Finance teams across the Microsoft ecosystem know change is coming. With Management Reporter reaching end-of-life and many organizations planning a move to Business Central, reporting is now one of the most important parts of the transition conversation.
In our recent webinar, Chris Dean and Spencer Kuo walked through how finance teams are approaching this shift, what they’re learning along the way, and how FYIsoft helps them modernize without losing previous functionality or time invested in existing reports. Here are the five biggest insights from the session.
- The Management Reporter Timeline Should Inform Your Planning
Microsoft has outlined a clear retirement path for GP and Management Reporter, and while support will phase out gradually, the transition is already underway. The message from the webinar was simple: now is the right time to start planning your reporting strategy with your Microsoft Partner. It gives you space to evaluate your options and avoid rushed decisions.
- Finance Teams Tend to Follow Three Reporting Paths After Leaving GP
When organizations move from GP to Business Central, we see the same three journeys repeat.
Some choose tools that are too complex.
Excel-heavy or multi-purpose add-ons look flexible but often lead to frustration once month-end hits. Andretti Indoor Karting learned this the hard way before finding FYIsoft.
Some rely only on native Business Central reports.
This works for straightforward needs, but teams accustomed to Management Reporter quickly feel the absence of reporting trees, multi-entity visibility, and deeper drilldown.
Some find the right replacement immediately.
Teams like Polymers International saw FYIsoft and recognized it instantly. As CFO David Armour shared, management reporter is running on old technology. The transition to modern technology software like FYIsoft is seamless.
- Automated MR Conversion Smooths the Move to Modern Reporting
One of the most common questions from finance leaders is how to convert Management Reporter files. In the webinar, Spencer explained that FYIsoft automates most of the process.
All you do is upload your MR backup. FYIsoft maps the rows, columns, trees, catalog, and formatting, and then you make small adjustments during review. This significantly shortens implementation time and preserves the structure your team already invested in.
- A Modern Reporting Tool Can Still Feel Familiar
The live demo showed how FYIsoft blends ease of use with advanced capabilities. Finance teams get the familiar building blocks of rows, columns, and trees along with modern features such as:
- instant drilldown from consolidated reports to individual transactions
- secure browser-based reporting
- clean, formatted Excel exports
- easy updates when organizational structures change
The takeaway: modernization doesn’t require starting over or adopting a rigid new reporting style.
- AI Is About to Change the Way Finance Teams Analyze Their Numbers
The session closed with a preview of Telli, our AI financial advisor. Instead of spending hours digging through financials and building commentary, teams can generate insights in seconds.
Telli highlights key findings, identifies trends and anomalies, and offers actionable recommendations. It also protects your data by keeping analysis within a secure environment.
This is more than a convenience. It shifts the finance team’s role from manual analysis to strategic decision support, which is exactly where organizations are heading.
Watch the Full Webinar
If you missed the live session or want to share it with your team, you can access the full recording below.
Whether you are transitioning off Management Reporter or building your reporting strategy for Business Central, these insights can help you plan your next steps with confidence.