Aymium executives proactively sought a modern ERP solution to support expected growth.
Key takeaways
RSM conducted an accelerated Dynamics 365 SCM implementation for the company.
With many key processes transformed, Aymium has better financial visibility and overall agility.
Aymium specializes in providing environmentally beneficial products and solutions to reduce the environmental impact of various industries. Their innovative biocarbon and biohydrogen products serve as direct replacements for fossil fuels, and they operate the largest advanced biocarbon facility in Michigan.
Led by founder and CEO James A. Mennell, Aymium is committed to sustainable development and environmental improvement.
Background
Aymium was operating as a start-up with a single processing facility and using QuickBooks for accounting processes. Several processes were executed in spreadsheets. Numerous legal entities (some with different charts of accounts) made payment processing and financial processes painful and difficult. In addition, Aymium’s workflows were executed through e-mail and weren’t tied to system transactions. Aymium executives recognized that they needed a more capable and robust business system to handle their expected growth.
Aymium previously leveraged RSM for mergers and acquisitions due diligence as well as audit preparation services and executives were aware of RSM’s technology consulting capabilities, as well as their deep industry experience. RSM laid out the case for Microsoft-based technologies and tools to support Aymium’s growth, including Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management, which company leadership agreed was the right choice.
At that point, the challenge was determining how to transition quickly to the new system to achieve the business benefits in time to fuel Aymium’s operational expansion efforts.
“My biggest concern was my team and their ability to adapt to a new system quickly,” says Chip Schneider, chief financial officer at Aymium. They were coming from a QuickBooks background … also, as a start-up, we had a lot of legal entities.”
The solution
Using its proven implementation methodology for manufacturing, RSM has configured and defined over 1,000 standard business processes—many of which are industry-specific—in the Business Process Modeler tool, which is part of Microsoft’s Lifecycle Services environment management solution that comes with D365 SCM. This curated business process library served as the starting point for Aymium’s accelerated implementation, saving numerous hours that would normally be part of the project effort.
In addition to RSM’s business process library and the integrated task guide functionality within the D365 SCM system, RSM’s tool set included an industry-standard chart of accounts along with preconfigured financial posting rules for each transaction type. The result was that RSM and Aymium could quickly jump into process workshops with a working D365 system and focus on the exception processes. In Aymium’s case, those were limited.
The RSM team also leveraged the firm’s connector to Xtracta’s accounts payable (AP) automation service to help automate AP invoice processing. This functionality captures inbound vendor invoices and pulls them directly into D365 SCM, where native workflow functionality can approve invoice payments. In addition, the team deployed workflows to support purchasing and vendor management processes, introducing an integrated level of financial control that wasn’t previously possible for Aymium.
“By the end of the project, we saw a transformation occur in that the different departments were communicating more effectively with each other,” says John Kramer, director at RSM US LLP. “We’ve seen this transformation occur during the project.”
I’ve had a great experience with RSM. I think they bring a lot of value to me as a CFO with the capabilities that they provide … I have no desire to switch to another provider, ever.
Chip Schneider, Chief Financial Officer, Aymium
Outcomes
RSM configured several simple financial reports that greatly improved Aymium management’s ability to understand their financial status, including the ability to quickly run a trial balance and to look at different companies on a consolidated basis—enhanced functionality in D365 SCM that wasn’t previously possible with QuickBooks. Establishing a common framework and set of controls along with procurement processes across all entities was also key, since Aymium was in high-growth mode and gearing up for additional plant build-outs.
“Being on a consolidated general ledger system and having a system for AP has been critical for us as an emerging business,” said Schneider. “I’m also now able to onboard new users very easily and quickly. I was able to add a new vice president to the system in minutes.”
Key benefits of RSM’s D365 SCM implementation for Aymium include:
- A single, shared chart of accounts across all legal entities
- A single approach for electronic payment (ACH, wire, outsourced) all through their financial institution
- Ability to navigate on a single (sign-on) system across all companies (legal entities), including viewing companies on a consolidated basis
- Ability to review trial balances and to create budgets and forecasts in minutes and hours compared to days
- Greatly improved financial reporting features
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