DATEV / Agenda / Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
Time for a new
accounting system.The decision for 2027.
Change software, support, or processes? A well-founded comparison of strengths, limitations, and a transparent business case for January 1, 2027.
Invoices are piling up, reports are coming too late, and the same questions keep being asked. That is when the question arises: Does your business need different software, different accounting support, or clearer processes?
The start of 2027 offers a possible transition date. The key is which problem the change is actually intended to solve. Replacing a functioning system when responsibilities have not yet been clarified will initially create additional work.
DATEV, Agenda, and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central meet different requirements. A meaningful comparison therefore begins with the business model and the desired division of labor.
The decision in one sentenceChoose the solution that supports your actual processes – including support, interfaces, and internal processing time.
The date is not an end in itselfStart on January 1, 2027, only when data, responsibilities, and tests are in place. A controlled postponement is better than an unprepared transition.
Three providers.
Different starting points.
Accounting collaboration
DATEV
The focus is on a DATEV-based accounting solution with Unternehmen online for digital collaboration. Unternehmen online supports document exchange, payment processes, and access to reports. It is not equivalent to full, independent financial accounting. Additional features may require supplementary products.
Manufacturer information ↗Accounting & HR processes
Agenda
Agenda offers software for accounting and payroll, as well as complementary cloud applications. The manufacturer lists, for example, open items, the import of bank statements, and the exchange of posting data with tax advisors. Scope and cloud costs depend on the selected package.
Manufacturer information ↗Integrated business management
Business Central
Microsoft positions Business Central as an ERP solution for small and medium-sized businesses. It combines financial management with other business areas. Essentials and Premium differ in their range of features; Premium additionally includes features for service management and production.
Manufacturer information ↗The following assessment is an editorial classification of typical use cases, not a standardized product test.
Pros and cons in a direct comparison
On narrow screens, the table can be scrolled horizontally.
| Solution | Pros | To consider | Particularly suitable if... |
|---|---|---|---|
| DATEV-based accounting | Compatibility if the tax advisor already works with DATEV; digital collaboration within this environment. | Check total costs for accounting, collaboration, supplementary products, and support; clarify responsibilities organizationally. | existing DATEV processes work and support or handovers need to be improved. |
| Agenda | Focus on accounting and HR processes; digital collaboration; connection to the ELB Services work environment. | Check modules, cloud usage, and interfaces; complex operational requirements may require additional systems. | ongoing accounting and reliable collaboration are priorities. |
| Business Central | Financial processes can be combined with purchasing, sales, and other business processes. | Effort for implementation, migration, extensions, and support; check payroll requirements separately. | multiple departments are to work together on an integrated business platform. |
The product name does not determine cost-effectiveness. The key is how well the system and support fit your business.
When a change in support is enough.
If documents are available digitally and the software is generally suitable, it is not necessarily necessary to change the system.
First, check: Who requests missing documents? Who clarifies open items? When are reports provided? Which decisions remain within the company, and which tasks does the service provider take on?
A new processing rhythm or a clearer division of tasks can already help. Conversely, good support can be hampered by unsuitable interfaces and duplicate data entry.
The decision should therefore provide two separate results: the future support model and the appropriate system landscape for it.
The business case.
Total costs instead of the entry price.
A fictitious service company with largely standardized business transactions evaluates three target scenarios: optimizing DATEV processes, switching to Agenda-based support, or using Business Central with a limited implementation scope.
All amounts are freely chosen planning values, not market prices or fixed ELB prices. The different working times assume varying degrees of process improvement; they are not measured product advantages. Internal time: calculated at €40 per hour. External costs: net. A possible VAT liability must be considered individually in addition.
The cost tables can be scrolled horizontally on mobile devices.
| Cost component | Current | Optimize DATEV | Agenda target scenario | BC target scenario |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software, operation & system support | €250 | €300 | €180 | €600 |
| External accounting support | €1,000 | €1,000 | €950 | €850 |
| Internal working time / month | 30 hrs. | 25 hrs. | 18 hrs. | 12 hrs. |
| Calculated internal costs | €1,200 | €1,000 | €720 | €480 |
| Total / month | €2,450 | €2,300 | €1,850 | €1,930 |
| Calculated advantage / month | – | €150 | €600 | €520 |
The external scopes of service must be delimited comparably. Year-end closing, tax returns, payroll, and extraordinary adjustments are not included in this example.
| Metric | Optimize DATEV | Agenda target scenario | BC target scenario |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-time project effort¹ | €2,500 | €4,500 | €18,000 |
| Total costs first year | €30,100 | €26,700 | €41,160 |
| Advantage first year² | −€700 | +€2,700 | −€11,760 |
| Amortization³ | 16.7 months | 7.5 months | 34.6 months |
| Total costs over 36 months | €85,300 | €71,100 | €87,480 |
¹ Including setup, training, and transition. ² Compared to the unchanged process at €29,400 per year. ³ One-time project effort divided by monthly advantage, from full effectiveness. The calculation assumes constant costs and immediate full benefits. Financing effects, price changes, and delayed benefit realization are not considered.
How to correctly interpret the result.
In the selected scenario, the Agenda target scenario performs best. This is due to the assumptions regarding project costs, support, and internal working time. This does not create a general ranking.
Business Central amortizes late here. Additional benefits in purchasing, sales, or warehousing are not included. If such benefits are decisive, a separate ERP business case is required.
Freed-up working time is not automatically a payroll savings. If personnel costs remain unchanged, additional capacity is initially created – for other tasks or to avoid overtime.
What happens if things turn out differently?
Less time saved with Agenda
If only six instead of twelve hours per month are saved, the calculated monthly advantage drops to €360. Amortization extends to 12.5 months.
Higher project effort with BC
If the one-time effort doubles to €36,000, the amortization period increases to around 69 months, assuming the monthly advantage remains unchanged.
A realistic range of quantities, robust offers, and a less favorable alternative scenario are therefore part of every decision.
Your transition plan
for January 1, 2027.
The timeline is a proposal. For a complex ERP implementation, the remaining time may be too short. The start date assumes a successful review, test acceptance, and approval.
On mobile devices, the complete plan is accessible by scrolling horizontally.
| Date | Work step | Result |
|---|---|---|
| By Nov 13, 2026 | Record processes, costs, contract deadlines, and data access. | Aligned requirements and comparison basis. |
| By Nov 27, 2026 | Select target scenario, check offers and interfaces. | Decision, budget, and responsible persons. |
| By Dec 11, 2026 | Test acceptance, training, and run through typical processes. | Documented test result. |
| By Dec 18, 2026 | Decide on start approval or postponement. | Approved transition plan and fallback solution. |
| Jan 1, 2027 | Process new business transactions in the agreed target process. | Clearly delimited productive start. |
| Jan–Feb 2027 | Reconcile opening balances, open items, and initial reports. | Controlled first monthly cycle. |
Microsoft recommends, among other things, a sandbox and validation of migrated data during setup. Historical documents and data must remain accessible.
The productive start is not equivalent to a completed 2026 year-end closing. Preliminary opening balances and subsequent closing adjustments require a coordinated process.
Develop the right target scenario
with ELB Services.
ELB Services currently uses Agenda, according to Managing Director Jan Wilhelm, as the standard software for its own administration and client support. This is a practical starting point for Agenda-based collaboration. Whether it is suitable for a business is checked against the actual requirements.
In addition, ELB Services supports commercial process optimization and questions surrounding Business Central. The tasks of ongoing accounting are delimited within the legally permissible and agreed framework. Tax advice and reserved activities are in the hands of those authorized to do so.
04 / Next Step
Better positioned for 2027.
With a clear transition check.
Would you like to restructure your accounting support or software? Discuss your effort, your interfaces, and your transition with ELB Services. This will result in a traceable decision: optimize, change support, or switch systems.
Sources & Classification
Manufacturer information, checked on October 29, 2026. Scope of features and conditions depend on the package, version, extensions, and contract. Binding conditions for January 1, 2027, must be confirmed in writing before commissioning. The business case is an illustrative calculation model.