A Pacific Northwest contractor specializing in ground improvement and deep foundation work was preparing for its next phase of growth—with plans to double the size of the business over the next 3–5 years.
But their systems weren’t built for that.
They were running QuickBooks alongside multiple disconnected tools for estimating, scheduling, and operations. As the business scaled, this patchwork approach started creating gaps between what was happening in the field and what showed up in the numbers.
To support growth, they needed more than better reporting—they needed real-time visibility into both operations and financial performance.
As part of modernizing their operations, the company also began exploring Agentic AI—using AI Agents to automate how information enters and moves through the business.
The Challenge
As project volume increased and operations became more complex, the limitations of their systems became harder to ignore. Financials were managed in QuickBooks, while estimating, scheduling, and field data lived across multiple platforms. Connecting everything required manual effort—and even then, the result was often delayed or incomplete.
Simple workflows became increasingly difficult to manage. Project setup required manual coordination between teams. Field updates didn’t flow cleanly into financial reporting. Inventory, purchasing, and project data were disconnected. Reporting relied heavily on spreadsheets and reconciliation.
The business didn’t lack data—it lacked alignment and timing.
Without a real-time view of operations and financials, leadership couldn’t make confident decisions at the pace growth required.
What This Looked Like in Practice
- Jobs “looked fine”… until they didn’t
- Teams spent time chasing numbers instead of acting on them
- Leadership lacked confidence in project-level reporting
- Growth created more noise—not more control
This wasn’t a people problem. It was a system architecture problem.
What We Did
Strategic Solutions NW replaced the disconnected system landscape with a unified platform built on Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central.
More importantly, we redesigned how information flows across the business—creating a single, integrated environment where sales, projects, inventory, and financials work together.
The goal wasn’t just to improve reporting. It was to create a system that could support growth at scale.
- Replaced Multiple Systems with One
We consolidated sales, project management, inventory, and financials into a single system—eliminating the need to manage and reconcile multiple platforms.
This created a true system of record, where all core business functions operate from the same data and information is accessible across the organization.
- Built Around Real Workflows
We designed the system to reflect how the business actually operates in the field.
Projects can now be created directly from sales activity, and updates from operations flow into financial performance without manual intervention. Inventory, purchasing, and project tracking are aligned, giving teams a complete and timely view of each job as it progresses.
This removed the disconnect between field execution and financial reporting.
- EliminatedManual Processes
We focused on removing the bottlenecks that slowed the business down and introduced risk.
- No more rekeying data between systems
- Automated data flow between operations and accounting
- Real-time updates instead of delayed reporting
Instead of relying on spreadsheets and reconciliation, teams now work from live, accessible data inside the system.
- Introduced an AI Agent for Lead Intake
As part of the transformation, we designed and tested an AI Agent to automate how new opportunities enter the system.
Previously, inbound leads required manual review and entry, often coming from multiple sources and in different formats. This created delays and inconsistency at the very start of the sales process.
The AI Agent monitors inbound leads, extracts key details, matches them to existing contacts, and automatically creates records in the system.
This is a practical example of Agentic AI—where AI takes action inside business systems.
The solution was fully functional in testing and nearing production deployment.
Outcomes
The business now operates with a system designed to support growth—not limit it.
- Real-time visibility into operations and financial performance
- Improved access to information and reporting across the organization
- Reduced manual work across teams
- Improved margin control through earlier issue detection
- One source of truth across sales, projects, inventory, and financials
With a fully integrated system in place, leadership now has the clarity and confidence needed to scale the business effectively.
Why This Matters
If you’re running QuickBooks alongside estimating tools, scheduling systems, and spreadsheets, you’re not alone.
But as your business grows, that setup starts to break down—slowly, then all at once.
