Real-Time Manufacturing Control in the Cloud
Chesser Engineering Ltd is a sub-contract precision engineering company based in Edinburgh, producing high-quality parts for repeat and new customers.
The business relied on Sage 50 Accounts and a bespoke Access system, creating blind spots, duplicate data entry and limited real-time visibility across sales, purchasing and production.
Qi migrated Chesser to Dynamics 365 Business Central SaaS using QiMigrateNow!, with full Sage 50 data migration and structured Teams-based training. The result was more accurate quoting, reduced administration, improved job documentation and access to live business data from any internet-enabled device.
The Challenge
Chesser Engineering were long standing users of Sage 50 Accounts and supported their manufacturing operation with a bespoke Access programme. The lack of accurate real time data created ‘blind spots’ in critical business areas and the directors wanted and needed to move on to an ideally Cloud based solution with bar code data collection capabilities, that would provide best information across the business from sales, through to purchases and production. As a smaller business, any solution would need to be scalable, affordable but comprehensive in its functionality. The admin team were also spending unnecessary and valuable time double entering data which was frustrating and prone to errors.
QiJobTrack and QiStockTrack refers – please contact Qi for more information.
The Solution
Migration from Sage 50 Accounts & Access to Dynamics 365 Business Central SaaS with Qi Ltd
While based at the other end of the country, Chesser opted to elect Qi as its business partner based on their understanding of SME Manufacturers and its QiMigrateNow! toolkit to provide full Sage 50 data migration to Business Central. It was important to the business owners that their nominated business partner would deliver clear and concise training in an approachable manner, thus supporting Chesser staff through the transition.
The Outcome
Confident quoting based on real time information and a drastically reduced administration overhead.
All Sage 50 data was successfully migrated to Business Central. Staff training was completed via Microsoft Teams in manageable training sessions.
Because Chesser Engineering now has access to accurate real time information it is now able to quote with much greater accuracy, ensuring that customers access the keenest price possible whilst maintaining the required profit margin. The admin overhead has been greatly reduced leaving staff to spend time on other areas of the business with error free data to rely upon.
Qi have developed extensions (enhanced functionality) for Chesser to ensure that job cards carry the additional information they require (sales notes, scrap for example) and to enable parts to be revised and updated across all relevant job documentation.
The business owners can now access their Business Central data from any internet capable device which supports the wearing of ‘many hats’ – as is normal for owner managed smaller businesses. No more being tethered to a desk and PC to access real time information across the business.