Case Kuopion Energia

“We’d already carried out a comprehensive analysis of both technologies and partners in conjunction with the previous overhaul. It was a natural choice for us to continue with the Microsoft product family and introduce its latest solution,” says Eliisa Säntti, CFO at Kuopion Energia.

The project implemented Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations and the ExFlow purchase invoice recycling system. The integrations employed Microsoft Logic Apps technology. This solution will enable Kuopion Energia to utilise modern, state-of-the-art cloud technology and an up-to-date system without any major upgrade projects.

Continuing to cooperate with Digia was also an easy choice.

“Digia has always kept its promises. We have no reason to change our provider, as cooperation has gone so well,” says Säntti.

Kuopion Energia was well-prepared for the renewal project, as the greatest work in updating processes had already been done in connection with the AX project. Now they could focus on improving functionalities. One area that needed careful examination was the various systems that had been integrated into financial management and whether these interfaces were really needed.

“The processes remained largely unchanged. We went through the system interfaces asking ourselves whether they should be updated with new requirements or discontinued,” says Petri Pomell, Controller at Kuopion Energia.

The project also allowed them to test drive the Microsoft Data Upgrade tool, which enabled existing AX installation data and configurations to be transferred to the new solution.

“The majority of the data was imported straight into the new system. We did, of course, make thorough checks to ensure that all of the settings were in order. This was a good choice with respect to deployment,” says Pomell.

“Using the Data Upgrade tool removed a considerable amount of migration work. The customer in particular saved a lot of time that could be used on more important things, and as an added bonus, historical data was also automatically transferred to the new system,” says Katariina Vilkuna, a Digia consultant who worked on the project.

The most challenging stages of the project were in the early year, when two major test projects followed a busy period spent on year-end financial reporting. However, the timetable held and the system was successfully deployed on schedule in May 2020.

After this success, Kuopion Energia is already looking to the future. Cooperation with Digia will continue with maintenance and minor developments. The company wants to make the most of the new solution by introducing features that were not included in the original deployment,  such as increased automation.

“During the project, we identified change and development projects that have been prioritised and which we are now moving forward with. For example, the ExFlow purchase invoice recycling system that we introduced needs further development,” says Pomell.

According to Säntti and Pomell, the recipe for a successful project is simple.

“Thorough planning, a realistic schedule and resourcing played a key role in the project’s success. In resourcing, you need to pay attention to ensuring that extra help is available during the deployment phase in particular.” It’s really important for all company personnel to commit to getting the project done,” say Säntti and Pomell.