The retail chain stores Cluster transferred outlets to the ERP system of Microsoft

2017: Transfer of outlets on Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012

The network of grocery stores of the Saratov region Cluster in February, 2018 announced transfer of outlets on the ERP system constructed based on Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012. Implementation was implemented with assistance of consulting company Columbus.

Prerequisites

To the project with Columbus the retail chain stores used several IT solutions: for accounting, security systems, the POS system and also solutions for electronic exchange of documents and managements of data collection terminals. Such number of the separate systems created difficulties at implementation of their support, took away a lot of time and forces from employees of IT department.

Project Tasks

The management of Grozd network looked for the complete solution with ample opportunities on completion and development of functionality, proceeding from future requirements of retail chain stores. It was required to unify working activities of all shops and divisions of retail chain stores. An ERP system had to cover processes of finance, logistics, management of the distribution center and shipments, own production, accounting of raw materials and products, assortment management, Electronic Data Interchange with suppliers, accounting of retrobonuses and others.

System Selection

During search of a system the management Cluster studied offers of different vendors and stopped on the Microsoft Dynamics AX platform. Presence at the company of ready functionality of the solution for retail, flexibility and adaptability of a system and also experience of a project team were key selection terms of the partner in the project. For search of the supplier of the solution the retail chain stores held the tender with participation of several IT and consulting companies as a result of which Columbus became the partner.

Project Progress

The project team was faced by the following tasks:

• Increase efficiency of updating in the system of a commodity remaining balance by data processing according to sales receipts during the day;
• Provide reliable integration with other systems used in the company: EDI, EGAIS, etc.;
• Optimize assortment management due to implementation of the reference book of a goods lifecycle and storage of a change history of the range;
• Automate accounting of settlings with suppliers and formations of requests for payments according to commercial conditions of agreements.

We were lucky with a project team. Consultants of Columbus thoroughly studied and described the transactions and processes applied by the company. These are specialists with the high level of examination and profound knowledge of specifics of business of our sphere of retail — Irina Alekseeva, the chief financial officer of retail chain stores Cluster noted.

Project implementation went step by step, during this time specialists carried out: process automation of time keeping, trade and logistic processes, setup of a financial circuit and large-scale replication.

Project Results

The project affected 226 shops and all key divisions of retail chain stores. Transition to a uniform corporate ERP system allowed to standardize accounting of data, to quickly obtain information on each shop and to perform planning and the analysis of activity of all company. Unification of earlier separated processes of finance, purchases and sales, assortment planning, logistics management, accounting of products, etc. became a result of implementation.

Now we work with data absolutely of other quality — in a system convenient instruments of control of business processes, evident information representation, formation and the analysis of the reporting are put. All this helps the management of our company to receive timely necessary data and to make the weighed decisions — Andrey Makhnovets, the Chief information officer of retail chain stores Cluster summed up the project results.

On a response of the customer, the ERP system allows to receive the exhaustive and exact code of data on shops based on the performed postings and to present the acquired information in the convenient form. Among key project deliverables in Grozd network noted the following:

• It became simpler to management of finance division to approve requests for payment, to control accomplishment of each of them, to analyze financial performance and the diagram of permanent payments, to quickly find necessary documents under agreements with partners.
• Regarding management accounting processes of settlement with partners, accounting of retrobonuses, fixed asset accounting and intangible assets, treasury, formation of financial statements and measure calculation of a financial analysis were automated.
• Transition from a cash method of recognition of income and expenses on an accrual method is performed. At the same time the implemented system allows to receive quickly the analytical reporting both in terms of revenue management and expenses, and from the point of view of management of cash flows.
• The most important block of processes of management of the range is automated. The used solution allows to manage the range taking into account stages of lifecycle of the range concerning the outlets grouped in formats, geography and other analysts with a possibility of detailing to specific shop.
• It is implemented and steadily the mechanism of summary planning and automatic formation of orders for replenishment of outlets taking into account a demand forecast functions. Back office processes of all shops are also transferred to an automated system. Tools of time keeping are implemented. The business and financial statements are performed based on OLAP technologies.
• Changes concerned also pricing — now the retail chain stores perform flexible pricing according to the nomenclature on each shop and the period.

In plans of further development of the solution — application by the company of advanced instruments of calculation and management of the prices.

During implementation specialists of Columbus also carried out setup of the solution EDI for a possibility of Electronic Data Interchange between the ERP system and suppliers therefore Cluster lowered personnel labor costs on work with goods receipt notes.

2016: Automation of time keeping of working time of employees

The consulting company Columbus completed the project on automation of time keeping of working time of employees in retail chain stores Cluster - the first stage of implementation of industry solution Columbus Food Retail on Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 platform, the press service of integrator reported on June 28, 2013.

Project Progress

Cooperation Cluster and Columbus is directed to process optimization of management of retail stores of regional network. The complete solution Columbus Food Retail is developed by specialists of the consulting company taking into account standard requirements of product retail and will allow to solve all range of problems of the retailer, connected with assortment planning and the organization of sales, a marketing activity, supply chain management, vendor relations, accounting of self-produced products.

"The leading retail networks are interested in the complete solutions which are thinly configured according to industry specifics and allowing to minimize considerably operating costs. The industry product Columbus Food Retail developed by our specialists on the Microsoft Dynamics AX platform completely will provide requirements of retail chain stores Cluster for further growth", - Elena Karpunicheva, the director of business development of Columbus emphasized.

"We only started system implementation, the task of automation of time keeping is solved at the moment that allows us to create diagrams of employment for each employee and to prepare the reporting under actually worked time of personnel. On the basis of data of working time we can calculate more precisely the salary of employees of shops, bonuses, holiday and hospital, different awards and compensations", - Andrey Makhnovets, the director of information technology of retail network "Grozd" noted.

Project Development

On July 19, 2017 the Columbus Russia company announced the project of automation of data transmission in the Unified State Automated Information System (USAIS) for network of Grozd grocery stores. The technology is created by Columbus company using Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 platform.

Retail chain stores Cluster the technological solution providing registration of retail sales in the Unified State Automated Information System according to requirements of the regulator, reflecting in the system of movement of alcoholic products during the purchasing, returns, write-off of goods was required.

Experts of Grozd company looked for the software product which will be able to minimize all difficulties and features of work with alcoholic products. Also retail chain stores were guided by those solutions which will not require significant increase in amount of manual work on data entry and additional integration with the ERP system. Own development of Columbus complemented the Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 tools with the advanced functionality of interaction with the Unified State Automated Information System adapted for business processes of the customer.

Beginning the project, consultants of Columbus studied documentation on the Unified State Automated Information System and carried out the analysis of technical requirements to data transmission to a system. Till January 1, 2016 it was required to configure interaction mechanisms with reference books of alcoholic products, alcoholic suppliers, etc. then to automate the main chain of merchandising.

Within the second stage, till October 1, 2016, specialists brought a remaining balance of alcoholic products in the Unified State Automated Information System into accord with a remaining balance in the accounting system.

Specialists of Columbus held consultations among personnel of the central office then in training center of Grozd company the staff of shops was trained.

Specialists of Columbus created for us the optimal software solution which allowed to use during the work with alcoholic products as little as possible time and resources. We passed to work with a system into stipulated by the legislation terms and are happy with professionalism of staff of the company. Andrey Makhnovets, director of information technology of retail chain stores Cluster

Project Results

The main objective – setup of work with the Unified State Automated Information System within the standards adopted by the regulator is solved. The retail chain stores increased quality of accounting of alcoholic products, automated a chain of merchandising and minimized personnel labor costs during the work with alcohol.

The solution created by us accurately fulfills the requirements of the regulator, at the same time development using Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 platform, usual for retail chain stores, allowed to save the customer's resources. We advise all distributors and retailers to pay attention to volumes and complexity of work with the Unified State Automated Information System. It is important to reduce labor input of interaction with a system and to increase quality of accounting of products. Nikolay Dorogov, director of practice of Retail of Columbus company