Case study
MMS NI Ltd.
Introduce a platform to effectively manage stock and warehousing for MMS NI Ltd.
In-depth scoping and analysis of the requirements needed to satisfy the issues MMS NI Ltd were facing Acorn BMS were able to use their acquired knowledge and previous experiences to quickly identify a software package that would solve all the identified issues. Sage 200 accompanied with a Warehouse Management Solution provided by Acorn was the desired outcome.
MMS NI Ltd specialise in sourcing and importing a wide range of components and assemblies from China. Due to the rapid growth of their business, a new IT system was sought in order to more effectively manage their warehousing and stock systems. They engaged with Acorn BMS who understood the requirements, scoped the project and implemented Sage 200 software with their Warehouse Management solution.
MMS NI Ltd are a global sourcing company with over 15 years’ experience, who offer a one stop solution for organisations wanting to import products from China. They specialise in sourcing a diverse variety of parts from the simplest component to complex assemblies across a wide range of materials including metal, glass, rubber, plastic, nylon, composites and foam.
MMS NI Ltd was established in January 2003 and offer a bespoke, solution based package supplying a wide range of companies from SMEs to Blue Chip, building a reputation for quality and reliability. Their experienced team take care of all aspects of sourcing including factory evaluation, samples, quality control, customs clearance, duty, shipping, logistics, storage and delivery.
“It was becoming evident that our previous system wasn’t able to cope with the increasing number of transactions. We were finding it difficult to manage our stock and our warehousing system was struggling with the increased demand. We needed a new system that would effectively manage our key functions and help to speed up our processes”
Mark McSwiggan, Director
The challenge
MMS NI Ltd underwent a rapid period of business expansion and their current systems were struggling to cope, which was resulting in delays and inaccuracies in stock control. MMS NI Ltd needed a system that would effectively satisfy these issues and be able to meet the requirements of increasing demand
Some of the major issues that MMS NI Ltd were experiencing were:
- Speed – They were experiencing speed issues with their old system due to delays in processing high volumes of transactions.
- Stock Management – There was limited stock management functionality with the old system which was making it difficult to manage an increasing amount of stock from increased business activities.
- Reporting issues – As transactions and processes were being recorded manually in Excel, it meant there was limited access to real-time reports which was leading to time delays in producing accurate reports.
- Disparate systems – They were using different systems across the business to manage their stock, finance and distribution which was proving to be counterproductive.
- Sales Order processing – They were using an inefficient system which required manual involvement to carry out the function.
The solution
MMS NI Ltd got in touch with Acorn BMS, their local Sage Business Partner, to discuss the range of options available that would help them to more effectively run their business. After an initial scoping meeting and thorough review of business activities, it was decided that Sage 200 would be the most appropriate system to satisfy all of their requirements, accompanied with a bespoke Warehousing Management Solution designed by Acorn BMS.
Sage 200 was implemented which encompassed the Commercials and Financials modules. This would allow MMS NI Ltd to satisfy their requirements in terms of warehousing, stock management and distribution, whilst providing optimum software to centralise business systems and cope effectively with the rapid business growth. The Commercials module specialises in effective stock management which enables full integration with Purchase Order Processing with Stock Control, Purchase Ledger and Sales Order Processing. The Financials module would give MMS NI Ltd a detailed view of its financial position at any given point in time and runs four key ledgers – nominal, sales, purchasing and cashbook.
Acorn BMS recognised how their bespoke Warehousing Management Solution would be highly beneficial to MMS NI Ltd. This is a fully customisable solution designed to streamline the goods in/goods out processes, which efficiently automates the handling of the buy and sell procedure. One of the key features is the barcode scanning system to book goods in and out. Additionally, a customised Forecasting module, designed by Acorn, was introduced. The purpose of this was to enable MMS NI Ltd to measure customer data and usage history, and then calculate what Supplier Purchase Orders they needed to place in order to meet their customer demands.
With assistance from Acorn BMS, the Sage 200 package and Warehousing Solution was implemented for 6 users. The software was introduced with minimal downtime, with effective user training and support supplied.
“We were looking for software to cater for our warehouse stock movement requirements and after Acorn BMS presented a number of options, we opted for a customised solution to integrate with Sage 200. After specification was agreed, Acorn BMS delivered a robust solution on time, within budget and in a very effective manner”
Mark McSwiggan, Director
The results
Sage 200 and the Warehousing Management Solution has been a major success for MMS NI Ltd and they have reaped a number of benefits:
Effective stock management
MMS NI Ltd have benefited from improved stock control and warehousing. Multiple warehouses are supported, and stock can be assigned to any one of them. Furthermore, individual items can be tracked, by batch or serial codes, purchased and sold using the Units of Measure feature. Stock movements can be measured, and stock can be managed over different locations.
Detailed reporting
Sage 200 provides instantaneous data and offers powerful drill downs across each module. It provides critical insights that drive key business decisions and presents data in a meaningful way, allowing MMS NI Ltd to have access to multi-dimensional analysis so that data can be easily viewed from different angles.
Enhanced functionality
The new system is able to process the greater amount of transactions in an efficient manner without any delays or lags. There is an intuitive, modern user interface which delivers greater usability and improved navigation enabling greater efficiency.
Increased productivity
Sage 200 has centralised business functions providing a single view of the business. This has helped employees at MMS NI Ltd to work more efficiently, reducing administration and data entry. It also has helped to streamline processes between stakeholders.
Automated sales order processing
Sage 200 increases efficiency, accuracy and convenience of sales order processing as it records sales orders automatically and enables back to back purchase orders that can either be delivered directly to the client or into stock and immediately allocated.
“Sage 200 and the Warehousing Solution has proved invaluable to our daily operations. We are really starting to reap the benefits from the investment in terms of effective stock management, increased productivity and overall business management.”
Mark McSwiggan, Director
