NCSS knew that GP was not going to cut it anymore, but before making any big decisions, the organization interviewed sister agencies that had recently made similar upgrades. These organizations warned that solutions often came with hidden costs, and implementation partners sometimes couldn’t deliver finished products. 

Based on this feedback, NCSS knew they wanted a solution with clear, transparent pricing and an implementation partner who would be with them for the long term. The NCSS team also identified success criteria to narrow down their solution options: 

• Ability to reference historical data within the system in a future phase 
• Capability to slice and dice data to make business decisions 
• Visually friendly and accessible (zoom text, etc.) 
• Reduced manual workarounds 
• A partner that would provide support for a smooth migration  
• Ability to integrate with existing and future software preferences 
• Streamlined systems and processes 

NCSS selected employee-owned Cargas Systems as its implementation partner and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central as its new ERP solution. NCSS has previously worked with Cargas to implement Dynamics 365 CRM Sales, another Microsoft solution, leveraging Cargas’s ability to develop custom integrations with the required tools.  

When NCSS approached Cargas to learn more about ERP options, Cargas connected NCSS with VisionCorps, another Pennsylvania-based organization that supports the visually impaired. Cargas helped VisionCorps implement Business Central and customize it with accessibility features for users of all vision levels. Upon seeing Business Central in action at VisionCorps, the NCSS team knew it was the best choice for their organization. 

As Cargas implemented Business Central, the Cargas team worked closely with NCSS to ensure the software would be accessible for users with visual impairments. Since Dynamics GP had virtually no accessibility features, the teams collaborated closely to ensure that even legally blind users could successfully navigate the new system.  

The implementation required Cargas to ensure that Business Central users at NCSS had accessibility features such as ZoomText, Jaws (a screen reader), and contrast settings. Additionally, Cargas taught the NCSS team how to tailor screens by job role and developed additional accessibility customizations to help low-vision users maximize productivity and screen use.  

According to Brandon DeArment, Vice President of Technology at NCSS, “Cargas’s high level of product expertise allowed them to make valuable recommendations, troubleshoot issues quickly, and act as a resource when communicating with third-party vendors.” 

NCSS fulfills several business roles, acting as a non-profit, a manufacturer, and a distributor. Although Business Central fulfilled several job responsibilities across operations, specific warehouse and inventory management requirements needed additional software support. 

To deliver operational efficiency in warehouse operations, Cargas helped NCSS implement two products from Insight Works—Warehouse Insight for WMS and Dynamic Ship for packing and shipping. Both modules are specifically designed to integrate with Business Central to automate manufacturing and distribution processes. 

Of all the capabilities that Business Central and Cargas offered NCSS, the most important was the streamlining of MIL-STD-129 labels. NCSS was required to generate these labels for products supplied to the federal government; however, there was no way to generate MIL-STD-129 labels within GP, so NCSS had to partner with an expensive third-party provider. This was a costly and time-consuming process, so when NCSS learned that it could be done independently within Business Central, the team was ecstatic. This change saves NCSS thousands of dollars each year, plus additional time savings. 

Cargas also helped NCSS implement TrueCommerce’s EDI platform to manage transactions for key trading partners. Initially, Cargas integrated the software to SPS Commerce, then helped transition NCSS’s largest trading partner to TrueCommerce. With this integration in place, ASNs and invoices are automatically sent to trading partners as needed, saving NCSS at least 10 hours each week. In addition to integrating TrueCommerce with Business Central, Cargas offered custom development services to enable printing for the unique labels required by key EDI customers.