For companies operating in the United States, choosing the right implementation partner is one of the most important decisions in any ERP overhaul or digital transformation initiative. An ERP like Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central touches every core business function — accounting, sales, purchasing, inventory, production, and reporting. Choosing the wrong Business Central implementation partner in the US can lead to cost increase, post-launch disruption, and lower operational efficiency. This article walks through five common reasons companies fail when selecting a Dynamics 365 Business Central implementation partner — and how to get it right.
5 Reasons Companies Fail When Choosing a Dynamics 365 Business Central Implementation Partner
1. Requesting Quotes Before Requirements Are Defined — Why ERP Implementation Costs Spiral
Many companies compare quotes from multiple vendors during the ERP selection process. But requesting quotes before requirements are clearly defined means each vendor is pricing against different assumptions — making an apples-to-apples comparison impossible.
One vendor might quote based on standard functionality alone, while another includes data migration, report development, third-party integrations, and user training in their estimate. If you select a partner based on price alone under these conditions, additional requirements and development work often surface later — a leading cause of ERP implementation cost overruns. Aligning on requirements and assumptions with your vendor up front is essential.
JBS USA offers a pre-implementation requirements consulting service. We interview both executive leadership and front-line users to clarify what needs to be addressed at go-live, what can be phased in later, and which requirements call for add-on development — bringing clarity to cost from day one.
2. A Partner Without Industry Expertise — Do They Understand Your Business Requirements?
The success of an ERP implementation depends not just on a partner’s technical knowledge of the system, but also on how well they understand your industry and operational requirements. Manufacturers need a partner who understands production management, lot tracking, costing, and inventory valuation. Distribution companies need expertise in EDI, warehouse management, and inbound/outbound logistics. Food-related businesses need a partner who understands US-specific compliance and audit requirements.
Choosing a partner without relevant industry expertise often means standard functionality gaps surface only after go-live — driving up implementation cost.
JBS USA has ERP implementation experience across manufacturing, wholesale distribution, logistics, real estate, telecommunications, and IT. Our experienced ERP consultants apply industry-specific best practices to design and operate Business Central in a way that suits your business.
3. Insufficient User Acceptance Testing — A Leading Cause of Post-Go-Live Issues
An ERP implementation isn’t finished once system configuration and development are complete. If the people actually using the system every day can’t use it effectively, you won’t see the results you expected — and that’s a common root cause of problems after Business Central goes live.
One frequent mistake is going live without adequate user acceptance testing. Insufficient testing tends to surface issues only after launch: workflows that don’t match real operations, missing fields on reports, or input rules that don’t reflect how teams actually work.
JBS USA trains ERP users in every department and builds acceptance test cases based on your requirements definition. When needed, our team can also visit your site to support users directly.
4. Limited Hands-On Business Central Experience — Not All “Dynamics 365” Partners Are the Same
It’s tempting to choose a partner simply because they’re a large, well-known vendor. But “Dynamics 365” covers a range of distinct products, and not every partner has deep, hands-on experience specifically with Business Central. Confirming a partner’s real-world Business Central implementation experience is essential.
JBS USA maintains a global network of Business Central specialists across Japan, the United States, Mexico, and India — including a Business Central expert who has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP. We bring that depth of expertise to every engagement.
5. Overlooking Global Connectivity and Multilingual Support — A Requirement for Globally Operating Companies
Many companies implementing ERP in the US have headquarters or operations overseas, or operate global supply chains. Local vendors that have only ever supported US-based companies may struggle to meet these needs — so it’s important to confirm a partner’s ability to support global connectivity and multilingual requirements. Moving forward without this confirmation can create problems after the contract is signed.
For example, you may need reporting aligned with your overseas headquarters’ management accounting rules, data sharing across international locations, multi-currency transactions, and user support in multiple languages.
JBS USA supports ERP implementations on the ground in the US, with bilingual Japanese-English communication and streamlined reporting through Business Central and Power BI.
Summary: A Partner-Selection Checklist for Business Central Implementations in the US
When implementing Dynamics 365 Business Central in the United States, partner selection determines the outcome of the entire project. An ERP implementation isn’t just a system replacement — it’s a project to understand your current challenges, redesign business processes, drive user adoption, and build a system your leadership team can rely on for decision-making.
Checklist for avoiding common Business Central partner-selection mistakes:
- Are requirements and priorities defined before requesting quotes?
- Does the partner understand your industry and operational requirements (manufacturing, distribution, food, etc.)?
- Does the partner prioritize user acceptance testing and training?
- Does the partner have a proven track record specifically with Business Central?
- Can the partner support global connectivity and multilingual requirements?
Choosing a partner who meets all five of these criteria is critical to a successful US ERP implementation.
Get Started With JBS USA JBS USA specializes in Dynamics 365 Business Central implementation and ongoing support for companies operating in the United States. From requirements gathering and implementation to user acceptance testing, training, ongoing support, and Power BI reporting, our bilingual Japanese-English team delivers consistent support from start to finish. If you’re looking for a Business Central implementation partner in the US, contact JBS USA — we support approximately 600 IT support cases and project engagements annually.
[Author Bio]
Masaya Tatsuta (Director, Engineering & Sales)
Prior to joining JBS USA, Masaya gained extensive experience at a general trading company and a management consulting firm. At JBS USA, as Director of Engineering and Sales, he leads IT infrastructure, system development, and ERP consulting services for both Japanese and non-Japanese enterprises in North America. He holds certifications in project management and Power BI data analytics.
