Arnest: Automating growth with Axapta

Arnest is one of Russia's leading suppliers of fragrances and cosmetics. Their production facilities deliver 50 millions spray can units yearly. To keep the growth on track Arnest has invested in Microsoft Business Solutions Axapta implemented by Columbus IT Partner.  

“The project resulted in a single information space, on-line accounting supplying updated information”, says Gennady Afonin, general director of Arnest.

Arnest had been relying on bespoke IT-systems but were realizing that this type of technology was becoming a bottleneck for further business development. What they needed was a complete solution that could automate and integrate their business processes across the enterprise, and at the same time deliver reliable information on all areas of business to the management. The investment in a new IT solution was also necessary in order to comply with GAAP accounting rules required by Arnest's foreign share holders.

10 systems

A total of 10 ERP systems and implementation partners were invited to present their solutions. Arnest were focused on a system that could efficiently handle financial planning, accounting, on-line management of the company and employees, salary calculation, stock and production planning. All systems were carefully examined and evaluated and although there were several systems with many different facilities the management reached a unanimous decision: Microsoft Business Solutions Axapta.

Solid reputation

Among the key deciding points were Axapta's excellent scalability, great business automation facilities and perfect Russian localization. The Axapta solution was delivered and implemented by Columbus IT Partner who has built a solid reputation in Russia for successfully handling large ERP projects based on an internationally proven best practice model. The implementation was executed with five main priorities: Planning and monitoring of production costs, production capacity planning, uninterrupted supply of raw stock and materials, financial reporting complying with both western and Russian standards and accounting of materials and production resources.

Automation

In addition to these main priorities Arnest also required that the Axapta project would provide automated generation of operational reports and management information, fixed asset accounting, an automated full cycle of goods flow, stock movement management and salary calculation. The Axapta solution is also able to analyze profitability, calculate the prime cost of orders and automate production planning as well as a number of routine financial transactions.

Modifiable and scalable

The project has resulted in an easily modifiable and scalable system that has centralized the management and monitoring of all business processes. The system supports 50 simultaneous users and encompasses modules for Finance, Trading, Logistics, Production, General Ledger and Salary.

“The solution helps us optimize our internal business processes and empowers our employees with a higher responsibility when entering and processing information”, says Gennady Afonin.

Error elimination

The solution provides updated information on the terms of any given contract, on all parties involved and on all movements of goods across the enterprise and supply chain. Axapta generates report automatically and thereby eliminates a lot of manual accounting. Previously all accounting processes related to banking and cash register transactions, settlements with customers and suppliers, consumption of raw stock for production purposes and managing the inventory of finished and semi-finished products were handled manually. With Axapta all this has been automated which not only saves time but also increases quality due to fewer errors.

“The solution helps us optimize our internal business processes and empowers our employees with a higher responsibility when entering and processing information”, says Gennady Afonin.

Reliable information

“Being able to manage growth is a highly complicated task”, says Dmitry Perlin from Columbus IT Partner in Moscow. “By implementing Axapta, Arnest has built a strong foundation for the further development of their business. Many tasks have been fully automated and managers on all levels now have reliable information at hand at all times”.