D365 Client Success Story
Global Manufacturer and Distributor, GALE Pacific, Gains a Modern ERP and Data Foundation
Industry:
Manufacturing and Distribution
Solution:
At-a-Glance
GALE Pacific’s Success
GALE Pacific, a leading global manufacturer and distributor of branded screening and sun shade products, had invested wisely in a powerful Microsoft Dynamics 365 Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) platform. The goal was to improve data integrity, enhance visibility across departments, and enable more informed decision-making.
Unfortunately, despite the platform’s technical strengths, the solution hadn’t been configured to meet the company’s data needs.
Mere months from the go-live date, GALE Pacific decided to pivot their approach with a new implementation partner (MCA Connect) and leverage our Inspire Platform® to modernize their data platform for advanced reporting and intelligence.
Inspire Platform can deliver measurable results across manufacturers and distributors. Organizations using the platform have managed 500+ SKUs and thousands of transactions on a single system, reduced redundant data by over 40% (freeing 300+ GB of storage), improved inventory accuracy by 30% or more, achieved day-one operational reporting, and accessed actionable insights in as little as five minutes. Net Promoter Scores above 70 demonstrate the value of data everyone trusts.
The Challenge
The ERP, Data & Insights
GALE Pacific was in the final stages of a Microsoft Dynamics 365 ERP implementation, but their platform was still missing key features.
Namely, the company wanted a modern analytical platform, functional AI tools, access to real-time data, and the ability to drill down into detailed information to maximize functionality and ensure accuracy.
The company was working with an implementation partner, but the partner team was essentially moving data around instead of effectively configuring it for strategic use. This misalignment of expectations led to shrinking trust, growing frustration, and mounting expenses.
“A 12-month project became 24–36 months, with an additional cost of about $5 million,” said Adam Boccelli, Global Vice President, Supply Chain at GALE Pacific.
The company needed a new partner to finish the project and fully optimize its ERP.
To meet their go-live date, just 60 days out, the company decided to pivot and partner with MCA Connect to successfully bring the implementation across the finish line. They partnered with our team to:
- Refine and improve the usability of historical data
- Enable the collection, analysis, and display of real-time data
- Uncover unique, tailored solutions to best support their organization
The Solution
Dynamics 365 and Data Platform Services
To start, MCA Connect audited the Dynamics 365 platform in its existing state to identify specific issues. Dynamics 365 provides a standardized data structure, simplifying the process of locating and organizing data across multiple distinct departments, meaning improvements could be implemented quickly and efficiently.
The team found that there were too many reports (~180), with unclear ownership, spread throughout the organization. Legacy data was also static and hadn’t been reliably ported over, and certain functionalities specific to the organization, like invoicing each customer individually, were impossible. With a forthcoming audit to contend with, the organization lacked meaningful, real-time financial data.
MCA Connect Inspire Platform®, which is specifically designed to consolidate and analyze manufacturing and distribution data in real-time using Microsoft Power BI, was a clear solution. This modern data platform combines key capabilities across data analytics and AI, providing GALE Pacific with instantaneous data optimized for advanced decision making.
“We didn’t have any reports in our previous software,” said Zach Cranor, Senior Logistics Coordinator at GALE Pacific. “We had to sort through ten different Excel files. With Dynamics 365 and Inspire Platform, you can make reports and just have data instantly.”
Inspire Platform also includes an accelerator aspect, allowing the MCA Connect team to deploy the platform quickly and efficiently, all while addressing custom requirements.
With MCA Connect Inspire Platform® in place, MCA Connect worked to boil down and split apart reports, teasing out the key metrics needed. We then vetted legacy data and rolled it in. Custom reports were created, utilizing Power BI for clean, accurate dashboards.
Finally, the GALE Pacific team was trained on the platforms.
By the date of their go-live, GALE Pacific had instant access to daily sales dashboards, high-level executive and financial overviews, month-to-date orders, fiscal year-to-date information, supply chain dashboards, intelligent forecast views, and more.
“The biggest difference for me is the daily sales dashboard,” said Leah Warkentine, Manager, Channel Strategy & Operations at GALE Pacific. “Before, we’d get a version of a report emailed once a day via PDF. Now I can see it in real time.”
Personnel could also make their own custom reports, meeting diverse and specific needs — in GALE Pacific’s case, overseeing the invoicing of each client individually.
Plus, their financial team had everything needed to navigate the audit process.
“With Dynamics 365 and Inspire Platform, you can make reports and have data instantly.”
– Zach Cranor, Senior Logistics Coordinator, GALE Pacific
Results
Cost Savings & End-to-End Accuracy
Quick, Expense-Saving Results
With MCA Connect’s help, GALE Pacific was able to create a powerful, tailored solution with real-time insights to make the most of their ERP.
Key outcomes:
On a tight timeline, success hinged on strong collaboration, with both teams aligned in their goals and committed to execution. And this alignment has driven momentum well beyond go-live.
Today, GALE Pacific continues to maximize their platform, investing in training, driving adoption, and expanding their team with additional data champions, all with the support of MCA Connect.
“I would recommend MCA Connect,” said Boccelli. “They separate themselves on functional knowledge, competency, and the ability to tie it all together. Post-go-live support has been excellent: responsive, low cost, and very effective.”
“I would recommend MCA Connect. They separate themselves on functional knowledge, competency, and the ability to tie it all together. Post-go-live support has been excellent: responsive, low cost, and very effective.”
– Adam Boccelli, Global VP Supply Chain, GALE Pacific
GALE Pacific’s ERP & Data Platform Success
Watch this short video to see how GALE Pacific built a modern platform for growth with D365 and real-time insights into sales, financials, intelligent demand forecasts, and more.
Watch this short video
About MCA Connect
MCA Connect modernizes supply chains end-to-end through transformative consulting, unified data for business insights, process optimization and automation, AI and advanced decision making, and business application implementation.
As Microsoft’s top manufacturing and distribution partner, we combine global reach, seasoned experts, leading-edge tech, and a focus on business strategy.
