Infor M3 vs Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central comparison

Infor M3 vs. Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central

Download the complete report

Helped 900,196 peers since 2012

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Infor M3

Ranking in ERP

12th

Ranking in Activity Based Costing Software

8th

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

6.3

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Busi...

Ranking in ERP

5th

Ranking in Activity Based Costing Software

2nd

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

6.4

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2026, in the ERP category, the mindshare of Infor M3 is 2.3%, down from 4.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is 3.1%, down from 6.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

ERP Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central	3.1%
Infor M3	2.3%
Other	94.6%

ERP

Featured Reviews

Umesh D

Vice President, Delivery at Independent Computer Consulting Group, Incorporated

Maximized industry-specific process efficiency with rapid implementation

The best features of Infor M3 are the micro-vertical and industry ready-made solutions rather than generic solutions. They have ready-made solutions ready, so the implementation of the process discovery happens very fast. It won't take more than two months, and if the process is very simple and they adopt the standard, it may happen within five weeks, covering the implementation cycle which will finish within seven to eight months. Most of the time, it helps streamline business processes; maybe some processes such as unique subcontracting vary by continent or job work, which could be different due to legal compliance. Other than that, everything helps because the processes are very much streamlined. Everywhere you have a check and maker concept, there is a workflow, and all those things are there; document management is also very simple. You can drag and drop the reports. The workflow feature is very good and flexible, working with multi-level authorization and all those capabilities. Apart from that, the GUI interface screens are really good. Users can design their own workspace based on the roles, and there are roles-based security options, with many roles available that you need not define—you can just tweak them.

Read full review

Bhupesh-Nehete

VP Sales at Zelite Solution

Streamlined sales pipeline has improved daily task tracking and clarified client follow-ups

The best features Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central offers for me is that this software makes my life very easy, as I have a complete snapshot of my pipeline and a complete snapshot of my daily activities, where I can see what the status of my leads is, where I am standing in terms of closure, and the aging of my opportunities, which tells me how much time there is in the opportunity. Out of all those things I mentioned, the pipeline view and day-to-day activities feel the most valuable to me in my day-to-day work. There are AI-driven insights through Copilot, which is worth mentioning. Email communication and everything I receive is tracked with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, and the best feature is that I can access everything on my mobile, so I do not have to open my laptop and the application every time. It helps me with my sales forecasting also, and predictive analysis is one of the best features for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. We have more insights and more clarity about our sales, our pipeline, where we are standing, and we have more clarity on our leads. Becoming a process-centric organization helps us a lot to keep us accountable, so Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central has made our life easy in terms of sales.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"Infor M3 has tailor-made packages for each and every industry."

"It's very stable, and it handles all types of industrial and manufacturing businesses in very good ways. I've found it to be easy."

"The most valuable feature is the ability to cover different types of activities, and the requirement for maintenance and data is very low."

"The product's initial setup phase is easy."

"The most valuable feature of this solution is the Infor GL tool that allows us to do our application support and development."

"Infor M3 has several valuable features, including customer order management and integration capabilities with third-party applications like ION."

"The user interface and user experience were good."

"The most valuable feature of the solution is that it is highly customizable."

More Infor M3 pros

"The product is customizable so we can tune it according to our requirements."

"The appeal of NAV was that it's all-inclusive, so we didn't need 15 different programs to keep the business running."

"Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is extremely stable as it does not rely on our in-house servers."

"The solution makes everything organized for my organization or enterprise. It makes workflows more than clear."

"We have everything recorded in the database, so our data is much more manageable than before, and that's one of the greatest advantages."

"The most important feature of Microsoft Dynamics NAV is that it lets us centralize all our information so that we don't need to rely on any other software outside of Microsoft."

"The most valuable feature of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is its ease of use, data customization, and smooth integration."

"For people who want to start using Microsoft Dynamics Business Central, it's a far easier system to use than any other competing ERPs in the segments because it's very easy to configure."

More Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central pros

Cons

"Sometimes, M3 alone cannot handle all the planning functionalities required by a customer. It has to be used along with industry-specific planning tools because M3 doesn't have all the features. However, no product can handle all the requirements of all the industries. There will be some shortcomings in all the products. Though this is an area for improvement, it is not a very serious shortfall or limitation. It can be covered by using third-party planning applications that integrate with Infor M3."

"The product's technical support has certain shortcomings. Sometimes, my company doesn't get a proper response from their end."

"It should be improved in terms of procurement of the supply chain and business intelligence analysis. We have the Infor BI tool, but it's more complex to use than, for example, Power Pivot or QlikView in the market."

"The solution must provide more learning documents."

"We can't make modifications to fit the client's requirements."

"I would like to have some kind of dashboard to show an overview of different data on the same dashboard or on the same screen instead of moving to BI."

"Here in Infor M3, you have certain limitations where the main components cannot be modified—you must work around or use bolt-ons."

"The configuration appears to have been designed around theory rather than practice."

More Infor M3 cons

"Planning a budget for initial implementation can be underestimated due to unforeseen issues."

"The human resources module could be improved."

"Microsoft Dynamics NAV could be improved in terms of exporting income statements and balance sheets. Currently, there is a feature, but you can only have the last three years. I spent some time trying to improve the KPI portion that exports the data, that already calculates the sub forms or subtotals, but they weren't able to break that up into different dimensions. They've now managed to crowd the separate table and you can export that, but it's only for the last three years. So, they could improve this solution by getting the chart of accounts or the account schedules to be exported, where you can go further than just three years with it."

"There is room for improvement in the ability to reverse or correct transactions more easily."

"It could be more stable."

"There is a lot of improvement needed in the top model, such as better integration with logistics, quality management, and data modeling for all revenue types."

"Microsoft Dynamics NAV could improve the reporting."

"I would like to improve the tool’s reporting and coding part."

More Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Infor M3 is a tier-two product and is cheaper than tier-one products such as SAP and Oracle. However, it is more expensive than some other tier-two products. The licensing cost is dependent on the number of users. Also, if you purchase other tools from Infor as a package, then there may be other discounts offered."

"The cost is between $50 and $100 per user annually."

"There is a yearly licensing cost. The price is based on the modules you need. There are several modules, such as HR module, accounting module, sales module, scheduling module, etc., and the price will vary depending on the number of modules you choose. The customers always say that it's very expensive. It can cost a lot of money if your organization is huge. It's not implemented in a lot of organizations in my country because it's too expensive."

"If you compare Infor M3 to SAP, Infor M3 is less expensive than SAP, but if you compare Infor M3 to Dynamics 365, Infor M3 is more expensive. It also depends on the model that you buy. It depends on whether you have the complete package or whether you have separate models."

"I'm not part of the team that manages Infor M3 pricing, but it depends on the client, integration, ship-out, and training levels. You get the price from the solution provider, but it would be best to discuss it because nothing is set in stone regarding pricing."

"The tool’s licensing is yearly."

"The cost is one of the benefits. If you don't want to go for the full-blown finance and operations, the pricing model is a lot cheaper and has now switched to being based on a per-user subscription. So, if it's on cloud, you now have an expense instead of a large CapEx. If it's on-prem, you obviously still have to continue with the licensing model that they have, but if you compare the features and functionality, in terms of the price that you pay, I find it's better than other products. My answer on the pricing would be slightly different, depending on the country you're in and the return on investment, based on the size of the company. It's well-priced internationally. I think the new model is priced even better because it's now subscription-based and, if you go for cloud, the return on investment is a lot quicker and if it's expense, you can cap it. If you do take the on-prem version, the licensing is still priced as what it used to be, so that would depend on what country you are in."

"I think the pricing is the best; it's cost effective for sure."

"Its licensing is yearly. In addition to the licensing cost, there is the cost of hosting on Azure."

"The price of the solution could be reduced to improve their offering."

"There is an annual cost of using Microsoft Dynamics NAV. The cost is approximately 140,000 INR."

"We have a perpetual license to use Microsoft Dynamics NAV."

"The deployment cost us $70,000 and we pay around $18,000 annually for support, which we find to be expensive."

"The per user price of $100 a month is better than competitors."

More Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central pricing and cost advice

See which vendors are best for you

Use our free recommendation engine to learn which ERP solutions are best for your needs.

See recommendations

900,196 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Manufacturing Company

14%

Computer Software Company

Comms Service Provider

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

11%

Construction Company

Comms Service Provider

Financial Services Firm

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	6
Midsize Enterprise	5
Large Enterprise	3

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	42
Midsize Enterprise	12
Large Enterprise	19

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with Infor M3?

Some customers expect more out-of-box reports, and in some areas, they should provide more reports. However, Infor has introduced a report tool so that key users or global champions can generate re...

What is your primary use case for Infor M3?

Infor M3 is specifically dominant in fashion, food and beverages, and chemicals manufacturing; it works into micro-verticals. In food and beverage, it specializes in meat processing, confectionery,...

What advice do you have for others considering Infor M3?

In Microsoft, it is easier to work due to its .NET technology and hybrid architecture, but Infor M3 is more structured, requiring in-depth knowledge of its rules and table names. I think they shoul...

Is it advisable to purchase Dynamics CRM in addition to NAV 2016?

Short answer: depends on your sales needs. NAV 2016’s built-in CRM is very basic. It’s fine for simple contact management and basic sales tracking, but it lacks: Proper pipeline management Adva...

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Dynamics NAV?

The pricing and setup cost via partner for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central are very attractive, as you get the best discounts and offers. Implementation, which depends on partner to partner...

What needs improvement with Microsoft Dynamics NAV?

The only thing that could be improved is integration with WhatsApp, which I can see for Microsoft that it has to be available, and that becomes a challenge sometimes. Everything else is perfect.

Infor CloudSuite vs Infor M3

Comparisons

SAP ERP vs Infor M3

Compared 18% of the time

Infor LN vs Infor M3

Compared 12% of the time

Compared 12% of the time

Infor Distribution SX.e vs Infor M3

Compared 7% of the time

Oracle E-Business Suite vs Infor M3

Compared 4% of the time

More Infor M3 Competitors

SAP S/4HANA vs Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central

Compared 8% of the time

Microsoft Dynamics AX vs Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central

Compared 7% of the time

Comarch ERP Enterprise vs Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central

Compared 5% of the time

SYSPRO vs Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central

Compared 5% of the time

JD Edwards EnterpriseOne vs Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central

Compared 3% of the time

More Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central Competitors

Product Reports

Infor M3

Download Infor M3 product report

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central

Download Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central product report

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central report

Also Known As

Infor Lawson M3, Lawson M3

Dynamics NAV, MS Dynamics NAV

Overview

Infor M3 is a comprehensive ERP solution designed for ease of use and customization, supporting industries like manufacturing, food and beverages, and chemicals with robust functionalities in finance, supply chain, and manufacturing processes.

Infor M3 offers extensive capabilities in managing core business operations for finance, manufacturing, and supply chain management. It features ease of integration with third-party applications, an intuitive interface, and fast implementation using ready-made solutions. Its flexibility makes it suitable for industry-specific requirements, providing detailed insights into manufacturing with reliable data extraction and efficient bug fixes. Used widely in multinational manufacturing setups and distribution sectors across Europe and India, Infor M3 manages processes from invoicing to purchasing, ensuring streamlined business operations.

What are the key features of Infor M3?

Ease of Use: Simplifies operations with an intuitive design.
High Customization: Adjusts to specific business needs.
Integration: Compatible with third-party applications.
Finance Management: Comprehensive GL tool for accounting.
Supply Chain: Efficiently manages procurement and logistics.
Manufacturing Insights: Provides detailed process analytics.

What benefits should users look for when evaluating Infor M3?

Streamlined Implementation: Rapid deployment minimizes downtime.
Improved Business Intelligence: Data-driven decision support.
User-Friendly Design: Enhances operational efficiency.
Industry-Specific Adaptability: Suits diverse sectors.
Reliable Performance: Consistent bug fixes enhance functionality.

Infor M3 is particularly beneficial within manufacturing, food and beverage, and chemical industries for planning, procurement, and warehousing needs. Integrated with third-party tools, it is favored by multinational enterprises for tasks ranging from invoicing to purchasing, across regions such as Europe and India. Users often seek better integration, industry-standard features, and improved procurement and supply chain capabilities, alongside a demand for enhanced security measures and easier online documentation.

Infor

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central provides customization and integrates with Microsoft tools like Excel and Outlook. It's accessible via cloud and supports various business functions, making it ideal for small and medium-sized businesses.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is known for real-time data management, robust reporting, financial analytics, and security encryption. It seamlessly adapts to different business needs and is economically viable, making it an optimal choice. There is room for enhancements in pricing for small businesses, sales automation, security configurations, inter-company logistics, inventory management, Power BI and CRM integration, interface friendliness, and reporting tools. Users seek improvements in AI, customization, multi-country management, retail integration, training resources, stability, and transaction correction.

What are Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central's key features?

Customization: Tailors functionalities to unique business requirements.
Integration: Works with Microsoft products like Excel and Outlook.
Cloud Accessibility: Offers web access for enhanced flexibility.
Financial Analytics: Provides insight-driven decision making.
Security Encryption: Ensures data protection and compliance.

What benefits should be considered when evaluating Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central?

Cost-Effectiveness: Provides economical solutions for SMBs.
Scalability: Adapts to diverse business scales and demands.
Automation: Streamlines business operations and increases efficiency.
CRM Capabilities: Enhances customer relationship management.

Used predominantly in financial management, CRM, inventory tracking, and internal operations, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central supports industries like finance, retail, education, and distribution. It offers modules for accounts receivable, accounts payable, general ledger, and supply chain management. Integration with Microsoft 365 and cloud-based functionalities enhances operational efficiency and data management.

Microsoft

Sample Customers

Grosfillex, High Five Sportswear, L_derach, OTK Group, PHS Group, Propper International, Red Wing Shoe Company, Reynolds Catering Supplies, Saudi Diesel, Sheetz, Zeppelin, Zodiac Aerospace

Harris Farm Markets, Mister Spex GmbH, Bounce Foods, Eurofin Services SA, Medica Medizintechnik, Associated Gaskets, Onduline, Sitka Surfboard Corporation, World Animal Protection

Infor M3 vs. Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central