Once an organisation decides that Business Central is the business management solution they are looking for, the next important step is for them to decide what type of licences they will need within their Business Central subscription. In this blog, we explore the different types of Business Central licences that are available and what users can or cannot do with each different type of licence.
Firstly, it is important to note that every person within your business who uses Business Central, requires some kind of subscription licence (SL). SLs are required for every single “named” user that a Business Central customer wishes to add, regardless of whether that user logs in on a daily basis or only on an ad hoc, “light touch” basis. There are, however, different levels of subscription licences available, and each of these have their own subscription cost.
Full Business Central users
The first type of Business Central licences can be best described as “full licences”. They are aimed at users who regularly use Business Central in their day to day roles and therefore need to be able to access all the read and write functionality that is suitable for their roles. There are two full Business Central licence types, Essentials and Premium.
1. Business Central Essentials
This is basically the standard Business Central licence. A user with a Business Central Essentials licence has the ability to access a large range of different Business Central modules including:
- Financial Management
- Advanced Financial Management
- Artificial Intelligence
- Customer Relationship Management
- E-services
- Project Management
- Supply Chain Management
- Human Resource Management
- Warehouse Management
The functionality available in Business Central Essentials is extensive and allows the user to create, read, update, and delete operations across all these modules. However, it is possible to restrict what users can or cannot do within these modules through the use of User Permissions.
2. Business Central Premium
A Business Central Premium licence includes all the modules included in an Essentials licence plus:
- Manufacturing
- Service Management
As with the Essentials licence, the functionality available in Business Central Premium is extensive and allows the user to create, read, update, and delete operations across all these modules. It is also possible to restrict what users can or cannot do within these modules through the use of User Permissions.
Additional Business Central users
1. Business Central Team licences
In addition to either Business Central Essentials or Premium users, you may also require other members of your organisation to have limited access to the Business Central system. For these users, you will need a Business Central Team licence.
This is a licence intended for users who need general access and the ability to perform specific tasks for which they will require writing access. Team licence holders can read anything within Business Central, but only write in designated functional areas.
Their functionality capabilities are as follows:
- Read data within Business Central
- Update existing data and entries in Business Central, such as previously created customer, vendor, or item records. Entries are defined as specific accounting information that, may be updated, such as a due date on customer ledger entries.
- Approve or reject tasks in all workflows assigned to that user, with the limit that approvals and rejections can only update data in records that Business Central Team Members can access.
- Create, edit, and delete a sales or purchase quote
- Create, edit, and delete personal information
- Edit job time sheets for approval
- Use the Dynamics 365 Power Apps/Power Automate use rights provided with a Dynamics 365 licence
2. Business Central Device licences
The Business Central Device licence is another type of additional user licence that works within Business Central. Like the Team licence, a Device licence is not a primary licence although it does include some capabilities of a full user. The device licence is intended for use on a specific device which may have multiple people login into it over the course of a day. Examples of the types of devices which can use a Device licence are: point of sale devices, shop floor devices, or warehouse devices, all of which are used to keep track of inventory, time sheets, sales, or service transactions.
3. External Accountant licences
The External Accountant licence is another additional type of licence available. It cannot, however, be purchased on its own. Instead, it is a complimentary licence available within the Essentials or Premium licence. Companies can invite up to three external users to use these licences per Business Central subscription.
The External Accountant licence is helpful if a business has an external user/accountant that is not part of their organisation, but needs access to their records for reporting or tax purposes.
Want to find out which Business Central licences you should purchase?
Click here for more information on Dynamics 365 Business Central and what it can do for your business. To find out more about the different Business Central licences available and current subscription costs, contact us for an informal, no-strings attached chat on what TVision could do for you.
