How does Microsoft Dynamics 365 support consulting and professional services firms?

Dynamics 365 unifies the entire client lifecycle for professional services firms, connecting CRM, sales pipeline, resource management, time and expense tracking, project accounting, and client invoicing in a single integrated system.

Should a consulting firm choose Business Central or Finance & Supply Chain Management?

Business Central is ideal for small to mid-sized consulting firms seeking an all-in-one solution for finance, project management, and time tracking. Finance & Supply Chain Management (F&SCM) is better suited for enterprise-level or multi-entity consulting firms requiring complex group consolidation and advanced revenue recognition.

What is Progressus Advanced Projects and why is it used with Business Central?

Progressus Advanced Projects is an industry-specific add-on for Business Central that extends standard project management. It provides advanced multi-tier work breakdown structures, sophisticated resource scheduling, complex billing models, and deeper project financial tracking.

How does Dynamics 365 help improve consultant utilisation and project margins?

By providing real-time visibility into resource availability, consultant skills, and upcoming sales pipelines, managers can allocate team members efficiently, avoid overallocation, and monitor project margins before cost overruns occur.

Can Dynamics 365 handle complex invoicing models like retainers and fixed price?

Yes, Dynamics 365 supports diverse billing structures including time and materials, fixed-price milestones, retainers, and on account billing, while automating revenue recognition and reducing manual billing errors.

Dynamics 365 for Consulting & Services

Knowledge Centre | Industry Guide

Consulting & Professional Services

Work processes, system support, and a review of listed partners — written from the buyer's perspective.

The Reality of the Industry

The consulting industry is knowledge-intensive and margin-driven. What determines profitability is not production volume, but utilisation rate, billing precision, and the ability to deliver projects within budget. It is a simple equation in theory — but complex to manage in practice when handling dozens of projects, hundreds of consultants, and a pipeline that is constantly changing.

The most common problem is fragmentation: time tracking in one system, project planning in another, finance in a third, and CRM in a fourth. Information gaps between sales and delivery lead to incorrect expectations and resource shortages. Without real-time insight into project finances, it is difficult to identify variances in time. And complex billing models — fixed price, time and materials, on account, retainers — are managed manually with all the associated sources of error.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 is used by Nordic consulting firms to connect the entire chain from initial customer contact to final invoice in a unified system. The platform covers CRM and sales support, resource and skills planning, project management, time and expense reporting, project accounting, and invoicing — and can be supplemented with industry-specific add-ons for deeper project management functionality.

Core Work Processes and System Support

Business Central: Project Management, Finance, and Invoicing

Business Central is the foundation for most Nordic consulting firms in the SMB segment. The system covers the entire project lifecycle, from budgeting and resource planning to time tracking, invoicing, and financial follow-up. It can be supplemented with third-party add-ons such as Progressus Advanced Projects for deeper project management functionality.

Project management with budgeting, phases, and real-time tracking of costs, revenues, and margins
Resource and skills planning with visual utilisation overview and availability management
Time and expense reporting via web and mobile, linked directly to projects and activities
Project invoicing with support for fixed price, time and materials, on account, and retainer models
Revenue recognition and project accounting for accurate financial reporting
Contract management for customer agreements, framework agreements, and pricing terms

Finance & Supply Chain Management: Complex Project Accounting for Larger Organisations

F&SCM suits larger consulting organisations with complex requirements for financial control, group accounting, and detailed project accounting. The system manages advanced revenue recognition, intercompany billing, and financial reporting across multiple legal entities.

Advanced project accounting with support for percentage-of-completion profit recognition and project ledger entries
Financial management across multiple companies and currencies with consolidated financial reporting
Cash flow forecasting based on sales pipeline and ongoing projects
Detailed analyses of project profitability, post-calculations, and utilisation KPIs

Sales: Pipeline, Quotes, and Handover to Delivery

Dynamics 365 Sales handles the entire sales cycle for consulting firms — from lead and quote to won contract and handover to the delivery organisation. A seamless integration between sales and project management reduces information gaps and ensures that the right resources are booked when the project starts.

Pipeline management with forecasting for future revenue and resource requirements
Quote management with resource estimates and pricing linked to skills registries
Handover process from won contract to project kickoff while retaining context data
360-degree customer view with contact history, project history, and deal opportunities

Listed Partners in Consulting & Professional Services

Six partners are listed for the industry on d365 Guide. Below, they are presented in the order they appear on the industry page.

NAB Solutions

Business Central, Sales, Customer Insights, Customer Service, Field Service, Contact Center

NAB Solutions has worked with Microsoft Dynamics since 2001 and combines deep BC expertise with a broad CRM and service offering. For consulting firms looking to connect project management and finance with sales support, marketing, and customer service in a shared ecosystem, NAB Solutions is one of the few listed partners covering that full breadth. Their long experience in digitalising professional services firms gives them a solid understanding of the processes specific to the consulting business.

Fellowmind

Business Central, Finance, Supply Chain Management, Sales, Customer Insights

Fellowmind covers the entire spectrum from BC to F&SCM and combines ERP expertise with CRM. For consulting organisations growing in complexity — multiple entities, international operations, advanced group accounting requirements — Fellowmind offers the capacity to scale alongside them. Their European delivery capability and broad portfolio make them a relevant choice for consulting firms with ambitious growth plans.

Sopra Steria

Business Central, Finance, Supply Chain Management | AI Enabled

Sopra Steria works in a methodical, process-oriented manner and explicitly highlights Progressus Advanced Projects as a complement to BC for consulting firms with complex project needs. The combination of ERP expertise with one of the larger CRM teams in the region gives them the capacity to cover the entire customer journey. Their global network of specialists in change management and analytics adds further value for consulting firms driving large digital transformation programmes.

Goodfellows

Business Central | AI Integration Partner

Goodfellows has a clear focus on consulting and project-based businesses, delivering BC enhanced with Progressus Advanced Projects — an integrated add-on from Pryme for deeper project management. Their offering covers time tracking, resource planning, project financials, and invoicing in an end-to-end flow. Their delivery model is clear and predictable, maintaining the same consultants from preliminary study to support, thereby reducing implementation risks. For consulting firms where projects are the core business, Goodfellows is one of the most specialised alternatives on the list.

Bisqo AB

Business Central

Bisqo is a BC specialist with experience in professional services and consulting operations. Their focus is on delivering tailored BC solutions that support project workflows, financial management, and customer management for mid-sized consulting firms. Ideal for organisations seeking a hands-on BC partner with strong process understanding and clear delivery accountability.

InBiz

Business Central

InBiz is a BC specialist based in Uppsala and a certified Microsoft partner since 2005, with experience in professional services and project management. They deliver comprehensive BC solutions where finance, project management, and customer relationships are handled in a single unified system, working with proprietary add-ons to meet specific operational needs. Suitable for consulting firms looking for a stable, experienced BC partner with clear delivery commitment and strong local presence.

Choosing the Right Partner for Your Organisation

Professional services is an industry where choosing between partners is largely a matter of depth versus breadth. Goodfellows and NAB Solutions have distinct profiles geared towards consulting and services companies. Fellowmind and Sopra Steria offer broader platform capabilities with professional services as one of several industry verticals.

A core question for consulting firms is whether standard BC is sufficient as a project system, or whether you need a dedicated project management add-on like Progressus Advanced Projects. Goodfellows and Sopra Steria both highlight this option — a sign that they frequently encounter consulting firms whose project needs exceed standard BC capabilities.

Another key question: how important is the connection between sales and delivery? If your pipeline directly dictates resource allocation and you want an integrated flow from quotation to project completion, the partner's Sales expertise is just as crucial as their ERP competence.

Read more and compare partners: d365guide.com/branscher/konsulttjanster

Dynamics 365 for Consulting & Professional Services