First Aid Only, Inc. specializes in first aid and emergency preparedness kits and supplies, developing packages and distributing first aid products to individuals and organizations throughout the United States. They are headquartered in Vancouver, Washington with a 1,000-strong distributor network, and currently own 40% of the retail market for first aid kits. First Aid Only, Inc. has consistently developed cutting-edge, first-of-a kind products and solutions for first aid, and more recently, emergency preparedness. Additionally, they continue to join forces with some of the most well-known humanitarian and healthcare organizations in the world.

First Aid Only, Inc. was having trouble maintaining their outdated ADD+ON software, which was completely character based and had no flexibility. Their 130 employee staff was required to memorize manual key strokes to input orders, invoices and all business data into this outdated, green screen system. The amount of time needed to complete these tasks made it nearly impossible to implement any business process improvements. First Aid Only, Inc. was unable to integrate with other systems and business tasks, including their fixed asset, payroll, and financial departments.

First Aid Only, Inc. packages and distributes about 200 orders every day, varying in size from 1 to 200 kits per order. Each of these orders is in multiple units of measure, and their outdated system forced them to maintain a separate part number for each unit, making the quantity of part numbers almost too large to be handled effectively. In addition, the business rules forced them to drive inventory into the negative and did not handle multiple sources of allocation in a timely manner, causing many errors and delays.

Despite the limitations First Aid Only, Inc. faced with their out-of-date software,the company was growing. They needed a system that could keep up with the innovation that First Aid Only, Inc. brings to the medical supplies industry.

SOLUTION

InterDyn – Remington Consulting reached out to First Aid Only, Inc. in March of 2009. It didn’t take long for First Aid Only, Inc. to realize the potential benefits that Microsoft Dynamics® GP and Microsoft Dynamics® CRM could generate for their organization. InterDyn – Remington Consulting showed them the significant benefits of integration throughout their business processes and the ability to automate everyday tasks.

First Aid Only, Inc. launched Microsoft Dynamics GP and Microsoft Dynamics CRM in November of 2009 with InterDyn – Remington Consulting. First Aid Only, Inc. started with a basic “out-of-the-box” installation of both programs. They felt that they had created so many work-around processes with their old system that they didn’t want to bring those potentially “bad habits” to the new solutions. They elected not to customize Microsoft Dynamics GP for their processes at first, but to work with InterDyn – Remington Consulting to determine the best practice processes for their company. InterDyn – Remington Consulting engages clients in a 3-step Business Process Improvement approach that helps organizations identify what processes to change, and how to change them. First Aid Only, Inc. does not have any internal IT staff, so they also rely heavily on InterDyn– Remington Consulting for support. Because of this, they signed up for one of InterDyn – Remington Consulting’s annual support plans that ensures they receive the resources and advice they need to create streamlined business processes across all departments.

First Aid Only, Inc. has had very few issues since implementation, but when issues do arise they can count on InterDyn – Remington Consulting to provide the assistance they need in a timely fashion. Steve Porter, Controller of First Aid Only, Inc. says, “Their knowledge of the system and ability to work with us to design our business processes to maximize our utilization of the system has been very impressive.” Steve has also worked on similar projects in the past for another company and states that the staff at InterDyn -Remington Consulting have been some of the most knowledgeable people he has ever worked with.

BENEFITS

Streamlined Business Processes.  Although First Aid Only, Inc. has only been live with Microsoft Dynamics CRM and Microsoft Dynamics GP for a little less than a year, they know additional customizations of the solutions can create significant process efficiencies and cost savings. Steve Porter, Controller of First Aid Only, Inc. says “We are now much better prepared to handle new growth.”

Integration Manager for Microsoft Dynamics GP has already made their billing and payroll departments more streamlined and easier to manage. Their financial reports are integrated with their payroll and feed automatically into Microsoft Dynamics GP. This allows more time to focus on collections and the number of delinquent accounts has significantly dropped. Steve Porter shares: “I now have a high level of confidence in the accuracy of our financials, which I never had before.”

Ability to Make a Difference

First Aid Only, Inc. has recently created a new business model in fundraising thanks to their Microsoft Dynamics solutions. They provide organizations with first aid kits to sell for their fundraising efforts instead of selling candy, popcorn, or cookie dough. This offers a much more practical and healthier alternative to the standard fundraising fare and First Aid Only, Inc. can efficiently manage this new business process due to Microsoft Dynamics. Microsoft Dynamics CRM maintains the contacts needed for the program and allows for more frequent communications with fundraising organizations. First Aid Only, Inc. is proud to make a difference in the medical community and Microsoft Dynamics CRM helps to make that possible.

Greater Visibility of Inventory

First Aid Only, Inc. now has visibility into what medications are in each kit at any given time. If something is recalled, they can do a search within Microsoft Dynamics GP and see which kits they need to disassemble or recall from the field. Although this hasn’t happened since the new implementation, it has the potential of saving them a significant amount of overhead expense and stress. First Aid Only, Inc. is now confident they can meet FDA regulations at any point in time and better yet, they can prove it with the capabilities of their new solutions.

The Microsoft Dynamics solutions also perform cycle counts which allow First Aid Only, Inc. insight into every item they have in stock. Microsoft Dynamics GP doesn’t let them to go into the negative for their inventory and it forces them to deal with any allocation issues immediately, resulting in happier consumers and boosting employee morale. Inventory purchasing and production also have better forecasting ability and visibility into demand. Microsoft Dynamics GP allows First Aid Only, Inc. to have different units of measure for each product within the system, without having to create different SKUs for all of them. This has allowed them to eliminate almost 100 SKUs with the possibility of even more SKU consolidation in the future.

Efficient communication and visibility into inventory allows Customer Service to provide more accurate shipping dates to customers. This has increased customer satisfaction and reduced the amount of time Customer Service has to spend researching and resolving issues.

SUMMARY

Microsoft Dynamics GP and Microsoft Dynamics CRM are streamlining business processes for First Aid Only, Inc. and making it possible to create new business models. First Aid Only, Inc. could not have gotten this far without their partner, InterDyn – Remington Consulting and the application support they provide every day.

Offering Industry Insight and Expertise to Life Sciences

Companies in the Life Sciences industries must stay ahead of the curve and ensure quality is effectively managed, documents are properly controlled, and products are tracked across the supply chain. Solutions from InterDyn – Remington Consulting, along with their experienced consulting services, enable life sciences organizations to quickly deploy integrated and cost-effective business applications that address complex business needs.

Watch the video interview with Steve Porter, Controller of First Aid Only, Inc.

By Tad W. Remington, President, InterDyn – Remington Consulting, Microsoft Dynamics Healthcare and Life Sciences Hosting Partner

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Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online is a hosted version of the Microsoft Dynamics CRM On-Premise solution, and hosted by Microsoft.  This means you do not need any new hardware, and just simply need to find a Microsoft Dynamics CRM Partner that can help you successfully deploy the solution.  Be sure to contact InterDyn – Remington Consulting now to find out more about this offer and how you can start a 30 day trial today, as the offer ends on September 30, 2010!

By InterDyn – Remington Consulting, Microsoft Dynamics GP Healthcare and Life Sciences Partner

Another Reason to Select Microsoft Dynamics GP – You Can Get Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online for Only $19/user/month! is a post from: ERP Software Blog

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InterDyn – Remington Consulting wants to ensure that you are aware of the changes being made to the DCO (Dynamics Client for Office) licenses.

What is DCO?

A set of familiar, yet powerful tools available to compliment the Dynamics GP solution by providing deeper business insight across your organization in a cost effective manner. DCO licenses are essentially the equivalent to a BP (Business Portal) license. Microsoft will be going away from the BP licenses in favor of the DCO licenses.

Dynamics Client for Office:

• Center Executive Dashboards
• External Lists with Write Back
• Excel Reports
• SRS Reports and Report Models
• Graphs and KPI’s
• Business Portal
• Analysis Cubes
• Management Reporter Viewer
• eConnect Web Services Run-Time

Why DCO?

Reduce the complexity of using your business management solutions by accessing it through familiar Microsoft Office system applications
Extend the power, insights and process control of your business management solution to employees across the company
Reduce total cost of ownership by eliminating the need for a full-access license

When is DCO available?

This repackaged version of DCO is available starting May 1, 2010

DCO will be available for Business Ready Licensing clients on both Business Essentials and Advance Management

How much does it cost?

One-for-one migration of current Business Portal users

*After May 1st Business Portal Users will no longer exist.

All Business Portal users purchased before May 1st will transition

A separate MOSS only license is available for about $200

DCO Users have a price waterfall that depends on User Counts:

Current Business Portal Price for Employee & Customer Users:

*** SPECIAL OFFER! ***

For all existing Module Based Licensed (MBL) and Advanced Management (AM) customersFirst Offer: ends April 30, 2010
For all MBL customers and BRL AM customers in existence on or before April 30, 2010.

• MBL customers (both Standard and Professional) can receive up to a 100% discount on license fees for purchases of Microsoft Business Portal User licenses (and the $1,500 Business Portal Module, for Standard customers).
• BRL AM customers can receive up to a 100% discount on license fees for purchases of Microsoft Dynamics DCO user licenses.
• There is no limit to the number of Microsoft Business Portal or Microsoft DCO user licenses that can be purchased.
• Customers will be required to purchase a Business Ready Enhancement Plan with fees based on the System List Price (SLP) at the time of their purchase. The SLP for the Microsoft Business Portal through the end of the business day April 30, 2010 is $40 per named user. The SLP for the Microsoft Dynamics DCO through the end of the business day April 30, 2010 starts at $195 for a single user, but may be lower based upon applicable volume discounts.

Second Offer: available from May 1, 2010 through December 22, 2010
For all Microsoft Dynamics GP customers in existence on or before April 30, 2010.

• MBL customers (both Standard and Professional) can receive up to a 100% discount on license fees for purchases of Microsoft Business Portal User licenses (and the $1,500 Business Portal Module, for Standard customers).
• BRL AM customers can receive up to a 100% discount on license fees for purchases of Microsoft Dynamics DCO user licenses.
• BRL BE customers can receive up to a 100% discount on license fees for purchases of Microsoft Dynamics DCO user licenses.
• There is no limit to the number of Microsoft Business Portal or DCO licenses that can be purchased.

Customers will be required to pay Business Ready Enhancement Plan fees based on the System List Price (SLP) at the time of their purchase. The SLP for the Microsoft Business Portal through the end of the business day December 22, 2010 is $195 per named user. The SLP for the Microsoft Dynamics DCO through the end of the business day December 22, 2010 starts at $195 for a single user, but may be lower based upon applicable volume discounts.

By InterDyn – Remington Consulting, Microsoft Dynamics ERP Gold Certified Partner in Nevada

Important Microsoft Business Portal And DCO Licensing Changes And Deadlines is a post from: ERP Software Blog

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But what are the pro’s and con’s of offering a self service portal to employees?

Some of the benefits are:

• Improved employee satisfaction and empowering employees to update and maintain benefit information ‘on demand’ such as viewing benefit enrollment, adding dependants, submitting address changes, viewing paystubs, and submitting vacation request
• Portal becomes ‘virtual online benefits’ department 24/7 across multiple locations through a consistent, instant, anytime access environment
• Automated approval workflow handling and tracking the status of requests submitted
• Secure access with a  convenient single sign-on capability
• HR and Payroll staff can receive and facilitate employee requests at a faster speed than before
• Reduced costs and time to respond through uses of technology to integrate data and handle workflow rules
• Multiple Open enrollment periods can be facilitated through portals by providing employees with current enrollment benefits and providing options to choose and validate missing or incomplete information

 Some of the downsides are:

• Employees and managers that do not have access to computers, need physical accommodation, or ESL will need to be facilitated through either a kiosk or designated facilitator that is made available
• If employees have questions, companies who utlize portals need to have a support mechanism by  phone/email in place to support employee questions
• Lack of human interface can make some employee’s feel that the process has become impersonal.  Providing  initial up front training or recorded webinars can assist employees and managers with helping them feel more comfortable with the transition to self-service
• Employees may have privacy or security concerns viewing or updating very sensitive information over the internet..  The portal security and database has to be very secure to gain the confidence of users and meet government requirements.  New employees will need help becoming familiar with the self service portal and will need to get access immediately following their hire date.

Microsoft Dynamics GP portals for Human Resource Management enable organizations to empower employees, managers, and human resource departments in a cost-effective and secure environment.  With the HRM Self Service Suite, a browser-based application, it can be easily customized and is seamlessly integrated with MS Dynamics GP HR and Payroll series. 

By InterDyn – Remington Consulting, Microsoft Dynamics ERP Gold Certified Partner in Nevada

Dynamics GP Portals: Pros and Cons of Using an Employee Self Service Portal for Human Resource Management is a post from: ERP Software Blog

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So, let me get to my point. InterDyn – Remington Consulting can help free your human resources staff from the drudgery of performing routine administrative tasks by allowing them to focus on more strategic objectives through the deployment of  Dynamics GP Human Resources.  Dynamics GP Human Resources and HR Self Service Suite make it easy for your employees to update their own records, via secure web environment, including the following functionality:

• self-service functionality for managers and employees
• employee pay history inquiries
• benefits enrollment and status
• employee profile review and updates
• and skills and training information

The HRM Self Service Suite enables healthcare organizations to empower managers and employees and reduce administrative costs.  All the above information is tightly integrated with Microsoft Dynamics GP Payroll that includes all the functionality you would expect.  Microsoft Dynamics GP Payroll delivers the features, control and security needed to manage sensitive payroll information required by Assisted Living Organizations. Direct deposit processing can streamline salary disbursement, reducing costs and enhancing security. The Payroll module also offers seamless integration with Human Resources, unlimited pay types, automatic calculation of shift differentials, unlimited deductions and benefits, on-screen inquiries, drill-down capabilities, unlimited pay history and automatic tax updates.

As you can see, Microsoft Dynamics GP helps healthcare providers manage the extremely complex HR and Payroll requirements that healthcare organizations face.  Dynamics GP can make it easier for your organization to attract and retain talented, motivated employees with tools that make it easier to record, store and access employee information. 

In my next post we will go a little deeper into the pro’s and con’s of the HRM Employee Self Service.

By InterDyn – Remington Consulting, Nevada Microsoft Dynamics Gold Certified GP Partner

Conquer Complex Human Resources And Payroll Challenges And Focus On More Strategic Objectives With Dynamics GP is a post from: ERP Software Blog

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By streamlining your internal processes you will not only increase profits, but also improve client satisfaction.  And isn’t that what it is all about?  Microsoft Dynamics GP simplifies and accelerates complicated supply chain processes, such as tracking and coordinating resource availability and inventory to reduce customer order lead times.  By connecting inventory control with purchasing and sales order processing, Microsoft Dynamics GP helps you maintain the right stock at the right time.  Dynamics GP also makes it easier for customers and business partners to do business together when partner and customer portals are implemented.  Finally, the system can provide clear, up-to-the-minute visibility into your entire manufacturing organization, including customer demand, factory activity, order status, service information, customer data, financial reporting, supplier information and more.

You will provide everyone important to your business success with current, reliable information and make important business applications always available.

 Definitely cliché, but “information is power.”

By InterDyn – Remington Consulting, Nevada Microsoft Dynamics Gold Certified GP Partner

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Microsoft Dynamics GP assists healthcare organizations with operational efficiency through ease of access to data and offers a wide range of additional features and capabilities with significant potential to streamline operations and reduce costs.  Microsoft Dynamics GP assists with controlling costs by helping organizations more effectively track business data, automate transactions and standardize exchange of financial information.  One of the features that InterDyn – Remington Consulting has helped numerous healthcare clients implement to aid with this is multi-entity capabilities: offering the power to provide a single database environment for multi-company healthcare organizations that operate as one. 

Microsoft Dynamics GP assists healthcare organizations with materials management by managing the entire chain of supply, which is essential as access to the right supplies when needed is critical to high-quality care.  Thus, Microsoft Dynamics GP can assist with web-based requisition management, enhance vendor management and tracking of vendor discount purchasing agreements, track inventory to budget, provide bar-coding for multi-locations and more.

Microsoft Dynamics GP assists healthcare organizations with attracting and retaining employees, where critical shortages exist in multiple medical specialties, through the ability to track applicant references, education, skills and more.  The system can also free up administrative time by providing employees self-service capabilities for payroll and human resources (HR).  Additionally, healthcare-specific payroll and HR modules provide features and capabilities for dealing with complex pay structures, including shift differentials, varying pay rates, employees working in multiple departments and positions and overtime rate calculations.  

Microsoft Dynamics GP assists healthcare organizations with managing financial information by eliminating paper-based data collection and disconnected proprietary information systems with strong financial controls, audit trails and the ability to drill down from summary information to the corresponding details.  Additionally, the solution provides the ability to easily construct financial, budget and forecasting reports that can automatically be printed and distributed. 

As a final note, Microsoft Dynamics GP also provides the tools and ERP framework that can help healthcare organizations implement best practices and procedures that are the foundation for achieving and maintaining regulatory compliance. 

Providing high-quality care is the number one goal of healthcare providers, and InterDyn – Remington Consulting’s number one goal is to ensure successful implementations of Microsoft Dynamics GP for healthcare clients!

By InterDyn – Remington Consulting, Nevada Microsoft Dynamics Gold Certified GP Partner

Microsoft Dynamics GP For Healthcare: Why It Is A Good Fit… is a post from: ERP Software Blog

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1. The partner you choose should be Microsoft Gold Certified for Dynamics GP.  This certification assures the following:
   1. References for Dynamics GP deployments
   2. Customer satisfaction is monitored by Microsoft.
   3. Partner has Microsoft Certified Professionals
   4. Partner has access to Microsoft technical resources
   5. The partner you choose should be a “Managed Partner” for Dynamics GP by Microsoft.  This assures access to local Microsoft resources and response to your needs by a team that is incented to work with you.
   6. Years in business and years of Microsoft Dynamics Experience – more is better.  The average life of a Microsoft Dynamics GP partner is less than 4 years.  Many partners have come and gone over the years.  Many have closed their doors, sold, merged or have been acquired.  Many of these players have resurfaced with new company names and new faces, leaving clients with broken partnerships and promises.
   7. Breadth of experience.  Make sure partner has specialist and certified professionals for core competencies (Financial, Distribution/Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Payroll/Human Resources, CRM, etc.) around Dynamics.
   8. Rights to the Microsoft Dynamics GP Source code license.  This allows the partner you are working with to provide quicker support and provide customizations at lower costs.
   9. Partner Advantage Support.  This is the highest level of support a partner can get from Microsoft for Dynamics.  Your partner should have a contract with Microsoft for this level of Dynamics GP support.  This provides the partner 24×7, level II one hour response times.  Otherwise, 3 hour estimated response times is the norm, 8-5, level one support (less than the level of support a client can contract for).
   10. Microsoft Certified Sales Professionals.  Partners with this position are allowed to provide clients with special offers on licenses and Microsoft services.
   11. Dedicated Client Account Manger (often referred to as a Customer Sales Manager, CSM, within the Microsoft Dynamics community).  Partners that have CSMs value long-term relationships with customers and hold events to ensure your organization stays on top of the latest features and functionality long after go-live.
   12. Microsoft Sure Step Methodology for implementations.  This methodology ensures confidence that implementations will go smoothly, be consistently replicated, and have predictable outcomes.

10.  Reasonable travel time and travel expense charges.  These charges can add as much as a 50% to 100% surcharge to the effective hourly rate.

11.  Relationships with all of the Dynamics GP Independent Software Vendors (ISV) related to your implementation.  Make sure your new partner has a positive previous working relationship with these vendors.

Written by Tracy Remington.  Contact InterDyn – Remington Consulting for your Microsoft Dynamics GP, AX or CRM implementations.

Choosing the RIGHT Microsoft Dynamics Partner Can Mean the Difference Between a Good or Bad Implementation and Long-term Success. is a post from: ERP Software Blog

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