Farmers Union Industries 

How Farmers Union Industries Transformed Operations with TrueCommerce and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central Integration 

The Challenge: 

Eliminate the dependency on multiple EDI providers, create operational efficiencies, and establish a seamless integration with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central 

The Solution: 

Partnered with TrueCommerce, an end-to-end solution that streamlined operations and provided clear visibility into customer orders and communications 

The Results: 

• Enhanced Efficiency and Autonomy: The new EDI system enabled users to resolve issues independently, eliminating the need to involve internal IT support and significantly reducing the time required to retrieve ‘stuck’ orders. 
• Cost-Effectiveness: Reduction in hours and labor needed to manage EDI processes resulted in overall savings and greater return on investment. 
• Improved Order Management: The new system processed orders more efficiently, eliminating the previous issue of ‘stuck orders’ and facilitating faster fulfillment times. 
• Business Growth and Scalability: The capabilities of the new EDI solution prepared Farmers Union Industries for future growth, including handling additional requirements from Costco and potentially expanding to more trading partners. 

Background 

Farmers Union Industries, a key player in the agricultural sector, acquired Performance Pet Products in 2015. This acquisition brought the responsibility of managing relationships with major clients. However, the inherited Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) system, coupled with their decision to upgrade to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, necessitated the evaluation of a new EDI provider. 

Challenges 

Farmers Union faced two key challenges, mainly originating from the lack of integration with their ERP system and the frustrating task of managing three unreliable EDI vendors. This issue was compounded by the system’s high dependency on internal IT support, which led to lost productivity and unsustainable operational dependencies. The legacy EDI system required manual transaction handling, leading to inefficiencies and potential errors — for example, if an invoice was prepared incorrectly, it took 4 times longer to fix the error. ERP Support and Development Specialist, Stephanie Cornwell, noted, “What used to take me 20 minutes to manually fix an error now takes me less than 5.”  Additionally, the involvement of multiple vendors in the EDI process made troubleshooting and system maintenance overly complex and time-consuming. 

Successful Implementation 

Farmers Union Industries initiated a comprehensive overhaul of their EDI system to address these challenges by partnering with TrueCommerce, a solution recommended by their partner. Cornwell, stated, “TrueCommerce was the only company our partner recommended….it was either them or our old system.” TrueCommerce delivered an all-in-one EDI solution including ERP integration, an EDI platform, trading partner mapping management, and ongoing support. This comprehensive solution eliminated the requirement for multiple vendors and simplified system management.  

Engaging in rigorous testing and system integration phases involved internal stakeholders and TrueCommerce’s implementation team. This phase was critical to ensuring that the system would meet the specific needs of Farmers Union without disrupting ongoing operations. 

A series of strategic steps positioned the implementation process to minimize disruption and maximize efficiency. Initially, TrueCommerce conducted a series of demonstrations to familiarize Farmers Union staff with the new system. This was followed by a structured training program to ensure employees were well-prepared to handle the new system. The actual system switch-over was carefully planned and executed, with TrueCommerce turning the system live a week before Farmers Union upgraded their business processes to Dynamics Business Central. Cornwell remembered, “The go-live process was very seamless. I literally thought ‘this is it?’ It just worked!” 

Results 

Integrating the TrueCommerce EDI system marked a significant turning point for Farmers Union Industries. Cornwell noted, “The real benefit was integrating everything into one platform. It streamlined our entire process.” Additionally Cornwell shared, “Oftentimes orders got stuck and I bet between myself and IT, we would spend an hour every time trying to figure out where it was or what was wrong—we no longer have this issue with TrueCommerce.” The new system enhanced operational efficiency by allowing users to independently manage and resolve issues, reducing the need for internal IT support – leading to faster resolution and reduced downtime. This autonomy in handling EDI-related issues was a marked improvement from the previous system, which depended on multiple external providers. 

The financial implications of the new EDI system were also positive. The overall savings from reduced manual labor, decreased dependency on internal support, and fewer operational delays resulted in a better return on investment. “IT hasn’t had to login one time since going live. The TrueCommerce solution is something that users can manage themselves without having a technical background of mapping or anything,”  said Cornwell.  

One of the standout features of the new system was its robust order management capabilities, which effectively eliminated previous issues related to order processing delays—commonly referred to as ‘stuck orders’. This capability ensured that orders were processed timely and efficiently, aligning with the demands of key clients like Costco. 

In addition, the system’s efficiency has facilitated a smoother fulfillment process, which is crucial for maintaining the timeliness of deliveries—a key factor in customer satisfaction and operational success. Cornwell noted, “The real benefit was having everything integrated into one platform. It streamlined our entire process.”  

With the enhanced system, Farmers Union Industries has laid a solid foundation for future growth. The system’s scalability is particularly advantageous, preparing Farmers Union for potential expansions and the ability to handle increased transaction volumes as they grow. “Now, when there’s an error, I receive an alert, can immediately assess the issue, and resolve it right there—no need to wait for external support,” Cornwell added. 

The successful implementation of the TrueCommerce EDI system at Farmers Union Industries exemplifies how strategic technological integrations can inefficiencies.