The company Auto Palace Vysočany, Ltd., can react quickly to the needs of market in the shere of new and used cars sale thanks to using of Microsoft Dynamics NAV information system.

Situation

The company AUTO PALACE Vysočany, a member of AUTO PALACE Group, which is a part of the Dutch holding AutoBinck Holding N.V., which currently consists of 51 companies, 15 of which operate under the cover of AUTO PALACE GROUP in the Czech and Slovak market.

Regarding the intention of Auto Palace Vysočany to expand business activities and improve complex business and logistic processes Microsoft Dynamics NAV business solution was the primary impetus for the implementation.

Business aims

During the implementation of the business solution the company proposed to obtain a central and integrated information system. Besides basic functional requirements that are given by key business processes the company was interested in using the following modules:

• Finance
• Purchase and sale
• Warehousing
• Logistics
• Marketing a sales support
• Financing
• Efficiency measurement and obtaining manager information

Further on the system should meet the requirements of the security of the company dynamic development strategy. There are especially these requirements:

• Ability to be “one ERP system together for all companies of AUTO PALACE Group holding“
• Possibility to implement more legislative layers
• Easy and intuitive operating
• Detailed reporting for a parent company
• Maximum compatibility with other Microsoft products
  

Primary aim of the implementation of new Microsoft Dynamics NAV business solution is a consolidation of information support of processes into one central ERP system and facilitation of brand new spheres of company’s business.
Solution

The implementation to AUTO PALACE Vysočany Ltd., was considered by AXIOM PROVIS Int., Ltd., as the implementation of a business solution for the support of all business processes.

The solution is based on the vertical solution ABS (Automotive Business Solution) from the company AXIOM PROVIS Int., Ltd. ABS solution is intended for distribution, sale, private cars and trucks with the coverage of connected services. ABS is based on the platform of Microsoft Dynamics NAV business information system and it is integrated with other office applications

ABS solution consists of the modules Showroom, Used cars, Service, Attendance for the module service, Tyre service and Car rent.

Within the module New Cars – motor show (dealers of new vehicles) it is allowed to configure vehicles on the basis of imported price lists. Further on to configure standard and additional car equipment, special equipment packages (e.g. a gear lever locking + assembly, GPS + assembly, etc.) These packages are used e.g. when entering sales orders, and the system automatically creates a Part order (gear lever locking) at a supplier, etc. Module enables a connection of purchase and sales documents, linking claims, when you can make a complaint during the process of buying and selling. The possibility to create service order during the process of a new car sale. The solution enables communication with the importers of authorized car makes NISSAN, Mitsubishi and Hyundai.

Module Used cars enables the car purchase, car sale, additional products sale, keys control, documents control, evidence of loads to cars, etc. Module also contains evidence and record of complaints solutions.

Reports and reporting enable an overview of print reports of cars in stock, purchased cars and sold cars. Further on it is possible to monitor on-line an overview of currently purchased and sold cars. The system enables a setup of proper reports for detailed sale evaluation (e.g. according to car makes, categories, fuel type etc.) Some reports can be displayed in real time with automatic update in chosen time interval.

Module New cars solves car service including total and part invoicing to a customer, planning, creation and control of service orders. By the help of this module you ensure optimization and efficient control of service sources.

Attendance system for the module Service records evidence into orders in a real time period. It is possible to record service operations via codes or electronic chips. The system evaluates employees‘ attendance via user defined codes and other parameters.

Module Car Rent meets the customer’s requirements for evidence of rented cars, car rent booking and well arranged control of particular types of contracts of lease. It enables common and advance automatic invoicing and it is connected to the module of Long-term property.

Project phases:

First phase „Analysis of financial processes“ – in this part a definition of finance sphere took place. In this part a definition and audit of financial sphere and all customer’s business processes were carried out in the length of 14 days.

Second phase „Development, documentation and tested data migration“ ¬
after the approval of the first phase the development of information system modifications was started, according to requirements taken from the analysis. Testing part and employees’ training, test data migration and documentation creation were carried out at the same time. The second phase was finished at the end of September.

Third phase „Pilot project“ – pilot project was successfully started in October 2008

Contributions

Implementation of new Microsoft Dynamics NAV IS helps the company reach the main strategic aim: „Development of the company by other car makes within the holding“ 

Other contributions are:

• Unification of the system into one congenial Microsoft Dynamics NAV application. It was a unification of accounting, sale and service software from various producers. This step resulted in the improvement of cooperation of particular departments throughout the company.
  
• Thanks to the usage of OLAP cubes technology the company makes use of reporting in all parts of customer’s activity. OLAP cubes are used for service orders monitoring, employees’ efficiency monitoring, and lists of cars in stock, on journey and in production. Reporting of basis of wages with link to after sales services and also lists of revenues from car and spare parts sale. Usage of a new technology of OLAP cubes is an important support of the company during strategic decisions.
  
• Quick and well arranged reporting of business activity for a parent company via analyses according to dimensions.
  
• Functionality of detailed search over whole database is an important contribution for the company. It is possible to search according to various criteria and saved templates. Further on it is possible to display various results according to user’s needs. This search is one of the most used system functionalities and that is why it is distinctively optimized. The search is carried out over one thousand items and the response is in seconds.
  
• Quick implementation of new services and innovation of current services

Product and technology

• Microsoft Dynamics NAV 4.0 SP3
• Microsoft Windows XP 
• Microsoft SQL 2005
• Microsoft Office 2003, 2007
• Microsoft Reporting Services

  Case study Auto Palace Vysočany, Ltd. (274 kB)

Case study Auto Palace Vysočany, Ltd. - Microsoft