An upgrade from Microsoft Dynamics AX3.2 ERP solution to AX2009
delivered more than a few pleasant surprises for NZ's leading tea
and coffee company. Although the upgrade had been brewing for some
time, the abbreviated and streamlined process as delivered by Koorb
Consulting left Bell Tea and Coffee Company as satisfied as
having a great cup of Bell Kenya bold!
100% locally owned, The Bell Tea and Coffee Company is New
Zealand's oldest and most renowned tea company producing
a range of well loved tea brands including Twinings, roast and
ground coffee for the supermarket and hospitality channels, and
also manufacture a variety of other foods products including soups,
jellies and powdered beverages.
Stepping up to 2009 with Koorb
Phil Cullen, Support Services Manager, has been with Bell
Tea and Coffee Company for seven years. When he
first joined the iconic company they were
running CBA which they replaced in 2004 with
Microsoft Dynamics AX3.2 to support growth and gain
efficiencies.
The company planned to upgrade to AX4 in mid 2008, however
following a change in Dynamics AX partner to Koorb
Consulting they had a renewed confidence in what
could be achieved and instead decided to move
directly to AX2009.
Over the years Phil had watched with interest as Koorb
Consulting acquired, through the addition of new consultants, new
customers in the food industry and accumulated experience, the
strongest FMCG credentials of all Microsoft Dynamics AX partners in
New Zealand. "This was the compelling reason we moved to Koorb -
their sheer depth of FMCG knowledge and the
confidence we had in what the company and their
team could deliver," says Phil.
Many at Bell Tea and Coffee Company had considered an upgrade as
challenging a process as implementing a new ERP. Previous project
plans had considerable complexity
behind them with up to five stages and
taking many weeks. It was not a prospect they looked forward
to.
However Koorb's abbreviated project plan
promised the final transition from
AX3.2 to a live version of AX2009 (following testing)
within a very few days.
It's all yours
From an initial scoping process in February 2009 a test
environment was set up at Bell Tea and Coffee Company by the
beginning of March, due to go live by 6 April. The Company
stopped processing transactions with all journals and other open
items reversed back. The system was ready to be upgraded at 4.30pm
in the afternoon on Friday 3 April.
"I rang our consultant at Koorb at 4.30 on the Friday," said
Phil, "and said 'it's all yours'. The project plan was that the
upgrade would be completed by mid to late Sunday. Instead, they
rang me at 12.30 on Saturday to tell me it was finished. I
said 'what do you mean, it's finished?' So I logged in from
home, ran a few reports, did a little bit of checking and they were
right, it was!"
By 11.30 on Sunday morning Phil and his team were able to sit
back and relax with a cup of tea, more than satisfied with a job
extremely well done.
Summary
Bell Tea and Coffee Company as a company is committed to
investing in technology as a way forward in a competitive market.
And when the next AX upgrade comes, they won't be shy about
stepping up to the mark.
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Quick Facts:
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| Workstations: 45 |
Industry: FMCG |
Project Type: Upgrade |
| Website: www.btcc.co.nz |
Customer Size: 150 |
Year: 2009 |
|
Solutions:
MS Dynamics AX 2009
SP2
MS Windows Server 2003
R2
MS SQL Server 2005
Atlas XL - Globe
Software
|
Functional areas:
Financials, Trade, Logistics, Master Planning, Production,
Resources, Projects, Business Analysis
Scenario:
Enterprise Resource Planning, Financial Reporting,
Forecasting
|
Benefits:
Enhanced integration with exisiting IT solutions
Centralised compliance centre
Reduced maangement overheads
Improved ability to plan for the future
Improved order processing
Eliminate manual/duplicative data entry
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