cloud or on-premises, and they offer implementation services. It’s suitable for businesses of all sizes and budgets.

Its open-source model and strong technical foundation is developer-friendly and allows users to customize to meet their specific needs. With that being said, it's good for businesses that may have unique requirements. It’s fairly low cost of ownership and ability to centralize all business processes provides ample opportunity for reducing costs. Its integration capabilities allows the user to work from one centralized location, which ultimately can save an organization time.
read more...
Dynamics 365 Business Central, formerly known as Dynamics NAV, is a widely used ERP platform that benefits businesses of small and medium sizes. It’s a multi-faceted ERP product that assists in the streamlining of aspects such as accounting, contact management and inventory management. This program has high integration capabilities due to its status as a Microsoft product and is currently used by more than 100,000 companies.

Personalization is a key benefit of this tool that is expressed throughout the program’s different modules. For example, you can customize dashboards and reports to ensure that your employees are obtaining useful insights quickly and easily. The program is also highly automated and can reduce human error through its connected systems.

Pros
  • User-friendly interface
  • Seamless integrations
  • Flexible customization
  • Robust financial management
  • Strong reporting capabilities
Cons
  • Limited industry-specific features
  • Potential customization complexity
  • Scalability concerns for large enterprises
  • Reliance on third-party add-ons
  • Potentially high ownership costs
read more...
$24.90/User, Monthly, Freemium
Get a free price quote
Tailored to your specific needs
$70/User, Monthly
Get a free price quote
Tailored to your specific needs
Small 
i
Medium 
i
Large 
i
Small 
i
Medium 
i
Large 
i
Windows
Mac
Linux
Android
Chromebook
Windows
Mac
Linux
Android
Chromebook
Cloud
On-Premise
Mobile
Cloud
On-Premise
Mobile

Product Assistance

Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars
Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars
Email
Phone
Chat
FAQ
Forum
Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support
Email
Phone
Chat
FAQ
Forum
Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support

Product Insights

  • Modularity: Odoo offers a variety of apps that meet different business needs. These tools can be integrated and added to a system based on individualized company processes. 
  • Visualization: This program contains customizable dashboards that enable users to quickly view actionable insights. These visualizations may include data such as available labor assets, stock movements and customer performance metrics. 
  • Productivity: This system centralizes various business processes through the integration of different applications or modules. By connecting these workflows, companies can automate more tasks, freeing up employee time for other duties. 
  • Order Optimization: The inventory app of Odoo is an effective way to optimize orders and streamline inventory management. Users can streamline the supply chain through the tracking of stock movements and the automation of RFQs through this program. 
  • Accessibility: Odoo can be deployed through the cloud, making it accessible to users in a wide variety of locations and on different devices. The program is also open source, meaning that companies can customize the solution to adhere to unique requirements. 
read more...
  • Centralized Data: Dynamics 365 Business Central leans in to the essence of ERP software — data centralization. For example, the system’s contract management program maintains a shared database of customers and prospects that can be customized and filtered. The program also removes any duplicates found in the system, which is especially helpful when you have multiple people entering prospect information or liaising with customers. Customized dashboards and visualizations are also available for insights developed across your company. 
  • Accessibility: This software is available either on-premise or as a cloud-based ERP. If you opt to go with a cloud deployment, the solution will be accessible to your employees anytime and anywhere as long as an internet connection is available. This broadly increases the scope of where your employees can complete their duties and access pertinent information. 
  • Forecasting: Dynamics 365 Business Central contains forecasting tools that include the use of historical demand to estimate future demand. This is helpful because it can improve efficiency, reduce spoilage and improve the likelihood that you will be able to fulfill orders from customers. 
  • Simple Integration: As a Microsoft product, Dynamics 365 Business Central is well poised for integration. The software can work with programs such as Word and Excel and is also available across iOS, Android and Windows devices. Microsoft offers a wide variety of software solutions that can be connected to Dynamics 365 Business Central, such as Dynamics 365 for Sales. 
  • Collaboration: Dynamics 365 Business Central provides visibility and control over multiple production sites. This allows you to collaborate with employees located in that facility to determine benchmarks such as optimal inventory level. Additionally, because of Dynamics 365 Business Central’s availability as a cloud-based solution, it is easy for employees to collaborate on and access materials whether they are in a corporate office or at a production facility. 
  • Security: With this program, you can configure user access to different components of the software. For example, if you don’t want an account representative to have visualization of the payroll, you can limit the scope of a user’s access to the application. Disaster recovery tools also assist with security measures. 
read more...
  • Accounting: The accounting application includes bank synchronization features that automatically sync bank statements. The invoicing tool enables users to manage recurring billings and to track payments. About 95% of the reconciliation process can be automated through this feature. 
  • Project Management: Odoo lets users look at available labor resources when scheduling projects. It can also develop forecasts using historical data from relevant projects and estimate deadlines. Files and notes can be easily attached to tasks so that information is centralized and easily accessed. 
  • Human Resources: The HR function allows employers to receive alerts when leave requests, applications, appraisals and allocation requests are put into the system. Users can track employee hours and sort them by task, client or project. This tool also connects to accounting functionality so that reports can be posted automatically based on actual project duration. 
  • Inventory: Odoo enables users to automate RFQs and use order points to increase supply chain efficiency. The program includes drop-shipping, cross-docking and multi-warehouse functionality. Stock movements can be tracked and traced through lots and serials, both upstream and downstream. 
  • Purchase Management: Using stock levels, Odoo can automatically send RFQs to suppliers. Users can develop procurement rules that are triggered by factors such as sales orders, stock levels and logistic rules. The program maintains supplier price lists. It also assists in making better purchases through the use of data on current promotions and special contract conditions. 
  • Manufacturing: This feature contains the Workcenter Control Panel, which includes quality checks, in process alerts, worksheet display, time tracking and serial/lot number recording. Procurements can be automated by setting up make-to-order or minimum stock rules. The system also supports barcoding, whether a company uses lots or serial numbers. 
  • CRM: Odoo allows users to develop custom dashboards to glean actionable insights and relevant information such as how current performance stacks up to monthly targets. The program enables the scheduling of activities based on sales scripts. By clicking on an opportunity, information such as mail received and website pages viewed can be gathered and can assist in the tailoring of a sales strategy. 
read more...
  • Sales Order Management: Dynamics 365 Business Central’s sales order management module allows you to alter quantity available amounts based on posted invoices. You can also use the program to create prepayment invoices and to manage partial shipments. 
  • Analysis Reports: The analysis reports tool is based on helping decisionmakers within your company gain meaningful insights that will positively influence daily decisions. With this customizable tool, you can use factors such as customers, items and vendors to view information such as inventory turnover and customer behavior. You can also use this tool to more accurately pinpoint problems across your business that are creating bottlenecks or inefficiencies. 
  • General Ledger: Accounting and financial reporting tools are a commonly requested feature in ERP software. Dynamics 365 Business Central offers a general ledger in its base package that includes internal and external reporting tools, ability to export data in various formats, employee ledger entries, linking to external documents and reporting in your company’s preferred currency format. 
  • Requisition Management: Dynamics 365 Business Central’s Requisition Worksheet allows you to optimize your inventory based on factors such as predicted demand and material availability. You can also set minimum and maximum quantity levels to determine a reordering point in your manufacturing center. 
  • Multi-Site Functionality: With this software, you can track inventory levels across multiple distribution centers, warehouses, production plants, showrooms and more. You can also track inventory as it moves from different locations while accounting for its value during transit. 
  • Contact Management: The contact management feature allows you to input and maintain a list of your business contacts and prospects. The tool lets you know when duplicate contact information is entered, enables you to issue quotes or sales documents, allows for the categorization of people associated with a specific contact and segments people based on profiling questions. 
  • Optical Character Recognition (OCR): Dynamics 365 Business Central includes support for Kofax Invoice Capture Service (ICS) out of the box. This tool can take information from unstructured PDFs, extract it, and turn it into structured data. 
  • Currency Exchange Rates: This system allows you to update currency exchange rates as they shift. This can be done either manually or automatically. Dynamics 365 Business Central supports Yahoo and European Central Bank (ECB) currency feeds out of the box, but you can add other currencies to the tool using the currency exchange rates setup. 
read more...

Product Ranking

#5

among all
ERP Software

#18

among all
ERP Software

Find out who the leaders are

Analyst Rating Summary

56
we're gathering data
48
we're gathering data
49
we're gathering data
49
we're gathering data
Show More Show More

Analyst Ratings for Functional Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

Odoo
Dynamics 365 Business Central
+ Add Product + Add Product
Analytics And Reporting Asset Management Customer Relationship Management Finance And Accounting Human Resource Management Inventory Management Manufacturing Order Management Procurement Project Management Service Management Supply Chain Management Warehouse Management 48 49 49 83 62 80 74 43 69 84 22 0 58 0 25 50 75 100
53%
0%
47%
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
43%
14%
43%
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
55%
0%
45%
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
87%
0%
13%
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
58%
0%
42%
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
82%
0%
18%
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
72%
6%
22%
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
42%
0%
58%
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
70%
0%
30%
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
91%
0%
9%
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
22%
0%
78%
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
0%
0%
100%
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
55%
5%
40%
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A

Analyst Ratings for Technical Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

50%
0%
50%
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A

User Sentiment Summary

Great User Sentiment 767 reviews
Good User Sentiment 366 reviews
84%
of users recommend this product

Odoo has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 84% when considering 767 user reviews from 4 recognized software review sites.

75%
of users recommend this product

Dynamics 365 Business Central has a 'good' User Satisfaction Rating of 75% when considering 366 user reviews from 4 recognized software review sites.

4.4 (18)
n/a
4.2 (193)
3.6 (142)
n/a
3.7 (85)
4.2 (491)
n/a
n/a
4.3 (9)
4.3 (65)
3.9 (130)

Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Functionality: All reviewers that mentioned functionality in their review said that Odoo provides robust features to manage the entire business.
Navigation: With 91% of reviews mentioning navigation being positive, Odoo offers an intuitive, simple and modular user interface and experience.
Customization: Though some reviewers mentioned that web-development knowledge or Python-coders are needed to complete system customization, almost 90% of reviewers applauded the customization capabilities of Odoo ERP.
Cost: With a free version of Odoo available and a subscription-based per-user pricing system, 88% of reviewers said the solution is affordable and of good value.
Integration: The suite of integrated applications and opportunities for third-party integrations yielded 100% positive feedback.
Implementation: Amongst mixed reviews and some mentionings of difficult, lengthy implementations, 55% of reviewers said their implementation process was positive.
Show more
Easy to Learn: Precisely 53% of users say the system has a simple implementation process and helpful training materials.
Extensive Features: Features include BOM management, finance management, document management, reporting, search filters, accounting and other modules, according to 79% of users.
Intuitive Interface: Familiar layout and guided workflows simplify data entry and task completion for non-technical users.
Automated Processes: Reduce manual tasks and errors with automated workflows for finance, inventory, sales, and customer service.
Actionable Insights: Gain real-time visibility into business performance through comprehensive dashboards and reporting tools.
Powerful Integrations: Connect seamlessly with Microsoft 365, Power BI, and other popular business applications for a unified data ecosystem.
Cloud-based Scalability: Adapt to growth with a flexible cloud infrastructure that supports diverse user needs and data volumes.
Show more
Support: Almost 90% of reviewers mentioning support cautioned long wait times and unsatisfactory responses from the Odoo customer support team.
Documentation: All reviews that mention documentation were complaints concerned with a lack of proper guidance to complete customizations.
Bugs and Performance: Slow performance and frequent bugs resulted in almost 90% of reviewers portraying the system in a negative light.
Show more
User Interface: Of the users who discussed the interface, 46% said it was not intuitive and the layout is old-fashioned.
Glitchy Performance: Approximately 67% of users said the program's overall performance is slow and glitchy.
Industry Gaps: While strong for core ERP functions, may require additional add-ons or integrations for complex industry-specific needs like manufacturing or healthcare.
Customization Curve: While offering customization options, extensive modifications might require developer expertise, increasing costs and implementation time.
Large Enterprise Scalability: While cloud-based and scalable, very large enterprises with intricate operations might encounter limitations or require additional configuration.
Add-on Dependence: Fulfilling specific needs may rely on third-party add-ons, introducing potential compatibility and support challenges.
Cost Considerations: While offering subscription plans, total cost of ownership can be influenced by user licenses, customization needs, and add-on integrations.
Show more

Odoo is an affordable, flexible and scalable platform that provides a wide range of integrated applications. Reviewers were predominantly happy with the system and its capabilities, but there were complaints relating to unresponsive and unhelpful customer support, lack of documentation for developers and subpar performance. Otherwise, the system was reviewed as easy to use and powerful.

Show more

Users appreciated Dynamics 365 Business Central's user-friendly interface and automation capabilities, highlighting its ease of use even for non-technical personnel. The streamlined workflows and intuitive layout simplified data entry and task completion, especially compared to competitor solutions with steeper learning curves. The automated processes proved beneficial in eliminating manual work and errors, boosting efficiency in areas like finance, inventory, and customer service. However, some users pointed to limitations in industry-specific features compared to more specialized competitors like SAP Business One or Acumatica. While Business Central excels in core ERP functions, complex needs in manufacturing or healthcare might require additional add-ons or integrations, increasing complexity and potentially cost. Customization, while available, also presented a potential hurdle. While offering flexibility, extensive modifications could necessitate developer expertise, raising implementation time and costs compared to competitors with more drag-and-drop customization options. Business Central's cloud-based scalability was praised, accommodating growth and diverse user needs effectively. This stood out compared to some on-premise competitors with less flexibility. However, very large enterprises with intricate operations might encounter limitations or require additional configuration compared to solutions like Oracle NetSuite designed for such complexity. Overall, user reviews suggest Dynamics 365 Business Central shines for its user-friendliness, automation, and cloud-based scalability. However, limitations in industry-specific features and potential customization complexity compared to some competitors are important considerations, especially for niche businesses or large enterprises.

Show more

Screenshots

Top Alternatives in ERP Software


Acumatica

Cetec ERP

DELMIAworks

Dynamics 365 ERP

Epicor Kinetic

IFS Cloud

Infor M3

NetSuite

Oracle Fusion Cloud

Priority ERP

Rootstock

S2K Enterprise

Sage 300 Cloud

SAP Business ByDesign

SAP Business One

SAP S/4HANA Cloud

SYSPRO

SyteLine

Visibility ERP

Related Categories

Show more

Head-to-Head Comparison

WE DISTILL IT INTO REAL REQUIREMENTS, COMPARISON REPORTS, PRICE GUIDES and more...

Compare products
Comparison Report
Just drag this link to the bookmark bar.
?
Table settings