Avanade Builds on Microsoft Dynamics AX Leadership With New Offering to Optimize Supply Chain Operations

Microsoft Gold Certified Partner for ERP Develops Solution to Provide Comprehensive Capabilities to Improve Agility, Visibility and Collaboration Across the Supply Chain


SEATTLE, WA--(Marketwire - Dec 5, 2011) - Avanade, a business technology solutions and managed services provider, today unveiled its new enterprise resource planning (ERP) offering to improve company efficiencies in order processing and warehousing, forecasting, pricing and rebate management. The Avanade ERP for Wholesale Distribution solution is built on the Microsoft Dynamics® AX platform and was developed based on customer feedback, expert insight and the experience of Avanade's global network of consultants.

"With the help of Avanade, we implemented Microsoft Dynamics AX to create an integrated logistics management platform," said Bob Van Steenweghen, sales and marketing director at H. Essers. "The platform has already proven its ability to manage complex processes, to seamlessly integrate roughly 40 individual logistic flows, and enable specific new functionalities tailored to our customers' requirements. Avanade's industry-specific expertise coupled with Microsoft Dynamics AX have proven to be crucial factors in supporting our strategic objective to offer superior integrated supply chain solutions. This has not only had a positive impact on our customer service, but has significantly reduced our total cost of ownership."

On top of advanced core ERP functions for finance, business intelligence, human resources, and customer relationship management, Avanade ERP for Wholesale Distribution helps companies manage the inventory lifecycle to streamline sourcing, warehouse fulfillment and improve customer service. The solution comes with industry best practices embedded in pre-defined business processes that provide greater visibility into the supply chain across multiple companies and sites, allowing businesses to optimize end-to-end business processes and smooth supply chain operations.

Avanade ERP for Wholesale Distribution is designed to help companies:

  • Provide visibility and real-time insight into the entire business supply chain through a back-office system with embedded business intelligence.
  • Align business and IT with a system that allows easy adoption of new business practices, improved compliance and workflow support.
  • Improve supply chain efficiencies with streamlined order processing and warehousing, improved forecasting and optimized collaboration with supply chain partners.
  • Drive more profit with differentiated pricing and service offerings by customer segment and rebate management tools.
  • Increase customer satisfaction with enhanced flexibility in pricing, service levels, product availability, delivery performance, and ordering options.

"This offering represents the next generation of capabilities for wholesale distributors, enabling them to be more agile, improve collaboration, streamline operations and focus more on their customers," said Michael Griffiths, Global Industry Director, Retail and Distribution at Microsoft Business Solutions. "With ERP for Wholesale Distribution, Avanade has distinguished itself in the market by applying their deep expertise across a large spectrum of Microsoft® technologies to drive their customers' business performance."

"Companies depend on their distributors to meet the changing needs and demands of their businesses quickly," said Bernd Weidenmueller, vice president of global ERP solutions at Avanade. "With Avanade ERP for Wholesale Distribution, wholesale distribution companies are able to enhance collaboration in the supply chain, improve customer service, and increase visibility into the entire value chain."

Avanade is the leading business technology services provider for Microsoft Dynamics AX, a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner for ERP, and was named Microsoft Dynamics Distribution Partner of the Year for 2011. Avanade offers customers more deployment options, industry expertise and broad skill sets for Microsoft Dynamics AX-based ERP solutions. With almost 400 dedicated Microsoft Dynamics AX professionals globally, Avanade has implemented industry-focused AX solutions for more than 100 customers across wholesale distribution, professional services, manufacturing, retail, energy and utilities, and healthcare.

For additional information on Avanade's ERP offerings, please visit: www.bettererpsystems.com.

About Avanade
Avanade provides business technology solutions and managed services that connect insight, innovation and expertise in Microsoft® technologies to help customers realize results. Our people have helped thousands of organizations in all industries improve business agility, employee productivity, and customer loyalty. Avanade combines the collective business, technical and industry expertise of its worldwide network of experts with the rigor of an industrialized delivery model to provide high quality solutions using proven and emerging technologies with flexible deployment models -- on premises, cloud-based or outsourced. Avanade, which is majority owned by Accenture, was founded in 2000 by Accenture LLP and Microsoft Corporation and has 13,000 professionals in more than 20 countries. Additional information can be found at www.avanade.com.