Summary of "Create and Configure New Company in Business Central- Part of How to Pass MB-800 Exam"

Summary: Create and Configure New Company in Business Central (MB-800 Exam Preparation)

Presenter: Dhanraj Bansal, Microsoft Certified Trainer, PMP Certified

Key Business-Specific Content

1. Company Creation in Business Central

Primary Methods:

Via Assisted Setup Wizard: Step-by-step guided process for creating a new company.
Via Settings > My Settings > Companies: Select “New” to create a company.
Via Search Function: Search for “Companies” and create a new company from the list.

Company Creation Options:

Evaluation Sample Data: Creates a company with sample data (e.g., Chronos USA) for unlimited use, ideal for learning and testing.
Production Setup Data Only: Copies essential setup data (chart of accounts, payment methods) for a 30-day trial, suitable for production testing.
Create New (No Data): Creates a blank company without any data.

Additional Notes:

After company creation, users can be added or managed.
Example: Created company named “My BC Training Company” as an evaluation company.

2. Data Migration and Copying

Copy Company Functionality:

Creates an exact copy of an existing company including all transactional data.
Useful for creating subsidiaries or test environments.
Can be time-consuming depending on data volume.

Copy Data from Existing Company:

Use Configuration Worksheet to select specific tables (e.g., customers, vendors, items) for data migration.
Data can be exported to Excel, edited, and re-imported into Business Central.
Configuration Packages group multiple tables for bulk import/export.

RapidStart Configuration Packages:

Enables bulk data migration for master data (GL accounts, customers, vendors, items).
Supports importing journal entries, opening balances, and setup data.
Templates can be applied to imported data to set default values (e.g., payment terms, posting groups).

Data Import from Excel:

Download Excel templates for required tables.
Prepare data in Excel (manual entry or exported from legacy systems).
Use predefined templates to apply common field values automatically.
Import data back into Business Central and verify inserted/modified records.

Extensions:

Available for migrating data from QuickBooks Online and other applications.
Check extension availability before migration.

3. Assisted Setup Overview

Provides a checklist and stepwise wizard to configure:
- Company setup
- Exchange rates
- Users and permissions
- Sales tax
- Other business processes
Accessible via search bar or Role Center checklist.

4. Practical Example & Walkthrough

Created a new company using assisted setup with evaluation sample data.
Imported customer data via Excel template and applied a customer template for default fields.
Demonstrated modifying data in Excel and importing back using configuration worksheet and packages.
Showed how to copy an entire company and how to manage companies in the system.

Frameworks, Processes, and Playbooks Highlighted

Assisted Setup Wizard: Stepwise guided company creation and configuration.
Configuration Worksheet & Packages: Framework for selective data migration and bulk data import/export.
Data Migration Process:
1. Export data template
2. Prepare data in Excel
3. Apply templates for default values
4. Import data
5. Validate records
Use of Templates: To standardize imported data fields and reduce manual entry errors.
Copy Company Function: Exact duplication of company data for testing or subsidiary creation.

Key Metrics and Timelines

Company creation may take up to 10 minutes depending on data and setup.
Evaluation sample data companies can be used indefinitely for learning.
Production setup data companies have a 30-day trial period.
Data import logs show records inserted, modified, and errors (ideally zero errors).

Actionable Recommendations

Use evaluation sample data for learning and testing without time limits.
Use production setup data only for trial environments closer to live production.
Leverage configuration worksheets and packages for efficient and error-minimized data migration.
Apply templates to imported data to ensure consistency in key fields like payment terms and posting groups.
Check for existing extensions for direct migration from popular accounting systems like QuickBooks.
Always verify posting and costing methods (FIFO, LIFO, etc.) before data import to align with company accounting policies.

Additional Resources

Official Microsoft Learning Paths for Business Central (273+ results).
Step-by-step Labs for creating and configuring companies and exporting configuration packages.
Links provided for trial environment setup and official documentation.

Summary

This video provides a comprehensive walkthrough on creating and configuring new companies in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, focusing on the MB-800 certification exam. It covers company creation options, user management, and detailed data migration techniques using configuration worksheets, packages, and Excel templates. The use of assisted setup and templates streamlines setup and migration processes, ensuring faster and more reliable implementations. Practical examples demonstrate how to manage master data imports and company duplication, essential skills for functional consultants and implementation specialists.

Presenter: Dhanraj Bansal – Microsoft Certified Trainer, PMP Certified, based in India.