CASE STUDY
Thistle Scientific Ltd
UK Manufacturer and Distributor moves from Sage 50 to Business Central
Who are Thistle Scientific Ltd
Founded in 1997, Thistle Scientific Ltd, incorporating WEB Scientific, has a long history of bringing innovative and exclusive products to the UK Life Science sector. Specialising in Live Cell Imaging, Molecular & Cell Biology, Liquid Handling, and Laboratory Equipment & Consumables, Thistle Scientific is committed to equipping scientific researchers with the tools they need to drive a healthier and sustainable future.
Thistle Scientific export their manufactured range of goods worldwide, in addition to serving as key UK distributors for other industry leading suppliers.
With a highly skilled technical team covering the UK and a well-trained Sales Management team, Thistle Scientific ensures that customers receive not only the best product advice but also ongoing support throughout the product lifecycle.
The challenge
The Challenge
While Sage 50c Accounts, Cim50 Manufacturing, bespoke barcode data collection applications, and Business Intelligence reports were fit for purpose, Thistle Scientific faced limitations in:
- Scalability & Flexibility – The existing system lacked adaptability to meet growing business needs.
- On-Premise Dependency – A modern SaaS solution was required for better accessibility.
- Integrated Business Insights – The company needed a centralised system to provide concise, real-time KPI reporting across all departments.
- Single Source of Truth – Relying on multiple interfacing systems to share and synchronise data was prone to causing issues, which could cause confusion and reduce efficiencies.
Recognising the value of a cloud-based ERP, the business owner sought a fully integrated, browser-based system to streamline finance, operations, and CRM.
The solutionUK Manufacturer and Distributor moves from Sage 50 to Business Central
Migration to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
Having worked with Qi Ltd for over 20 years, Thistle Scientific was already familiar with Qi’s expertise in Sage 50c Accounts, MRP, and bespoke solutions. Following a pre-pandemic demonstration, they re-engaged Qi to migrate their business systems to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central—a unified SQL-based ERP solution.
SINGLE BROWSER BASED SQL DATABASE SOLUTION
One of the key benefits for the business would be a single SQL database providing critical business functionality across Accounts, Sales and Purchase orders, Item Bill of Materials and associated routings.
Key enhancements included:
✅ Barcode Data Collection for Operations & Stock Movement
Thistle Scientific implemented Qi’s Job Track & Stock Track App, a cost-effective QiApp that enables real-time data collection for:
- Work Time Tracking
- Quality Control (QC)
- Stock Movements
✅ Microsoft Power BI Sales Reports
Thistle Scientific had previously used Microsoft Power BI with Sage 50c and required the same reports within Business Central. Qi developed custom APIs to ensure seamless data integration, providing real-time insights into the lifecycle of a sale, delivering more efficient and actionable business intelligence.
✅ Business Central + Custom Power App for Sales Order Dispatch
To improve warehouse operations, Qi developed a custom Power App that provides a big-screen real-time view of order dispatches.
Power App Features:
🔹 Filters Sales Orders based on shipment status and customer orders.
🔹 Traffic Light System for visual prioritisation:
- 🔴 Red – Past-due shipment dates.
- 🟠 Orange – Shipments due within 3 working days.
- 🟢 Green – Shipments due beyond 3 working days.
The Business Central implementation process
Qi ensured a smooth data migration with full data integrity. The implementation process included:
- Comprehensive staff training to ensure confidence in using Business Central.
- Successful Go-Live on Business Central with Barcode Data Collection.
- Rapid deployment of the Big Screen Power App and Power BI Reports.
The outcome
Great Business Central data drives great decision making!
🚀 Real-time data drives greater efficiency and improves KPI tracking.
📈 Integrated reporting provides better business insights for strategic decision-making.
🔄 Automated workflows improve warehouse & stock management.
By partnering with Qi Ltd, Thistle Scientific successfully transitioned to a modern, scalable ERP system, enhancing business operations while future-proofing growth.
Qi delivered a robust and successful project as I expected and the move to Business Central was a timely one for Thistle. I have since recommended this solution and Qi to other business owners.