Monitoring Challenges That Can Undermine Your Profitability

Losing Control with Manual Tracking of All Items

The sensation of not having full control can be incredibly stressful. If sales are decreasing while our revenue is increasing, why is that? Where are our costs going? How long have our goods been in stock, and which items are merely tying up capital? Companies should want answers to questions like which items are most popular and whether the price increase implemented at the beginning of the year was wise. Gut feelings can hint at something, but without data to back them up, they remain unsubstantiated.

In the past, tracking sales with Excel was sufficient. However, with hundreds of different products, product categories, and brands now in play, maintaining oversight becomes almost impossible. Determining the smartest purchases, the items offering the best margins, or how to optimize your warehouse, requires an analysis based on current business data.

1, Inability to convert data into strategies

Every company inherently has all the necessary information within its structure, yet often struggles to translate it into viable strategies. Our IT systems hold vast amounts of data regarding customers, their behaviors, the business operations, and everything related to it. However, this data often goes unused. Understanding the data can be challenging, especially when it’s not structured in a manner conducive to monitoring and analysis.

2, Data scattered across various systems

Many companies employ several different systems to create their comprehensive IT solutions, resulting in data being distributed across numerous locations. This data might be found in business systems, warehouse systems, or point-of-sale systems, complicating the process of forming a holistic view of the business’s health. The lack of interrelation between these disparate data points hinders our ability to see how different aspects of the business interact. Simultaneously, the human element increases the risk of errors, as a manual compilation of all these data sources is required each time a report needs to be produced.

3, Monitoring the Wrong Things

Another prevalent scenario is that companies actively engage in monitoring but don’t observe what they intend to. This is typical for those working with simpler business systems where tracking is an inherent part of the system. Often, these systems generate a standard report that does not allow for specific filtering or integration of data from other systems, hindering the evolution of the monitoring process over time.

4, Time-consuming and Complex Reporting

Reporting to a CEO, management, or board presents additional challenges, as it necessitates searching through various systems each time, manually cutting and pasting data to compile a report. This process is not only awkward but also time-consuming. The information often becomes static, making it difficult to delve deeper into the data if anomalies arise. This complexity extends to answering follow-up questions about the report, making the entire process quite challenging.

5, Business Intelligence Clears Up Your Questions

One solution is to use Business Intelligence (BI), but what is it? Business Intelligence is a collective term for processes, methods, techniques, and computer-based tools that companies or organizations can use to better understand their business or a business area. This happens when the BI tool collects data from various sources relevant to your company and the world around it. The analysis made from these collected sources is data-driven, unlike previously when the analysis was based on logical rules and flow diagrams. The data that is collected and analyzed should support organizations in their decision-making by being visualized to make it easier to understand. It is an incredibly effective tool for making the right decisions.

Therefore, choose a solution based on Business Intelligence to understand your business and everything that influences it. A tracking system that is intelligent, versatile, and flexible so that you can grow with it. If it is built on Business Intelligence, it can interpret data from various sources and explain the information in a way that you understand, allowing you to turn vague numbers into clear strategies, which will improve you and your business.

Do you need help finding that solution? We are happy to help.

PrintVis – everything you may need in a single solution.

A comprehensive business solution for those operating within the graphics industry. PrintVis is suitable for medium to large companies working with everything from digital printing, offset, large format, and packaging printing to labels on a roll. For those operating within the printing industry, you now together with Business Central have the entire graphics workflow, financial management, and monitoring all in one system.

From quoting, and production, to invoicing and accounting, all in the same business solution.

Does it take a long time to estimate and send out a quote? Are you losing money due to poor planning? Are resources sitting idle even when you have work to do? With PrintVis, you receive assistance in accelerating your workflows and planning production for all types of print jobs. Set up and schedule your jobs in a way that no resources, no matter where they are in the country, remain idle when capacity is available. With standard templates for common inquiries, you can also reduce the time it takes to estimate and provide a quote to the customer. Swift feedback to the customer can be crucial to retaining their interest.

With everything consolidated in one business solution, you also don’t need to spend time entering information into different systems and then synchronizing and verifying the retrieved data. Continuously working with various systems is time-consuming, makes you less agile, and hinders achieving a comprehensive overview. Moreover, it can become quite expensive in the long run.

Set the correct sales price for what you deliver.

When you’re estimating the cost of a job, PrintVis assists you in overseeing essential financial aspects such as direct cost, total cost, overhead, markup, and provides you with a competitive sales price. This is a challenge faced by many within the industry today.

Once you’ve placed your order, you automatically receive an estimate of time, capacity, and material usage. You’re presented with a proposal on how to optimize your production, and you can see where capacity, available work time, and planned production are situated. Depending on your business’s nature and the segment you operate within, there are various methods for planning your work.

PrintVis takes you from start to finish:

Inquiry – Quotation

Order – Order Confirmation

Production Order – Prepress

Planning – Production

Finishing – Packing/Emballage

Customer Delivery – Warehouse Delivery

Post-Calculation – Invoicing

Here, all the prerequisites exist to meet the challenges and demands within the graphics industry, and you can also customize the business solution to precisely fit your operations.

If you have posted an incorrect journal with many entries and want to undo it, you can choose to reverse an entire journal to avoid manually creating a new one with reversed characters.

The prerequisites for this to work are that you have a checkmark in the ‘Copy to Posted Journal Entries’ inside the journal.

Go to Search and look for Posted Accounting Journals, select the incorrect journal, and choose Reverse – Reverse Register – Reverse.

Using this feature makes it easier to correct erroneous entries!

First up in our Business Central Start team is Mathilda!

Mathilda was asked if she could share 3 benefits of Business Central Start:

– Scalable Security: One of the key benefits of Business Central Start is the security it provides. You get to acquaint yourself with Business Central through well-tested standard processes on a smaller scale initially, and then you can seamlessly grow your business system as the need arises.

– Efficient Implementation: Business Central Start offers clear and efficient implementation with pre-designed templates and easily accessible information. This streamlines the setup process, making it more straightforward and less time-consuming.

– Online Training Sessions: Business Central Start provides several online training sessions where we walk through the processes together. This support ensures that users have the knowledge and skills they need to make the most of the system.

Next in line is Charlotte!

Charlotte was asked the question, which companies are suitable for Business Central Start?

– Business Central Start is suitable for companies that can manage with a packaged solution right from the start. Of course, it’s always possible to customize your processes later if needed.

– Additionally, companies with operations in different countries can begin with Business Central to establish a consistent basic setup across their various locations.

– Because Business Central Start offers a wide selection of different packages, it fits various company types. For instance, if your company has recurring invoicing needs, combining Business Central Start with StreamLine Contract Invoicing is convenient.

– If your company has a smaller inventory where items are picked directly from the shelf, you can easily get started with Business Central Start in combination with StreamLine Inventory.

Last but not least, Fredrik!

Fredrik was asked what he thinks is the best thing about Business Central Start:

– The best thing about Business Central Start is the clarity it provides. You know exactly what
 you’re getting, what it costs, and when you’ll get it. This transparency is invaluable for businesses looking to make informed decisions about their software solutions.

Dynamic, Scalable and Smart. Business Central Start is a packaged solution equipped with essential parameter settings, designed to kickstart your accounting and invoicing processes with speed and ease. Built on Microsoft’s robust Dynamics 365 Business Central platform, BC Start provides a solid foundation that grows with your business. It simplifies your transition to a new business solution, granting you access to all the tools you need to manage your core financial operations.

With BC Start, you can be up and running in just a few weeks, all at a fixed implementation cost. This choice not only saves you time but also maximizes your cost-effectiveness. Post-implementation, a variable aspect comes into play in the form of licenses, tailored to the number of users you need.

Why Choose Business Central Start?

Business Central Start is tailored for those who seek a seamless onboarding experience with Business Central, integrating seamlessly with Office 365 and Power BI. With BC Start, managing your company’s finances becomes a hassle-free endeavor. Our StreamLine guidance supports you at every step, ensuring your new business solution takes off on the right foot. You can load your data, complete our foundational training, and even consult with an expert post-launch. All these elements are designed to empower you to work as efficiently as possible.

Read more about Business Central Start

Mathias himself shares the following:

– We visited our customer, Courier Graphics, and their production facility for a week to kick off the implementation project of Business Central with PrintVis as the industry solution. We conducted workshops with the customer during the visit and gained valuable insights into their processes. We had the opportunity to see firsthand how they manage to search for and retrieve specific paper rolls from the warehouse using article numbers and batch numbers. We also observed how they transport the rolls with their trucks to the printing press and load them for use, only to be consumed afterward. These workflows needed to be mirrored in Business Central with PrintVis.

– During the workshops, the work was divided into two tracks: one for the financial aspect in Business Central and one for the production flows in PrintVis. The goal was to thoroughly go through the implementation and settings for the solution. At the start of the implementation, the customer provided five specific test cases that described different types of productions from start to finish. These test cases included the entire process from quotation calculation, order confirmation, planning, warehouse management, production, post-calculation, and even invoicing, which both Business Central and PrintVis were expected to handle. Each test case was discussed during a workshop day within the PrintVis track. The workshops consisted of demonstrations, discussions, training, parameter settings, and more.

“On the whole, it was an absolutely fantastic experience with wonderful colleagues and an amazing customer.”

– Our week in Arizona was a great experience, and the customer was very generous towards us. We were well taken care of throughout. On the whole, it was an absolutely fantastic experience with wonderful colleagues and an amazing customer! concludes Mathias.

For project-based companies, efficient management of projects and resources is crucial for achieving success and profitability. This is where Dynamics 365 Business Central comes into play. With its comprehensive features and flexibility, Business Central offers a powerful solution to streamline and enhance project management, time tracking, resource management, and invoicing. In this post, we explore how Dynamics 365 Business Central can facilitate project-based companies and aid in reaching new levels of efficiency and success.

Centralize and Organize Project Information

With Dynamics 365 Business Central, you can gather all project information in one place. Easily create and manage projects with associated budgets, activities, schedules, and documentation. Having all project-related information available in real-time gives you a comprehensive view of the project status and can make informed decisions from there.

Efficient Time Tracking and Resource Management

Business Central simplifies time tracking for the project team by offering a user-friendly interface. Team members can easily report their worked hours on different projects and activities. You can report time from your mobile device, allowing you to do so wherever you are, whenever you want. Additionally, using resource management in Business Central ensures that the right individuals are available for the right projects at the right time, contributing to optimizing resource utilization and minimizing overload.

Project Overview and Reporting with Power BI

With a clear project overview through intuitive dashboards and reports, you can easily track project progress, monitor budgets and expenses, and analyze project profitability. With real-time data and visualizations, you can quickly identify any deviations and take timely actions to keep the project on the right track.

Smooth Invoicing and Financial Management

Business Central offers an integrated solution for invoicing and financial management. You can easily create invoices based on project activities, time reports, or consumed resources. Moreover, you can automate the invoicing process and streamline the payment flow. This gives you better control over the financial aspects of your projects and ensures accurate invoicing and accounting.

Collaboration and Communication

Dynamics 365 Business Central seamlessly integrates with other Microsoft 365 tools such as Teams and Outlook, facilitating collaboration and communication within the project team. Gathering all project-related communication and documentation in one place can enhance team productivity and coordination.

In summary,

Dynamics 365 Business Central is the perfect solution for project-based companies aiming to streamline their processes and maximize project success. By centralizing project information, simplifying time tracking and resource management, offering a clear project overview, and facilitating invoicing and financial management, Business Central provides companies with the tools they need to drive their projects successfully. So, take the step towards increased efficiency and competitiveness with Dynamics 365 Business Central today!

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Making strategic and advantageous decisions without a solid foundation can feel like groping in the dark. But with Power BI, the light is turned on. Using Power BI as an analytical tool enhances your Business Intelligence (BI), providing clear insights into how your business functions on a holistic level. By obtaining a clear visualization of what’s going well, what’s not, or what needs to change. You gain an overview that simplifies future decisions to enhance and develop your specific operations!

What is Power BI?

Understanding Business Intelligence and Power BI might seem challenging, but the positive thing is that you don’t need to be super knowledgeable about the geekiest aspects – we’ve got that covered. Business Intelligence (BI) consists of many components that can measure and gather all the numbers and data created in a business. However, to utilize all the information about the operations that Business Intelligence (BI) collects, a BI tool is needed – like Power BI.

Power BI is Microsoft’s platform that applies Business Intelligence (BI) and compiles and visualizes all the complex numbers and data, for instance from Business Central and Excel, into clear reports that you can use to make strategic decisions.

Power BI suits all companies that want to monitor and visualize their operations, gain an overview, and make advantageous and well-informed decisions, which most companies desire. If you are already using Business Central, it’s a natural step to start leveraging Power BI as well, since both tools are part of the Microsoft family. Here are three reasons why your company should use Power BI:

Power BI is sleek!

– With Power BI, you’re not just looking at data from your operations; you’re experiencing it. With elegant statistics, such as reports and graphs, you gain control over what’s happening within the business – so you’re relieved from the headache of trying to grasp and present complex data from various sources on your own.

Power BI is convenient!

– Since Power BI is cloud-based, all the data presented can be accessed from various devices. The convenience of this allows easy sharing and scaling of materials with all employees within the company. This way, knowledge about the operations spread to all parts of the company in a straightforward manner. With Power BI, you don’t need to be a math whiz to gain a clear insight into, for example, the company’s finances.

Power BI is valuable!

– For all companies aiming to progress, staying informed is crucial. Staying informed about what’s going well, what’s not, and what can be improved. Without understanding your company’s status, knowing which decisions are right becomes an incredibly challenging task. Understanding comes from measuring the company’s data and, most importantly, being able to extract valuable information from the measured data – something that Power BI does for you.

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1. The ability to perform smart analysis

By creating a data model, you build relationships within your data. This enables dynamic reports where you can easily filter, group, and navigate between different levels of your data. You can also use your data model for in-depth analysis where you can drag and drop the fields and metrics you want to examine. The data model can be used in both Power BI and Excel. Power BI caters to the need for standardized reports, in-depth analysis, and everything in between.

2. Accessibility increases understanding within the company

Power BI helps make data accessible to more people. Instead of only you, having access to your KPIs, more people within the company can see how you are performing. “I believe it makes a huge difference in engagement and understanding of the organization when their performance is visualized in numbers,” explains Emil. Power BI is not a must-have tool for running a business, but it’s hard to live without it once it’s used. Such a significant difference does it make to have a good follow-up for your business.

3. A living tool

I have a long experience with how happy customers are when they get started and the penny drops when they understand the tool for real and get lots of new ideas. ‘We want to look at this too, and this, and this,'” Emil says. Power BI is a living tool that can be developed together with you and your business. He concludes that the ability to customize and develop is also one of the best things about the tool.

Are you interested? Let us help you!

Power BI – NAB Solutions

Utilize workflows and approval processes

Business Central offers built-in workflow functionality that allows you to automate and streamline various business processes. You can define workflows for tasks such as purchase approvals, sales order processing, expense reimbursements, and more. By setting up workflows, you can eliminate manual intervention and ensure that tasks are automatically routed to the right individuals for approval or action.

Leverage scheduled tasks and batch jobs

Business Central provides scheduled tasks and batch job features that allow you to automate routine activities and processes. For example, you can schedule recurring reports, data imports, exports, or integrations to run at specific times or intervals. By automating these tasks, you can save time, reduce errors, and free up resources for more value-added activities.

Explore the power of business automation with Power Automate

Business Central integrates seamlessly with Microsoft Power Automate (formerly known as Microsoft Flow), a powerful cloud-based automation platform. Power Automate enables you to create automated workflows across various applications and services, connecting Business Central with other tools like email, SharePoint, Excel, and more. You can automate tasks such as data synchronization, notifications, document generation, and data entry, further increasing productivity and efficiency.

By implementing these tips, you can reduce manual work, improve accuracy, and focus on higher-level tasks that require human expertise and decision-making in your daily work!