Mobile Technologies Inc. (MTI) had already invested in Microsoft Dynamics AX, but like many growing manufacturers, the company was not realizing the full value of its ERP investment. Business processes varied between departments, manual workarounds had become commonplace, and several operational capabilities required refinement.
Rather than recommending another large implementation project, Strategic Solutions NW approached the engagement as an ERP optimization initiative. Beginning with a comprehensive business assessment, SSNW worked alongside finance, engineering, purchasing, manufacturing, quality, warehousing, customer service, and order management teams to identify operational bottlenecks, prioritize improvements, and deliver a phased roadmap for lasting change.
The Challenge
MTI’s challenges extended well beyond technology. The company needed to better align its business processes, governance, and user adoption with the capabilities already available in Dynamics AX.
- Business processes had evolved differently across departments.
- Critical functions—including product lifecycle management, approved vendor management, purchasing, invoicing, reporting, and quality management—needed improvement.
- The organization wanted to maximize its existing ERP investment instead of replacing it.
Our Approach
- Assess the Business — Cross-functional workshops documented current-state processes, identified pain points, and prioritized initiatives according to business value.
- Optimize Business Processes — SSNW redesigned workflows for purchasing, invoicing, product lifecycle management, reporting, financial management, and quality while leveraging native Dynamics AX capabilities wherever practical.
- Deliver Incrementally — Improvements were organized into phased stabilization releases, allowing MTI to realize value quickly while reducing implementation risk.
- Enable Long-Term Success — Training materials, governance recommendations, documentation, and ongoing advisory services helped drive user adoption and continuous improvement.
Proof in Action
Rather than pursuing broad customization, SSNW focused on targeted improvements that solved real business problems across the organization.
- Purchasing: Redesigned non-inventory purchasing to reduce ongoing maintenance and improve purchasing controls.
- Engineering: Improved product lifecycle management, revision control, and approved vendor/manufacturer processes.
- Finance: Enhanced financial architecture, reporting, governance, and multi-currency processing.
- Operations: Implemented phased stabilization releases, reporting improvements, alerts, and user enablement to improve day-to-day operations.
Business Outcomes
- Created a structured roadmap for enterprise-wide ERP optimization.
- Standardized critical business processes across finance, engineering, purchasing, operations, and customer service.
- Reduced dependence on manual workarounds through improved configuration and process design.
- Strengthened governance, reporting, and operational visibility.
- Established a long-term foundation for continuous ERP improvement.
Why This Matters
Many ERP initiatives struggle not because of the software, but because business processes and system configuration fall out of alignment over time. That’s why it’s imperative to understand the business first, align technology to operational goals, and deliver practical improvements that continue creating value long after the initial implementation.
