Learn how Withum helped an engineering firm improve efficiency, allowed real-time visibility and improved customer satisfaction by transitioning from QuickBooks to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central.
Executive Summary
An engineering consulting firm with international operations experienced limitations with its ERP and accounting system, QuickBooks.
To sustain rapid growth and stay competitive in the landscape, the company sought out new software and an implementation partner. Leadership chose Withum to assist, and together they decided on Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. This modern, cloud-based ERP system improved efficiency, allowed real-time visibility and improved customer satisfaction.
The Client
The client is an international engineering consulting firm based in Toronto, Canada. They offer the petroleum industry mechanical, structural, instrumentation and electrical services. The single-source supplier also services oil (both production and refining), petrochemical, natural gas and chemical companies in Canada, the Middle East, Far East and North Africa.
The Challenge
The firm was a long-time user of QuickBooks but was eager to modernize its ERP system due to multiple limitations and inefficiencies in its accounting and financial management processes.
QuickBooks struggled to handle the increasing volume of transactions, resulting in slow performance and a lack of real-time insights. It did not have advanced inventory management capabilities, causing inaccuracies in stock levels, delays in order fulfillment and difficulty tracking costs. The company also relied on multiple disconnected systems for various business processes, leading to data inconsistencies, duplicate data entry and inefficient workflows. Our client needed more project management capabilities to support an upcoming multi-million-dollar project and needed to avoid having various Excel spreadsheets.
The Approach and Solution
Seeking a more comprehensive and scalable solution, the client turned to Withum’s ERP Consulting Services Team to explore innovative ERP solutions. Through discussions with leadership and decision-makers and a detailed demonstration of the system, it was clear that Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central was the perfect fit.
Withum played a key role as the implementation partner in the Business Central project. Providing Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central expertise to guide the client through the entire migration process.
Withum’s consultants worked closely with the client to understand their business requirements, design the solution architecture, and execute the necessary implementation tasks. The initial phase involved detailed discovery and planning. This phase involved gathering requirements, analyzing the client’s existing systems and processes, and creating a detailed implementation plan. Withum worked closely with the client to configure Business Central according to their specific needs. Our collaborative effort increases user adoption towards the expected ROI. Customizations were implemented to tailor the solution to the client’s business processes.
Withum assisted in extracting, transforming, and importing the client’s data into Business Central, ensuring data integrity and accuracy.
Withum conducted thorough testing of the system to validate its functionality and trained the client’s users on how to effectively use Business Central.
Withum supported the client during the go-live phase, ensuring a smooth transition from the legacy system to Business Central. They
provided post-implementation support to address any issues or concerns that arose after the system was live.
Benefits and Results
Business Central streamlined the company’s operations, enabling automated workflows, reducing manual data entry and eliminating redundant processes.
This led to significant time savings and improved productivity. The firm had real-time visibility into its financials, inventory and operational performance like never before.
This empowered them to make data-driven decisions and identify areas for improvement. Accurate inventory tracking and faster order fulfillment also resulted in improved customer satisfaction. Most importantly, Business Central’s project management module allowed for better visibility across their projects, removed the need for more manual expense tracking and provided reporting capabilities that increased profitability.
The engineering consulting firm’s transition from QuickBooks to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central showcases the transformative impact of adopting a Modern ERP system.
By overcoming the limitations of QuickBooks with Withum’s support, the company achieved enhanced efficiency, real-time visibility, scalability and improved customer satisfaction. Business Central’s comprehensive functionality and integration capabilities empowered the company to streamline operations, make informed decisions and drive growth in an increasingly competitive landscape.
