What’s New in Dynamics 365 F&SCM for Financial Controllers

Financial controllers play a crucial role in shaping the financial health of an organization. Their responsibilities range from managing budgets and ensuring compliance to forecasting performance and optimizing cash flow. With so many moving parts, financial controllers need tools that are not only powerful but also intuitive and adaptable.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Supply Chain Management (F&SCM) has been evolving rapidly to meet the growing demands of financial leaders. The latest updates in Dynamics 365 F&SCM bring new capabilities designed specifically with financial controllers in mind. These features aim to boost productivity, improve reporting accuracy, and provide deeper financial insights.

In this blog, we’ll take a closer look at what’s new in Dynamics 365 F&SCM and how these updates support the day-to-day work of financial controllers.

1. Enhanced Financial Reporting Capabilities

One of the most exciting updates for financial controllers is the improved financial reporting features. Dynamics 365 now supports advanced financial dimensions and offers a more intuitive report builder that simplifies the creation of custom statements.

Controllers can generate real-time reports with greater flexibility, allowing them to drill down into transactions, analyze variances, and export reports in formats that are easy to share with stakeholders.

The new workspace for financial reporting offers a centralized location to view, manage, and schedule reports, which streamlines monthly and quarterly close processes.

2. Intelligent Budgeting Tools

Budgeting can often feel like a tedious and manual task. The latest release introduces AI-assisted budgeting capabilities that help controllers make smarter decisions faster. Based on historical financial data and predictive analytics, the system can suggest budget figures and identify patterns or anomalies that need attention.

This enables controllers to adjust forecasts with better accuracy and ensures more realistic financial planning.

3. Streamlined Period Close

The period close process has been a long-standing pain point for finance teams. Dynamics 365 now features a dedicated closing workspace that gives controllers a real-time view of the close status across departments and legal entities.

Tasks can be assigned, monitored, and completed in sequence. The system tracks progress and alerts users to pending activities, helping to reduce errors and delays. This new workspace enhances collaboration between teams and simplifies the overall closing cycle.

4. Global Regulatory Compliance Support

Financial controllers working in multinational organizations must manage compliance with various tax and financial reporting requirements. Dynamics 365 F&SCM continues to expand its global coverage by offering localized features for over 40 countries.

Recent improvements include enhanced tax calculation services, electronic invoicing, and better support for VAT regulations. These updates help reduce the burden of compliance and ensure accuracy across all reporting entities.

5. Improved Integration with Excel and Power BI

Microsoft has deepened the integration between Dynamics 365 and the tools that financial controllers already use, such as Excel and Power BI.

Data can now be pulled directly from Dynamics 365 into Excel for quick analysis, and changes can be published back into the system securely. Power BI dashboards are now embedded directly into the F&SCM interface, giving controllers access to key financial metrics without leaving the application.

This improves visibility and allows for faster, more informed decision-making.

6. Automation of Vendor Payments and Approvals

Controllers are often responsible for managing outgoing payments and ensuring proper approvals are in place. Dynamics 365 now includes automation features that streamline vendor payment processing, including batch payments, workflow-based approvals, and alerts for policy violations.

This reduces the risk of errors, fraud, or missed payment deadlines and ensures a tighter control over cash outflows.

Final Thoughts

The latest updates to Microsoft Dynamics 365 F&SCM are clearly focused on empowering financial controllers. With better tools for reporting, planning, compliance, and automation, the platform is more controller-friendly than ever.

If your organization is looking to modernize its financial operations, improve visibility, and reduce manual effort, the new features in Dynamics 365 F&SCM are worth exploring. Financial controllers now have the support they need to focus on strategic planning and performance management, rather than spending hours on repetitive tasks.