Dynamics 365 Business Central navision, the next-gen cloud ERP, offers unmatched ease of use plus the power to handle large datasets and demanding workloads.
But as transaction volumes grow from legacy Navision systems or expanded business, optimizing performance becomes vital.
With proven techniques like intelligent scaling, database optimization, load balancing, and more, organizations can maximize Business Central speed and responsiveness.
Assessing Performance Needs and Bottlenecks
The first step is objectively assessing existing workloads and pain points. Where are users experiencing slowness?
Which processes and reports are taking too long? Baseline KPIs like month-end close time, batch job duration, concurrent users supported, etc. should be captured.
Tools like Azure Monitor provide detailed performance insights to identify bottlenecks. Front-end client latency, back-end database load, slow code triggers – root causes can be isolated. This analysis provides an objective baseline to measure optimization improvements.
Right-Sizing the Business Central Environment
Business Central offers flexible tiered environments sized for different needs. The production tier provides maximum scale-out capabilities designed for large data volumes. Memory and vCPUs can be ramped up or down instantly to match workload demands.
Monitoring resource usage helps pick the right tier. Opting for higher environments proactively prevents performance degradation as transactions increase over time.
Scaling Out Database Capacity
Business Central relies on Microsoft SQL technology for its database. SQL databases provide hyperscale capabilities through sharing data across multiple nodes.
As datasets grow, additional SQL capacity can be seamlessly added to scale horizontally. Intelligent SQL partitioning distributes table rows across nodes to utilize resources efficiently. This enables handling millions of records while optimizing speed.
Optimizing Database Performance
Tuned databases perform faster. SQL provides tools to optimize database schemas, indexes, and queries based on usage. Unused indexes drain speed and should be removed.
Query execution plans can be analyzed to add optimal indexes that improve read/write times. Data compression reduces storage overhead. Such structural optimizations make accessing and updating data quicker.
Caching and Load Balancing
Caching frequently accessed data in memory speeds response times. Business Central allows configurable in-memory caching for master data, user sessions, requests etc. Redis Cache can be used for distributed caching across nodes.
Load balancers distribute user requests evenly across application servers. This prevents single points of overload and improves overall response times. Global load balancing directs users to the nearest data center.
Streamlining Processes and Batch Jobs
Beyond technology, reviewing processes and data loads with a performance lens also helps. Batch jobs can be scheduled during low-traffic periods to minimize resource conflicts. Reports can be optimized by removing unnecessary fields or calculations.
Table structure and relationship changes can improve JOIN performance. Cleaning stale data speeds up queries and jobs. Performance optimization should happen across technology, processes, and people.
Implementing Asynchronous Design
Synchronous operations lock processes until completed, hurting responsiveness. Triggers, reports, or downstream integrations can be designed asynchronously via Azure queues or Service Bus.
Workflows continue executing while queued operations happen out-of-band. Asynchronous processes prevent delays and provide scalability.
Monitoring Optimization Progress
Establishing KPIs pre-optimization provides a baseline for comparison. Once optimizations roll out, it’s critical to monitor metrics through tools like Power BI to validate improvements.
Progressive performance testing with larger datasets helps assess the impact. Optimization should deliver measurable speed improvements for users. The goal is not just to increase backend capability but to lower response times.
Maintaining Performance Long-Term
Performance management requires ongoing diligence, not just one-time initiatives. As data or user volumes change, continuous monitoring helps re-optimize proactively before bottlenecks emerge.
Following DevOps practices like performance testing new code and maintaining optimization documentation helps sustain speed long-term.
Enabling Insights and Innovation
Ultimately, the aim of optimizing Business Central is not just faster transaction processing but unlocking innovation. Employees can derive and act on data insights much quicker. Researchers can build ML models rapidly with accessible data.
Better performance means focusing less on reporting delays and more on strategic priorities. Technology optimization coupled with process excellence helps master demanding workloads.
The Quick and Nimble ERP
Modern businesses need ERP speed, scale, and agility to adapt quickly. With intelligent optimizations tailored to workload, Business Central and SQL empower enterprises with a high-performance yet cost-effective ERP foundation for growth and innovation. The future is fast – and Business Central is ready to accelerate any organization’s success.
