Business Central training and quick starts
Important
Draft documentation
This content is a draft version of the SkyBill documentation and is subject to final review. Some information may be incomplete or inaccurate. Features, terminology, and procedures may change before the official release.
Before you begin working with SkyBill's utility billing features, you need to understand Business Central's core capabilities, navigation, and fundamental concepts. The training modules and quick starts in this article, prepared by Microsoft for standard Business Central functionality, help you build this foundation. Some processes in SkyBill differ from standard Business Central. For example, SkyBill uses contracts and tariffs instead of traditional sales orders. Even though SkyBill differs from standard Business Central, mastering these essentials prepares you to use the platform and work with SkyBill-specific features.
Note
If you are already an experienced Business Central user and are only new to SkyBill, you can skip these training modules and go directly to the Business Functionality section to learn about SkyBill-specific features.
Important
You need a Business Central environment to complete the training modules and quick starts. You have three options:
- Use a free Business Central trial environment by following the instructions in the training module: Start your free Dynamics 365 Business Central trial. This can be your first learning experience with Business Central.
- Ask your system administrator or partner to grant you access to a Business Central sandbox environment.
- Ask SkyBill for a demo environment with SkyBill installed for training purposes. SkyBill demo environment contains customizations, setup, and data that may confuse new Business Central users. Use this option only if options 1 and 2 are impossible.
Training modules
The modules are organized in a hands-on learning sequence, starting with essential interface skills and progressing to more advanced topics. Each module includes practical exercises to reinforce your learning.
Important
Follow the sequence of the training modules as presented in the following table to build your knowledge progressively and ensure you have the necessary prerequisites for each successive module.
| Module | Learning objective |
|---|---|
| User interface essentials in Business Central | Navigate the Business Central user interface, including navigation, search, settings, and help features. |
| Explore and modify information in Business Central | Work with different types of data and fields, use date formulas, enter data efficiently with keyboard shortcuts, and edit data in Excel. |
| Search, filter, sort, and select data in Business Central | Apply efficient techniques for searching, filtering, sorting, and selecting data in list views. |
| Personalize UI in Business Central | Customize your Business Central workspace through personalization and profile-based UI configuration. |
| Create new companies in Business Central | Create and configure new companies using various data options, including blank setup data, demo data, or by copying existing companies. |
| Introduction to the capabilities of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central | Understand Business Central as a cloud business solution and explore core functionalities including relationship management, supply chain, sales and purchase cycles, and more. |
| Alternative interfaces in Business Central | Access Business Central through mobile apps, Outlook, and Microsoft Teams for flexible working. |
| Digitally transform with Dynamics 365 | Understand how Business Central fits into the broader Dynamics 365 ecosystem and supports digital transformation. |
To browse all available training modules, go to Microsoft Learn Training and apply filters appropriate for your knowledge level and role.
Quick starts
Now that you've completed the training modules and understand Business Central's core concepts and navigation, you're ready to apply your knowledge through hands-on practice. These quick starts provide step-by-step guidance for essential configuration tasks to set up a Business Central environment for SkyBill. The following table lists the recommended quick starts and their relevance to SkyBill users:
| Quick start | Learning objective |
|---|---|
| Company Information Quick Start | Set up basic company details, including address, contact details, payment/banking information, and tax data such as your VAT number. This information appears on SkyBill-generated invoices and contracts. |
| Financial Information Quick Start | Configure the chart of accounts and bank accounts. This is critical for SkyBill users as all utility billing transactions post to the general ledger. You may need to add utility-specific accounts for different revenue streams. |
| Basic Reports and Documents Output Quick Start | Learn how to customize reports and documents, add your company logo, and export reports. These foundational skills prepare you to customize utility invoices, where you can apply custom layouts to meet your branding. |
| Business Intelligence Quick Start | Understand how to analyze business data using Business Central's built-in tools. Useful for creating consumption analysis, revenue reports, and tracking billing performance. |
| Sales Quick Start | Learn the standard Business Central sales process, including creating items, registering customers, and generating sales orders and invoices. Utility companies use two main sales approaches: ad hoc sales for selling items to customers (covered in this quickstart) and automated billing for utilities such as electricity, gas, or water (covered in the Business Functionality section). |
| Procurement Quick Start | Learn how to set up vendors and manage the purchasing process in Business Central. |
Next steps
After completing these Business Central training modules and quick starts, you have two options for continuing your learning journey:
Option 1: Deepen your Business Central knowledge
If you want to explore Business Central's capabilities further and learn more about working efficiently with the system, visit the Get productive in Business Central section on Microsoft Learn. This collection of articles covers topics such as working with data, collaboration features, productivity tips, and advanced functionality that can help you become more proficient with Business Central before diving into SkyBill-specific features.
Option 2: Learn SkyBill-specific features
If you're ready to start working with SkyBill's utility billing capabilities, proceed directly to the Business Functionality section. This section covers SkyBill-specific features, including contracts, tariffs, meter points, and utility billing processes that extend beyond standard Business Central functionality. You can also request access to a SkyBill demo environment to practice using SkyBill with preloaded demonstration data.
Related information
Set up tariffs and pricing rules
Enable online payments with Stripe
Landlords and tenants
Work with Business Central