Case Study
UST enabled a distribution giant to seamlessly upgrade from Microsoft AX 2009 to Dynamics 365 in record time
CLIENT
This American company is the largest trade distributor of hygiene, safety, laundry, and textile products. With several distribution centers and nearly 500 employees, the company serves hundreds of customers across the country.
CHALLENGE
Legacy ERP system couldn’t support evolving business needs
The company relied on Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009, an earlier version of what is now known as Microsoft Dynamics 365, to manage its ERP functions. However, as the company expands and its operations grew more complex, the legacy system became increasingly inadequate. The IT team faced several challenges, including:
- Limited customization options to adapt the application to evolving business requirements
- An inability to seamlessly integrate Dynamics with the diverse online marketplaces where the company sold its products, such as Amazon, Walmart, and eBay
- Lack of integration with the parent company’s CRM system, creating operational silos
- Inadequate support for multi-language and multi-currency capabilities, essential for global operations
These limitations hindered the company’s ability to scale and operate efficiently in a dynamic and competitive market.
TRANSFORMATION
Modernizing ERP for enhanced flexibility and seamless integrations
This leading distributor partnered with UST to modernize its ERP system, transitioning from Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 to Dynamics 365. Leveraging UST’s extensive Microsoft Dynamics expertise, the project was executed with precision, ensuring a seamless migration from legacy code to the robust modern application. Through rigorous system testing, this application modernization effort delivered exceptional performance, empowering the distributor to:
- Customize application functionality to align with its growth-driven business objectives
- Easily integrate Dynamics 365 with diverse online marketplaces, such as Amazon, Walmart, and eBay, as well as the parent company’s CRM system
- Provide users with an intuitive, user-friendly interface for improved efficiency
- Design tailored forms for the web portal module to address specific business requirements
- Efficiently manage operations across multiple languages and currencies, supporting global expansion efforts
With Dynamics 365, the company gained the flexibility and scalability required to meet its evolving needs in a competitive market.
IMPACT
Seamless integrations drive operational excellence and boost productivity
Upon completing the application modernization strategy, the company transformed its ERP system from a static operational tool to a dynamic, future-proof platform to drive innovation and growth. The application upgrade delivered these key benefits:
- Business agility—from Dynamics 365’s multi-layered architecture that can easily accommodate the company’s rapidly changing business requirements
- Seamless integrations with other modern, cloud-based applications—including Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365), Microsoft Power Platform, Azure services, third-party applications, like e-commerce and CRM systems, and online marketplaces
- Increased productivity—from the intuitive user interface, tailored web forms, and robust multi-language and multi-currency capabilities
- Enhanced compliance—with new and improved tools to maintain General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and other regulatory compliance standards
- Global ERP support—to ensure operational efficiency and prevent unexpected business disruptions
- Streamlined IT management—with a simplified technology stack that required fewer on-premise servers
The UST Microsoft Dynamics 365 (CRM/ERP) practice offers deep domain expertise and a strategic approach to help your company convert challenges into opportunities.