In today’s customer-centric world, businesses need a robust way to manage service agreements, support coverage, and warranties. That’s where Entitlements in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central come in.
In Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, entitlements refer to the predefined rights or permissions granted to users or customers for accessing specific features, services, or benefits. These are most used in in-service management, where organizations track and manage support services, warranties, or other contractual benefits provided to their customers.
🔑 Key Concepts of Entitlements in Business Central
Entitlements in Business Central enable businesses to control and monitor service provisions. Below are the core aspects:
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Service Contracts
Entitlements manage service contracts by tracking:
📅 Start and end dates
🔧Types of covered services
🚫 Limitations and exclusions
✅ This ensures clarity on what services a customer is entitled to receive.
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Customer Support Scope
They define the boundaries of support coverage, such as:
🎫 Number of service incidents
⏱️ Support hours or usage time
🌟 Service tiers (e.g., standard vs. premium)
🛑 Extra service requests beyond the entitlement are flagged for billing or escalation.
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Tracking Benefits and Usage
Entitlements allow for real-time tracking of customer benefits, such as:
📉 Remaining support incidents
🛠️ Used warranty services
🔁 Product replacements or repairs
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Limit Management
Service limits ensure customers do not exceed what’s included in their agreements.
📌 This protects both the provider and the customer by setting clear expectations.
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Integration with Service Items
Entitlements can be linked to specific service items, allowing for:
⚙️ Streamlined tracking of repairs and maintenance
🗃️ Centralized management of post-sale services
Where Do You Find Entitlements in Business Central?
Entitlement Structure in the Base Application
In the SaaS version of Business Central, the system includes an Entitlement folder within the base application. This contains core objects for managing user access and service plans.
⚙️ Key Properties of the Entitlement Object
🔧 Type: Defines the basis of entitlement. Options include:
- Application
- ApplicationScope
- ConcurrentUserServicePlan
- FlatRateServicePlan
- Group
- Implicit
- PerUserOfferPlan
- PerUserServicePlan
- Role
- Unlicensed
🔍 For instance, if a user logs into Business Central and is assigned a relevant Azure Active Directory (AAD) service plan or role, they are automatically entitled to use specific functionality.
- 👤 RoleType:
Applicable when the Type is Role, this distinguishes between:
🔄 Delegated: Roles assigned from a parent tenant
📍 Local: Roles assigned within the current tenant
- 📚 ObjectEntitlements (List of PermissionSet):
Specifies which permission sets (object access rights) the user or application is entitled to.
- 👥 GroupName:
For entitlements of type ConcurrentUserServicePlan, this indicates the AAD group the user should belong to for access.
💡 Note: Entitlements are only used in the cloud version of Business Central (SaaS).
🧪 Real-World Example: Product Warranty Entitlement
Scenario: ABC Electronics Purchases a Laptop with a Warranty
✅ Step 1: Purchase and Warranty Definition
ABC Electronics buys a laptop from TechWorld Inc., with a 1-year warranty covering hardware repairs.
🛠️ Step 2: Creating the Entitlement
In Business Central, TechWorld creates an entitlement for ABC Electronics:
- Customer: ABC Electronics
- Item: Laptop
- Entitlement Type: Warranty
- Start Date: April 1, 2025
- End Date: March 31, 2026
- Coverage: Hardware repair
- Exclusion: Accidental damage
- Number of Incidents: 3 free repairs
📞 Step 3: Customer Requests Repair
Three months later, ABC Electronics reports a malfunctioning screen.
- TechWorld checks the entitlement.
- Confirming it’s within the warranty, a service order is created.
- The first of the 3 entitled incidents is used.
🔧 Step 4: Service Fulfillment and Update
- The technician repairs the laptop.
- Business Central automatically updates the entitlement, logging 1 of 3 incidents used.
📈 Step 5: Ongoing Tracking and Compliance
At any time, the company can:
- View how many incidents have been used
- Prevent overuse (e.g., alert if a fourth request is made)
- Trigger billing for services beyond the entitlement
Final Thoughts
Entitlements in Business Central are essential for managing service delivery efficiently. They empower businesses to define support boundaries, monitor usage, and ensure compliance with customer agreements—all within the Business Central ecosystem.
By leveraging this feature, you ensure improved customer service, reduced disputes, and streamlined back-end operations.
Looking to Simplify Service Contract Management?
If you’re managing complex warranties, service agreements, or support tickets manually—there’s a better way.
👉 Madhda’s Services can help you set up, configure, and optimize Entitlements and Service Management within Dynamics 365.
Whether you’re a reseller, manufacturer, or service provider, our experts can:
- Automate your post-sales support workflows
- Build custom entitlement logic tailored to your business
- Improve SLA enforcement and compliance
📩 Contact us today to schedule a free consultation or demo.
