TUSA case study
Tusa Logo

Migration from Dynamics GP to Dynamics 365 Business Central Online

Company Information

Business Type: Distributor of Scuba Gear


Industry: Distribution


Location: Long Beach, CA


Number of Users: 15


Website: https://tusa.com/us-en

Company Description

Tabata Co., Ltd. is a global manufacturer of high-quality sporting goods based in Tokyo, Japan. With ISO 9001 certified design, engineering, testing and manufacturing facilities in Japan and Taiwan, Tabata operates under the most stringent quality standards available. Tabata’s global network includes facilities in Japan, Taiwan, Australia, Netherlands and the United States. 

Founded in Tokyo in 1952 by Kazuo Tabata, TUSA (Tabata USA) is one of the world’s first scuba equipment manufacturers. Mr. Tabata began making handmade masks and goggles in his garage, and the company has since maintained a steadfast commitment to using only the finest materials in its products and pursuing continuous innovation and improvement. 

TUSA’s pioneering spirit is evident in many of its innovations, such as introducing crystal silicone mask skirts with the original Liberator model and offering a range of vibrant colors in diving equipment. The company’s product line includes VIEW Swimming Gear, TUSA Sport Snorkeling Equipment, Golf Equipment, and other recreational sporting goods, all of which benefit from TUSA’s ongoing commitment to innovation and quality.  

For more than 70 years, TUSA has played a leading role in shaping the future of diving, and the company’s dedicated team will continue to enhance the scuba and watersports experience for generations to come. 

Project Overview

Tabata USA (TUSA) has been utilizing Microsoft Dynamics GP for over 15 years, having upgraded several times during that period. However, the company’s database has grown increasingly complex over time due to the addition of numerous customized functions. This patchwork of customizations now heavily relies on the institutional knowledge of a select few employees. With the company’s continued growth, it has become increasingly challenging for TUSA to efficiently manage its system, and new employees struggle to learn its complicated structure. Moreover, analyzing and accessing data has become time-consuming, hindering the company’s operations and customer service. 

TUSA has recently adopted Microsoft 365 on the cloud and discovered the seamless eco-system of Microsoft applications (Outlook, Excel, Teams, etc.), convenience, visibility, and cost-savings. The ability to synchronize all of their data and manage subscription licenses in a single location has proven to be a powerful business advantage for TUSA. This experience ultimately led to the decision to select Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central as the next step in their business software evolution. 

TUSA’s proactive leadership was prepared for a transformation and expansion of their business. The decision was made to replace their current system with the latest ERP technology and migrate to the cloud. 

Having partnered with Calsoft since the initial GP implementation, TUSA relied on Calsoft’s expertise to guide them through their digital transformation. TUSA states, “Calsoft has been with us from the beginning. They have a thorough understanding of our requirements and have worked closely with us throughout the years to modify, improve, simplify, and suggest. When embarking on a new project, it is a relief to have a partner who comprehends your business needs so well because they have been involved in our day-to-day operations.” 

Migration from Dynamics GP to Dynamics 365 Business Central Online  

Solutions/Modules

  • Accounting 
    • General Ledger, Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable, Fixed Asset, Bank management 
    • Collection management: 3rd Party Add-on Collect 365 
    • Commission Management: 3rd Party Add-on: NAV-X Commission Management 
  • Supply Chain Management 
    • Sales Order, Shipping, Invoicing 
    • Purchase Order, Receiving 
    • Automated Item Reservation 
    • Integration with e-Commerce platform 
    • Shipping Optimization for variety of freight carriers (FedEx etc.) : 3rd Party Add-on E-Ship. 
  • Business Intelligence/ Data Analysis: Power BI 
    • Builds variety of analysis reports including Sales Performance Report  

Project Goals & Objectives

  • Streamline and transform their operations to optimize their business processes. 
  • Switch to a user-friendly system that unifies the company in a seamless, automated way. 
  • Quickly access business insights and analytics reports, anytime anywhere. 
  • Improve customer satisfaction through timely accessibility to important data. 
  • Expand business opportunities. 

Results Achieved

Business process improvement and system accessibility  

  • TUSA examined their operations’ workflows carefully and eliminated steps that were no longer optimal, resulting in smoother, streamlined operations.  
  • Compared to GP, BC is significantly more user-friendly, enabling new employees to start using the system immediately. 
  • The understanding of their ERP system is no longer reliant on a few individuals. 
  • Integration with Microsoft 365 account increased productivity of TUSA users in communication with customers. 
  • As part of the migration process, obsolete data such as items, customers, and vendors were carefully removed to ensure that the new system could operate efficiently. This helped to streamline operations and ensure that the new system was not cluttered with irrelevant or outdated data. 

 

Overall visibility and ability to analyze and share data quickly 

  • TUSA members could smoothly and easily access necessary data at any time and conveniently download it into Excel.  
  • With all data consolidated into a single location, TUSA users are now able to save a significant amount of time previously spent navigating multiple screens to locate the necessary information. 
  • The streamlined approach has improved customer service and faster resolution of issues, while also improving productivity for employees.  

 

An ERP system designed for today’s remote workstyle  

  • By migrating to a cloud-based ERP, TUSA was able to eliminate their reliance on a slow VPN connection. As a result, they now have a fast and secure connection to their Microsoft 365 and Dynamics 365 Business Central system from anywhere in the world. 

 

Confidence to pursue new business opportunities 

  • Business Central’s user-level permissions on the cloud allow TUSA to provide secure access of their system to external companies. This flexibility has made it possible for TUSA’s leadership to outsource and establish partnerships for new business channels because they can quickly share the necessary data.  

Client Testimonial

“The benefit is overall visibility and the ability for us to share and analyze data. The accessibility of the data so the user can get it all in one place. We have it readily available now, which we did not have before. That was super key to the success.”

Anna Backe, Vice President, TUSA

As company president, business growth is one of the important jobs on my shoulders. Microsoft cloud services synchronizes all our business applications with our ERP system so that our entire company and external partners are securely and quickly connected. This has given me more confidence to aggressively find new business opportunities. It’s all thanks to this.”

Taka Yamaguchi, President, TUSA

Why They Chose Calsoft

TUSA holds Calsoft in high regard as one of the most trustworthy and respectful companies they have had the pleasure of working with. According to TUSA’s president, “Calsoft is unmatched in their understanding of our company’s unique needs, and their expertise has been invaluable in helping us make informed decisions as we continue to grow and evolve. The Calsoft team is comprised of talented individuals who know our staff very well, and they have become a valuable asset to our company.” 

TUSA appreciated Calsoft’s consistency and diligence to reach the project’s goal. “They were very thorough. They kept us on track, always giving us status updates. They structured the project very well, so that we didn’t miss anything. They were very good at guiding us to the finish line.” 

Calsoft’s expertise as a one-stop shop provider has been beneficial for TUSA beyond the Business Central implementation. For instance, when TUSA transitioned from local servers to the cloud, they had concerns about their network infrastructure. Calsoft’s network and ERP teams worked together to find solutions that optimize the entire system, providing TUSA with a comprehensive solution. This collaborative approach has been very beneficial to TUSA as they continue to streamline and optimize their operations. 

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