Cost Control Software

Add-on modules for Business Central, built by an Indiana developer since 1994

Cost Control Software develops add-on products that extend Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, with most of its work aimed at three kinds of company: project-based businesses, service firms and discrete manufacturers. It also sells training and training materials for the platform. According to its own account, the firm was founded in 1994 in Carmel, Indiana, and started working with Navision before Microsoft acquired it and the product became Business Central. It says its focus has not changed in the years since: building functions and automation that the standard system lacks.

Extending the project and job module

For project and job costing, the company has six add-on solutions that together cover project management and costing. Two are named on its site. Project Manager is an activity based costing tool, and it lets users group projects into master and sub projects, keep a closer view of costs through a job, and plan work with a visual scheduler that several people can use at once. Time Entry lets employees record time against projects and tasks, which feeds current figures for labour and production cost back into the books.

Extending manufacturing

A second set of six add-ons covers the manufacturing module, with accurate costing and clearer visibility of work center and machine center activity as the goals. Manufacturing Plus is a series of usability and functional improvements to the standard module. The Manufacturing Report Pack widens the set of reports that come with the system, and the company says it does this without changes to the application. A change approval system for bills of materials is part of the range, as is a quality control granule that handles testing on raw materials and finished goods.

General productivity tools

Nine further add-ons are meant to raise productivity across any Business Central installation. They include:

• A Foundation Pack with more than 45 enhancements to usability and function, offered as a ready-made bundle in place of custom modifications.
• An alert system that notifies users of tasks or customer requests.
• Tools to automate reports, monthly statements and emails.
• A layout collection with over 60 ready-to-use designs for documents and reports.
• Utilities such as Data Replication, Pop-Up Notes and a Word Wrap feature that the company made free in 2022.

Who uses it

The company says it works with customers around the world, from conveyor manufacturers to construction firms, and that it takes time to learn how each client operates before suggesting a fit. Its stated priority is the success of those customers, and its product list is built around helping existing Business Central users get more from the system they already run.