WB Mason Selects Microsoft Dynamics AX to Streamline Financial and Operational Data

Microsoft Corp. today announced that WB Mason, the largest independent dealer of office supplies in the United States, has selected Microsoft Dynamics AX to manage its business-critical operations processes, including management of finance, inventory, supply chain and market forecasting functions. Implementation of the Microsoft Dynamics AX solution will be conducted by Microsoft Gold Certified Partner MBS Dev.

For a company such as WB Mason, the ability to proactively manage purchasing, inventory and shipping decisions is vital to staying ahead of the intense competition among office supply industries. The selection of Microsoft Dynamics AX provides WB Mason with an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system that is more flexible than competing solutions and provides the best fit with the company’s needs and overall character.

“Previous ERP systems we’ve tried to implement have had trouble keeping up with the stressful demands of the market in the past,” said Tom Golden, president of the Office Furniture division at WB Mason. “Microsoft Dynamics AX provides us with a very versatile solution, and having MBS Dev on board to support us will help ensure that our operations are running smoothly.”

WB Mason anticipates gaining a range of immediate and long-term benefits from Microsoft Dynamics AX:
•

Support for growth. The company expects to grow more than 20 percent annually, and Microsoft Dynamics AX, with its highly scalable technology, will be the foundation on which that expansion will be built.
•

Cost savings. Increased automation available through Microsoft Dynamics AX means the company will need less new staff to support its growth.
•

Improved reporting and forecasting. The integrated Microsoft Dynamics AX system provides a complete view of customers and resources, enabling the fast-moving company to respond quickly to trends in market demand. With greater real- time visibility to its internal operations, WB Mason will be able to meet the increasingly sophisticated reporting requirements of customers and vendors.
•

Technology integration. Microsoft Dynamics AX will integrate seamlessly with other Microsoft technologies used by WB Mason. The system’s service-oriented architecture allows WB Mason to implement a consistent set of services, such as unified order management, that will offer a common ordering experience for customers on and off the Web.
•

Simplified user experience. Because it provides a familiar Microsoft user interface, Microsoft Dynamics AX can minimize the investment typically required for training users.
•

Support for specialized requirements. With Microsoft Dynamics AX, WB Mason plans to modernize its warehouse operations dramatically and offer distinctive services such as same-day deliveries.

As a result of this project, WB Mason expects to increase effectiveness in front- and back-office operations as it takes strides to replace its legacy systems.

“Microsoft is delighted to include WB Mason among the growing list of companies using Microsoft Dynamics AX to streamline operational efficiency and improve profit margins,” said Michael Park, corporate vice president for the U.S. Dynamics business at Microsoft. “WB Mason will find that MBS Dev’s proven experience in the successful implementation of Microsoft’s ERP solutions will result in marked improvements in corporate performance over previous systems.”

WB Mason chose Microsoft Dynamics AX because of the Microsoft technology’s ability to scale easily as the company grows and to handle the very large volume of transactions anticipated across WB Mason’s 14 offices. WB Mason chose MBS Dev as the Microsoft Dynamics AX partner for its industry expertise and the certified ISV solution offering for Office Products Distributors.

About WB Mason

WB Mason, headquartered in Brockton, Massachusetts, is the largest independent office-supplies dealer in the United States. Founded in 1898, WB Mason has grown to include 14 distribution centers in eight states in the Northeast with nearly 1,600 employees and more than 140,000 customers. WB Mason sells office supplies, furniture, technology, toner and printer solutions.

About MBS Dev

MBS Dev, Inc. is a Colorado corporation founded to assist Microsoft Dynamics AX customers with distribution industry vertical solutions, development requirements and support services. MBS Dev, Inc. is a Gold Certified Value Added Reseller (VAR) and Independent Software Vendor (ISV) partner for Microsoft Dynamics AX.

About Microsoft Dynamics

Microsoft Dynamics is a line of financial, customer relationship and supply chain management solutions that helps businesses work more effectively. Delivered through a network of channel partners providing specialized services, these integrated, adaptable business management solutions work like and with familiar Microsoft software to streamline processes across an entire business.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

Note to editors:If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft Web page at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass on Microsoft’s corporate information pages. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may since have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/contactpr.mspx.