MB-310: Microsoft Dynamics 365 Financial Consultant

Change Record

VersionDateChange
1.013 Sep 2024Initial release
1.110 Dec 2024Workaround for expired certificate

Objective

Organizations can configure budget planning, and then set up budget planning processes to meet their policies, procedures, and requirements for budget preparation. 

Because budget planning is integrated with other modules, you can include information from previous budgets, actual expenditures, fixed assets, and human resources. Budget planning is also integrated with Microsoft Excel, so you can use Microsoft Excel to work with budget planning data. For example, a budget manager can export a department’s budget request from a budget plan scenario into an Excel worksheet. The data can then be analyzed, updated, and charted in the worksheet, and then published back to the budget plan lines.

Use the USMF company for the exercises in this lab.

Scenario

The budget manager of Contoso Entertainment Systems USA wants to use budget planning for the next fiscal quarter, Quarter 4 - 2024. The budget manager needs to configure budget planning in Dynamics 365 Finance first.

Exercise 1 Configure user security

Budget planning uses special security policies.

Note: If you get a “Your connection isn’t private” error on browser opening, then select the Advanced link, select to Continue, then wait 2-3 minutes.

  1. Navigate to System Administration > Users > Users.

  2. In the User name column, select Admin. The Users page is open with Admin selected under the User and User name columns.

  3. Select Assign roles. The Users page is open. The user Admin is selected to assign a new role.

  4. In the Assign roles to user pane, select Budget Manager, and then select OK. The Assign roles to user pane of the Users page is open to assign the Budget manager role.

  5. Under Roles, select Budget manager and select Assign organizations. The Admin user page is open with Budget manager selected to assign an organization.

  6. Select Grant access to specific organizations individually.

  7. In the Select organization hierarchy list, select Budgeting – Departments.

  8. Expand the Finance node. Grant access to specific organizations individually is selected and Finance is highlighted for Budgeting - Departments.

  9. Select Grant. Budgeting - Departments is selected for the organization hierarchy. Finance is selected for the available organization nodes. Grant is selected for the permission.

  10. Repeat step 10 for all departments under Finance. Grant access to specific organizations individually is displayed with all departments selected for the Budgeting - Departments hierarchy.

  11. Select Save in the Action Pane.

  12. Close the form.

Exercise 2 Configure the budget model

  1. Navigate to Budgeting > Setup > Basic budgeting > Budget models.

  2. Select New in the Action Pane.

  3. In the Budget model field, enter FY2024-Q4.

  4. In the Name field, enter FY2024-Q4. The Budget model page is open to enter a new budget model.

  5. Select Save in the Action Pane.

Exercise 3 Configure a fiscal calendar

  1. Navigate to General ledger > Calendars > Fiscal calendars.

  2. Select New calendar in the Action Pane.

  3. In the Create a new fiscal calendar dialog, enter the following information:

  4. In the Calendar field, enter Budget.

  5. In the Description field, enter Budget planning.

  6. In the Start of fiscal year field, enter 10/01/2024.

  7. In the Length of period field, enter 3.

  8. In the Unit field, select Months. The Fiscal calendars page is open to create a quarterly budget calendar.

  9. Select Create. The Fiscal calendars page with the information from the Budget quarterly calendar displayed.

  10. Close the form.

Exercise 4 Configure a budget cycle

  1. Navigate to Budgeting > Setup > Budget planning > Budget cycles.

  2. Select New in the Action Pane.

  3. In the Budget cycle time span field, enter 2024 Q4.

  4. In the Fiscal calendar field, select Budget. (Review exercise 3 if Budget does not appear).

  5. In the Length of budget cycle field, select Map to fiscal year.

  6. Under Budget cycle, select Add. The Budget cycles page is open to create a new budget cycle time span.

  7. In the Name field, enter 2024-Q4.

  8. In the starting period field, enter 10/01/2024. The Budget cycles page is open with the fields for the Budget cycle time span entered.

  9. Select Save in the Action Pane.

  10. Close the form.

Exercise 5 Budget planning configuration

Parameters

  1. Navigate to Budgeting > Setup > Budget planning > Budget planning configuration.

  2. Select the Parameters tab.

  3. In the Security model field, select Based on security organizations.

Scenarios

  1. Select the Scenarios tab, and then select Add.

  2. In the Budget plan scenario column, enter Budget planning 1.

  3. In the Description column, enter Budget demand by department.

  4. In the Unit of measure class column, select Monetary. The Budget planning configuration page is open. The Scenarios tab is selected to create a new scenario.

  5. Select Add.

  6. In the Budget plan scenario column, enter Budget planning 2.

  7. In the Description column, enter Budget approved by Finance.

  8. In the Unit of measure class column, select Monetary.

  9. Select Add.

  10. In the Budget plan scenario column, enter Budget planning 3.

  11. In the Description column, enter Budget approved by CFO.

  12. In the Unit of measure class column, select Monetary. The Budget planning configuration page is open. The Scenarios tab is displaying newly added scenarios.

  13. Select Save in the Action Pane.

Stages

  1. Select the Stages tab, and then select Add. The Budget planning configuration page is open. The Stages tab is selected to create new budget planning stages.

  2. In the Budget planning stage column, enter Planning 1.

  3. In the Description column, enter Initial Budget Plan generated by Finance, and then select Add.

  4. In the Budget planning stage column, enter Planning 2.

  5. In the Description column, enter Budget Plan finalized by Department, and then select Add.

  6. In the Budget planning stage column, enter Planning 3.

  7. In the Description column, enter Budget Plan reviewed by Finance, and then select Add.

  8. In the Budget planning stage column, enter Planning 4.

  9. In the Description column, enter Final approval CFO. The Budget planning configuration page is open to the Stages tab. The new budget planning stages are displayed on the tab.

  10. Select Save in the Action Pane.

Workflow stages

  1. Select the Workflow stages tab, and then select Add. The Budget planning configuration page is open. The Workflow stages tab is selected to create new budget planning workflow stages.

  2. In the Budget planning workflow and the Description fields, enter Quarter budget.

  3. In the Workflow ID field, select 000153.

  4. In the Remaining planning stages list, select Planning 1 and add it to the Selected planning stages list.

  5. Repeat step 4 for Planning 2, Planning 3, and Planning 4. You can do them all together if you like. The Budget planning configuration page is open to the Workflow stages tab. All four new planning stages are listed under Selected planning stages.

  6. Select Save in the Action Pane.

Columns

  1. Select the Columns tab, and then select Add.

    The Budget planning configuration page is displaying the Columns tab to create new budget plan columns.

  2. In the Name and Description fields, enter Budget plan department.

  3. In the Budget plan scenario list, select Budget planning 1.

  4. In the Column time period field, select Quarter.

  5. In the Quarter number field, enter 4.

    The Budget planning configuration page is open to the Columns tab with the fields populated.

  6. Select Add again.

  7. In the Name and Description fields, enter Budget plan approved by Fin.

  8. In the Budget plan scenario field, select value Budget planning 2.

  9. In the Column time period field, select Quarter.

  10. In the Quarter number field, enter 4.

  11. Select Add.

  12. In the Name and Description fields, enter Budget plan approved by CFO.

  13. In the Budget plan scenario field, select Budget planning 3.

  14. In the Column time period field, select Quarter.

  15. In the Quarter number field, enter 4. The Budget planning configuration page is displaying the Columns tab and the fields are populated for the new budget plans.

  16. Select Save in the Action Pane.

Layouts

  1. Select the Layouts tab, and then select Add. The Budget planning configuration page is displaying the Layouts tab to create new Budget plan layouts.

  2. In the Name and Description fields, enter Budget plan department.

  3. In the Ledger dimension set field, select MA+BU+DEPT.

  4. Under Layout elements, select Add. The Budget planning configuration page is displaying the Layouts tab with the fields populated for the budget plan layout.

  5. In the Element field, select Budget plan department.

  6. Enable the Editable field (which should enable Available in worksheet), and then select Add.

  7. In the Element field, select Budget plan approved by Fin.

  8. Enable the Editable and Available in Worksheet fields, and then select Add.

  9. In the Element field, select Budget plan approved by CFO.

  10. Enable the Editable and Available in Worksheet fields.

  11. Select Descriptions. The page budget planning configuration is open, tab Layouts is selected to create new Budget plan layouts.

  12. In the Available fields list, select MainAccount, BusinessUnit, and Department and add them to the Selected Fields list. The Descriptions dialog with the available fields added to the Selected fields area.

  13. Select OK.

  14. Select Template > Generate. The Budget planning configuration page is displaying the Layouts tab with the Generate option selected.

A message box warning you that generating a template or enabling mass update for the layout will lock the layout for editing appears. The message also warns that the template will be deleted if modified. Warning message with Yes and No buttons.

  1. Select Yes in the message box.

  2. Select Save in the Action Pane.

  3. Close the form.

Exercise 6 Budget planning process

  1. Navigate to Budgeting > Setup > Budget planning > Budget planning process.

  2. Select New.

  3. In the Budget planning process and Description fields, enter Budget planning 2024 Q4.

  4. In the Budget cycle field, select 2024-Q4.

  5. In the Ledger field, select USMF.

  6. In the Default account structure field, select Manufacturing P&L.

  7. In the Organization hierarchy field, select Budgeting – Departments.

  8. Select Assign workflow. The Budget planning process page is open to assign a workflow.

In the Organization type field, select Department.

In the Budget planning workflow field, select Quarter budget.

Select Assign. The Budget planning workflow and Workflow ID fields are automatically filled for all departments. The page Budget planning process is open to assign a workflow.

Under Budget planning stage rules and layouts, select Quarter budget.

In the Budget planning stage field, select Planning 1.

Enable Add lines and let it turn on Modify Lines.

In the Layout field, select Budget plan department. Repeat this step for Planning 2, Planning 3, and Planning 4.

Select Actions in the Action Pane.

Under Process state, select Activate. The Budget planning process page is open to activate the new budget planning process.

Review the message. The Budget planning process page is open with the budget planning process fields populated.

Close the form.

Exercise 7 Generate a General journal

Because no journals are available for FY 2024 in Contoso Entertainment System USA, you need to create a general journal to use the General budget plan from the General ledger.

  1. Navigate to General ledger > Journal entries > General journals.

  2. Select New in the Action Pane. The General journals page is open to create a new general journal.

  3. In the Name field, select GenJrn. The General journals page is open and General Journal is selected.

  4. Select Lines in the Action Pane. The page General Journal is open to create a new General journal.

  5. In the Date field, enter 10/8/2024.

  6. In the Account field, enter 600170-001-022—.

  7. In the Debit field, enter 4,500.

  8. Select New (line).

  9. In the Date field, enter 10/8/2024.

  10. In the Account field, enter 603100-001-022–.

  11. In the Debit field, enter 6,200.

  12. Select New to add a line.

  13. In the Date field, enter 10/8/2024.

  14. In the Account field, enter 401200-001-022—.

  15. In the Credit field, enter 10,700. The General journal is open to post a General journal.

  16. Select Post in the Action Pane.

  17. Close the form.

Exercise 8 Generate a budget plan from the general ledger

  1. Navigate to Budgeting > Periodic > Generate budget plan from general ledger. The Generate budget plan from general ledger page is open to generate a budget plan.

  2. In the Fiscal year field, enter 2024.

  3. In the From period field, enter Period 10.

  4. In the To period field, enter Period 12.

  5. In the Account type list, select the Expense and Revenue values. The page Generate budget plan from general ledger is open to generate a Budget plan.

  6. In the Budget planning process field, select Budget planning 2024 Q4.

  7. In the Budget plan name field, enter Budget planning 2024 Q4.

  8. In the Budget plan scenario field, select Budget planning 1.

  9. Select Generate. Generate budget plan from general ledger is open with the fields populated.

The budget plan is generated.

  1. Navigate to Budgeting > Budget plans.

  2. Select and open the first budget plan named Budget planning 2024 Q4. The Budget plans page is open to view the newly generated budget plan.

  3. Select Worksheet in the Action Pane. The Budget plans page is open to the Worksheet.

  4. Select Download. The page is open to download the new budget plan. he Downloads window with the downloaded file USMF000036 (1).xlsx appearing.

  5. Select Open file.

  6. Close the Activation Wizard.

  7. In the message bar, select Enable editing. The Excel file is open. The Microsoft Office Activation Wizard is displayed in front of the Excel file.

  8. Trust this add-in, if applicable, and Sign in with your credentials. [Note: if you get an error on signin, clear your temp files and try again.] Sign in is activated to open the Microsoft Dynamics Office Add-in.

The department manager can prepare the budget plan for Quarter 4.

  1. Select Publish. Excel is open to update the Budget plan department column and to publish it to Dynamics 365 Finance.

  2. Close the workbook.

  3. Refresh the page in Dynamics 365 Finance. You’ll see the budget numbers you entered. The Budget plan page is open to refresh the data.

  4. Select Workflow in the Action Pane. The page Budget plans is open to submit the Budget plan for approval.

  5. Select Submit.

The finance department will need to review and approve the budget plan.