Data management in an ERP system is of immense importance to drive business growth. An ERP system’s ability to manage and store core data from various departments makes business transformation easier.
One critical factor that goes hand in hand with data control is managing ERP storage capacity.
Storage management strategies play an important role in successful data management.
Here, we take the example of smart ways to control and expand D365 Business Central’s storage capacity.
Business Central is an ERP solution designed to manage core business operations. It easily adapts to growing business needs which may require expanding storage to handle more users and resources.
Making sure smooth Business Central operations without disruptions is essential, and this requires smart storage management strategies to control and expand storage whenever needed.
Understanding Business Central Storage Capacity
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.
They can purchase additional storage capacity through a Microsoft Business Central Partner. These add-ons that provide additional capabilities include:
- Dynamics 365 Business Central Database Capacity (1 GB)
- Dynamics 365 Business Central Database Capacity (100 GB)
- Dynamics 365 Business Central Database Capacity Overage (1 GB)
- Dynamics 365 Business Central Additional Environment Add-on
Storage management strategies
Regular Monitoring
Actively monitoring your data usage is important for maintaining successful Business Central data storage control.
Organizations can take advantage of built-in monitoring tools to track data storage use. Regular monitoring makes sure that organizations stay within their storage limits and avoid unexpected costs.
Best practices:
Track data usage regularly: Use built-in monitoring tools 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
Data storage needs will also grow with evolving business. Regular data archiving helps prevent system overloading and maintains performance.
Automatic data archiving: D365 Business Central can be configured to archive data after a set period of inactivity which keeps only applicable data in the system.
Data retention policies: Establish clear data retention policies within Business Central to make certain that only necessary data is kept in the ERP system.
External storage integration: When you want to keep historical data for compliance reasons, you can archive 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 store and manage files by maintaining links within the system.
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.
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 which allows 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.
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.
Utilize cloud storage: Utilize Microsoft Azure cloud storage solutions to improve storage capacity. Azure and other cloud storage options seamlessly integrate with D365 BC.
Cloud redundancy and backup: Take advantage of data backup and disaster recovery feature available within the cloud to guarantee your business remains protected in unforeseen situations.
Optimize Database Performance
Database performance is important to the Business Central storage. Adopting various measures can reduce storage costs and improve database performance.
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.
Business Central Storage Expansion Options
Successful data management can help organizations, but as businesses grow, additional storage capacity may be required. Microsoft provides storage expansion options to support scalability:
Organizations can purchase extra storage directly from Microsoft as their requirements increase.
They can leverage Azure Blob Storage or SharePoint to store large files, attachments, or documents.
A hybrid approach can be adopted by combining Business Central’s inbuilt storage with external storage services for greater flexibility.
Business Central Data Control
Business Central data control covers various aspects that secure data. It includes data security and administration features, data management, and AI and data visualization.
User Access Control encompasses role-based security, permissions, and identity management.
Data security and privacy cover data encryption, customer-managed keys, and compliance.
Data administration includes the data administration page, master data management, and data reduction.
AI and data visualization cover Microsoft Copilot, Power BI dashboards, and control add-ins.
Improve Business Performance with Business Central ERP
Storage management is critical for businesses using Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central.
If you would like to learn more about Business Central and the benefits it can offer your business, seek expert consultation from leading Microsoft Dynamics 365 Partners.
IAX DYNAMICS is a renowned Microsoft Partner specializes in delivering Dynamics 365 solutions to industries worldwide. No matter your business environment, their consultants can provide a tailored solution with Business Central.
To learn more about Business Central and its storage management capabilities, you can get expert help from our consultants.
FAQ Section
What is the default storage capacity for Business Central?
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 manage data storage to avoid unexpected costs?
Regular monitoring, data archiving, document management systems, data management features, optimizing data granularity, cloud storage, and database performance optimization are best practices for 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 successfully store and manage files.
