If your on-prem ERP system starts to age, it’s the perfect time to move to the cloud. You can take advantage of modern technologies that continuously and automatically upgrade—without you doing anything. No more hassles of replacing hardware every few years or disrupting your business as you upgrade your software.
The cloud also gives your users easy access from anywhere they work. And if you currently run a Microsoft Dynamics ERP solution, such as NAV, you can migrate to Dynamics 365 Business Central Cloud. With just a little bit of training, users find Business Central functions a lot like NAV, making the transition easier on your daily operations.
Long-Time NAV Customer Considers Moving ERP to the Cloud
This is the experience Accutech Data Supplies recently went through. With a catalog of nearly 15,000 products, the company is a wholesale distributor of data storage media, consumer electronics, office supplies, and imaging supplies. Founded in 1983—with headquarters in California and an east coast warehouse in Pennsylvania—Accutech products can be found in most office and IT environments.
A longtime user of Microsoft Dynamics NAV on-premises, Accutech considered moving its ERP platform to the cloud as NAV and the supporting hardware began to age. “We had used NAV since 2013, and our last upgrade was messy and expensive,” says Matthew Wilson, IT Director at Accutech. “It was difficult to make a business case for future incremental upgrades, and it became obvious we could not stay on NAV indefinitely.”
Another reason for moving to the cloud for Accutech came from vendors and customers who asked for technical integrations that pushed the boundaries of what was possible with NAV. As Accutech researched solutions, they considered NetSuite but preferred to stay within the Microsoft ecosystem.
Western Computer Offers “Fresh Start” with Dynamics 365 Business Central Cloud
For help in selecting a new ERP solution, Accutech turned to Western Computer. “We needed help with support and development, and once we connected with Western Computer, it was clear we made the right choice,” says Wilson. “After meeting with Western Computer, we were convinced Business Central Cloud would be the most cost-effective way to move forward.”
“Most of our staff has years of experience with Microsoft Office,” Wilson adds. “And while Business Central looks different than NAV, we just needed to learn the new interface. Business Central felt like home once we got into the system. Ultimately, this saved us a lot of time and effort in terms of training.”
Wilson particularly values the Western Computer Fresh Start Upgrade program for upgrades. For companies like Accutech running legacy or heavily modified Dynamics systems, a Fresh Start Upgrade allows users to take advantage of the updated functionality of the latest ERP solutions as well as complementary add-on solutions. A Fresh Start Upgrade is also more cost-efficient by bringing complex environments up-to-date while giving management the opportunity to review business processes, clean up data, and improve everyday operating practices.
One of the benefits of the Fresh Start Upgrade for Accutech is that it allowed the company to leave behind much of its NAV custom programming. “This approach seemed like a great way to upgrade the processes handling our data without bringing forward the old code,” says Wilson. “We ran a couple of soft launches, and that approach was an impactful part of the success of our project.”
Business Distractions Eliminated
During the implementation, the Accutech management team focused on two key requirements: Minimize customer and vendor disruption as well as staff distractions. They did not want users to get caught up trying to figure things out as they entered orders, shipped packages, received inventory, and posted invoices.
“We accomplished all this with the help of the team at Western Computer as well as a very committed project team here at Accutech,” Wilson points out. “We didn't miss a beat—our staff hit the ground running with the new interface, especially in the warehouse.”
Business Central Cloud provides native application program interfaces (APIs) that allow Accutech to easily extend capabilities with software extensions from the Microsoft AppSource marketplace. The ERP platform also integrates easily with legacy add-on software Accutech has used for many years, including shipping software. Compared to NAV, the customizations with Business Central Cloud are much easier to implement, and each person in the company can personalize their interface.
With the move of ERP to Business Central Cloud, Accutech now has a smaller technology footprint. “With our infrastructure getting older, we were facing purchasing decisions,” says Wilson “But not having an on-premises ERP system means we don't have to worry about hardware and software upgrades—we just need to focus on database servers and storage.”
A Partnership to Drive the Bus Forward
When assessing the success of the partnership with Western Computer and the deployment of Business Central Cloud, Wilson says, “We’re not just trying to keep the wheels on the bus going, we’re driving the bus forward. We now spend a lot less time on IT management and put more focus on our business.”
To learn more about the Accutech journey to Business Central Cloud, check out the complete interview with Matthew Wilson of Accutech. And to find out how you can make a “fresh start” with your ERP system in the cloud, contact Western Computer today.
