Organizations often face multiple challenges with respect to managing or maintaining business ERP systems. This is true for businesses using Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central.
Data storage control within D365 Business Central is a critical factor for a growing business. In a growing market like Africa, organizations using this ERP must be aware of D365 Business Central’s storage capacity.
While the default storage capacity is sufficient for most businesses, as your business grows, you may need to take advantage of additional storage space available in Business Central.
Know the storage space available for Business Central
Business Central users are entitled to 80 GB of database storage by default. Beyond this default storage limit, users can gain extra storage capacity based on the type and number of licenses they have.
Users with a Premium license can receive an additional 3 GB of storage per license, those with an Essentials license can get an additional 2 GB per license, and those with a Device license can get 1 GB of additional space per license.
Here, we delve into best practices for businesses to control data storage in Business Central
Organizations should follow Business Central best practices in Africa for effective storage management.
Regular Monitoring
Actively monitoring your data usage is critical for maintaining efficient data storage control in Business Central.
Organizations can take advantage of built-in monitoring tools to track data storage use. Regular monitoring ensures that organizations stay within their storage limits and avoid unexpected costs.
Best practices:
- Track data usage regularly: Leverage the built-in monitoring tools available in Business Central. Set up alerts for when storage usage approaches its threshold so that organizations can avoid potential issues due to storage limits.
- Review and delete unused data: Perform regular audits to identify data that is no longer necessary or relevant and remove it accordingly.
Adopt Data Archiving
As your business expands, your data storage needs will also grow. Regular data archiving helps prevent system overloading and maintains efficient performance.
Best practices:
Automatic data archiving: D365 Business Central can be configured to archive data after a set period of inactivity, keeping only relevant data in the system.
Data retention policies: Establish clear data retention policies within Business Central to ensure that only necessary data is kept in the ERP system, while older data is archived or removed.
External storage integration: When you want to keep historical data for legal or compliance reasons, consider archiving it to external storage systems like Azure Blog Storage.
Document Management System
Documents stored in Business Central consumes storage space. You can save space by integrating D365 Business Central with document management system that can efficiently store and manage files by maintaining links within the system.
Best Practices:
External document management system: Tools like Microsoft SharePoint is an excellent tool for storing and accessing documents. Integrate SharePoint with Business Central for managing documents, so that you can save space within Business Central.
Data Management Features
Business Central offers data management features to optimize your data storage control. The Data Management Workspace helps you in various ways.
Best practices:
Identify Large Data Sets: Users can identify data sets that consume significant storage.
Analyze Storage Usage: Users can analyze how storage is being used across different modules and data types. This helps them adjust storage space according to data usage.
Manage Data Deletion Processes: Easily initiate data deletion processes directly from the workspace, allowing you to clear out unnecessary data.
Optimize Data granularity
Excessively granular data can lead to increased storage costs and degraded system performance. One way to control storage usage is by reviewing the level of detail stored within the system and optimizing when needed.
Best Practices:
Assess the necessity of detailed data: Identify situations in which high data granularity is essential.
Aggregate data: Use data aggregation approaches to convert detailed records into summaries, reducing the amount of stored data while maintaining essential information.
Cloud storage
One of the benefits of using D365 Business Central is the ability to scale your storage needs based on business growth without worrying about managing physical infrastructure.
Best Practices:
Leverage cloud storage: Utilize Microsoft Azure cloud storage solutions to enhance your storage capacity. Azure and other cloud storage options seamlessly integrate with D365 BC.
Ensure cloud redundancy and backup: Take advantage of data backup and disaster recovery feature available within the cloud to ensure your business remains protected in the face of unforeseen situations.
Optimize Database Performance
Database efficiency is critical to the storage performance of D365 Business Central. Optimizing the database can reduce storage costs and improve system performance.
Best Practices:
Regular database maintenance: Performing tasks such as indexing, defragmenting, and cleaning up unused indexes can enhance database performance.
Data compression: Utilize compression options within the database system to reduce the size of stored data without compromising data integrity.
For businesses using Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, storage management is critical. By adopting Business Central best practices in Africa, you can create a compliant storage environment.
To learn more about Business Central and its storage management capabilities, you can get expert help from IAX DYNAMICS, a leading Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central Partner in Africa.
FAQ Section
What is the default storage capacity for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central?
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central users are entitled to 80 GB of database storage by default, with additional storage capacity available based on license type and number.
How can organizations effectively manage data storage in Business Central to avoid unexpected costs?
Regular monitoring, data archiving, document management systems, data management features, optimizing data granularity, cloud storage, and database performance optimization are essential best practices for effective storage management.
Can integrating Business Central with external document management systems help reduce storage costs?
Yes, integrating Business Central with external document management systems like Microsoft SharePoint can efficiently store and manage files, saving space within Business Central.
How can organizations optimize database performance to improve storage capacity?
Regular database maintenance, data compression, indexing, defragmenting, and cleaning up unused indexes can enhance database performance, reducing storage costs and improving system performance.
