BSi Steel Pty Ltd, a South Africa’s leading steel merchant and steel supplier with multiple entities across African continent was looking to adopt modern business applications and BI solution to enhance and optimize its various business processes, formalize consistent master data particularly item master, improve sales process productivity, standardize item costing etc. — all while keeping the entities and reporting separate. Andrew Wood, Group IT Executive, BSi Steel, engaged KAISPE LLC, a Microsoft partner that provides solutions and services to enterprise customers to implement Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance, Dynamics 365 Supply Chain and Power BI solutions. KAISPE with its years of consulting experience helped out BSi Steel in implementing these solutions while taking care of all the functionality gaps in these business applications to address Steel Distribution industry.

Customer Background

Started in 1988, BSi Steel’s primary product range are different forms of mild steel. The products include: steel pipe, square tubing, round tubing, rectangular tubing, rebar, round bar, square bar, tube pipe, hot rolled coil, cold rolled coil, galvanised coil, cold formed section & lipped channels. The company stands to remain the premium Steel Supplier in Africa and ensure that it remains the top steel merchant in Africa.

BSi Steel’s SA Operation’s focus aims at servicing the Structural, Mining, Engineering, Manufacturing and Automotive Industries within South Africa. BSi Steel Exports LTD coordinates external business direct from our facility in Johannesburg. Their highly experienced Gauteng team is well placed to process and expedite small and large-volume exports of a wide range of steel products to most African markets including, Zimbabwe, Zambia, DRC, Mozambique, Malawi, Botswana, Namibia and Tanzania.

Problem Statement and Solution

Due to constant fluctuation of Steel Prices, BSi Steel sales personnel were always in need of timely information about current market prices to better negotiate the profitability of the deal, this was cumbersome and inaccurate for them as they needed to quote in timely manner in a extremely competitive market. To address this issue, KAISPE provided replacement cost functionality on business documents like sales quotation, sales order and purchase order in Microsoft Dynamics 365 F&O. This particularly helped the sales personnel with easy access of up to date and accurate information with approximately 40 percent improvement in overall sales process.

“Our costing issues are now greatly resolved. We are glad that we adopt Microsoft Dynamics 365 F&O as our ERP application and appreciate KAISPE how they helped us resolving this problem.” Andrew Wood, Group IT Executive, BSi Steel

Another related problem area for BSi Steel due to constant fluctuation of steel prices was the inability to accurately track the differences occurring between Purchase Order Receipt and Invoice. In the legacy application, they did very complex customizations to handle such variance but still constantly getting inaccurate results from time to time, especially when those items were consumed or sold during the Receipt and Invoice period. KAISPE proposed and implemented the costing method Moving Average available in Microsoft Dynamics 365 F&O that helped them to record the price difference correctly and only when it was required.

In their Production process, BSi Steel was facing restriction on the Production Orders for the De-coil and Re-coil process because Raw Material and Finished Good cannot be same in normal Discrete Manufacturing Process. KAISPE provided input functionality on production order where BSi production users can now enter the number of cuts required for the coil, this helped the production team to know how many small coils are required. KAISPE also provided an option to select the same finished goods and raw material in the BOM that allowed them to select same product as finished goods in production order for de-coil and re-coil production process.

“It’s good to see how Microsoft Dynamics 365 F&O along with other Microsoft technologies helped out BSi Steel in achieving their Digital Transformation goals. We are committed to add more value to BSi business using our skill set and industry knowledge.” Imran Mahmood, CEO, KAISPE LLC

BSi Steel executives were looking for a simple yet powerful reporting platform that help them gaining more insights into the business to make accurate and timely decision. Microsoft Power BI along with Microsoft Dynamics 365 F&O, SQL Server Analysis Services and SQL Server Integration Services provided them the reports and dashboards to get a consolidated view of the business. Reports like Sales Performance, Inventory Aging, Gross Profit etc. helped them make future decision precisely.

In addition to Microsoft Power BI, BSi Steel also adopted Microsoft Power Apps, Power Automate and SharePoint Online to develop productivity apps like Purchase Requisition app for their employees. KAISPE developed these apps and get them integrated with Microsoft Dynamics 365 F&O to make real time data available at both ends.

KAISPE team has a full grip on Microsoft technologies and how they work together to generate value for customer. Andrew Wood, Group IT Executive, BSi Steel

Conclusion

As their future roadmap, BSi Steel is exploring other modules and features in Microsoft Dynamics 365 F&O along with building additional Power BI reports and dashboards with productivity apps using Microsoft Power Platform and has engaged KAISPE in driving success.

The post Digital transformation using Microsoft Dynamics 365 fuels 20 percent business growth with greater simplicity and optimization of business processes for BSi Steel appeared first on KAISPE.

Automating and Managing Complex Global Operations with Legacy Technology Stack

INTECH struggled with automating and managing its global business growth using outdated applications. INTECH had been using single legal entity with Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 and handling global entities using financial dimension model. Although this model was working and INTECH was getting the desired results from the ERP application, it was not reflecting the true picture of how INTECH was managing various entities and org units in real world. So as the business was growing, INTECH started to face challenges with automating various business processes, getting real time management reporting and overall business productivity.

As INTECH expanded, managing its complex global operations became challenging. This was mainly due to the limitations of Dynamics AX 2012. The single legal entity structure and lack of cross-currency finance operations hindered financial management across their offices. Additionally, INTECH’s project-based business required a more robust project management and accounting system. Manual payroll processes for over 600 employees across different regions led to complex and time-consuming processes.

KAISPE addressed these issues by implementing Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Supply Chain. This solution enabled seamless multi-entity management, automated payroll processes, and provided enhanced multi-currency support, positioning INTECH for future growth and operational excellence.

KAISPE Guides Business Transformation for INTECH Using Microsoft Dynamics 365 F&O

KAISPE implemented Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Supply Chain for INTECH to overcome limitations of their previous system. The solution enabled INTECH to manage their legal entities separately across 14 regions, improved multi-currency support, cross-device accessibility, automated payroll for their employees in multiple offices, and provided advanced project management capabilities, addressing issues with financial management, productivity, and reporting. 

INTECH adopted Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Supply Chain to overcome their operational challenges. The solution enabled a seamless transition to a multi-entity structure, allowing for effective management across 14 regions. With Dynamics 365 F&O’s advanced financial features, they were able to conduct business bypassing the limitations of currency exchange, thus, INTECH improved financial accuracy globally. The custom payroll module automated processes for over 600 employees, reducing errors and ensuring regional compliance. Additionally, the project management and accounting features were tailored to INTECH’s project-based model, enhancing efficiency. Microsoft’s expertise and resources, including cloud capabilities, Power platforms, and extensive support, played a crucial role in the successful implementation and transformation.

INTECH Observes an 80% Improvement in Reporting and Productivity by Streamlining Business Operations with KAISPE

With Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Supply Chain, INTECH achieved a 40-50% increase in productivity and an 80% improvement in reporting accuracy. The solution automated processes for their employees, streamlined global financial management, and effectively managed operations worldwide, enhancing overall efficiency. 

Leveraging KAISPE’s technical expertise, INTECH implemented Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Supply Chain to achieve significant operational improvements. KAISPE’s tailored solutions led to a 40-50% boost in productivity and an 80% enhancement in reporting accuracy. Moreover, KAISPE helped implement and streamline the system within INTECH’s business in a record time of six months. The implementation streamlined processes for INTECH’s employees, automating tasks and ensuring compliance across various regions. Additionally, the new system improved global financial management, handling multi-entity and multi-currency complexities effectively. It has also given INTECH access to more Microsoft products and business applications through Dynamics 365 F&O, further automating their business with Microsoft’s integrable applications. KAISPE’s in-depth knowledge of Dynamics 365 F&O and their ability to customize the solution for INTECH’s unique needs played a pivotal role in driving these results and positioning INTECH for future growth.

Our collaboration with Microsoft enabled us to deliver a tailored solution for INTECH Automation & Intelligence, utilizing Dynamics 365 Finance and Supply Chain to streamline their business operations. This integration significantly improved their operational efficiency and data accuracy, showcasing the power of Microsoft technologies in transforming business operations.

– Imran Mahmood, CEO

The post INTECH Streamlines Business Processes Through Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance & Supply Chain Implementation appeared first on KAISPE.

This blog post will explore the key features and benefits of Microsoft D365 FO POS development for the retail and commerce industry. Read on to understand the basic differences between on-premises and cloud-based POS systems. In addition, learn about the best practices for configuring the POS system in Dynamics 365 for Retail to fit your business best.

On-premises vs. Cloud-based POS Systems

Before purchasing a POS system, evaluating the difference between traditional on-premises and cloud-based POS systems is critical. To do this, you must first familiarize yourself with the two systems. This comparison of on-premises and cloud-based POS systems is meant to walk you through the unique aspects, benefits, and drawbacks of each;

• On-premises POS systems ideally operate within an organization’s internal network and use local servers to store information. POS tools are purchased up front, with data accessible only from the local server or through an alternate web app.
• Cloud-based POS systems, on the other hand, leverage cloud technology to allow users to access the platform from anywhere and at any time. They work well with most POS hardware and offer a level of comfort that is unparalleled.

Comparison

Best Practices for Configuring Dynamics 365’s Retail POS System

Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Retail has an integrated POS system that allows organizations to unify their digital, in-store, and back-office operations and create exceptional, insightful shopping experiences. It offers two types of POS experiences: a browser-based cloud POS (cPOS) that can be used on mobile devices and a retail modern POS (mPOS) that can be used on PCs, tablets, and phones to process sales transactions, customer orders, and daily operations, as well as to perform inventory management.

Before you begin configuring your Dynamics 365 for Retail POS system and setting up your registers and devices, you need to set up a few pre-requisites:

Once these prerequisites are in place, you can move forward with configuring your Dynamics 365 for Retail POS system. While there are several POS deployment options, such as cloud only, cloud only with hardware station, cloud with hardware station and offline capabilities, retail scale unit with offline capabilities, and local hardware station, here are some best practices for deploying a cloud-only POS system using Dynamics 365 for Retail:

1. Define Payment Methods

Dynamics 365 for Retail helps you set up the payment methods that will be supported by your retail businesses. Since customers are likely to shop from any retail channel, including brick-and-mortar, e-commerce, and call centres, your POS system should be configured such that it supports all channel types.

Using the drop-down selection, indicate the function that will be performed by that payment method. This is key as it will support functions performed by your POS button functions.

2. Define Card Types

There are various types of cards customers might use in a POS system, including credit, debit, loyalty, or gift cards. To ensure seamless payment through cards in your retail business, you must first determine the types of cards you plan to accept and set those up in a legal entity in Dynamics 365 for Retail.

Enter the required details in fields such as Card ID, Card type name, and Card issuer. Once you have added all the details, just click Save.

3. Setup Registers

In any retail setting, registers are important components as they are used to define aspects related to a specific store. The key fields to define your register include hardware profile (physical configuration of a terminal) and visual profile (screen characteristics), store number, and sales menu.

Dynamics 365 allows you to set up profiles specific to a single terminal or a group of terminals. Before you set up a register, you need to set up the terminal(s) and assign profiles to them.

4. Setup New Stores

For all your retail locations to get updates from the back office; adding your existing and new locations to the channel database list is important. Once you add a new location to the list, necessary database updates will take place, including products, pricing and discounts, customer, tax, staff, and register information.

To activate a new store, you only need to select the store from the drop-down list, enable full data sync, and select the distribution schedule you want to run. Once you do this, your new store will be activated.

5. Define Devices

As devices are the actual physical units that are associated with any POS register, it is important to specify the devices that will be used for accurate mapping. This can be a standard POS, an Android phone, or an iPad, to name a few. Depending on the type of application you want to use, validate the devices for activation, and follow the instructions to activate your device.

Once you set all this up, you can begin executing transactions for your retail entity. Click on the cloud-POS URL and simply follow the instructions. Ensure you have addressed everything stated in the “before you start” section for complete activation of your device. Once the activation is successful, you can bring up the POS application by clicking on the Get Started button.

Streamline your Retail Operations

In today’s competitive retail environment, Dynamics 365 for Retail helps retailers get ahead with tools that steer their retail operations, deliver a connected employee experience, and delight customers with exceptional shopping experiences.

With all the benefits of Dynamics 365 for Retail, correctly setting up the POS system is critical to drive a positive business impact. Follow the laid down best practices and ensure your POS system is correctly activated to bring about the desired outcome.

Development of Retail and Commerce POS 

• Development Tools and Technologies

Developing POS solutions with Microsoft D365 FO involves working with a range of tools and technologies. The platform utilizes familiar development tools such as Visual Studio and C# programming language. It enables developers to leverage their existing skills.

Additionally, the Retail SDK (Software Development Kit) provides a comprehensive set of libraries, APIs, and tools specifically designed for retail application development. These tools enable developers to build and debug POS applications, manage data synchronization, and handle device integration effortlessly.

• Device Integration and Peripherals

A successful POS solution requires seamless integration with various peripherals and devices such as barcode scanners, receipt printers, cash drawers, and payment terminals. Microsoft D365 FO offers robust device integration capabilities through the Retail SDK, making it easier for developers to connect and interact with a wide range of hardware devices.

Developers can leverage the SDK’s APIs to control peripheral devices, handle data input/output, and manage device configurations, ensuring smooth and reliable operations at the point of sale.

• Offline Capabilities and Resilience

POS systems must be resilient to network disruptions and capable of operating offline to ensure uninterrupted service. Microsoft D365 FO supports offline capabilities, allowing the POS application to continue functioning even in the absence of network connectivity.

Developers can design and optimize data synchronization mechanisms to synchronize sales, inventory, and customer data between the POS device and the back-end systems when connectivity is restored. This resilience ensures that retailers can continue serving customers and processing transactions, regardless of the network status.

Conclusion

Microsoft D365 FO offers developers a comprehensive platform for POS development. It empowers them to create powerful, customizable, and scalable solutions for the retail and commerce industry. With extensibility options, robust development tools, device integration capabilities, offline resilience, and testing frameworks, developers can build exceptional POS applications that streamline operations and enhance customer experiences.

By harnessing the capabilities of Microsoft D365 FO, developers can unlock the full potential of POS systems, delivering innovative solutions that drive business growth and success in the ever-evolving retail landscape.

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This shows our continuous commitment with customers to help them building up a resilient supply chain and achieve high operating efficiency with improved bottom line.

At KAISPE, we pride ourselves on our innovation, expertise, and our continued commitment to ensuring delivery of the highest quality products to our customers. As a Microsoft Certified Partner, we provide solutions backed by industry best practices and standards. We are Microsoft Co-Sell partner and have strong presence on Microsoft marketplaces with our remarkable apps and services.

To learn more, visit https://testing.kaispe.com or call (315) 791-4472. Connect with us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.

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