Upgrade With Confidence: Transitioning to Aptean's Latest Cloud-Hosted Food and Beverage ERP

If you have questions about navigating the shift from Aptean's classic food and beverage systems (whether on-premise or cloud-hosted) to the latest cloud-based Aptean Food & Beverage ERP on Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, we're here to answer them. From the “why” behind the move to the steps you’ll follow, we’ll provide guidance so that your journey can be smooth and anxiety-free.

In this post, we’ll walk you through the reasons to migrate, the differentiating features to leverage and the user experience advantages of our newest solution. We’ll also cover the necessary steps in the process, as well as the benefits your business can realize by making the move to our next-generation food and beverage ERP.

Why Upgrade to Aptean Food & Beverage ERP on Business Central SaaS?

There are several compelling reasons to migrate to our modern, cloud-based food ERP solution available on the Software as a Service (SaaS) model, including:

1. Future-Proof Technology

• Always Current: Regular, automatic updates ensure you're always on the latest version without the hassle of extended downtime or extra costs.

• Evergreen Platform: Benefit from continuous improvements from Microsoft and Aptean, keeping you at the forefront of functionality.

• AI-Driven Efficiencies: Leverage built-in artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities for predictive intelligence, automated workflows and smarter decision-making, with more to come in the future.

2. Enhanced Performance and Security

• Optimized Performance: Experience faster processing times and improved system performance with cloud hosting, ensuring minimal lag and downtime.

• Increased Security: Microsoft’s unparalleled enterprise-grade infrastructure safeguards your sensitive business data.

• AI-Powered Safeguards: Real-time monitoring by AI further enhances system reliability and security, helping to keep you a step ahead of disruptions.

3. Seamless Integrations

• Built for Growth: Easily connect your ERP with other products in our software suite, including transportation management systems (TMS), shipping solutions and our electronic data interchange (EDI) application.

• Microsoft Ecosystem: Integrate effortlessly with Microsoft tools like Power BI for advanced reporting and Microsoft Office 365 for collaboration.

• Copilot AI Integration: Leverage the Microsoft 365 Copilot AI assistant within Business Central via natural language chat to increase productivity and sift through data for insights.

4. Scalability and Flexibility

• Scale Effortlessly: As your business grows, so does your ERP, as you can add users, features or modules without making major infrastructure changes.

• Configurable Functionality: Customize workflows and reports to match your specific business requirements.

• Broad Accessibility: Log in from anywhere with a browser and Wi-Fi connection, allowing you to work whenever and wherever you want.

5. Facilitated Global Operations

• Multi-Currency and Multi-Entity Support: Our food and beverage ERP natively supports complex global operations, with purpose-built features that make it easy to manage different currency and entities.

• Streamlined International Compliance: Built with the unique challenges of the food and beverage industry in mind, our solution offers tools to ensure adherence to international regulatory and compliance requirements.

• Global Trade and Trading Board Modules: Automatically import orders from a variety of vendors, and manage inventory across multiple locations from a single screen.

Aptean Food & Beverage ERP Highlights: Tailored for Your Industry, Built for Your Success

Our latest cloud-based food and beverage ERP leveraging Microsoft's SaaS Business Central platform optimize and streamline your operations, from traceability to production. By consolidating features from a range of our food ERPs, including JustFood, bcFood, Foodware, DrinkIT and more, our latest solution provides all the critical industry-specific functionalities you need on one platform.

Below are just a few of the many capabilities you’ll unlock by upgrading to our best-in-class software:

Enhanced Lot Management and Tracking

• Advanced Lot Attributes: Track critical attributes like expiration dates, quality parameters and supplier information, facilitating inventory management, quality control and traceability.

• Lot Recall Management: Quickly and efficiently manage product recalls with bi-directional tracking and integrated tools that help you meet industry regulations and minimize risk.

Allocation and Costing Improvements

• Production Cost Apportionment: Automatically allocate costs for different stages of production, ensuring accurate financial records and improving overall cost management.

• Catch Weight Management: Handle products with variable weights—like meat, poultry, seafood, dairy products and fresh produce—to ensure precision pricing and customer satisfaction.

Optimized Process Manufacturing

• Batch Sizing Calculations: Efficiently manage batch sizes to optimize production, minimize waste and boost efficiency.

• Co-Product Management: Keep track of co-products generated during production, improving inventory management and resource allocation.

These are just a few examples of the powerful capabilities the latest Aptean Food & Beverage ERP brings to the table. With many more industry-specific features that equip you for the unique challenges of the industry, our platform can help your business achieve growth and rise above the competition.

Familiar, Not Frightening: Transitioning Is Simpler Than You Think

Moving to a new ERP version can seem like an impediment to operational continuity given that you’ll be changing your system of record, but it's not as complex or disruptive as it might appear. When your users discover how intuitive our latest software and its features are, they’ll realize that their jobs will be much easier after the upgrade.

That’s in part because our new platform is built on the foundation of Microsoft Dynamics Business Central, which shares a common lineage with Dynamics NAV, the base of our classic food and beverage products. This means that, from a user perspective, much of the interface and experience remain familiar, lowering the learning curve for your team.

Aptean’s food and beverage industry-specific tools (including those originally from JustFood, bcFood and Foodware) are not only preserved but improved in this new solution. Your key workflows, data fields and specialized functionalities remain, making the upgrade more about increasing efficiency than relearning the system.

The everyday ERP tools your business relies on—from financial management to sales and marketing—are maintained with better performance, scalability and user-friendliness.

The Migration Process: What To Expect

Upgrading in a methodical and deliberate fashion ensures you don’t miss a beat during the migration. Our structured process, supported by our experienced team, ensures a smooth transition by following these steps:

1. Detailed Assessment and Planning: Our automated tools assess your current setup to create a personalized migration plan that aligns with your goals and minimizes disruption.

2. Managed Data Migration: Our experts secure a safe and efficient transfer of your data, ensuring integrity and minimizing risk.

3. Smooth User Transition: Comprehensive training and support allow your team to feel confident with the new system from Day One.

4. Customization and Enhancements: We assess current customizations and replace them with improved standard features where possible (or carry them forward if necessary).

Real-World Benefits for Your Business

Companies migrating to Aptean Food & Beverage ERP on Business Central SaaS report significant improvements in:

• Operational Efficiency: Automated workflows minimize manual tasks, allowing your team to focus on strategic initiatives.

• Increased Visibility: Real-time data and AI-powered insights are highly accessible, providing you with actionable information for smarter decision-making.

• Customer Satisfaction: Faster processing, improved accuracy and better responsiveness enhance your customers’ overall experience.

Ready to future-proof your business? Contact us today for a consultation, and let’s explore how we can tailor your food ERP upgrade to your business’s unique needs.

You can also read how DeIorio’s benefited by moving to the cloud-based Aptean Food & Beverage ERP by checking out the full customer success story.