Building A Manufacturing Transformation Blueprint With Business Central
A rapidly growing biotechnology manufacturer required greater visibility and control across production planning, inventory, quality management and operational reporting.
With manufacturing processes spanning laboratory production, subcontracted operations and complex product structures, the organisation needed a clear roadmap for implementing Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central.
Akita Intelligent Solutions worked closely with stakeholders across manufacturing, procurement, finance and research teams to design a future-state solution that would support operational growth while maintaining the traceability and governance required in a highly regulated environment.
The Challenge
Managing manufacturing in a regulated environment presents unique challenges.
The organisation operates a sophisticated biotech production model, involving multi-level product structures, laboratory workflows, subcontracted activities and strict traceability requirements.
Production planning relied on information originating from multiple systems, while manufacturing, research and finance teams each required access to accurate operational data.
To support future growth, the business needed a solution capable of:
- Providing end-to-end visibility across manufacturing operations
- Supporting both make-to-order and make-to-stock production
- Managing complex multi-level Bills of Materials
- Improving production planning and material availability
- Maintaining lot and batch traceability
- Integrating manufacturing with research and development systems
- Strengthening reporting and governance across departments
Before implementation could begin, stakeholders needed confidence that Business Central could be configured to support these biotech requirements effectively.
A detailed solution design was, therefore, essential.
Akita's Approach
Rather than beginning with technology, Akita focused on understanding the organisation's processes, challenges and future objectives.
Through a series of structured discovery workshops, our consultants worked with key stakeholders to analyse:
- Manufacturing operations
- Production planning
- Inventory management
- Procurement processes
- Quality management requirements
- Security and user governance
- Integration requirements
By examining how information flowed between departments, the team was able to identify opportunities to improve visibility, reduce manual processes and establish a more scalable operational framework.
Designing The Future-State Manufacturing Solution
The discovery process culminated in a comprehensive solution design for Dynamics 365 Business Central manufacturing.
The proposed solution was structured around a manufacturing model that reflected how the organisation actually operated, rather than forcing departments to adapt their processes around software limitations.
Akita designed a framework capable of supporting:
Complex Production Structures
Manufacturing processes would be managed through multi-level Bills of Materials and production routings, enabling the business to maintain visibility from raw materials through to finished products.
This approach would improve both material traceability and production costing while providing a stronger foundation for planning and inventory management.
Production Planning And Capacity Management
The solution incorporated Material Requirements Planning (MRP), enabling future demand to drive production and procurement decisions.
Lab facilities, specialist equipment and subcontracted operations would all be represented within the planning model, giving production managers greater visibility of available capacity and helping to reduce bottlenecks.
Full Traceability
Given the regulatory requirements associated with manufacturing operations, traceability formed a critical part of the design.
The solution was configured to support comprehensive lot and batch tracking, ensuring materials and finished goods could be traced throughout the manufacturing lifecycle and enabling greater compliance confidence.
Creating A Connected Technology Ecosystem
A significant part of the consultancy engagement focused on integration strategy.
The business relied on specialist systems that played a critical role within product development and laboratory operations. Rather than replacing these systems, Akita designed a connected architecture that would allow information to move efficiently between platforms.
The proposed approach included integration between Business Central and specialist product configuration and laboratory systems, ensuring consistency across manufacturing, research and financial processes.
This would help eliminate duplicate data entry, improve reporting accuracy and provide stakeholders with a single view of operational performance.
Strengthening Quality And Governance
Beyond operational processes, the project addressed wider governance and compliance requirements.
Akita developed a detailed framework covering:
- User roles and responsibilities
- Permission structures
- Security controls
- Audit tracking
- Authentication standards
- Segregation of duties
The resulting design gave the organisation a clear governance model that could support both regulatory obligations and long-term business growth.
The Solution Delivered
Following the consultancy engagement, the organisation received a comprehensive Business Central solution design that provided a clear blueprint for implementation. The deliverables included:
- Detailed manufacturing process design
- Production planning framework
- Inventory and traceability strategy
- Integration architecture
- Security and governance model
- User role and permission structure
- Reporting requirements definition
- Quality management framework
- Configuration specifications for implementation teams
By documenting every key process and requirement before configuration began, the organisation was able to move forward with a clearer understanding of how Business Central would support its operational and strategic objectives
The Outcome
The project established the foundations for a successful Business Central implementation by aligning stakeholders around a shared vision of future operations.
Rather than approaching the project as a software deployment, the organisation gained a practical roadmap for transforming manufacturing, planning, quality management and reporting processes.
With a detailed solution design in place, decision-makers could proceed with confidence, knowing that the proposed Business Central platform had been structured around the realities of their business, regulatory requirements and future growth plans.
Why This Approach Matters
Many Business Central projects encounter challenges because organisations move directly into implementation before fully understanding their requirements.
This engagement demonstrates the value of investing in specialist Business Central consultancy at the beginning of a transformation project.
Through structured discovery, process analysis and solution design, Akita helped create a clear implementation blueprint that reduced risk, aligned stakeholders and provided a strong foundation for future success. To have us scope your requirements, please get in touch.
