Dynamics 365 Migrations
Thinking About Moving from QuickBooks to Business Central?
What it really takes to move from QuickBooks to Business Central, from a team that helps businesses plan and deliver successful migrations.
If you’re considering the switch, this will help you decide if it’s the right move and what you need to do to make it work
A Business Central migration isn’t just a software upgrade
- It changes how your finance team works, how your data flows, how your reports are built, and in many cases, how your entire business operates.
- Done right, it creates clarity and control.
- Done poorly, it creates months of confusion, delays, and costly rework.
How do things change after a migration to Business Central?
"Month-end takes days"
Business Central automates reconciliation and gives you real-time dashboards. Month-end becomes a check, not a project
"We're living in Excel because QuickBooks can't report the way we need"
Business Central is built using Microsoft technology. Power BI, Outlook, Teams, Excel. All connected. Your team already knows half the interface
"Five systems glued together"
Business Central is one platform: finance, sales, inventory, projects. All in one place and one version of the truth
"We're making decisions based on gut feel and old spreadsheets"
When your finance, sales and inventory data all live in one system, you stop guessing. You can see which products are profitable, which customers are costing you money and where the bottlenecks are.
"I never know where we stand"
Business Central gives you real-time dashboards across cash flow, receivables, payables, and margins. You open it on a Tuesday afternoon and the numbers are just there and up to date.
"Every time we grow, something breaks"
QuickBooks wasn’t built to flex. Adding a new location, a new team, a new product, all means more workarounds. Business Central scales with you. The system grows because your business grew, not the other way around.
Looking to integrate Dynamics and QuickBooks?
Why leave QuickBooks?
Companies don’t leave QuickBooks because they want new software.
They leave because:
Reporting takes too long (and still doesn’t feel right)
Spreadsheets are everywhere
Leadership doesn’t trust the numbers anymore
Inventory doesn’t match reality
QuickBooks isn't bad
It’s just not right for all businesses at all times
QuickBooks is brilliant for early-stage businesses.
It’s simple, affordable and it does what it says
Things start to go wrong when
- You're running multiple entities or locations
- You need inventory, project management, or CRM alongside finance
- Month-end takes days, not hours
- Your team is living in Excel because QuickBooks can't report the way they need
- You're copy-pasting data between systems and hoping nothing breaks
Is Business Central right for you?
Consider Business Central if:
- You've got 5+ users who need more than just accounting
- You're already in the Microsoft world (Outlook, Teams, Excel)
- You're growing and QuickBooks is bending under the weight
- You need reporting you can trust
You shouldn't move to Business Central if:
- You only need basic bookkeeping
- Your processes are still simple
- You don’t have internal ownership for the project
- You’re hoping software alone will fix broken operations
What Happens During a Migration
How things typically work in a Dynamics migration:
What data migrates and what doesn't
Usually migrates well:
- Customers & vendors
- Chart of accounts
- Opening balances
Often requires work:
- Historical transactions
- Partial payments
- Reconciliations
Usually NOT migrated cleanly:
- Open sales orders
- Purchase orders
- Custom reports
- Poorly structured data
In some cases, businesses migrate summary balances rather than full history and keep QuickBooks as an archive.
How much does a migration cost?
Typical ranges
Simple finance migration:
£8k–£30k
Finance + inventory
£15k–£60k
Complex operations (manufacturing/distribution):
£60k–£120k+
Costs Include
- Software licensing
- Implementation
- Data migration
- Ongoing support
- Training
Hidden costs - easy to miss
- Internal staff time
- Process redesign
- Change management
- Rebuilding reports
The biggest cost is rarely the software, it’s the business change.
How long do QuickBooks to Dynamics migrations take?
Small Projects
1-3 months
Mid-size
3-6 months
Complex
6-12+ months
What we've heard after migrations
We didn’t realise how broken our processes were until we tried to map them
Training took longer than expected
The system is powerful, but only if we use it properly
We wish we cleaned our data earlier
Why All My Systems?
Because software alone doesn’t transform a business – people do.
We’re a UK-based Microsoft partner helping organisations like yours simplify operations, empower teams and delight customers.
- Small, senior team. You’ll know our names
- Straight talk. If it’s not right, we’ll say
We’ve seen what happens when a great business system meets a team that truly cares. The result? Growth that sticks.
Trusted by growing UK businesses navigating ERP change
The Questions Holding You Back
Every buyer has a few doubts before committing.
Instead of hiding from them, we tackle them head-on.
Here’s our answers to the most common concerns we hear:
Do I need to migrate all my data from QuickBooks?
Not always.
At a minimum, most businesses migrate:
- Customers and suppliers
- Open balances (what’s still owed or payable)
- Key items or products
Some historical data may be left behind, especially if it’s no longer needed day-to-day.
The important part isn’t volume.
It’s making sure what does come across is accurate and usable.
Do I have to change how my processes work?
Not straight away.
A lot of businesses start with a like-for-like setup:
- Same process
- Same flow
- Just in a different system
That makes testing easier and reduces risk.
Once things are stable, you can improve and automate gradually.
Trying to redesign everything during migration usually slows things down.
How does banking work in Business Central?
It depends on your setup.
In general, you’ve got two options:
- Import bank transactions (for example using CSV files)
- Use a bank feed or extension for automation
If you’re already importing in QuickBooks, the process is often very similar to start with.
Automation can come later if needed.
How is VAT handled in Business Central?
Business Central can handle VAT directly within the system.
That includes:
- Calculating VAT on transactions
- Producing VAT returns
- Supporting Making Tax Digital submissions
Some businesses still lean on their accountants to review before submission. That’s fine.
The key thing is getting VAT set up properly from the start.
If the setup is wrong, everything downstream is affected.
What happens after we go live?
Go-live isn’t the end. It’s the start of the real world.
Most businesses need ongoing support for:
- Fixing small issues that appear under real usage
- Answering “how do we do this?” questions
- Training new users
- Making gradual improvements
Without that support, teams often fall back into old habits or workarounds.
Can we reuse the setup for another company or entity?
Usually, yes. to a degree.
If your businesses operate in a similar way, you can reuse:
- Core configuration
- Processes
- Reporting structure
You’ll still need to adjust for things like:
- VAT rules
- Currency
- Local requirements
But it’s normally faster and cheaper than starting again from scratch.
Can we keep using Excel alongside Business Central?
Is Business Central overkill for a small business?
What if our team hates it and won't use it?
Do you have questions about migrating?
or just want to get in touch?
Our technical architects are here to help.
No pushy sales pitch, just answers.
Or call us on 01422 824831
email: hello@allmysystems.co.uk