Challenge
An aging, unsupported ERP system.
Solution
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, Cepheo Framework for Manufacturing and Construction Industries, Microsoft Power BI, Cepheo Managed Services.
Result
A leaner and more efficient company.
Egil Rasmussen was founded in 1937 as a carpentry and joinery company, which has since grown into a robust organization.
In 1937, Egil Rasmussen was established as a carpentry and joinery business. Over the years, it has evolved into one of Denmark's leading contractors. However, the company faced a looming threat to its position due to an outdated ERP system.
"The support for our old IT system was set to expire in the next couple of years, so we wanted to upgrade to a new system," says Rune Lund Sørensen, Egil Rasmussen's Chief Accountant.
Consequently, the construction company initiated a process in 2019 to identify its new cloud-based system. One that, at the very least, could match the capabilities of the old on-premise system.
"We have a new IT strategy to make things as easy as possible moving forward. This includes using 'plug and play' cloud systems that fulfill all our needs," explains Chief Accountant Rune Lund Sørensen.
The downside of an aging, unsupported system is that it will no longer receive ongoing updates to its functionality and security. This renders the system less useful and secure. While it is possible to patch individual issues, it is a costly and short-term solution.
Streamline operations with Cloud-Based ERP
Egil Rasmussen's choice of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central has revolutionized the way they work. This cloud-based ERP system unifies the entire company, enabling employees to work more efficiently and quickly.
"As the Chief Accountant, it brings me great joy to see how Business Central makes using Microsoft applications like Excel so straightforward. This was a capability we didn't have before. The integration simplifies the work for everyone," says the Chief Accountant.
Business Central not only facilitates the use of other applications within Microsoft's ecosystem, but it also enhances the company's efficiency, productivity and security.
Egil Rasmussen has further optimized their operations by outsourcing the management of Business Central to Cepheo through a Managed Services agreement. This move frees up more time for the company to concentrate on its core business activities.
Industry solution and Power BI unite everything
The construction company, founded in 1937, has enhanced its Business Central setup with the industry-specific solution, Cepheo Framework for Manufacturing and Construction Industries (FMCI). This solution is tailored to meet the needs of contractors, craftsmen and installers in the construction sector. It supports the entire process, from bids and sales to project initiation, delivery and annual review.
"We chose the FMCI solution to record cases, costs and revenues. The solution also allows us to monitor the development of our projects," says Rune Lund Sørensen.
The construction company consists of two divisions: a construction department and a service department. The construction department handles tasks such as new construction and building renovations, while the service department manages repair and service assignments for housing associations, insurance companies and businesses.
The company's division has led Egil Rasmussen to choose Microsoft Power BI to transform the company's data into meaningful business insights.
"We use Power BI to generate reports from both divisions. For example, we need to keep track of what our piecework employees spend on materials compared to their hourly wages. Our service department handles up to 5,000 cases per year, so we require post-calculation, which Power BI enables," explains Egil Rasmussen's chief accountant.
There's no doubt about what the chief accountant enjoys most about working with Power BI:
"The beauty of Power BI is that the solution is connected to our ERP system. You simply click on a link, and the data appears in Business Central. This greatly enhances our workflow efficiency."
Egil Rasmussen has achieved a leaner and more efficient business
Egil Rasmussen went live with his new solutions in 2021, but Rune Lund Sørensen can already feel a difference.
"These solutions help us create the leanest organization possible. They streamline our operations by eliminating many of our manual processes, saving us time and money," he explains further:
"For example, when we need to hire a new employee, information is only registered in one place. Then everything is automatically created in the system, allowing us to focus on the personal and professional development of the employee instead."
The construction company also reveals why they chose Cepheo as the solution provider.
"We chose Cepheo because it's a large company that has done this many times before. We were also attracted to Cepheo's industry-specific solution, FMCI, as it was similar what we knew from our previous system," he says.
However, there have been challenges in the collaboration with Cepheo, according to Rune Lund Sørensen.
"The collaboration has been challenging at times, partly due to delays due to COVID-19. Now we are just looking forward to getting the full value out of the solutions we purchased," he explains.
The head of accounting hops that the next phase of digitization in the construction company will help with the billing of the many thousands of annual invoices.
"I dream of getting a software robot that sends invoices for approval. It would help us a lot, so I'm waiting to see a solution that is cheap enough and can automate the billing of maybe 80-85% of our invoices."
With its new future-proof IT solutions, Egil Rasmussen has laid a solid foundation for a better future.
