NG Bailey Streamlined Processes Across the Business with Access Coins Evo 

NG Bailey is the UK's leading independent engineering and services business.  

NG Bailey migrated their on-prem Access Coins ERP to a single cloud-hosted platform for the entire business, using the move to simplify and standardise processes and adopt best practice. 

Business size

Large

Industry

Construction & Engineering 

Product

Access Coins

Challenge

  • An existing on-prem Coins user, NG Bailey wanted to migrate to a single cloud-hosted platform for the entire business
  • Invoice processing and query resolution were a major problem for finance and procurement, managed off-system via phone calls and emails
  • The business managed a significant number of different security set-ups

Approach

  • Set out to replicate and redefine all current processes on their on-prem system, adopting best practice
  • Developed a dedicated portal, structured around job roles and functions, for help and guidance, logging calls and requesting new user accounts
  • Developed training videos on topics such as raising an order and invoice processing

Results

  • Invoice queries resolved directly in Access Coins, saving time and increasing visibility
  • New employees set up quickly by their line manager, with immediate access to the functions their role requires within the platform
  • Security groups greatly reduced by building them around roles

Results At-A-Glance 

  • Easier remote working: Single sign-on means users can log in to Access Coins wherever they're based.
  • Faster approvals: Approval rules and tolerances speed up online approvals, which makes a huge difference when they're done hundreds of times a week.
  • Less time on admin: People spend less time on administration, so they can focus on more value-added activities.
  • Better procurement visibility: Workbenches give the procurement team better visibility, with functionality that's faster, clearer and more detailed.
  • Lower costs: Forms in Access Coins produce professional PDF documents, saving costs by replacing a third-party system and its related interfaces.
  • A smooth implementation: The rollout exceeded the expectations of everyone involved, with very few technical issues for a project of this size and complexity. 

About NG Bailey

Founded in 1921, the business has grown from a small electrical contractor to the award-winning, industry-leading company it is today. 

NG Bailey specialises in the design, offsite manufacture and maintenance of mechanical and electrical solutions, and enjoys an industry-leading reputation for delivering work and projects both responsibly and sustainably across many different sectors.  

NG Bailey is a national business with a local presence, and its project portfolio includes nuclear, new build, fast-paced manufacturing facilities, state-of-the-art schools, universities and hospitals, cutting-edge office spaces and retail venues, railway stations, sports stadiums and iconic city landmarks. 

Plumbing in a building

Project Aims 

Streamline Processes 

The main aim of the project was to replicate and redefine all current processes onto the Access Coins platform, adopting best practice and streamlining the way that everyone within the company worked.   

''NG Bailey used the implementation of Coins ERP as an opportunity to simplify and standardise processes'' 

Haroon Esmail, ICT Project Manager, NG Bailey  

Replicating existing processes within Access Coins would make everyday tasks easier due to the excellent productivity features of the interface. 

Enabling Change

A dedicated NG Bailey Coins portal was developed, structured around job roles and functions. This was an important resource for users to access help and guidance, log calls, and request new user accounts, as well hosting comprehensive discussion forums for the group.  

A series of training videos, covering topics such as ‘raising an order’ and ‘invoice processing’, were also developed to support this technology rollout, all available on the Coins support portal. 

Civil engineering project

Key Efficiencies Since Moving Coins to the Cloud 

NG Bailey have identified nine key business benefits since implementing Access Coins.

Improved Remote Working 

Implementing a single sign-on has meant that users can log in to Access Coins wherever they are based, making it easier for people to work remotely.  

‘At a Glance’ Information 

Job-specific Access Coins desktops have been set up with shortcuts and functions relative to roles, providing excellent functionality for end users.  

''Introducing Coins Desktops for each business department has made it easier to access commonly used functionality whilst remaining visually attractive. In some cases widgets have been used to show at-a-glance critical information, which aids daily management."

Andrew Stickland, Senior Systems Analyst, NG Bailey  

Working Smarter 

Invoice processing and query resolution used to be a major problem for finance and procurement teams with issues previously being managed ‘off system’ via phone calls and emails.  

Now, following the adoption of Access Coins ‘Problem invoice’ and ‘Missing ticket’ solutions, invoice queries can be resolved directly within Coins, saving time and increasing visibility.  

Access Coins enables approval rules and tolerances to be set up, speeding up online approvals, which, when done hundreds of times a week, makes a huge difference.  

''People are not spending as much time on administration, which means they can focus on more value-added activities. It’s an improvement all round in the way we are working.'' 

Steve Barnett, NG Bailey 

HR Features  

The implementation of Access Coins has made it easier for NG Bailey to onboard new employees and support career progression within the company due to new role-based access features.  

As job roles have been built into Coins, new employees can now be set-up quickly as users by their line manager, enabling immediate access to the functions their role requires.  

Improved Functionality 

Access Coins has been enthusiastically adopted across NG Bailey as a result of features which make everyday tasks much simpler.  

User friendly features include:  

  • Ability to view multiple tabs and screens 
  • Ability to easily copy and paste from one screen to another 
  • Ability to easily drill down, filter and search 
  • Easily load journals and produce reports 
  • Bulk uploads/downloads 
  • Easily export to Excel  

''Coins Forms has allowed us to produce professional-looking PDF documents whilst saving costs by replacing a third-party system and its related interfaces.'' 

Andrew Stickland, Senior Systems Analyst, NG Bailey

Efficiency and Empowerment  

Business teams have now been empowered to take ownership of processes relating to their roles, which both improves efficiency and removes bottlenecks.  

''What Coins has done is create new opportunities for the transactions team to do a job that the customers want done. Coins is slick and quick but it’s the faith I put in my team to use the system to its ability which gets us the great achievements.'' 

 Michelle Baxendale, Group Transactions Manager, NG Bailey 

Digitisation of VAT and Tax 

NG Bailey are now able to benefit from the ‘Domestic reverse charge’ and ‘Making tax digital’ functionality which comes as standard in Access Coins. 

Smarter Procurement 

Procurement processes have been transformed, with streamlined invoice handling, reduced delays and minimal manual intervention.  

''My team now have better visibility using various workbenches.  The functionality is faster, clearer and more detailed.  Having the ability to attach various documents to requisitions, purchase orders and invoices by various teams is so time saving and efficient.  Everything in one place making our lives easier!'' 

Suzanne M C Silcock, Group Head of P2P, Strategic Sourcing & Systems Procurement, NG Bailey 

Improved Security 

Access Coins has powerful security features, which means that you can provide access to the maximum amount of information with minimal commercial risk. For example:  

  • The procurement team have full access to the subcontract ledger, purchase ledger and contract ledgers which helps them with query resolution.  
  • Site-based teams can access order, supplier and certificate details immediately within Coins.  

''This really helps us with maintaining security and auditing activity, it both saves time and makes things a lot easier for ICT.'' 

Haroon Esmail, ICT Project Manager, NG Bailey  

Prior to implementing Access Coins on the cloud, NG Bailey managed a significant number of different security set-ups, which have now been streamlined. A strategy of developing security groups relating to roles has been adopted, enabling the number of security groups to be greatly reduced.   

''Migration to Coins allowed us to rationalise our security groups. We've now got far fewer groups and these are built into Coins Roles. Doing this has also allowed us to create a new way of getting access to the system. It also helps massively with the yearly audit. Something I think we should be very proud of.'' 

Ryan Smith, Systems Analyst, NG Bailey 

A Smooth Implementation

The smooth implementation of Access Coins has been a success story for NG Bailey - exceeding the expectations of everyone involved. There were very few technical issues encountered which for a project of this size and complexity was gratifying, but not surprising as Coins is a stable product.  

  • Users are delighted with the increased functionality.  
  • Coins makes it easier to collaborate, share responsibility and work together. 
  • Improved access to information with minimum commercial risk.  

''A key legacy of this project is that business functions and ICT are continuing to work more closely together'' 

Haroon Esmail, ICT Project Manager, NG Bailey  

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