The Botswana Ministry of Local Government needed to automate its business management systems to reduce a huge backlog of unclosed manual accounts in local authorities. The ministry worked with Microsoft® Certified Partner PSU International in deploying Microsoft Dynamics® GP 8.0 business management software. Today, 60 per cent of local councils are up to date with their returns compared to zero in 2002, when the project started.

Invensys Operations Management is out to make it easier and less expensive for small electric utilities in the United States to participate in smart grid, an energy modernization program supported by the U.S. government. Utilities need a high-performance, low-cost way to distribute real-time pricing data to customers so that they can make smarter consumption decisions. Invensys responded by creating a smart grid communications platform using The Service Bus and Access Control Service, both part of the Windows Azure™ platform. The resulting platform enables utilities to immediately embrace smart grid services at affordable prices. Such services will help utility customers save money by using energy more wisely. Invensys developed its pilot solution in just three months as part of a plan to realize increased revenues from selling smart grid–compliant products and services.

Sessa Klein (SK), world leading innovator in the design and production of windows for rolling stock, established SessaKlein Shenfei (SKS) with Suzhou Shenfei Vehicle Windows Manufacturer in 2008. SK knew a sophisticated and flexible ERP was necessary to make the new joint venture a world-class operation where important technical and design data could reach the people that needed it quickly. Working closely with Beijing EXTECH Technology, SKS deployed Microsoft Dynamics® AX 2009. Streamlined access to critical information and processes through Role Center help people organize and manage workloads, and the familiar, intuitive interface made it easy for the 40+ staff to start benefiting right away. Furthermore, by taking advantage of Microsoft Dynamics AX’s localization modules, SKS was able to ensure they met Chinese regulations for their financial reports accurately and on time.

RJ Lee Group tackles technically challenging problems with a team of more than 250 material and forensic scientists, chemists, physicists, and computer scientists. When the company started winning larger contracts with complex reporting requirements, it decided to implement Microsoft Dynamics® SL to improve its project accounting. RJ Lee Group used the solution to efficiently meet a wide variety of state and federal government-contracting rules, including those subject to Defense Contract Audit Agency audits. As a result, RJ Lee Group has grown its business with the government so dramatically that the company is poised to earn half its revenue from contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Department of Energy. In addition, the company reduced administrative workload and increased visibility into operations so that it can respond to business trends as they develop.

Medtronic, the world’s largest medical device innovator, began an initiative to standardize its communications infrastructure to increase efficiency. The company was using a third-party product to provide users with a message waiting indicator for voice mail, but the product was unable to scale to meet the company’s needs. Medtronic also wanted to increase availability and improve privacy and security to align with federal regulations and partner requests. The company became an early adopter of Microsoft® Exchange Server 2010 and plans to implement Unified Messaging in a phased rollout that aligns with the standardization of its phone system. As a result, Medtronic expects it will enrich communication and collaboration and provide its work force with greater mobility. It also plans to increase system availability, reduce costs and IT administration, and improve privacy and security.

Software Asset Management (SAM) technology provides total control under corporate software, eliminates legal and reputational risks, and lowers software costs.

The many types of field elevator inspections required by the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) created the need for multiple forms and spreadsheets to be managed by hand. The processes were manually intensive, error prone, required additional labor to re-key information into various systems, and were not centrally managed for consistent data analysis and on-going reporting. To help automate the process, CTA implemented the mNOW!® Mobile Framework 2008 designed for Windows Mobile® by Blue Dot™ Solutions. Configured to support dynamic inspections, the solution enables field inspectors to see only questions relevant to the type of asset being inspected. The information is collected using Windows Mobile-based handhelds and is then synchronized and integrated with an enterprise asset management (EAM) system to enable near real-time visibility of inspection data.

For years, the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) depended on paper-based work orders to manage its many responsibilities in central Texas, which include delivering electricity, managing the water supply and environment of the lower Colorado River basin, and supporting community and economic development. Manual data entry processes were causing bottlenecks and inaccuracies, and the LCRA needed a mobile solution that offered versatility and configurability to meet the company’s data management requirements. Windows Mobile-based solutions from Microsoft® partner Syclo enabled the LCRA to move, capture, and manage complete and accurate data, which helped improve management, compliance reports, regulatory compliance, and service delivery, streamlined data flow, and improved customer service.

Signposter.com provides poster advertising services to small and medium-sized businesses in the United Kingdom (U.K.). The founders needed a solution to help customers choose sites quickly and easily, giving them access to information such as audience figures, format, and price. With Bing™ Maps for Enterprise, customers pick their sites from an easy-to-use map interface. As a result, Signposter.com has seen registrations double in six months.

Serbia-based Univerzal Banka wanted a centralised solution for managing bank documents and increasing collaboration. Working with Microsoft® Gold Certified Partner Spinnaker New Technologies, the company built a solution based on Microsoft Office SharePoint® Server 2007 and Microsoft SQL Server® 2005. This is helping personnel to boost their productivity, work more closely with colleagues, and enjoy social networking within the bank.