Procurement provider achieves operational excellence with Dynamics Business Central

Client Profile

LH4 Associates, LLC is a small women owned business located in Marlon, NJ. They are a provider of procurement services and resource center, specializing in processing and facilitating orders on behalf of multiple Lockheed Martin locations. After years of using Microsoft Dynamics GP, the company recognized the need for a more robust and flexible solution. While Dynamics GP met most of their needs on the financial management side, it lacked seamless integration with LH4’s purchasing program. This resulted in inefficiencies, data discrepancies, and manual workloads which hindered the company’s ability to optimize procurement processes and maintain accurate financial records. In response to these challenges, Joanne Logar, President of LH4 Associates, LLC, embarked on a strategic initiative with Intellitec Solutions to transition from Dynamics GP to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, a cloud-based ERP platform.

Motivations for Change

1. Integration Challenges: The lack of integration between Dynamics GP and the purchasing program led to manual data entry and increased risk of errors
2. Modernization: With advancements in ERP technology, LH4 Associates recognized the opportunity to modernize their system and leverage newer features and functionalities to drive efficiency and competitiveness
3. Maintenance: Maintaining on-premise services and software updates was cumbersome

Selection of Business Central

After Intellitec Solutions worked with LH4 Associates to carefully evaluate their processes, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central was chosen for its robust features, seamless integration capabilities and out of the box purchasing system. Business Central offered a cloud-based solution that could centralize financials, sales, and operation; providing a unified platform for end-to-end business management.

Implementation

The implementation of Business Central involved a comprehensive approach:

1. Assessment and requirements gathering: the company conducted an extremely thorough evaluation of its existing processes, identifying pain points and defining future business requirements to ensure alignment with new ERP solution
2. Customization and Configuration: Business Central was tailored to meet their specific needs through customization and configuration. Workflows were redesigned and additional functionalities were integrated to optimize processes and enhance productivity
3. Data Migration: Migrating data from Dynamics GP to Business Central was a critical phase of the transition. LH4 Associates, LLC collaborated with our experienced consultants to ensure a smooth and accurate transfer of essential business data.
4. Training: Comprehensive and customized training programs were conducted
5. Testing and Deployment: Rigorous testing was conducted to validate system functionality, data integrity, and process workflows before the final deployment of Business Central across the organization.

Outcomes and Benefits:

1. Streamlined Processes: With everything centralized within one system, Business Central enabled LH4 to have automation of purchase orders while reducing manual effort and improving accuracy and efficiency.
2. Enhanced collaboration: the unified platform of Business Central facilitated seamless collaboration across departments, enabling better communication and coordination.
3. Cost savings: By streamlining processes and eliminating a third-party purchasing program, LH4 Associates was able to significantly reduce the annual cost of their software.
4. Improved data accuracy: centralized financial management in Business central led to enhanced data accuracy, real-time visibility and more confidence in their financial reports.

The migration from Dynamics GP to Business Central represented a pivotal moment in LH4 Associates pursuit of operational efficiency and growth. By recognizing the limitations of their Dynamics GP system and taking proactive steps to address integration challenges with the purchasing program, LH4 Associates has positioned itself for enhanced productivity, improved decision-making and sustained competitiveness in the marketplace. The benefits of this transition extend beyond immediate operational improvements, laying the foundation for scalability, flexibility, and innovation in the years to come.