Business Central Modifications for Enhanced Supply Chain Operations

In episode 46 of the “Inside Dynamics Communities Podcast,”  Ryan Gonzales, Senior Sales Director of Dynamics Communities and Summit NA, and Pam Misialek, Community Director of Dynamics Communities and Summit NA, welcome Sam Mueller, Partner, OpsTerra. Sam shares how OpsTerra assisted a client in the food distribution industry with modifications to its Business Central system to enhance supply chain operations.

This episode is sponsored by Community Summit North America, the largest independent gathering of the Microsoft Business Applications ecosystem, taking place Oct. 13-17, 2024, in San Antonio, Texas. Register today to connect with thousands of users across the Microsoft business applications ecosystem at the for user, by user event.

Key Takeaways

• Who is OpsTerra: Sam, a partner at OpsTerra, a new Microsoft partner specializing in the supply chain industry, describes the company’s expertise in wholesale distribution and manufacturing. OpsTerra is passionate about improving processes and efficiencies in warehouses and facilities. Additionally, they have a strong background in Business Central, which they leverage to assist companies within these industries.
• Assisting clients in food distribution: Sam shares a customer success story. OpsTerra’s client, a food distributor, faced unique challenges during their Business Central implementation due to their private fleet of trucks distributing food within a specific region in the United States. The complexity arose from the need to efficiently pick and pack orders in a sequence that aligns with the delivery route of the trucks. Business Central’s typical sequencing did not suit the client’s requirements for loading the trucks in an order that corresponds with the delivery stops. This necessitated a customized approach to the pick, pack, and ship process to accommodate the specific loading sequence needed for the client’s distribution operations.
• OpsTerra’s approach: Sam explains how OpsTerra approached the situation. He notes that the modifications to Business Central for the food distributor focused on two main KPIs for success: the ability to quickly unload the truck with the correct products, and the ease of loading the truck in the right sequence. In Business Central, the routing and customer setup were modified to track the customer’s location on the private fleet’s route from the moment an order is entered. This allowed for a clear identification of the sequence in which an order should be picked at the warehouse level, rather than relying on bin or item location, ensuring efficiency in the loading process.
• Customer-centric solutions: The focus of the Business Central modification for this client was customer-centric, aiming to enhance the customer experience by ensuring quick and accurate unloading of products. The client values a swift and precise delivery process, which is considered a significant win. However, achieving this required complex customizations within Business Central, which, despite the challenges, resulted in successful modifications that have led to numerous successes and positive outcomes for the client.
• Ongoing benefits: What are some of the benefits since the modifications were made to Business Central? The modifications led to significant improvements, particularly in reducing reliance on paper and Excel for routing. The new module at the customer and order setup level has streamlined the fulfillment process, allowing for quicker and more organized staging of goods. The warehouse space is now more efficiently utilized, with goods being picked and laid out in the correct sequence for loading, resulting in a cleaner workspace, reduced paper usage, and overall satisfaction.