Project Overview
GMK, a leading UK importer and distributor of sports shooting equipment established in 1971, had been running Microsoft Dynamics Navision on-premise for over 15 years. With several GMK-specific customisations developed over time, the business needed to modernise while protecting its existing investment — improving accessibility, security and system stability, and reducing the effort required for future upgrades.
Transparity supported GMK’s transition to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central in the cloud, delivering a seamless migration across a single weekend. The platform now supports the end-to-end operations of three group companies — GMK, Holland & Holland and Centanex — with all existing customisations preserved and a cloud-ready foundation in place for future innovation.
The Challenge
GMK has followed a Microsoft-first approach to ERP for over 15 years, with Microsoft Dynamics Navision supporting its end-to-end business processes through an on-premise deployment.
Over time, several GMK-specific customisations were developed, including a complex stock matrix tool. While the business maintained upgrades to ensure ongoing supportability, it recognised the need to modernise.
GMK decided to upgrade to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central to improve accessibility, security, and system stability, while reducing the effort required for future upgrades and protecting its investment in existing customisations.
Transparity was selected to support the transition to a cloud-ready version of Dynamics 365 Business Central, enabling access to new functionality and creating a foundation for future innovation.
“Having moved to a Microsoft platform we always like to try and keep up to date with the latest version to take advantage of new functionality or capabilities that have been introduced. Business Central was a natural choice with significant benefits for our business.” — Oskar Waktare, Finance Director, GMK
The Solution
The transition to Business Central was completed over a period of four to five months, with final cutover achieved over a single weekend. Any remaining issues were resolved quickly, resulting in a smooth and seamless migration.
The platform now supports the end-to-end operations of three companies within the group: GMK, Holland & Holland, and Centanex. It underpins retail and online sales, manufacturing, and specialist research and development activities.
Business Central supports daily operations including stock ordering, goods receipt, warehousing, and the dispatch of 50 to 100 orders per day from a 30,000-square-foot warehouse. It also enables servicing and repair processes.
Integration with SAP Business Objects provides a centralised data repository for management reporting, delivering improved visibility and business insight.
Approximately 70 to 80 users across multiple departments, including finance, purchasing, and warehouse operations, now rely on Business Central for day-to-day processes. Manufacturing processes within Holland & Holland were also brought into the platform following the initial implementation.
The system supports advanced warehouse processes, including automated picking and receiving using handheld scanning devices, as well as integration with courier services for automated dispatch label generation.
Additional capabilities include service order management for tracking warranty and non-warranty repairs, and production order management using bill of materials and task-based workflows.
“The process of moving us to the new Business Central platform took about four or five months from the initial decision to go-live, with the final cutover done over a weekend. The few issues that remained were solved very quickly, so the migration was pretty seamless.” — Oskar Waktare, Finance Director, GMK
By moving to Business Central, GMK now benefits from a robust, cloud-ready platform that enables remote access, improved resilience, and simplified, automated upgrades.
The Outcome
Familiar Microsoft interface
Business Central maintains a familiar Microsoft interface, reducing training requirements while allowing users to personalise dashboards and workflows.
Protection of customisations
All existing GMK-specific customisations have been retained within Business Central, protecting previous investments.
Future-proof platform
The move to Business Central provides a cloud-ready solution that improves accessibility, enhances security, and reduces the complexity and time required for future upgrades.
Efficiency gains
Automation capabilities and improved user experience enable GMK to continue driving operational efficiency across its business processes.
