epic ERP and Microsoft – a winning combination!

CN&CO recently ran an event for our client epic ERP, jointly hosted by Microsoft, at Pablo Clark Racing in Kyalami. Delegates were representative of mid-market companies in South Africa, many of whom have operations across the continent, who use or would benefit from an integrated ERP system in a Microsoft environment.

“We chose PCR and F1 to highlight how, just like in a sport like F1 that is all about precision, teamwork, efficiency and accuracy, you need a team working together, although they all have very specific roles,” says CN&CO’s Stella Carter, who organised the event. “The same can be said for your ERP system…. each business unit and each application needs to come together and work towards the same goal. the system needs to be precise, accurate and efficient – but also adaptable and agile.

“PCR was the perfect setting for this.’

The event highlighted how the Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central ERP solution can address the unique needs of mid-market businesses in most industries, but with specific focus on retail and distribution, manufacturing, financial and professional services, non-profit as well as public sector. Other industries include pharma and life sciences, agriculture, healthcare, transportation and logistics, and telecoms as examples. 

Business Central differentiates itself through industry-specific templates, workflows, configurations, apps, connectors and third-party ISVs, which contribute to faster deployment times and a superior match for industry specific requirements.

“Traditional systems are often manual, inefficient and prone to errors,” explained Microsoft’s Kevin Pentecost (pictured above left). “They slow down employees, reducing their operational effectiveness, and prevent them from concentrating on strategic initiatives.”

This situation, he said, results in frustrated staff, lower profit margins, higher employee turnover and increased operational costs.

Dynamics 365 Business Central provides a central platform to integrate finance, sales, service, and operations teams with a comprehensive business management solution.

Surprisingly, according to Stuart Scanlon, MD of epic ERP (pictured right in the feature image), Microsoft’s enterprise resource planning partner in Africa, the solution is relatively unknown on the continent.

Both Stuart and Kevin underscored the inclusion of Microsoft Copilot in Business Central, a cutting-edge AI solution that enhances productivity across the Microsoft product lineup.

Kevin said, “Copilot, powered by Azure OpenAI Service, provides AI-powered assistance that helps business professionals generate ideas, automate tasks and gain insights using natural language. This integration empowers firms to work smarter and make data-driven decisions effortlessly.”

Business Central’s integration with the Microsoft ecosystem allows firms to manage operations directly within Outlook, simplifying change management and system adoption. It also supports comprehensive financial management, advanced reporting and compliance with regulatory standards, crucial for accounting and auditing firms.

The platform also has remarkable capabilities when it comes to localisation, supporting multiple currencies, exchange rates and local tax regulations across various African countries.

“This makes it an ideal solution for firms looking to expand their operations globally,” said Stuart.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is not just an ERP platform, but a strategic tool for midmarket firms across Africa.

“It enables these companies to streamline their operations, enhance client services, and maintain compliance with industry standards, all while leveraging the power of AI and seamless integration with the Microsoft ecosystem,” said Stuart.

Here is an article written about the event by Greg Stewart of Business Tech Africa: Microsoft ERP Catalyst Fund a Game Changer