Forward Dynamics Solutions

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Case study

Multi-Entity ERP Consolidation & Real-Time Order Visibility

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Industry

Industrial Automation & Distribution

Client Origin Country

United States

ERP and CRM consulting firm Microsoft solutions partner North America

Modernizing Financial & Operational Visibility

Forward Dynamics Solutions partnered with the team of an industrial automation organization operating through three independently managed companies to modernize and unify financial and operational processes using Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central.

The organization included:

  • Two distribution entities
  • One project-based business operation

The implementation was designed as a single production environment containing three separate Business Central companies configured with native Business Central intercompany functionality. This architecture enabled each company to operate independently while supporting automated intercompany transactions, centralized financial visibility, and streamlined operational governance across the organization.

Leadership required a centralized ERP ecosystem capable of:

  • Supporting independent company operations
  • Automating intercompany accounting
  • Delivering consolidated financial visibility
  • Providing real-time sales order and fulfillment status across teams

The company also needed a modern operational visibility solution that would eliminate manual order tracking and improve coordination between sales, warehouse, and operations teams.

Project Overview

The project focused on implementing Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central across all three legal entities while creating a centralized financial structure and a custom operational visibility extension.

Forward Dynamics Solutions designed a scalable ERP architecture that:

  • Preserved operational independence for each company
  • Unified financial governance and reporting
  • Automated intercompany accounting and consolidation
  • Delivered real-time order fulfillment visibility

The implementation included:

  • Implemented one Business Central production environment with three operating companies and one consolidated company.
  • Standardized chart of accounts
  • Intercompany trading relationships
  • Automated consolidation workflows
  • A custom-built Business Central extension for real-time sales order tracking

The organization required operational visibility into every stage of the sales order lifecycle, including:

  • Open orders
  • Items on the purchase order
  • Assembly status
  • Warehouse pick status
  • Partial shipments
  • Fully shipped orders

Since standard Business Central functionality did not fully support this requirement, Forward Dynamics Solutions developed a custom extension to provide dynamic, real-time order visibility directly within Business Central.

Technologies We Used

Microsoft Technologies

  • Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
  • Microsoft ERP Financial Management
  • Business Central Intercompany Accounting
  • Business Central Consolidation Management

Custom Development & Extensions

  • Custom Business Central Operational Visibility Extension
  • Real-Time Order Status Tracking Logic
  • Sales & Warehouse Workflow Enhancements

Operational & Financial Architecture

  • Multi-Entity ERP Structure
  • Consolidation Company Framework
  • Intercompany Posting Automation
  • Financial Elimination Logic
Scalable cloud solutions with Azure & Power Platform

Project Execution Tasks

ERP Consolidation & Financial Management

  • Implemented Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central across three companies
  • Standardized chart of accounts across operations
  • Configured automated intercompany transactions
  • Established consolidation company with elimination logic

Custom Operational Visibility Development

  • Designed and developed a custom Business Central extension
  • Enabled real-time sales order and sales line visibility
  • Configured dynamic operational status tracking
  • Added fulfillment visibility across warehouse and assembly workflows

Data Migration & System Modernization

  • Migrated data from multiple legacy systems
  • Imported master records, opening balances, and open transactions
  • Validated intercompany and financial reporting structures

Workflow & Operational Optimization

  • Improved collaboration between sales, warehouse, and operations teams
  • Reduced manual order tracking and follow-ups
  • Streamlined reporting and fulfillment coordination

Deployment & Stabilization

  • Conducted system testing and validation
  • Coordinated go-live deployment across entities
  • Delivered post-implementation support and stabilization

Implementation Strategy

Forward Dynamics Solutions followed a structured multi-entity ERP transformation strategy focused on scalability, operational visibility, and long-term maintainability.

To improve sales order visibility, the team designed a custom extension that dynamically reflected operational status directly inside Business Central without requiring separate reports or manual tracking processes.

The implementation strategy centered on:

  • Standardizing financial structures across all entities
  • Automating intercompany accounting and consolidations
  • Preserving independent operational workflows
  • Reducing manual reconciliation efforts
  • Delivering real-time operational transparency

The phased implementation approach included:

  • Business process assessment
  • Unified ERP architecture design
  • Multi-company configuration
  • Data migration and validation
  • Operational testing
  • Go-live deployment and optimization

Key Solution Features

Multi-Entity ERP Environment

Three independently managed companies unified on a centralized Microsoft ERP platform.

Automated Intercompany Accounting

Intercompany transactions, postings, and consolidations are automated across all entities.

Consolidated Financial Reporting

Leadership gained accurate group-level financial visibility with automated eliminations and reporting structures.

Real-Time Sales Order Visibility

Custom extension provided dynamic operational visibility into sales orders and fulfillment stages.

Warehouse & Fulfillment Tracking

Real-time updates for:

  • Open orders
  • Purchased items
  • Assembly status
  • Warehouse picks
  • Partial shipments
  • Completed shipments

Standardized Financial Governance

Unified chart of accounts and financial processes across all companies.

Reduced Manual Processes

Eliminated manual follow-ups, reconciliation delays, and fragmented reporting.

Scalable ERP Architecture

Flexible Microsoft Dynamics environment designed to support future operational growth and acquisitions.

Business Outcomes

Following implementation, the client has achieved significant operational and financial improvements:

  • Unified three independent companies into a single ERP ecosystem
  • Automated intercompany transactions and financial consolidations
  • Improved financial reporting accuracy and visibility
  • Real-time operational visibility across sales and fulfillment processes
  • Faster coordination between the warehouse, sales, and operations teams
  • Reduced reconciliation effort and manual administrative work
  • Improved scalability for future expansion
  • Stronger operational transparency and decision-making capabilities

Business Impact

By combining Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central with a targeted custom operational extension, Forward Dynamics Solutions delivered a modern ERP environment tailored to the client’s complex operational structure..

Leadership gained:

  • Real-time order tracking
  • Faster fulfillment coordination
  • Reduced dependency on manual communication

The result was a scalable, maintainable ERP ecosystem capable of supporting both operational independence and centralized financial governance.

Power BI

Looking to unify multi-entity operations while improving financial visibility and operational efficiency?

Forward Dynamics Solutions helps organizations implement scalable Microsoft Dynamics 365 solutions tailored to complex financial structures, operational workflows, and real-time business visibility.

Connect with our experts to explore ERP solutions designed to streamline operations, automate processes, and support long-term business growth.

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