Lonetrack Case Study Microsoft Dynamics GP

Faced with a growing organization and geographical expansion, LoneTrack needed a new cutting-edge software solution. Working together, LoneTrack and Microsoft® Partner Candlewest Systems implemented a Microsoft Dynamics™ GP distribution solution. LoneTrack is now experiencing increased efficiency in its day-to-day operations, resulting in new levels of insight into its organization and better customer satisfaction.

Business Needs

Prior to implementing Microsoft Dynamics™ GP, LoneTrack was using Business Vision accounting software to run its operations—an outdated solution that could not meet the demands of its growing business. With growing revenue and expansion on the horizon, LoneTrack needed to upgrade to a world-class financial management and distribution system that would allow the organization to expand its operations into additional locations and be more productive. This included implementing a system that could produce better reporting and give more detailed real-time insight into the organization’s operations.

The challenge: LoneTrack couldn’t see continuing with the accounting technology they had. With their existing system the year-end inventory count was extremely time consuming. Further, the old solution was no longer adaptable and couldn’t be trusted; the Business Vision solution no longer met its needs. “We had to shut down a few days in a year to do inventory counts,” said Simone Porter. “On top of that we didn’t trust the numbers any longer. We needed a more flexible solution that provided with us more options so we could work more efficiently.”

LoneTrack began the search for a new system – they had heard of Microsoft Dynamics GP. That’s when they contacted Candlewest Systems, a Microsoft Partner serving Vancouver, British Columbia. During the sales process with Candlewest Systems, LoneTrack realized that Microsoft Dynamics GP provided an easier to use and more flexible interface that could be tailored to meet its needs. Amongst many other benefits, LoneTrack also realized that as far as flexibility was concerned, Microsoft Dynamics GP was able to be modified with the appropriate tools and they could control which fields were mandatory in the system which would reduce many of the errors that they were having in the organization. As a result of those and other additional benefits, LoneTrack engaged Candlewest Systems as a technology partner that could help it personalize and implement the new Microsoft Dynamics GP solution.

Solution

Impressed by the innovative and extensible architecture of Microsoft Dynamics GP—as well as the strong core distribution functionality in Microsoft Dynamics GP delivered through modules such as Sales Order Processing and Purchase Order Processing—LoneTrack made the decision to replace its outdated financial management system with Microsoft Dynamics GP solution in May 2010.

With its strong distribution capabilities, LoneTrack implemented Microsoft® Dynamics GP and many of the best practices Candlewest Systems shared with them during the implementation. Simone Porter (Controller), also recognized the important business process redesign that the process provided LoneTrack. “When you’re forced to walk through configuration questions during the implementation of Microsoft Dynamics GP and undergo a deep process review, you recognize a lot of things could be better” said Simone. “The part that I enjoyed the most about while working with Candlewest was that they provided more than just technical expertise, they provided best practices. I was interested in someone who could tell me there was more than one way to do this and advise me on which way would be the best for our organization”. LoneTrack also used Microsoft Dynamics’ integration manager to automate importing the vendor pricelist updates. “Monthly vendor pricelists updates were critical for us” said Simone, “without the automatic updates it would been virtually impossible to maintain the vendor pricelist.” With LoneTrack implementing the Microsoft Dynamics GP distribution solution, LoneTrack received more cost-effective shipping, receiving, and better inventory management and more accurate costing. Also by using Smartlist, a component of Microsoft Dynamics Reporting tools for Microsoft Dynamics GP, LoneTrack was able to provide much more flexible reporting for the owners of the company and find answers to questions that previously they were unable to answer. In all of this, LoneTrack decided to approach its software transition as a three-step process: upgrading its hardware first, then implementing Microsoft Dynamics GP, and then implementing Wennsoft Service and Equipment Management. LoneTrack went live with Microsoft Dynamics GP in August 2010.

With these systems now in place, LoneTrack is seeing a significant increase in efficiency in key areas—finance and warehouse operations.

Benefits

LoneTrack is already realizing quantifiable benefits from its Microsoft Dynamics GP solution.

• Personalize and Customize. By implementing Smartlist for Microsoft Dynamics GP, LoneTrack is experiencing an increase in efficiency. LoneTrack uses SmartList to easily pull information out of their Microsoft Dynamics GP system. When asked what Simone Porter sees as one of the biggest benefits of Microsoft Dynamics GP for her she replied, “basically, the ability to get data out of the system and being able to answer questions about your financial data is one of the biggest benefits to myself. Being able to answer questions like how many screens did I sell to my customers – is critical.” Further, now having the tight integration between Microsoft Office Excel® with Microsoft Dynamics GP, LoneTrack’s reporting has become more efficient and adaptable. What used to be a lengthy process, pulling information out of Business Vision, getting it into a report, formatting it into Excel – now is so much quicker and automatic with Microsoft Dynamics GP.
• Adapt. Since adapting its Microsoft Dynamics GP solution, LoneTrack now is prone to less errors then they used to make. The ability to specify mandatory fields was critical to the organization and eliminated many of the issues they used to have.
• Improve. Since implementing its Microsoft Dynamics GP solution, LoneTrack now has improved its inventory management substantially. The company no longer needs to be “shut down” for inventory counts and LoneTrack’s ability to more accurately cost inventory has given them substantially better insight into how to run the organization more efficiently and improve their profitability.

In addition to all this, the tight integration between Microsoft Dynamics GP and other application like Office – Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook - will help ensure that LoneTrack’s long-term technology investment will continue to grow with it well into the future.