Liftoff for strategic technology modernization with ERP in the cloud
Microsoft stopped supporting Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 in April, 2022. However, many companies still use this ERP system on-premises and need to move to another solution. The Sikich ERP team helps them gain the benefits of Microsoft Dynamics 365 and the modern cloud by performing efficient, no-risk, nondisruptive transitions. Instead of simply shifting the current state of clients’ organizations to another ERP foundation, we treat this modernization as a strategic opportunity for taking advantage of transformational opportunities. Our engagement with Mid-Continent Instruments and Avionics (MCIA) showcases what such an ERP collaboration can look like.
Approaching an ERP upgrade as a transformational opportunity
MCIA serves the global aerospace industry as a leader in the overhaul, exchange, repair, design and manufacturing of aircraft instruments, avionics and advanced power solutions. Cindy Highbarger, Senior Vice President of Finance and Operations at MCIA, says, “We have a very diverse product line. We also ship to over a hundred countries worldwide. We [support] fixed-wing rotor craft, military, commercial, general aviation, experimental aircraft. But our competitors as well are diverse. And so having a strong management system, a strong ERP system to manage all that data in inflow and communication to our customers is critical to us.”
A Sikich client of many years, MCIA deployed Microsoft Dynamics GP many years ago and eventually transitioned to Dynamics AX 2012. Mike Sanders, Director of Information Technology at MCIA, says, “Sikich consultants have a great understanding of our business. The feeling you get working on a project with Sikich is that they are experiencing the same concerns that you have, whether they’re onsite or not.”
When it was time to move to a new platform, MCIA had several business goals in addition to updating ERP:
- Improve responsiveness to customers.
Provide team members with better access to data. - Automate and accelerate business processes.
- Strengthen cybersecurity and disaster recovery capabilities.