Sustainability has become a strategic priority for companies, particularly for SMEs concerned about their environmental, social, and economic impact.  But how Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central can help with the CSR obligation ? The ISO 26000 standard, widely recognized in Switzerland, provides guidelines for integrating social responsibility into organizational practices. Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central offers features that facilitate this integration by enabling efficient and transparent management of sustainability initiatives.  Tracking and Reporting Greenhouse Gas Emissions   (GHG)   Business Central enables companies to track and report their GHG emissions in alignment with ISO 26000 standards. Key features include:   Sustainability Sheets : Logging emissions data by source  Automated Calculations : Converting raw data into CO₂ equivalents  ESG Category Tracking : Covering Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions   These tools enhance transparency and help communicate environmental performance to stakeholders. The Swiss Confederation “expects companies based or operating in Switzerland to take responsibility, both domestically and abroad, in accordance with internationally recognized CSR standards and guidelines.”   The Business Central ERP stands out as a valuable tool to support compliance with the CSR and ESG standards recommended by the Confederation .   Automating Emissions Estimates with Copilot   The integration of Copilot in Business Central provides automated suggestions for emissions estimates, reducing both errors and the time required for data collection. This feature is especially valuable for SMEs with limited sustainability resources, enabling them to streamline reporting processes and focus on strategic environmental initiatives.  This is particularly valuable for companies in the early stages of structuring their environmental reporting.  In Switzerland, companies are “ directly affected by new regulations due to third-country rules and indirectly through their clients ”  as noted by SECO – the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs.   Integrating Sustainability into Business Processes   Business Central embeds sustainability criteria directly into operational processes such as:  Purchasing : Tracking emissions related to suppliers  Production : Managing waste and energy consumption  Logistics : Optimizing routes to reduce carbon footprint  This integration promotes a holistic approach to sustainability, in line with the principles of the internationally recognized ISO 26000 standard.    Alignment with ISO 26000   ISO 26000 is not a mandatory standard; rather, it provides guidance on corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices. ISO 26000 covers areas such as:  Organizational governance  Human rights  Labor practices  The environment  Fair operating practices  Consumer issues  Community involvement and development  Business Central supports these areas by providing tools for:   Managing internal policies  Monitoring performance indicators  Transparent communication with stakeholders    CSR : Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central Keeps Going Green!   With every new update, Microsoft continues to enhance the sustainability features of its ERP, Dynamics 365 Business Central. This translates into significant time savings for companies striving to combine economic performance with environmental responsibility. Businesses can easily track feature updates and stay aligned with evolving sustainability goals.  At Almakom, we are committed to staying at the cutting edge of technology to ensure our clients have access to the latest application features. At every new major update, we publish a blog post highlighting the most useful functionalities for our clients.  By adopting Business Central for sustainability management, companies can:  Enhance their brand image  by demonstrating a commitment to sustainability.  Meet stakeholder expectations  (customers, investors, public sector) who prioritize responsible businesses.  Optimize costs  by identifying inefficiencies and reducing waste.  Ensure compliance with regulations  by simplifying the production of reports aligned with international standards.  Ultimately, compliant, flexible, and powerful , Business Central is a key ally in meeting ESG regulatory requirements while achieving your CSR goals.

In a demanding sector like logistics, mistakes, delays, and information silos can be costly. For small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), manual management or relying on outdated and disconnected systems quickly becomes a barrier to growth.  How can you tell if your business is ready for a powerful ERP system? Here are 5 unmistakable signs.  1. You're juggling multiple tools that don’t communicate with each other   Between warehouse management software, invoicing tools, Excel spreadsheets, and email systems, are you spending too much time manually consolidating data? That’s the first clear sign that an ERP system could significantly boost your productivity.  What an ERP like Dynamics 365 Business Central can do for you:   ✔ Centralize your data   ✔ Real-time synchronization across all your teams (sales, operations, logistics)   ✔ Fewer entry errors and duplicates  2. Your logistics processes aren’t standardized   Does each team member have their own way of doing things? Do you waste time looking for information or fixing processing errors? Is onboarding new employees a real challenge?  An ERP helps formalize, automate, and secure your processes.  A well-configured ERP means:  Clear workflows  Consistent management of orders, inventory, and deliveries  Fewer internal discrepancies  Smoother operations  3. You don’t have real-time visibility into your performance If you have to wait until the end of the month to know where you stand in terms of revenue, delays, or stock levels, your management system may not be optimized.  With a well-configured ERP system:  You can track your logistics KPIs in real time  You can anticipate delivery delays  You can optimize stock levels  4. You’re struggling to keep up with business growth Is your business expanding, but your management tools can’t keep up? Are you juggling too many projects for your ERP to remain efficient? Did you fail to plan for your company’s growth?  A scalable ERP grows with your business:   Multi-warehouse, multi-currency, and multi-subsidiary management   Customizable modules tailored to your industry  Scalable without multiplying tools and systems  5. Your customers are complaining about a lack of responsiveness   If you're struggling to meet deadlines, dealing with conflicting information, or your customer service team is overwhelmed, a modern ERP might be the solution.  A modern ERP also enhances the customer experience:  Up-to-date order information  Smooth coordination between sales and operations teams  Built-in AI to suggest actions or prevent delays   Almakom – Your IT Partner Specializing in Logistics ERP  for SME If you see yourself in one or more of these situations, it’s a clear sign: maybe it’s time to turn an ERP into a true asset for your logistics SME.  Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central  is designed for businesses like yours:  Fast to deploy  Scalable and modular  Fully integrated with the Microsoft ecosystem (Excel, Outlook, Teams)    Take advantage of a free 15-minute audit  to assess your needs and discover the best solution for your business — whether it's an ERP, CRM, or a custom business application.  We Turn Your Needs into Real Solutions   At Almakom , we’re not only software integrators — we’re also developers of business applications tailored to the operational specifics of each company.  Our approach is based on an agile methodology , focused on listening, change management, process analysis, and technological adaptation. With deep expertise in the Microsoft Dynamics 365 ecosystem  (ERP, CRM) and a strong ability to build custom solutions, we ensure perfect alignment between your digital tools and your business goals.  Our values?  Proximity, expert advice, and hands-on know-how — for a digital transformation that is practical, impactful, and sustainable.

Software for SME - Distribution and Digitalization: A Strategic Duo     SMEs in the distribution sector today must operate in a complex environment: real-time inventory management, multi-channel sales (e-commerce, transportation, distributors), demanding customer relationships, and complex logistics. To remain competitive, they have no choice — digitalizing management processes is an essential performance driver. But between ERP, CRM, and custom business applications, which solution should you choose? And most importantly, how can you ensure the tool truly adapts to your specific business needs?  ERP, CRM, Custom Business Application: Which Software to Choose in Distribution?     ERP: Unified Management of Your Business     An ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system like Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central centralizes key data and processes: purchasing, sales, logistics, finance, HR, and more. The AI-powered Copilot can be integrated into your ERP to help automate certain tasks. It provides a comprehensive view of your operations and helps optimize productivity.  Automated stock level tracking  Multi-warehouse and multi-channel management  Margin analysis by product or channel  Integration with billing tools  Microsoft offers Cloud hosting  An intuitive, customizable dashboard makes managing your business and overseeing your operations easier than ever.  Business Central ERP is more than just management software — it enables your teams to collaborate, improve traceability and workflows, automate tasks, enhance analytics, and much more.    CRM: The Engine of Your Customer Relationship     A CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system like Dynamics 365 Sales or Pipedrive focuses on managing customer and sales relationships — prospects, clients, and sales activities. It helps you structure your sales efforts and improve customer loyalty. Additionally, the AI-powered Copilot can be integrated to assist your team with daily task management. A CRM offers tangible benefits such as:  Tracking sales opportunities  Customer segmentation  Marketing campaign automation  Microsoft provides SaaS hosting that complies with GDPR and Swiss data protection laws (nLPD).  An intuitive dashboard allows your teams to customize their preferences, manage customer relationships, automate prospect follow-ups, and more.    Business application: the tool that fits your field reality   A custom business application  is a solution specifically designed for a particular need or business function. It can be developed from scratch or configured based on an existing platform, then connected to an ERP or CRM. At Almakom, we create tailor-made solutions that adapt to your existing processes—and, most importantly, to your software—for SMEs in the distribution sector:  Delivery route management tool  Fast order entry application on tablets at point of sale    How to choose the right solution?   Analyze your business processes   Identify your bottlenecks: where is time being lost? Which departments lack reliable information? An ERP is suitable if you want to centralize operations. A CRM is relevant if your goal is better sales and/or marketing efficiency. A custom business application is ideal for digitizing a specific process.  Anticipate Your Growth   Is your business evolving? Choose scalable and interconnected solutions. At Almakom, we integrate Microsoft Dynamics 365 modules—including ERP and CRM—with custom applications we develop tailored to your industry.  Prioritize Integration Over Juxtaposition   The real power lies in integrating your tools. This is where our expertise as both a software developer and integrator makes the difference: an ERP connected to your custom business application enables smooth management without duplicate data entry.  Why connect your custom application to an ERP?   Real-time visibility of stock and orders  Automated and compliant invoicing  Fewer data entry errors  Comprehensive performance analysis (sales, margins, customer tracking, etc.)    Almakom, your partner   Almakom is a Swiss integrator and software developer specializing in the Microsoft Dynamics 365 ecosystem. Our mission? To help distribution SMEs succeed in their digital transformation by reinventing their information systems with simple, scalable solutions that align perfectly with their business.  Our approach:   Personalized audit and consulting  Agile deployment  Certified consultants with domain expertise  Training and team support to ensure adoption  Change management at the heart of every project  Our commitments:   Compliance with local regulations (VAT, data protection)  Integration with existing tools, such as accounting software  Integration of additional modules  Transparency on costs (licenses, ROI, depreciation)  Local, responsive, and personalized support