In this video, Blair Watkins, CTO of commercebuild, walks through the process of how you can quickly and efficiently create an eCommerce store using commercebuild's integration with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. Many customers and partners often ask how long it will take to create a store, and Blair highlights the key steps involved, addressing concerns around time, effort, and risk.

The Importance of Speed and Efficiency

Blair begins by discussing why customers are concerned with the time it takes to deploy a store. For many businesses, a quick setup is crucial to reducing risks and getting products to market faster. By using commercebuild, the deployment process becomes smoother and allows businesses to see results faster, minimizing the risks of delays or errors in decision-making.

commercebuild and Business Central Integration

When you create an eCommerce store with commercebuild, it begins directly from within Business Central. Blair walks us through searching for the commercebuild app in the Business Central Extension Marketplace, where it can be auto-installed in a few simple steps. This quick installation ensures that businesses can begin configuring their store without any hassle.

Configuring the System

Once the app is installed, the next step involves system configuration. Users can easily set up important details like general posting, sales, prepayment, and GL accounts. Additionally, a bank account is configured before the system is initialized. This configuration process is designed to be straightforward, allowing businesses to get started without needing to involve multiple teams or resources.

Viewing Your Store for the First Time

After the configuration, Blair shows how a store can be created almost instantly. He demonstrates how users can view their store list, access a URL to see the default store skin, and begin customizing. Even at this early stage, the store is functional, with the default logo, product listings, and pricing already pulled from Business Central.

Managing Products and Orders

Blair highlights how products and their images are seamlessly imported from Business Central. Users can view stock levels, pricing, and product details in real-time, including stock in other warehouses and unit-of-measure options. Orders can easily be placed through the platform, adding further convenience for businesses.

Invoices and Payments in Real Time

One of the standout features Blair demonstrates is the ability to view customer invoices and payments directly from Business Central. This real-time connection ensures that businesses can stay on top of transactions without needing separate systems. Customers can download invoices or pay open invoices, streamlining the payment process.

Final Thoughts

Blair concludes the demonstration by emphasizing just how simple and efficient it is to set up a basic store or customer portal using commercebuild. While the demonstration only scratches the surface, commercebuild offers a full range of services to support businesses through their eCommerce journey.