Keller Polska - Microsoft Dynamix AX

Keller Polska which owes its fast development not only to its unique activities but also to its highly qualified personnel, noticed as early as in 2003 that a comprehensive solution is indispensable. A quick development of the company, a large number of projects on which the company works and in connection with which it takes part in tenders, caused that control over these projects without an effective tool for managing this type of processes proved to be very difficult.

Moreover, all projects are burdened with a huge risk while the margin is low because of competition. Therefore, Keller had to increase the efficiency of project management to a maximum extent and started looking for an appropriate product and implementing partner.

Previously, the company used the Symfonia system which supported only the financial/accounting and HR/payment departments. The basic activities of the company, i.e. tenders, management and accounting for carried out construction processes were managed beyond the IT system. Keller needed a comprehensive and integrated solution which would allow to manage efficiently all processes carried out within the company and which would not surpass the financial abilities of the company. It should be possible to use the new system around the world. Moreover, another significant criterion was flexibility of the system and especially a possibility to adapt it to the needs of the company, i.e. not only parametrization but also a possibility (if need be) to quickly add new functionalities (directly through an implementing partner).

An obvious choice criterion was the necessity to manage a scattered structure of the company which, aside from the main office, has also four remote offices and, in the future, would like the system to cover not only all offices but also construction sites in various locations. Clearly defined criteria of choice allowed to find an appropriate system and an implementing partner very quickly. The company chose MS Dynamics AX and an experienced partner – Asseco Poland.

The implementation covered the following modules: General Ledger, Finances, Fixed Assets, HR/Payments, Projects, CRM, Trade, Logistics, Business Analyses and Warehouse Management. The implementation began in July 2004 and in January 2005 the system was started.

According to previous forecasts, the system was adapted to the special needs of the Client. The adaptations were carried out in a few areas:

• tender procedure management – in order to do this the standard functionality of the basic CRM module of MS Dynamics AX was restructured; at present Keller manages the whole tender process directly through the system in connection with the Project module
• equipment rental – in order to fulfill the specific requirements a completely new module has been prepared; it serves to manage the equipment rental for the company’s internal needs (managing contracts) and external needs (not directly connected with the company’s activities); the system records the whole history of rentals and reservations for the equipment, repair notifications and the process of repairs; many functionalities supporting the process of generating rentals and returns have been worked out;

• projects – aside from special functionalities for the construction branch, i.e. registration of contracts, settlement of investors’ and subcontractors’ deposits, the system of mutual internal settlements within the framework of construction orders, etc., additional sheets presenting specific settlements of contracts have been worked out.