Midas Completes Tuneup With Microsoft Dynamics GP

Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq “MSFT”) today announced that Midas Inc. (NYSE “MDS”), one of the world’s largest providers of automotive services, has selected Microsoft Dynamics GP to overhaul and expand its corporate business management systems.

Midas’ headquarters in Itasca, Ill., recently switched its financial management and general ledger reporting systems from another company’s more limited enterprise resource planning system to Microsoft Dynamics GP, which provides completely integrated and scalable financial management, intelligence, forecasting, budgeting and reporting. Working with Microsoft Gold Certified Partner IDT Consulting Inc., also of Itasca, Ill., throughout the Microsoft Dynamics GP evaluation, selection, system-integration and implementation processes, Midas will move its remaining financial management systems to Microsoft’s premier business management solution over the next two years.

“We looked at other software packages, but nothing came close to Microsoft Dynamics GP,” said Bennett Cikoch, vice president of IT at Midas. “The powerful business management tools, flexible and familiar components and many personalization features of Microsoft Dynamics GP are transforming the way we manage Midas’ corporate finance and other business systems.”

Microsoft Dynamics GP is a complete and scalable business management solution that offers a cost-effective way to manage and integrate finances, e-commerce, supply chain, manufacturing, project accounting, field service, customer relationships and human resources. Based on the familiar People-Ready Microsoft Office system interface, Microsoft Dynamics GP makes it easy for executives, managers and staff to access information that is meaningful to their specific roles and responsibilities, gain deep contextual insight into the key drivers that matter to their business, and improve efficiency throughout their organization. The solution is also easy to configure and maintain, adding to overall return on investment.

Microsoft Dynamics GP will enable Midas’ 40-member finance team to integrate and electronically manage virtually all of the business processes and corporate transactions within the organization’s more than 1,700 franchise and company-owned locations in the United States and Canada. In addition to accounts receivable, accounts payable, order processing and inventory management, Midas will rely on Microsoft Dynamics GP for security-enhanced online distribution of financial reports to field staff via the integrated FRx Report Server and Business Portal.

Midas’ finance team is already seeing positive productivity results from the new system: greater speed, functionality and tools that make financial reporting easier. “We expect the new Microsoft Dynamics solution to bring us efficiencies throughout the finance department and in improving information flow with the field,” said James Haeger, vice president and controller for Midas.

Cikoch credits the IDT Consulting organization for putting all the pieces together — a thorough understanding of its critical business issues and internal processes, compliance mandates, strong accounting and product knowledge — to make the transition to the new financial management system as seamless as possible.

Other specific benefits include the following:
•

Flexibility. The many software-engineering options available with Microsoft Dynamics GP limited the amount of customization necessary, reducing the cost and difficulty of switching from Midas’ legacy system.
•

Familiarity. The intuitive Microsoft Office interface and other familiar Microsoft software components have reduced the learning curve for Midas’ employees. The Midas development team’s familiarity and proficiency with the package’s SQL Server database and Microsoft platform technologies — along with the built-in integration tools — have reduced consulting costs.
•

Personalization. The ability to assign employees different roles and responsibilities and separate duties within Microsoft Dynamics GP was “one of the big selling points,” said Cikoch. In addition to compiling the information each employee needs, the personalized pages reduce the scope of each employee’s training.

“With Microsoft Dynamics GP, Midas is equipped to accelerate its ability to gather financial information and more clearly see opportunities down the road,” said Michael Park, corporate vice president for Microsoft’s U.S. Dynamics business. “Microsoft Dynamics GP can produce fast and comprehensive insight to enhance decision-making, while increasing efficiencies in financial reporting and accounting, wherever operations and transactions occur.”