From manual processes to modern ERP: How one client transforms operations

The client, a national food retailer with hundreds of locations across the United States, partnered with Sikich to modernize its enterprise systems and build a stronger foundation for future growth. Through a phased Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Supply Chain Management implementation, the company moved critical finance, supply chain and store operations away from manual, Excel-dependent processes and into a connected ERP environment designed for visibility, automation, and scale.

Client challenge

As the organization continued its digital transformation, it needed a modern ERP platform to replace disconnected, manual processes and support more scalable finance, supply chain, direct-to-consumer, and store operations.

• Disconnected finance, supply chain and store systems limited operational visibility.
• Spreadsheet-heavy, manual processes slowed teams and increased risk of errors.
• Limited access to timely inventory, cost and financial data made reporting and decision-making more difficult.
• Manual supplier, distributor, payment and invoice workflows created opportunities for automation and efficiency gains.

The solution

Sikich helped the client plan and execute a phased enterprise transformation using Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Supply Chain Management. Phase 1 established the enterprise foundation for the direct-to-consumer business, while phase 2 extended the solution to stores. Together, these phases created a fully functioning ERP environment that supports finance, accounting, supply chain, inventory, procurement, and store operations.

The implementation connected critical business systems through automated EDI and SFTP interfaces, integrated third-party solutions, and enabled new reporting and planning capabilities through IPA. The result was a more connected operating model with improved visibility into daily inventory, cost of goods sold, perpetual inventory, general ledger reporting, and supply planning.

Business outcomes at a glance

• $1.5M+ in identified annual waste reduction and cost savings
• 50%+ reduction in month-end close time
• 80% payment-processing time reduction, from 8 to 12 hours to approximately 2 hours
• $250M in annual purchasing supported by a new purchase order process
• 20 ERP systems connected through automated EDI and SFTP interfaces
• $200K in expected annual savings through store invoice automation

Impact

With Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Supply Chain Management in place, the client now has a modern ERP foundation that reduces manual effort, improves operational visibility and supports more scalable business processes. Supply chain, accounting and finance teams are no longer primarily dependent on Excel, and the organization has already identified more than $1.5 million in annual waste reduction and cost savings.

The transformation also strengthened the client’s ability to manage inventory, purchasing, payments, freight, store invoices and financial reporting with greater speed and accuracy. By connecting key systems and automating high-volume processes, the client created a foundation that can continue to evolve as it completes its final phase of smaller enterprise projects.

Looking ahead

The organization and Sikich continue to partner on phase 3, a final set of smaller projects that will build on the ERP foundation already in place. With a connected platform, stronger automation and improved operational insight, the client is better positioned to support future growth, improve decision-making, and continue modernizing the way its teams work. Is your organization looking to make an operational transformation? Connect with Sikich experts for more information.