If the operating theme for finance teams in 2024 was “automate workflows and optimize costs to drive value,” then the operating theme for 2025 is shaping up to be, “stay the course.” While inflation did recede in 2024, it did so much more slowly than hoped, leading to fewer interest rate cuts than expected and slower economic growth than desired. Add in continuing geopolitical instability, and it’s easy to see why operating plans for 2025 are unlikely to look significantly different from 2024 plans.
While this may seem like a bleak outlook at first glance, the truth is that finance leaders are still cautiously optimistic for the coming year. Inflation may be receding slowly, but it is receding. Growth may be slow, but it’s not stagnating. Business leaders can take these slow gains as a sign that what they’ve been doing is working and to not fix what isn’t broken.
In the spirit of staying the course, here’s what Microsoft Dynamics users can expect as Microsoft continues investing resources into smart data management, security, and cloud computing solutions in the coming year.
Look Forward to Enhanced Data Access With Fabric Improvements
Microsoft recently introduced Fabric, a data management and analytics powerhouse that offers data movement, data science, real-time analytics, and business intelligence within a single platform. Microsoft will continue developing and improving Fabric throughout the coming year, enhancing its data engineering and analytics capabilities even further.
Fabric’s ability to integrate data from Power BI, Azure Synapse, Azure Data Factory, and other sources makes it an ideal data management solution for Dynamics users. However, Dynamics users may find that it doesn’t solve their financial reporting challenges – native ERP reports are great for basic reporting but not well-suited to advanced financial reporting. For seamless financial reporting in Excel, investing in a tool like Atlas from insightsoftware bridges the gap.
Atlas can connect to Fabric at every stage of the data lifecycle, empowering businesses to both read and write-back to Dynamics – and, by extension, Fabric – using Dynamics’ own data rules for data validation, security, audit trails, and more. Atlas equips your team to unlock seamless reporting in Excel directly from Fabric. With Atlas, you get the benefits of Fabric’s unified data approach without losing the ability to quickly and easily create custom financial reports in Excel.
Watch for Expanded Reporting and Dashboarding Capabilities
Over 75% of CFOs rate metrics, analytics, and reporting as their top priority for 2025 – and Microsoft is paying attention. Microsoft is looking to improve its out of the box capabilities related to reporting and Power BI dashboards. The enhancements will come with a price increase, but the added cost will be worth it. Businesses with standard reporting and BI needs will be able to get more done and gain better insights from their out-of-box ERP reports and Power BI dashboards.
While Dynamics ERPs offer a robust foundation, the ever-expanding needs of modern finance teams often extend beyond their core functionalities even with improved native reporting and dashboarding capabilities. Many organizations with more complex reporting needs may still want to consider supplemental reporting solutions, like Atlas.
Atlas makes advanced financial reporting and Power BI dashboarding simple. Its seamless integration with Dynamics AX and Dynamics 365 Finance & Supply Chain Management and other data sources ensures a smooth flow of data, eliminating the need for manual data entry and reconciliation. Real-time data access saves valuable time while leveraging Atlas’s data entities allows you to quickly organize the data for reporting and Power BI consumption. This empowers you to maximize Microsoft’s enhanced reporting and dashboarding capabilities and derive greater value from your Dynamics and Power BI investment.
Atlas 101: Working in Templates
Download NowExpect Microsoft’s Security and Compliance Features to Get Even Better
Security is a key focus for IT and Finance executives, so Microsoft is focusing on security and compliance – and for good reason: 75% of Dynamics users list regulatory complexity as a major factor in their approach to technology solutions over the next year. Knowing this, Microsoft wants to make sure their concerns are addressed with native security protocols.
Microsoft is putting emphasis on ensuring D365 F&SCM meets the highest standards for data protection and regulatory compliance as more businesses transition to the cloud. With its direct Dynamics connection, Atlas inherits Dynamics’ security and authentication protocols. As an insightsoftware solution, Atlas also features an extensive control environment that is aligned with and regularly assessed against industry standard frameworks such as ISO 27001 and SSAE-18 SOC 2. Its robust data security framework ensures the financial data used within Atlas is secure.
Prepare for the Migration to Cloud Computing to Increase Momentum
Offering scalability, lower costs, protection against data loss, and easier collaboration across multiple devices and locations, cloud computing has become commonplace across all industries. However, the move to cloud is far from complete. insightsoftware research shows that only 25% of organizations are fully cloud-based while 68% rely on a complex mix of on-premises and cloud infrastructure.
77% of Dynamics users cite concerns about cloud migration as a significant consideration, such as data security, report portability, and the compatibility of pre-built content with cloud environments. However, Microsoft’s family of Dynamics solutions makes it easy to overcome these concerns – users on legacy Dynamics systems can move to D365 F&SCM with minimal friction. Knowing they can expect a relatively seamless experience gives Dynamics users migration confidence – all surveyed users report having plans to migrate to at least a hybrid cloud environment within the next two years.
To make the migration process even more seamless, Dynamics users can guarantee report portability and cloud-compatible pre-built reporting templates with Atlas. Its direct Dynamics connection means that your existing reports are automatically carried over during your ERP migration, so there are no additional costs to maintain your reports. Atlas lets you easily export Dynamics data into Excel with one click, so accessing and modifying your custom reports is as easy as reworking an Excel spreadsheet. You’re able to avoid the painful migration of data into your new cloud environment and enable easy reporting across historical and current data in multiple locations.
What Microsoft’s 2025 Plans Mean for You
As we look ahead to 2025, it’s clear that it will be a time to enhance existing technology rather than develop new solutions. Staying the course by investing in solutions that already work will ensure that business leaders maximize the value of their tech stack.
Enhanced security, data management, and cloud solutions will be pivotal for Dynamics users. With Microsoft’s ongoing investments in data access, reporting capabilities, and security features, there’s a promising landscape for growth and innovation within the Dynamics ecosystem.
By embracing solutions like insightsoftware’s Atlas, organizations can enhance their Dynamics experience beyond Microsoft’s improvements and navigate the evolving financial terrain with confidence. Read our whitepaper on transforming your Dynamics financial reporting with Atlas to see how you can harness these advancements to drive business success in the coming year and beyond.
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