Organic delivery firm Abel & Cole has announced an investment of over £245,000 in Fresh Dynamics from Microsoft Gold Certified Partner Index Computer Systems Ltd (Index).

The solution will supply a 90-user software and services system.

Abel & Cole has invested in the entire Fresh Dynamics AX suite of modules, which includes finance, trade and logistics demand planner, production portal and website order functionality. Fresh Dynamics uses the Microsoft Dynamics AX ERP solution. It is a modular solution developed exclusively by Index for the fresh produce industry, providing access to data to ensure rapid order processing, improved packhouse production and sophisticated quality control.

The Dynamic technology includes procurement modules that will assist Abel & Cole with stock and quality control, as well as help improve the company’s transportation planning and expenditure.

The deployment of Fresh Dynamics is a three-phase process - the first part went live in September 2007, when Dynamics AX replaced the company’s existing financial package. The second phase will go live at the end of August, with the organisation migrating to the Dynamics AX stock management, purchasing and production, sales order management and human resource management modules. The final phase will go live in late 2008.

Chris Gort, IT manager at Abel & Cole, said: “Fresh Dynamics was chosen by Abel & Cole as the result of a rigorous selection process. The main reason we needed a new ERP solution was the aggresive growth of the business, that was stretching both the internal IT team and the current bespoke in-house system to the absolute limit. Fresh Dynamics was the only suite that offered us the right combination of functionality and flexibility.”

Index managing director Bernard Godward said: “This is an important deployment for Index, and a major IT development for Abel & Cole.”

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