Datel’s Sage ERP X3 to support Hargreaves Services growth

Among the drivers for the move were the increasing number of system users – the user base had grown from 20 to 92 in just a few years – and greater support for inter-company trading, which accounts for around 40% of transactions. Hargreaves, which processes a range of bulk materials throughout the UK and Europe, wanted to achieve a more automated process than currently possible with its existing Sage Line 500. Group IT and projects manager Marcus Spence says that Hargreaves originally sought a new system primarily to support its expansion into continental territories such as Poland, Belgium and Germany. "Over the months, we looked at Microsoft Dynamics AX and SAP, but with its multi-currency, multi-language and multi-fiscal functionality Sage ERP X3 seemed ideally suited to companies that operate across national borders," he explains. "The more we considered Sage ERP X3, the more we realised its potential for consolidating all our operations, in Europe and the UK, onto the same powerful platform." At the time, there were five different deployments of Sage Line 500 across the business, so consolidation onto a standardised platform would bring measurable benefits in terms of improving visibility and control through greater integration of financial management, he explains. Post-implementation, the company expects to gain greater visibility of trading with both customers and suppliers at divisional and group level. "We'll be much better equipped to spot trends and respond in a timely, streamlined way to give our customers the best possible service. We'll be able to share best practice across the group in this and other areas," states Spence. Other significant business benefits he expects include: improved reporting on budgets versus actuals, VAT and Intrastat, easier, quicker month end processing, and the ability to share resources.