XON has become the first user in Africa of Microsoft's new Dynamics AX 2009 adaptable business management solution and enterprise suite.
Microsoft released the suite, which offers capabilities for multisite organisations to streamline processes, reduce operational costs, manage compliance and drive informed decision-making, in June.
"We have 40 people across eight companies and three national offices using Microsoft's ERP system," says Bart van Buynder, CFO of the XON Group of companies. "We are using a total of six modules that our business partner, XON Business Solutions, deployed first in a test environment before going live. We encountered no issues during the rapid deployment."
XON, operating since 1996, designs, builds, operates and manages information and communication technology (ICT) solutions created specifically for customers. It operates networking and security, ERP and CRM business solutions, infrastructure, maintenance services, networking and security and consulting services in the parent company and through wholly owned subsidiaries and is represented in 16 cities throughout South Africa.
XON Business Solutions, an XON company, handled the deployment as it would any external contract.
XON is making extensive use of the General Ledger, Trade, Logistics, Projects and production modules and also uses an independent software vendor (ISV) solution called Atlas XL.
"We have used Microsoft Dynamics AX since version 1.5 was released in 1999," says Van Buynder, "which is when we became a value-added reseller of the solution through what was then Damgaard. (The company was subsequently acquired by Microsoft.) "We believe in this solution because it has given us the flexibility and benefits to handle the exponential growth we have experienced since 1999."
Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 offers a range of new features that include multisite and shared services capabilities that enable companies like XON to manage complex financial and supply chain processes.
"Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 signals a new chapter in ERP user productivity," says Jumana Helal, Microsoft Dynamics group lead at Microsoft SA. "Employees using traditional ERP systems have had to wade through inefficient, time-intensive steps - enter transactional data, run reports, analyse reports - before they can do their jobs effectively. Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009's Role Center provides a centralised view of each person's prioritised work lists and clearly identifies specific steps to take, thereby optimising productivity."
The new software can also run multiple legal entities on a central installation and provide a single, integrated view of financial and supply chain information from facilities around the world, helping organisations simplify global planning. Advanced planning and reporting scenarios, such as consolidation and budgeting, are offered through integration with Microsoft Office PerformancePoint Server.
The new ERP solution offers other business benefits that include:
* Empowering people to work smarter and faster by streamlining access to critical information and processes;
* Managing growth and change by enhancing collaboration throughout organisations and the entire supply chain to build more profitable partnerships;
* Managing the complexities of global organisations and gaining insight across multiple sites; and
* Complying with regulations and customer initiatives and helping to reduce risk and liabilities.
"We are proud to be the first company to successfully deploy Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 in a live environment," says Deon Kruger, director, XON Business Solutions. "It demonstrates not just our familiarity with the software but also underpins Microsoft's vision for the deployment and upgrade roadmap of Microsoft Dynamics AX."
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