The Sparta Group’s (Sparta) primary focus is on the beef industry in the Free State, North West, and Gauteng. Sparta comprises a farming concern, cattle feeding operation, and beef processing facility. The processing facility debones the carcass producing bone-in and boneless whole primals such as fillet, sirloin, and silverside resulting in retail ready products.

Sparta are a technology focussed business who understand that staying abreast of technology advances, helps unlock future business value.

The upgrade to Dynamics NAV 2017 would provide the platform for future projects. The latest version also included other features and benefits such as improved performance.

The Challenges

With the focus on improving internal processes, Automated Work Flows was a key requirement together with the ability to be mobile. Dynamics NAV 2017 addresses these needs.

Further, Dynamics NAV 2017 has major enhancements to the backend which align with Sparta’s development and customisation strategy.

The Solution

The solution required an upgrade from Dynamics NAV 2015 to NAV 2017.

There were also a few customised features carried from the Legacy NAV4 and NAV2009 systems that were now standard features and would need to be refactored to make use of the standard application..

Implementation of Automated Work Flows would also include the conversion of the Approval process to function as part of this new Work Flow feature.

The following would form the basis for the upgraded solution:

• Microsoft Dynamics™ NAV2017
• Just Dynamics Easimeat Solution
• Just Dynamics Debtors Management System
• Just Dynamics Vendors Reconciliation System
• Just Dynamics System Manager
• Just Dynamics Advanced Securities

About the rollout

A detailed project plan was created for the implementation. Once the initial code and data conversion was completed, a User Acceptance Test (UAT) environment was setup to thoroughly test the upgrade and facilitate the required user training. As the user-interface was similar to the previous version and due to the high level of onsite skills, training occurred in-house. This approach resulted in a successful and uneventful implementation project.

Motivation in choice of solution and vendor

Sparta have a long history with NAV and has effectively met their current and future growth needs. As Sparta makes use of other Microsoft products, such as Excel, information sharing between Microsoft products is achieved with little effort.

Sparta have a very solid relationship with Just Dynamics. Just Dynamics have consistently delivered our projects on time and within budget, while maintaining a high degree of risk management in the process.

Benefits

With the introduction of Dynamics NAV 2017 and the associated features our user experience has improved together with a significant improvement in the speed of the solution.

In line with the standardisation and keeping software systems up to date, the upgraded solution also provides Sparta with the scope for future growth and aligns with Sparta’s long term strategy.