ERP Consultant Reviews: Why Grocery Chains Love Microsoft Dynamics GP

With tax season fully underway, our ERP consultants thought it would be a good time to highlight how our multi-store grocery chains save time and money with some key features in Microsoft Dynamics GP.  Most businesses know the pain of hiring expensive CPAs to help with our  taxes. Most business owners could not  imagine spending that kind of money every time you needed insight into your business reports and processes. One of our clients remembers being solely dependent on their CPA for vital business information and cringes to think of the actual figures they spent on that service. We work with small, independent retail grocers as well as the large grocery store chains and they share many of the same business challenges such as keeping their business data accurate and timely. The need for real-time statistics is paramount because profit margins are very tight.

Today, our ERP consultants share an example of how one multi-store retail grocer managing seven store locations in addition to a few holding companies benefited in 3 key areas with Microsoft Dynamics GP. They had some unique challenges that other grocers with multiple stores also face. They needed more timely information that could be consolidated while kept separate so they could easily track inventory for each store. In addition to this, they also required more control internally so they could gain quick access to complete information, without having to pay the CPA fees associated. More control would be sure to result in better reporting and streamlined business processes for their company.

We  are happy to report that today they no longer depend on a CPA, but rather have full control of their data in a consolidated and easy-to-manage format. While they were searching for new solutions, they learned Microsoft Dynamics® GP was used in a number of other grocery stores and their CPA even recommended it. They had a solution but needed a partner to help them move forward and really optimize the solution to fit their needs. Through their research, they found the TM Group had a long history in the grocery industry.

Our client moved forward and implemented the basic functions of Microsoft Dynamics GP, including Accounts Payables, Accounts Receivables, General Ledger, and SmartList Builder. They also implemented an ISV solution from Binary Stream called Multi-Facility that met their consolidation needs. Our client realized three main benefits after implementing Microsoft Dynamics GP and Multi Facility.

ERP Consultant Reviews 3 Main Benefits of Microsoft Dynamics GP for Multi-Store Grocery Chains:

1. Streamlined Consolidation among Multiple Locations and Companies: With multi facility from Binary Stream, our client can see all their stores in one database within Microsoft Dynamics GP. They can see vendor contact information and work history to easily track the purchase process for each story. They have complete insight into customer data, history, and invoices. The solution also allows them to drill down into profit and loss for each store independently.
2. Quick and Easy Access to Critical Business Information: Our client was using excel spreadsheets for everything they tracked and were not able to produce financial statements until 4-6 weeks after each quarter. Even with the untimely information they got from their CPAs, they still couldn’t even drill down to the information they needed insight to. SmartList Builder within Microsoft Dynamics GP has created reporting benefits for our clients by centralizing and automating data in one database. The automation of the reporting process has created more functionality when reporting on financials. For example, if they want to run an ad-hoc report for a vendor at a particular location, they can drill down to that information automatically, right within Microsoft Dynamics GP any day of the year. Realizing this functionality is allowing this grocer better business insight to make the critical decisions in order to beat out their competition.
3. Better Handle on Inventory and Streamlined Order Process: Before Microsoft Dynamics GP, our client had to dig into multiple spreadsheets to find what inventory was available for a particular location. Even then, that data was most likely out of date, as the data was not automatically updated as sales continued on a daily basis. Microsoft Dynamics GP allows for better inventory control. They can now quickly respond to vendor inquiries on status of invoice payments with real-time data from Microsoft Dynamics GP. They can see exactly what was purchased from a particular vendor in multiple time increments in addition to the volume available at the vendor’s warehouse. Microsoft Dynamics GP is also integrated with their POS system so that their inventory is automatically updated each time a sale goes through at each grocery location. All of this insight allows for timely and complete communications with both vendors and customers about what’s available for purchase.

Are you looking for a Microsoft Dynamics solution provider? Now is the time to put your 2014 business goals into action! Contact the TM Group today at 888.482.2864 and let us architect the perfect ERP and CRM solutions for your company. Visit our website at: www.tmgroupinc.com for more information.

By The TM Group, Michigan Partner with Microsoft Dynamics Gold ERP and Microsoft Dynamics Gold CRM Certifications, as well as Silver Certified for Portals and Collaboration

Authored by: Ken Jacobsen
Photo courtesy of www.freedidgitalphotos.net

The original version of this blog was posted on:  http://www.erpsoftwareblog.com/2013/06/retail-grocers-small-to-multi-store-chains-leverage-the-financial-power-of-microsoft-dynamics-gp/