Connected ERP Experiences Reduce Cost and Complexity
- 3 days ago
- 5 min read
Do all users really need ERP? Or do they just need access? Connected ERP experiences exist to answer that question, but in my experience, it rarely begins as a strategic conversation.
Usually, it’s something more like, “Can we just give a few more people visibility?”
A reasonable request. Then another one. Then someone suggests a portal. Then licensing comes up.
None of this feels risky in the moment... it actually feels helpful. Efficient, even. Like you’re doing the right thing.
And that’s where things tend to drift.
In many organizations, the real challenge isn’t ERP capability. It’s deciding who truly needs to be inside the system, and who simply needs the right information, at the right time, in a simpler way.
When those distinctions aren’t clear, license counts grow, portals get discussed, and complexity starts creeping back in (usually with the best intentions).
This post builds directly on the foundation I laid earlier in this series, where we explored why heavy customization increases ERP costs and limits flexibility.
Connected ERP experiences are a practical way to avoid that trap, without giving up control or signing on for a decade of cleanup.
Always brings more people to ERP data
As organizations grow, more people want access to ERP data.
Customers want order status. Vendors want visibility. And internal teams want approvals, reporting, or quick answers without logging into a system they rarely use.
ERP often becomes the default gateway simply because the data is already there. That’s usually when customization or portals enter the conversation.
At first, these requests seem small. Temporary. But access has a way of compounding (the ERP equivalent of “we’ll deal with it later.”)
What starts as a handful of users quietly expands into a broader expectation that ERP should be available to everyone, even when the system wasn’t designed for that kind of interaction.
This is where access decisions begin shaping cost, complexity, and long-term design, whether intentional or not.
Do all users really need direct access to ERP systems like Business Central?
Short answer: No.
Most organizations have a mix of users:
Core users who live in ERP daily
Occasional users who need limited access
External users who need information, not navigation menus
The challenge is that ERP customization and portal discussions often collapse these distinctions. When everyone is treated as a core user, license counts grow, and usability suffers.
ERP systems like Dynamics 365 Business Central are powerful, but they aren’t designed to be intuitive for every audience. Expecting customers, vendors, or occasional users to work inside ERP often creates friction, not efficiency.
How can organizations provide ERP data access without increasing license counts?
This is where ERP user licensing strategy becomes inseparable from design decisions.
License growth rarely shows up as a single event.
It can be sneaky — like a subscription you forgot to cancel before the renewal email hits.
One role gets added.
One more exception gets approved. Over time, organizations find themselves paying for ERP access that many users barely touch.
Providing ERP data access without customization, and without expanding licenses, requires separating access from system control. Not everyone needs to transact inside ERP to get value from it.
This approach helps organizations:
Reduce ERP license costs
Improve ERP user experience
Limit unnecessary exposure to the core system
It also gives leaders more intentional control over who uses ERP... and why.
What are connected ERP experiences, and how are they different from traditional ERP portals?
ERP connected experiences create a layer between users and the ERP system itself.
Instead of pushing more people into ERP, companies expose only the data and actions users need through a secure, purpose-built interface. ERP remains protected as the system of record, while users interact through a simpler experience designed for their specific role.
Traditional portals often promise simplicity but become tightly coupled to ERP logic over time. They look clean on the whiteboard...
Then upgrades happen...
Dependencies grow...
Maintenance becomes specialized...
Connected ERP experiences are different by design. They reduce coupling, protect the core system, and allow organizations to adjust access as needs change, without rewriting ERP.
This approach aligns with broader industry thinking about ERP’s role as a stable foundation, rather than a one-size-fits-all interface.
Forbes found that when discussing how growing businesses prepare ERP systems for the future, long-term success depends less on adding features and more on how systems are structured to adapt as demands increase.
Are connected experiences more secure than giving users ERP access?
In many cases, yes.
Why? Because they reduce exposure.
Granting direct ERP access increases risk simply by expanding the number of users inside the system. Connected experiences limit that exposure by keeping ERP access centralized while allowing users to interact through controlled pathways.
This supports secure ERP access without relying on broad permissions or complex workarounds. Fewer users inside ERP often translates to fewer security concerns, fewer training requirements, and clearer accountability.
Security improves not because controls increase, but because surface area decreases.
Power pages explained
Microsoft Power Pages often plays a key role in this model.
Rather than acting as a traditional ERP portal, Power Pages functions as a secure front door, enabling ERP external user access without pulling those users into the ERP itself.
It supports cleaner Business Central portal design, better usability, and clearer separation of concerns.
This allows organizations to:
Capture custom requirements outside ERP
Improve user experience
Keep Business Central focused on core financial and operational logic
The result is a cleaner ERP environment that’s easier to maintain and upgrade over time.
When does building an ERP portal create more problems than it solves?
Portals tend to become problematic when they:
Mirror ERP complexity instead of simplifying it
Depend heavily on custom logic
Require specialized knowledge to maintain
At that point, portals can inherit the same upgrade challenges as ERP customizations... and sometimes worse. Organizations delay changes not because they want to, but because touching the system feels risky.
That’s often the signal that connection, not customization, would be the safer long-term path.
Why this approach matters now
Keeping ERP clean at the core isn’t about following a philosophy. It’s about making life easier as expectations grow.
As more people ask for access, systems that rely on heavy customization or tightly coupled portals tend to pick up friction along the way. Each request makes sense on its own.
Taken together, they’re what turn routine upgrades into projects everyone quietly dreads.
Connected ERP experiences offer a more practical option.
They let organizations respond to new access needs without reopening the ERP every time something changes. ERP stays focused on what it does best, while the surrounding experiences absorb change as the business evolves.
It’s not about replacing ERP or locking it down. It’s about giving it some breathing room so it can keep doing its job, even as everything around it keeps moving.
Preparing for what comes next
Cleaner systems adapt faster. When ERP remains focused and protected, future initiatives, including automation and analytics, become easier to introduce without disruption.
My next blog in this series will show how these connected experiences fit into a future-ready ERP design that supports growth and change over time.
If you want to learn more, we'll be holding a live webinar on March 25. We’ll demonstrate how Power Pages connects to Business Central as a practical alternative to traditional ERP portals, focusing on real design decisions, cost control, and long-term flexibility.
I hope to see you there, or you can also reach out to me here to learn more!
About Matt Keyes
Matt Keyes is a visionary leader, founder, and CTO of Key Partner Solutions. With over two decades of experience in Microsoft Dynamics, he is passionate about driving digital transformation for businesses through innovative technology solutions.
His deep technical expertise, combined with a strategic approach to solving business challenges, makes him a sought-after thought leader in the industry.
Today, Matt is focused on empowering companies to unlock new levels of growth and efficiency through cutting-edge software development and consulting.
Connect with Matt on LinkedIn.
