Fractional CIO Archives

A MasterClass in Digital Transformation Strategy: Overcoming Digital Roadblocks

In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, organizations face numerous challenges and opportunities. How do you navigate these complexities to ensure you not only survive but thrive? Join us for an enlightening live web event titled “Transform and Thrive: Overcoming Digital Roadblocks in Your Business.”

Navigating Common Digital Transformation Challenges & Implementing Effective Strategies

We are excited to feature Eric Sluss, a seasoned Chief Information Officer from Net at Work’s Fractional CIO & Advisory group. Eric will share his expertise on how to tackle the human capital, process, and technology challenges that often hinder digital transformation. His insights are designed to help you drive meaningful change and foster innovation within your organization.

Whether you’re at the beginning of your digital journey or looking to fine-tune existing processes, this on-demand webinar promises to equip you with the essential knowledge and tools for a successful transformation.

During this recorded webinar, you’ll discover:

The key components of digital transformation: Understand the foundational elements that drive successful digital initiatives.
Common challenges encountered along the way: Learn about typical obstacles and how to overcome them.
Best practices for ensuring success: Gain actionable strategies to ensure your digital transformation efforts are effective and sustainable.

Watch on-demand webinar for this opportunity to turn challenges into opportunities and propel your business towards unparalleled success. Join us and transform your digital future!

American Kennel Club Unleashes Efficiency

Since 1884, the American Kennel Club (AKC) has been a guiding force in canine advocacy. As the largest purebred dog registry in the world, the AKC is a trusted source of knowledge, inspiration, and support for dog lovers everywhere. The organization’s work touches countless lives, including hosting thousands of events annually and advancing groundbreaking research through the AKC Canine Health Foundation.

“Net at Work’s expertise has been a game-changer for us. They’ve helped us turn Sage X3 into the operational backbone we needed to manage our diverse business units effectively.”
Peter Rohslau, Controller, AKC

Behind the scenes, the AKC relies on a strong operational backbone to support its multifaceted organization, which includes six legal entities and a team of 500 employees. With business operations ranging from managing merchandise sales to sponsoring events and advocating for responsible dog ownership, the AKC needed a solution that could keep pace with its mission. For over a decade, Sage X3 and Net at Work have been vital partners in helping the AKC operate efficiently and fulfill its goals.

A challenge as big as the pack

The AKC’s operations are as diverse as the breeds it celebrates. Managing complex registrations, maintaining multiple eCommerce platforms, and ensuring smooth collaboration across departments and legal entities are no small tasks. The organization had relied on an older ERP application, but it simply couldn’t keep pace with the operation. The system wasn’t optimized for speed and performance, and data was siloed across various applications, making collaboration and decision-making more challenging.

Recognizing the need to align all aspects of the organization, the AKC partnered with Net at Work to conduct a full business process review and recommend a new, more robust ERP application. They selected Sage X3.

Fetching results with Sage X3 and Net at Work

With Net at Work’s help, the AKC unleashed Sage X3’s full potential, integrating diverse applications and workflows to create a single source of truth. AKC elected to host Sage X3 on the Cloud at Work Virtual Cloud, vastly simplifying maintenance and boosting accessibility. Today, eCommerce platforms, merchandise inventory, and data from their custom-built dog registration database flow seamlessly into the system. This streamlined approach replaced manual processes, saving time and improving accuracy across the organization.

Peter Rohslau, AKC’s controller, explains, “Net at Work’s expertise has been a game-changer for us. They’ve helped us turn Sage X3 into the operational backbone we needed to manage our diverse business units effectively.”

Staying out in front

With Sage X3 workflows, the AKC has automated key processes like purchase order approvals, transforming a once-paper-heavy system into an efficient digital operation. For an organization with over 50 departments, this centralization has been crucial for improving communication and reducing administrative bottlenecks.

The results speak for themselves. Department heads now receive timely, accurate reports every month—an improvement from the quarterly reports they relied on previously. This shift empowers the AKC to react faster to changing circumstances, whether reallocating resources or seizing new opportunities.

“Our ability to provide timely, actionable data has improved dramatically,” says Rohslau. “This allows us to stay ahead of challenges and support the strategic decisions that drive our mission forward.”

Growing the pack seamlessly

As the AKC has grown and added new legal entities, Sage X3 has made onboarding smooth and scalable. Even unique aspects of the AKC’s operations, such as their small-scale manufacturing process, are supported by Sage X3. With workflows configured by Net at Work, the AKC can manage production tasks efficiently, ensuring they stay on track without missing a beat.

Looking to the future, the AKC plans to implement additional tools, including workflow management and AP automation, further enhancing their ability to operate with agility and precision.

A top dog partnership

One of the AKC’s greatest strengths is its enduring partnership with Net at Work. For many years, the same consultant has supported the organization, ensuring continuity and a deep understanding of its needs. This consistency, backed by Net at Work’s deep bench of resources, has allowed the AKC to focus on its mission while confidently relying on its systems.

“Having the same partner, even the same consultant, makes all the difference,” Rohslau notes. “Net at Work understands how we’re built and ensures everything runs seamlessly. They’ve become an integral part of our success.”

Taking a walk into the future

The AKC’s mission impacts dogs, owners, and communities worldwide, from funding research that improves canine health to promoting responsible dog ownership. With Sage X3 as their operational backbone and Net at Work as a trusted partner, the AKC is poised to continue advancing its goals with efficiency and precision.

“Net at Work and Sage X3 give us the tools and support we need to keep moving forward,” Rohslau concludes. “With their help, we can focus on what matters to us—championing the bond between people and their dogs.”

Download the full Net at Work success story to read more about American Kennel Club’s journey to unleash Sage X3’s full potential.

Modernization isn’t a tech project – It’s your growth plan

Blog post by: Chris Smith, Practice Director, Sage Intacct, Net at Work and Eric Sluss, Chief Information Officer, Fractional CIO & Advisory Practice, Net at Work

Mid-market companies often run on systems that were perfect when the business was smaller, but now deal with an aging ERP with a few bolt-on tools, and a lot of heroic spreadsheet work in between. As you try to grow revenue, add locations, or launch new offerings, that setup can quietly cap how fast you move, how lean you stay, and how confidently you use data and AI.

Based on a video discussion between two of Net at Work’s business transformation leaders, this article makes the case for treating modernization as a growth priority rather than an IT initiative. It outlines four practical transformation outcomes, offers guidance on framing modernization in ways that build team buy-in, and explains how AI and a fractional CIO partner support execution.

In this article you will learn:

How to tell if your operations feel more like 2025 or 2005 when you follow processes end to end
The four outcomes that define meaningful digital transformation (streamlined processes, digitized paperwork, enabled employees, better customer experience)
Why tech projects with good software can still disappoint when they lack a clear business plan and story for employees
How to frame modernization as an investment in your team, not a threat to their jobs
Where AI can genuinely accelerate work once you have a solid foundation—and why you may need an “architect” or fractional CIO to build the right digital transformation roadmap

If you prefer to watch the discussion, you can also catch the full video that inspired this piece.

If we walked into your business tomorrow, what year would it feel like?

Some companies feel like it’s 2026 the moment you walk in. Work flows smoothly through digital systems. People can answer questions without searching for a spreadsheet. Nobody fears that touching an integration will break the entire system. Others feel a little more like 2006, or even 1997.

You see paper stacked everywhere. Reports get stitched together at the last minute. There’s that one person who knows how to pull numbers out of the system, and everyone else forms a quiet line at their door.

Both types of companies might be running ERP. Both might be profitable. The difference is how they think about modernization. For some, it’s an annoying “IT thing” they’ll get to later. For others, it’s the plan for how they’ll grow.

Growth plans that don’t quietly double headcount

Most leadership teams have some version of the same story: grow revenue significantly in the next few years. Maybe it’s double revenue in five. Maybe it’s aggressive expansion into new regions or lines of business. The math that hides underneath is where things get interesting.

If your business runs on email approvals, legacy ERP, and a lot of heroics, then growth usually means one thing: more people doing more work the hard way. Double the revenue often comes suspiciously close to doubling the back office. That might work for a while, but it’s not a long-term strategy – especially in a tight labor market.

Modernization is what lets you rewrite that script. It’s how you grow without simply adding more humans to patch the gaps. When we talk about modern ERP, cloud, or AI, what we’re really talking about is moving work through cleaner, more automated processes so you can add entities, products, locations, or programs without building a new spreadsheet empire each time – and giving leaders timely, trustworthy information so they can go after the right opportunities.

That doesn’t start with “Which system should we buy?” It starts with “How do we want this business to run when we hit those growth numbers?”

Digital transformation, without the buzzwords

Digital transformation is one of those phrases that means everything and nothing at the same time. To keep ourselves honest, we boil it down to four outcomes. If a project doesn’t move the needle in at least a couple of these, we’re not interested.

Streamlined processes. When you follow an order, job, or case from beginning to end, the path should make sense. Work should flow from step to step without constant detours through inboxes, personal spreadsheets, and side conversations. Most organizations know their processes are more tangled than they should be. Modernization is the chance to untangle and simplify.
Digitized paperwork. Walk through a plant, warehouse, office, or clinic and you can see how modern things are by the state of the printer. If pick tickets, POs, invoices, or job packets still live on paper, that paper is compensating for a process that never got fully digitized. Moving that work into electronic workflows with approvals and audit trails speeds things up and reduces errors. It also makes remote and hybrid work much less painful.
Enabled employees. You can see this in the expressions on people’s faces. Do they feel like the tools help them, or do they feel like they’re constantly wrestling the system just to do the basics? Modernization should feel like an investment in your team: clearer dashboards, better training, and more time for work that actually requires judgment rather than endless rekeying.
Better customer experience. When you streamline processes, digitize the paper, and enable your people, customers feel the difference. Quotes arrive faster. Status updates are accurate. Invoices match what everyone agreed to. You become easier to work with, even if customers never hear the names of the systems behind the scenes.

Notice that none of those outcomes mentions a specific product. Tech is the tool to facilitate the outcome. The outcomes are simply the reasons you pick up the tools in the first place.

Why “good” tech projects still disappoint

We’ve both watched organizations choose a solid ERP, hire a capable implementer, hit their go-live date… and then quietly slide back into old habits.

Too many modernization efforts start life as system projects. There’s a budget and a timeline, but no clear, shared sense of why this matters for the business or how success will be measured a year or two down the road. No one has written down which risks are being reduced, which growth moves will be easier, or what “worth it” looks like.

When that’s missing, your team hears a simpler story: someone bought a new system and we all have to figure it out. We’d rather see those projects start with a business plan, not a tech plan. Before anyone touches a configuration screen, we want to see:

A straightforward description of the outcomes leadership expects
A realistic view of the risks if nothing changes
A sketch of how the project will be judged 12–24 months after go-live

Then we want to see how that story will be shared with the people doing the work.

How you talk about modernization matters more than you think

Modernization has a PR problem within many organizations. People hear “new system” and immediately think disruption, rework, and more things to learn. That’s partly because nobody ever frames it in terms of the pain they already feel.

Think about a finance team that has been wrestling with an old system for years. Month-end is always late. Reporting is always a scramble. Integrations break at the worst possible moment. They have been telling anyone who will listen that the tools are slowing them down.

You can walk in one day and say: we’re implementing a new financial system; here’s the training calendar. Or you can say: we agree this system is holding us back, and we’re doing something about it. The goal of this project is to reduce the month-end grind, cut down on manual reconciliations, and connect finance to the other systems you rely on. We want you focused on analyzing the numbers, not wrestling them to the ground.

Those two messages land very differently. The project is the same. The framing changes everything. In the second version, modernization feels like leadership finally acting on long-standing complaints. It also makes it clear the intent is to change the work, not replace the workers.

When we see teams lean into modernization – ask good questions, volunteer for pilots, become champions – it’s almost always because someone took the time to explain the “why” in language that connected to their lived experience.

AI as an accelerator, not a magic wand

Now add AI to the mix and the noise level goes up. Leaders hear about co-pilots that summarize reports, explain variances, draft emails, and surface anomalies. Vendors demo AI features. Boards start asking about the AI plan. Nobody wants to be the last company still printing spreadsheets and stapling them to folders.

We’re pretty bullish on AI, but not for the hype. Used thoughtfully, it’s an incredibly fast collaborator. In our own work, AI helps us get unstuck and move faster. We use it to sift through long transcripts, draft roadmaps and communication plans, outline training, and explore options we might not have thought of. It takes care of the heavy, repetitive thinking so we can spend more time on judgment calls and conversations.

What makes AI genuinely powerful is context. The more you use it inside your real business, with your real goals and language, the more useful it becomes. What it doesn’t do is rescue you from messy processes and scattered data. Drop AI into a world where every report lives in a different spreadsheet and nobody is quite sure which system is right, and you end up with more noise, not better decisions.

So if you feel pressure to “do something with AI,” it can help to start with a modernization lens. Where are your people doing heavy, repetitive work today? Where are decisions lagging because information is hiding in too many places? Those are better places to start than whatever feature name is trending on social media.

You know the house. You need the blueprint.

Most executive teams we work with have a clear sense of the company they want to run.

The hard part is turning that picture into a practical sequence of changes.

That’s where an architect’s mindset comes in handy. You wouldn’t start building a house by ordering windows and pouring concrete before anyone drew up plans. Yet that’s essentially what a lot of companies do with technology.

We’ve seen teams invest months in rolling out a stand-alone payments tool, only to rip it out later because the new ERP they chose already did what they needed in a more integrated way. We’ve seen process automation land on top of workflows that everyone quietly agreed were broken. We’ve seen integrations built as one-offs nobody documented, leaving leaders afraid to touch anything.

Bringing in a fractional CIO to drive digital transformation initiatives avoids that pattern by taking a holistic view of people, processes, and systems and asking:

Where are we today, honestly?
Where are we trying to be in three to five years?
What’s the smartest order of operations to get there, given our capacity and constraints?

Sometimes the answer is a new ERP. Sometimes it’s re-implementing what you already own with a better design. Sometimes it’s moving an existing system into managed cloud hosting and cleaning up the reporting and automation around it. Sometimes the first move is data cleanup and governance, so AI and analytics have something solid to work with. The tools matter, but the sequence and the story matter more.

So where do you start?

If that “what year would it feel like?” question sticks with you, that’s a good sign. It means you’re noticing the gap.

To begin closing that gap, start by walking through your own business. Follow one important process from start to finish and notice where it feels current and where it feels outdated. Ask a few trusted people what drives them crazy about how things work today. Look at your growth slides and ask yourself whether your systems are designed to support that story or if they are quietly holding it back.

So yes, you’ll look at ERP platforms, AI capabilities, hosting options, and all the rest. Those are important choices. But the deeper decision is how you want your business to work three to five years from now — and what kind of foundation you need to start building today.

That’s a much better conversation than “do we upgrade this year.” And if you’d like people in the room who have had that conversation with a lot of other companies like yours, that’s exactly the work we do at Net at Work.

If this sparked ideas and you want more context and examples, the full video discussion is well worth a watch.

Your 2026 ERP Decision Could Define Your Business Through 2040. Are You Ready?

According to research by Gartner, more than 70 percent of newly implemented ERP projects fall short of achieving the business outcomes they were designed to deliver, costing the U.S. economy hundreds of millions in wasted spending annually. The disconnect is clear: while many businesses report improved processes after an ERP implementation, most still approach selection with mindsets that are more likely to lead to failure than long-term success.

In this article you will learn:

How your organization can set a foundation for success during the ERP selection process
How to develop future-state requirements that prevent costly scope creep and implementation delays
The critical difference between treating ERP as an IT project versus a business transformation initiative
Why successful organizations invest in transformation leadership before beginning ERP selection
Practical steps to evaluate vendors and ensure your team is prepared for implementation success

Your 2026 ERP Decision Will Impact Operations Through the 2040s

It is 2026, and many organizations are beginning to realize that the software you select today will shape how you operate for years or even decades. Your ERP decisions are not short-term technology migrations. They are decisions that can directly impact your organization’s long-term viability.

Research from Gartner shows that up to 70 percent of newly implemented ERP projects fail to meet their stated objectives. As a result, hundreds of millions of dollars are spent every year in the US economy on projects that do not deliver the expected outcomes. This doesn’t just create wasted spend for your organization. It leads to missed opportunities, stalled growth, and in many cases, organizations that become less competitive than they should be.

Your ERP system can be a catalyst for transformation. It can streamline your processes, eliminate the physical paperwork that’s still printed to run your day-to-day operations, enable your employees to do better work, and ultimately deliver a better customer experience. Yet if you approach ERP as a technology project rather than a business transformation project, you’re already on the path to failure.

If your organization implements an ERP solution in 2026, there’s a strong chance you’ll still be using that platform in the 2040s. That reality alone should change how you make selection decisions.

Why Digital Transformation Makes ERP Selection Critical Now

We are at a pivotal moment for digital transformation. According to recent industry research, 63% of executives worldwide report positive ROI from digital transformation efforts, with 56% of CEOs specifically citing increased profits from digital investments. And AI has the potential to reshape how organizations operate in the same way business software once replaced paper and pen.

In many industries, getting this wrong could mean falling behind competitors who can move faster, serve your customers better, and adapt more quickly. For some organizations, it will mean selling or exiting the market altogether. I am not simply some technologist jumping on the “AI is going to change the world” bandwagon—we literally have clients that have completely reshaped their operations with digital workers and are continuing to do so.

How Your Selection Process Determines Implementation Success

Once you accept that most ERP projects fail and that the stakes are this high, it becomes clear that your success is largely determined before implementation even begins. In my experience, failure is often baked into your selection process itself.

Earlier in my career, I served as a project manager for ERP implementers and saw this pattern repeat across industries. A manufacturing, distribution, professional service, healthcare, or nonprofit selects an ERP solution, and consultants come onsite for requirements gathering. During these sessions, consultants ask how your company wants the system configured and document those answers for your approval and sign-off before the consultant configures and builds the solution.

Then the moment arrives. The consultant asks, “Tell me how you want your accounts payable process to work.” Your CFO, controller, or finance manager walks through the current process while the consultant takes notes. A few minutes later, someone usually stops the conversation and says, “That is what we do today, but I am not sure that is what we want to do going forward.”

The consultant responds, “Okay, so what do you want to do?”

This is where many projects start to unravel for your organization. You have consultants onsite billing hundreds of dollars per hour, and your team only knows how it operates today. Very little thought has been put into how your business should operate in the future. The result is that you simply replicate your existing processes into a new system that you’ll use for the next several decades.

If you’re building your dream home, you don’t tell the architect about the house you live in today. You tell them about your vision. The same is true for ERP implementation consultants. They need to understand where you want to go, how you want to streamline processes, where workflows should replace manual steps, and how seven steps become five for your team. That is transformation.

Building Your Future-State Vision

First, you must clearly define a future state vision for your organization. Where will your business be in five, ten, or fifteen years? What will remain the same, and what must change to support your growth, scalability, and new business models?
Second, your requirements must be built for that future state organization, not the company as it exists today. What capabilities will be required for you to operate effectively at that scale? What processes should be standardized, automated, or reimagined?
Third, the right leaders must be involved in this work. These are not individuals focused solely on running your day-to-day operations. They are leaders who focus on improvement, can collaborate across functions, make decisions, and own those decisions.

When your organization says it doesn’t know what to tell consultants, this is exactly what these future-state requirements are meant to solve. Context about today’s operations matters, but clarity around your future vision matters more.

Making Vendors Prove They Can Deliver Your Vision

Once your future state requirements are documented and shared through an RFP with software publishers and implementation partners, something interesting often happens. Some vendors bow out and explain that the solution is not a fit for your industry, complexity, or size of organization. That’s a good outcome for you. It means your preparation worked and poor fits were eliminated early.

When it comes time for software demonstrations, you should not accept canned demos that are shown to every prospect. Vendors should be using your requirements to demonstrate real end-to-end process flows that reflect what makes your organization unique.

These demo sessions are not passive meetings for your team. They require focused attention and critical evaluation of both the software and the vendor. This is a long-term marriage with both the solution and the partner, and the diligence you do here sets the foundation for everything that follows.

This might sound like unnecessary work. You might say that you already know what software you need. You very well might. The real question is how confident you are that when consultants spend days or weeks gathering requirements, your team will communicate the future operating model instead of simply describing how things work today across your sales, purchasing, operations, finance, and billing.

Building Your Organization’s Decision-Making Capability

Your team must be able to assess information and make decisions. Decision-making is a major part of ERP implementations. Are your C-suite leaders and line managers willing and capable of doing that? Doing this work upfront builds organizational muscle and develops a team that can deal with roadblocks, make decisions, and move forward. You don’t want to build this capability during an implementation, which often results in go-live dates slipping by months.

If You’re Going to Do This, Do It Right

Selecting and implementing ERP solutions are major initiatives with failure rates similar to those of mergers and acquisitions. If you’re not willing to invest the time upfront to define future state requirements, evaluate solutions and vendors, and build the leadership capability required to succeed, then it’s better to postpone the initiative until the right time or until the right leaders are in place.

I have seen organizations invest heavily in these projects, load systems with bad data and outdated processes from the 1990s, and then live with poor results for the next fifteen years.

Consider this your moment for a full business transformation. Many small and mid-sized organizations are investing in full-time or fractional transformation executives to lead these initiatives. Twenty years ago, the CIO role was largely about running IT departments. That’s still part of the job today, but the amount of time spent on infrastructure, security, and systems upkeep has decreased. More time is now spent leading transformation.

We’re not only seeing SMBs invest in CIOs and transformation executives as employees. They’re also bringing CIOs and transformation leaders into board-level roles to help shape strategy and transformation. This shift is happening for a reason.

The Modern CIO as Your Transformation Leader

At Net at Work, we view the CIO as a transformation executive. Years ago, most basic processes were executed by people. Today, more and more of that work is being executed by digital platforms and AI. If you’re investing in a CIO, the best return is not having them focus on server rooms and system upgrades. Those things still matter, but they’re increasingly handled through cloud and SaaS solutions. The real value is having that leader focused on driving business outcomes through technology and transformation for your organization.

Your Path Forward

Selecting and implementing an ERP is a difficult journey. I would never attempt to climb Mount Everest without training, preparation, and an experienced guide. The ERP selection process is your training. It compels your organization to think about the future, make decisions, align leaders, and build the muscle required to navigate what comes next. If you don’t have the right leadership in place to manage that work, get it in place first. And if you’re going to take this journey, do it right.

We’re already seeing many small and midsized organizations make aggressive moves to digitize and transform. With many small businesses now using ERP software, the competitive landscape is shifting rapidly. If you get this wrong, you may find yourself selling your business at a discount to one of them.

Key Takeaways: Action Items You Can Accomplish Now

Enlist a Guide for Your ERP Selection – ERP implementation success is largely determined during the selection process. Most organizations go through ERP selection only once every 15 to 20 years, which makes internal experience limited. An experienced ERP selection consultant provides structure, objectivity, and guidance to help you choose the right platform and avoid costly missteps.
Assess Your Current State – Document your existing processes, but more importantly, identify which ones create competitive advantage versus which should be standardized.
Define Your Future Vision – Schedule strategic planning sessions with your leadership team to map out where your business needs to be in 5-10 years. In particular, consider how AI and automation will reshape your industry.
Build Your Selection Team – Identify leaders who can make decisions and own outcomes. Include both operational experts and transformation-focused executives. Consider bringing in fractional CIO expertise if you lack internal capabilities.
Create Future-State Requirements – Before talking to any vendor, document how you want your business to operate in the future. Focus on outcomes, not features.
Evaluate Your Change Readiness – Honestly assess whether your organization has the leadership commitment and change management capability to succeed. If not, address these gaps before proceeding.
Budget for Success – Plan for the true cost of transformation, not just software licenses. Include change management, training, and potential consulting support in your budget.
Start Small but Think Big – Consider a phased approach that delivers quick wins while building toward your long-term vision. SMBs can typically complete implementations in 3-9 months when properly prepared.

Genesee Country Village & Museum Embraces Modern Solutions for a Historic Mission

PRESERVING HISTORY WHILE INSPIRING THE FUTURE

Genesee Country Village & Museum is a vibrant living history museum located in Mumford, New York. Among the largest such museums in the country, Genesee Country Village offers a unique window into 19th-century life. With over 68 historic buildings, costumed interpreters, and engaging events, the museum creates a dynamic connection to history for thousands of visitors annually.

The museum takes pride in keeping history relevant for today’s audiences. By hosting events like the Highland Games, summer camp programs, seasonal festivals, and fresh programming designed to attract younger audiences, Genesee fulfills its mission of preserving the past while educating and inspiring future generations.

Behind the scenes, managing such a complex and varied organization requires modern systems and innovative leadership. With an annual operating budget of $18 million, 50–60 staff members, and numerous seasonal employees, Genesee relies on Sage Intacct and Net at Work to help them keep operations running smoothly and efficiently.

THE CHALLENGE OF OUTDATED SYSTEMS

Before implementing Sage Intacct, Genesee Country Village used an accounting system that worked well in the organization’s earlier stages. However, the museum’s growth introduced new complexities that required more robust functionality. Manual data entry, time-intensive reporting processes, and limitations in nonprofit-specific features made tasks like grant reporting challenging. These inefficiencies delayed access to real-time financial insights, making it harder for leadership to act quickly and strategically.

Compounding the challenge was the museum’s reliance on multiple applications to support its varied operations, including numerous point-of-sale systems, eCommerce platforms, and registration systems.

Without integration, these systems operated in silos, creating inefficiencies and making it difficult to gain a holistic view of the organization’s financial health.

BUILDING A STRONG FOUNDATION

In 2022, Genesee Country Village transitioned to Sage Intacct with the guidance of Net at Work. Liz Marr, the organization’s CFO, joined Genesee soon after the migration. The project included a comprehensive review of the museum’s technology landscape by Net at Work’s Fractional CIO & Advisory team to identify opportunities for integration and efficiency. By working closely with Marr and the organization’s IT Director, Net at Work ensured that Sage Intacct became the operational backbone, connecting data from all corners of the organization into a single source of truth.

Marr describes Sage Intacct as “the sun in our solar system,” central to all operations. The system allows the museum to integrate its grant management, payables, payroll, budgeting tools, and point-of-sale systems, reducing manual processes and improving accuracy. With Net at Work’s expertise, the complex transition was handled with precision and care. “Net at Work always had the answers,” she recalls. “They made the change manageable and ensured we are set up for success.”

REAL-TIME INSIGHTS FOR BETTER DECISION-MAKING

One of the most impactful changes has been the access to real-time financial data. Sage Intacct dashboards and dimensions enable managers to drill down into departmental activities, track special events, and assess profitability. Information that was once managed in spreadsheets is now readily available, empowering managers to adjust budgets and improve planning for future events.

Marr uses her dashboard daily, monitoring income statements, balance sheets, and departmental analysis at a glance. Sharing financial reports with the board of directors, a once labor-intensive task, is now seamless and efficient. The system saves time and ensures leadership has the timely information needed to make informed strategic decisions.

TIME-SAVING EFFICIENCIES

One of the most significant improvements since implementing Sage Intacct has been in budgeting and grant management. Before, the finance team relied on Excel to manually create and update budgets, a time-consuming process that required 15 minutes per department across 70 departments—adding up to over 12 hours annually.

Using templates Marr designed within Sage Intacct, this task now takes just seconds. The streamlined process allows managers to better monitor their budgets in near real-time, keeping everyone on track and aligned. Instead of waiting for month-end reports, department heads can access up-to-date information, helping them adjust spending as needed. Grant management has also been transformed.

Net at Work helped the organization identify a new grant management application that integrates seamlessly with Sage Intacct and provides a clear picture of how funds are allocated and spent. This level of transparency keeps the organization compliant with funding requirements and makes audits far less cumbersome.

“With Sage Intacct, we’ve gone from chasing data to being proactive,” Marr says. “The efficiency we’ve gained means we can spend more time focusing on the museum’s mission and less time on repetitive tasks.”

EFFICIENCY GAINS THROUGHOUT

Overall, Genesee’s technology investments are fueling efficiencies at every level. For example, automated workflows within Sage Intacct allow the museum’s finance team, consisting of just 3.5 full-time equivalents, to manage operations without additional hires. Marr estimates that without Sage Intacct, they would need at least two more staff members to handle the workload.

Automation has further streamlined accounts payable and grant management, allowing the team to focus on strategic initiatives rather than manual processes. “Sage Intacct has helped make us incredibly efficient,” Marr explains. “It frees us to focus concentrate our resources on what matters.”

A PARTNER INVESTED IN THE MISSION

Marr emphasizes that Net at Work’s support goes beyond software support. “They’re not just supporting our software—they’re supporting our entire organization,” she says.

Net at Work’s ability to understand the museum’s unique needs, paired with their open communication and technical expertise, has made them an invaluable partner. “They feel like an extension of our team,” Marr adds. “We couldn’t have done this without them.”

PREPARED FOR A BRIGHT FUTURE

For Genesee Country Village, the partnership with Net at Work and the implementation of Sage Intacct provide the tools and insights needed to fulfill its mission of preserving history and educating future generations. From streamlined grant management to real-time data access, the museum operates with efficiency and precision, ensuring its resources are used effectively.

“We have a deep responsibility to our mission,” Marr concludes. “Sage Intacct and Net at Work give us the tools to meet that responsibility and move forward confidently.”

American Kennel Club Unleashes Efficiency Across the Organization

A TRUSTED NAME IN CANINE EXCELLENCE

Since its founding in 1884, the American Kennel Club (AKC) has been synonymous with advancing all things canine. From maintaining the largest purebred dog registry in the world to hosting thousands of events annually, the AKC’s work touches the lives of dogs and their owners in countless ways. Notably, through initiatives like the AKC Canine Health Foundation, which has donated millions to research on canine diseases, the organization furthers its mission of improving the health and well-being of dogs everywhere.

With a $104 million annual revenue stream supported by six legal entities and 500 employees, the AKC is a leader in canine advocacy and a multifaceted organization with diverse business operations. Whether managing online merchandise sales to sponsoring a wide array of shows and events to launching a political action committee (PAC) to advance the rights of responsible dog owners, the AKC relies on a strong operational backbone to fulfill its mission. For over 10 years, Sage X3 and Net at Work have played a critical role in helping the AKC streamline its operations and achieve its goals.

A STRONG FOUNDATION FOR GROWTH

The AKC had been using an older, legacy ERP application, but the system could not longer keep up with the organization’s growth and expansion. They realized they needed a partner to optimize and align their ERP system with their operational goals. They engaged Net at Work to conduct a comprehensive business process review, leveraging its Fractional CIO service to evaluate AKC’s workflows and identify opportunities to expand integrations and eliminate inefficiencies.

Net at Work helped AKC transition from relying on a collection of disparate systems to a unified platform centralizing operations, with Sage X3 at its core. Peter Rohslau, Controller at the AKC, reflects on the decision to partner with Net at Work, “They have the resources, expertise, and talent of a large company, but they operate more like a small, close-knit group. Their team is personable, and the communication is clear, professional, and informed.”

INTEGRATING SYSTEMS, IMPROVING OPERATIONS

One of the team’s first priorities was integrating the AKC’s multiple eCommerce sites, powered by Shopify, with Sage X3. The integration allows data to flow automatically from online sales platforms into Sage X3, reducing manual work, speeding up order processing, and improving accuracy. They also brought the organization’s merchandise warehouse and inventory operations into the system, giving AKC complete visibility into its holdings and simplifying order management.

“Having our inventory in Sage X3 has been transformative,” says Rohslau. “It’s simplified our processes and allowed us to focus on growing this aspect of our operation.”

Beyond eCommerce, Net at Work has helped integrate other critical systems into Sage X3, including Prophix for budgeting and reporting, Vertex for tax compliance, and a credit card processing application. These integrations ensure that the AKC operates efficiently and cohesively across all facets of its business.

STREAMLINING WORKFLOWS AND POWERING SCALABILITY

The AKC is a highly decentralized organization with six legal entities and over 50 departments. Using Sage X3’s workflow functionality, Net at Work set up automated approval processes for tasks like purchase requests. This replaced time-consuming, inefficient email chains and manual paperwork with efficient, standardized workflows. The automation brings disparate departments together, powering a more cohesive operation.

As the AKC grows and adds additional entities, onboarding them into Sage X3 is straightforward, ensuring scalability as the organization expands. Sage X3’s flexibility even supports AKC’s small manufacturing operation, where raw materials are sent to third-party suppliers for processing and returned as finished goods for sale. Net at Work helped configure workflows in Sage X3 to simplify this process, saving time and ensuring accuracy.

RELIABLE PARTNERSHIP, TRUSTED EXPERTISE

For Rohslau, one of the most valuable aspects of working with Net at Work is the continuity and consistency of the relationship. The original consultant who began supporting the AKC over a decade ago remains their primary contact today, backed by a deep bench of resources. “Having the same partner, even the same consultant, means they understand how we work. It makes for a powerful, collaborative partnership,” Rohslau explains.

This consistency has been critical in supporting AKC’s mission-critical financial processes. With all financial data centralized in Sage X3, Rohslau and his team can close the month in just ten days—a significant improvement over the previous process. Timely, accurate data now flows directly to department heads and executives, enabling informed, strategic decision-making.

“We’ve gone from sharing reports quarterly to providing department heads with the information they need every month,” Rohslau says. “It’s essential for staying ahead of challenges and allocating resources effectively.”

A SEAMLESS CLOUD TRANSITION

To further enhance and modernize its operations, the AKC chose to host Sage X3 and its related applications on Cloud at Work, Net at Work’s virtual private cloud hosting service. The decision was rooted in the trust they had built with Net at Work over years of successful collaboration. “It’s seamless and always on,” says Rohslau. “We’ve had zero issues.”

POSITIONED FOR THE FUTURE

The AKC plans to implement additional solutions, including workflow management and AP automation tools, with Net at Work facilitating the integrations. Rohslau is confident that with Sage X3 and Net at Work, the organization is well-positioned to expand on the important work they perform.

“We’re always looking for ways to be more efficient, to streamline further,” he says. “With Sage X3 and Net at Work, I know we can keep improving and advancing the work that matters most to us.”

The American Kennel Club’s mission to promote the well-being of dogs and their owners requires a strong foundation of operational excellence. From funding groundbreaking research through the AKC Canine Health Foundation to managing complex registrations and celebrating the deep human-canine connection, the AKC’s work has a profound impact on dogs, owners, and communities worldwide. With Sage X3 as their operational backbone and Net at Work as a trusted partner, the AKC stays in step, ready to tackle new challenges and continue championing the bond between people and their dogs.

Strategic Supply Chain Solutions Help Boost Process Manufacturer’s Revenues 14%

The U.S. nutraceutical and supplements market is one of the fastest growing sectors of the economy — estimated at over $200 billion in 2022. It’s a segment that UniWell Laboratories knows well. The Texas-based contract manufacturer produces powders, liquids, gels, and tablets for retailers and direct-to-consumer companies in these markets. Thanks in part to its partnership with Net at Work, UniWell is well-equipped to capitalize on the industry’s growth — its own revenues are up 14% this year.

UNIFIED APPROACH FOR UNIWELL

Growth hasn’t always come so easy for UniWell, however. Several years ago, the company engaged another reseller to replace its legacy ERP with Sage X3, a powerful next-generation business management solution offering specialized functionality that makes it an ideal fit for process manufacturers. Bryan Polozola, UniWell’s CFO at the time, was just leaving the company for a new career opportunity. “The implementation didn’t ever really get off the ground,” explains Bryan — who returned to UniWell as CFO two years ago. “Sage X3 needs professional implementation and a champion stakeholder within the company. UniWell didn’t have either of those back then.”

Upon his return to the company, Bryan set out to change things. “We brought in Net at Work to re-implement the software,” he says. “And we hired them as our Fractional CIO. We wanted to do things right, which meant bringing in the pros who could manage the project from every angle.”

Net at Work’s dedicated Fractional CIO and Sage X3 consulting team worked with UniWell to develop a detailed assessment of current operations, followed by specific recommendations for how to optimize the operations. Then they all got to work making the improvements a reality.

OVERCOMING SUPPLY CHAIN CHALLENGES

UniWell certainly isn’t alone in experiencing supply chain disruptions, but they now have the tools to quickly adapt, pivot, and keep production flowing. “Many of our raw materials come from overseas. We saw freight costs quadruple and ports shut down,” says Bryan. “It could have been a mess, but we’ve been able to come through stronger because of better visibility which leads to improved forecasting and more informed procurement.”

Feeding that visibility is the Materials Requirement Planning (MRP) function within Sage X3. “We were using MRP before the re-implementation, but not in the right ways,” notes Bryan. “The report took eight hours to run! Following Net at Work’s re-implementation, it’s nearly instant.”

Armed with new strategic insights, UniWell can now set realistic customer expectations, refine its resupply intervals, and optimize its inventory holdings. Bryan cites an example of the benefits of the process improvements. “We used to overbuy raw materials because we couldn’t determine supply and demand accurately. Overstocking is expensive, and it’s also potentially wasteful since our products have a shelf life. Now, we make informed purchasing decisions using all the data available to us — we know what we need and when we’ll need it. As a result, we were able to lock in pricing with a vendor through a master purchase order, taking delivery when we need it and saving a significant amount of money.”

FRACTIONAL CIO SPARKS THE SHIFT FROM TACTICAL TO STRATEGIC

Without the right amount — and type — of inventory on hand at the right time, manufacturing stops. “We used to try to track it all in spreadsheets, but it was too difficult to keep it up to date,” notes Bryan. “We’d have long production meetings to discuss what we should order and when. Now, we discuss strategy and optimization ideas. We’ve got the time to figure out how to be better, not just how to get by.”

Bryan says that Net at Work has helped UniWell move from being a purely tactical company to a strategic company. “Tactical companies tend to stay focused on fixing the problems that got them in trouble yesterday. Strategic companies focus on predicting tomorrow’s problems and finding ways to prevent them.”

Bryan credits the company’s Fractional CIO and Advisory Services with much of the success. “The software is capable of so much, but those capabilities are hidden without experts highlighting it and putting it to work. That’s what Net at Work does. Through their understanding of our business, Sage X3, manufacturing in general, and technology as a whole — our Fractional CIO is definitely delivering a return on our investment.”

The Net at Work Fractional CIO is now working on optimizing another process for UniWell by incorporating Automated Data Capture (ADC) in its warehouse. Warehouse personnel use handhelds to scan product movement in real time, contributing to the elevated visibility that benefits other aspects of the business. “ADC is all about speed and accuracy,” Bryan says. “When you reduce touchpoints and roadblocks, every part of the company benefits.”

GETTING OUT IN FRONT

When business moves quickly, as it does at UniWell, it’s easy to fall into a reactionary mode — responding to problems as they arise. But with help from their Fractional CIO, UniWell is no longer simply reacting to issues, they’re out in front of them. “Net at Work configured a whole series of alerts within Sage X3 that notify our staff of changes they need to know about — in time to do something about it,” says Bryan.

For example, when a new sales order is created, the marketing, production scheduling, and purchasing teams are notified. “I can’t tell you how valuable this has been for us,” notes Bryan. “A sales win is a win for all of us, so it’s important to share — but it also sets in motion a series of events. By immediately notifying the impacted teams, they get a jump start on those events. It leads to time savings, better efficiency, and improved overall accuracy.” Other configured alerts notify teams of expected shipment delays so they can proactively mitigate the impacts.

OPERATIONAL VISIBILITY

In addition to automated alerts, UniWell has a series of targeted reports that it delivers to stakeholders each week through a report scheduler. It’s another way the company is improving collaboration and data democratization. “Our Fractional CIO created one especially valuable Sage Enterprise Intelligence report for us that helps us look at our materials, sales orders, purchase orders, and work orders in concert,” says Bryan. “He was only able to do that because of his cohesive understanding of the manufacturing cycle and the Sage X3 solution. He understands our business with his decades of experience, and knows how to make progress quickly.”

Another win credited to increased data visibility is a generous property tax savings. Property taxes in Texas, like other states, are determined based on the inventory held. Thanks to real-time information concerning vendor lead times and open purchase orders, UniWell was able to delay some purchases until January to minimize its tax. “This is the kind of thing us CFOs love,” says Bryan. “Sage X3 is absolutely helping us manage the business better.”

NOTHING SHORT OF PERFECTION

Bryan says what he appreciates most about his relationship with Net at Work is the honesty. “I like that they challenge my ideas and prompt me to think about different ways to achieve the desired outcome.”

“I don’t want ‘yes men,’ I want expert advice, even if it contradicts what I was thinking,” he continues. “I get that from Net at Work and our Fractional CIO— and it’s invaluable.”

Bryan concludes, “I like to say our Net at Work Fractional CIO and Advisory Services help us see the business from the forest level, while most of us spend our time in the trees. Every month he asks questions, makes suggestions, and orchestrates changes that make us better at what we do. Our goal is nothing short of perfection. With Sage X3 and the help of Net at Work, we’ve got it in our sights.”