In Ukraine and Moldova, Automagistral-Pivden is synonymous with quality, technological advancement, and reliability in road and infrastructure construction.
Automagistral-Pivden has always been a leader not only in terms of project volume and scale of work. The company was the first on the market to adopt innovative technologies, such as automated and robotic machinery management systems and the latest quality control systems.
One of the key areas of innovation is operational management. The company turned to SMART business for support in automating its operational processes. Automagistral-Pivden aimed to create its own IT ecosystem that would allow it to eliminate paper-based workflows, accelerate and simplify data exchange, processing, and analysis, and synchronize data across all software products.
The solution proposed to the company was Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central — the ideal platform that unified core business functions in a single system.
Implementation Drivers and Key Factors Behind the ERP Upgrade
The company’s CEO, Mykola Tymofeiev, notes that 5–6 years ago, the company’s rapid growth, business expansion, and increasing number and geographic scope of projects created a need for a qualitative upgrade of management and control systems. The outbreak of war delayed addressing this need but did not diminish its relevance. During russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the company had to quickly transform and adapt to new challenges and market demands: developing infrastructure restoration, constructing protective structures, and more.
The accounting system previously used, even in combination with additional tools, could no longer ensure the required efficiency of business processes or support the company’s growth dynamics in the new realities. Earlier automation based on disparate software — spreadsheets, mobile apps, applications for weighing complexes, and barcode scanners — often led to task duplication, errors due to inconsistent naming, and significant time spent reconciling data across departments.
To meet new requirements and eliminate fragmented information flows, the Automagistral-Pivden team developed a clear technical vision for the future IT ecosystem, in which the new ERP platform would play a central role, performing the following tasks:
- Operational entry of primary data — integration with the corporate mobile app and barcode scanners for fast and accurate inventory operations.
- Synchronization with weighing complexes — ensuring automatic data exchange between the ERP system and specialized weighing software to eliminate manual entry and minimize errors.
- Real-time work monitoring — providing up-to-date information on the status of construction processes at sites, enabling rapid response to any changes.
- Analytics visualization — creating interactive dashboards for management and project managers that display key performance indicators and project status in a convenient format.
Finding a suitable solution was not easy, as the infrastructure construction sector has far fewer ready-made industry-specific ERP systems compared to retail or distribution, where years of accumulated automation experience, well-developed business processes, proven cases, and numerous reviews from leading players exist. This meant that the client could not rely on ready-made cases or competitors’ best practices. In effect, Automagistral-Pivden became one of the pioneers by implementing an ERP system tailored to the specific needs of its industry.
After a thorough market analysis of ERP systems, the company chose Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. The key advantages identified by the client were:
- Flexible configuration and scalable customization to meet the unique needs of the business.
- Ukrainian localization, ensuring ease of use across all Automagistral-Pivden departments.
- Comprehensive modules for accounting, tax, management, and HR, as well as production process control and resource planning.
- Transparent and clear licensing policy, enabling predictable cost planning.
- International recognition — Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central ranked first in Forbes’ ERP solutions rating.
- Relevant implementation cases in manufacturing companies with similar business process logic, allowing a detailed study of the system’s benefits through real-world examples.
Having selected the platform, the Automagistral-Pivden team moved on to choosing an implementation partner. They selected SMART business, which, as of 2025, holds 6 out of 6 Microsoft Solutions Partner Designations, demonstrating a strong position in the IT services market.
From the very first meetings, the SMART business team quickly immersed themselves in the specifics of our business processes. We appreciate that the partner not only implements ready-made solutions but also develops its own products based on Microsoft technologies, understanding its ‘inner workings’. It was important for us that the system covered all aspects of management and could flexibly adapt to new needs in the future. This became the foundation for signing the contract and starting the project.
How Was Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central Implemented?
Implementing an ERP system in a large company like Automagistral-Pivden always requires careful planning and a step-by-step approach.
The first stage consisted of workshops where SMART business and the client’s team discussed all business processes in detail. Key department employees were involved in the analysis, including specialists in management accounting, construction, mechanization and transport, logistics, procurement, HR, as well as the estimating and contracting department, legal department, accounting department, and quality control department. The goal of the workshops was to work through critical business processes in detail. This allowed potential bottlenecks to be identified early, priorities to be set, and a clear roadmap for system configuration to be created.
The next step involved SMART business experts demonstrating how the company’s real operations would be represented in the standard configuration of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, highlighting areas where changes were unnecessary and areas where optimization or custom development was advisable.
Throughout the collaboration, it was clear that the SMART business team aimed to create a solution that perfectly meets our business needs. When customization was required, the SMART business specialists proposed the most effective and minimal ways to refine and implement processes, making changes only where truly necessary. This approach allowed us to avoid unnecessary time and resource expenditure while ensuring the functionality we needed.
Key Customizations Implemented in the System and the Most Valuable Functionality for the Client
As the client noted, implementing Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central at Automagistral-Pivden went beyond standard functionality. Together with SMART business, the company carried out a series of industry-specific customizations that effectively reflect the unique processes of the road construction sector and accelerate them.
The main enhancements covered several areas:
- Time Tracking, Payroll, and Travel Expense Management — The system was adapted to the needs of a large workforce and a complex organizational structure. Not only was time tracking optimized but also travel expense calculations. The company eliminated paper timesheets, which significantly simplified work, reduced manual operations, and made payroll processes transparent and controllable.
- Construction Module for Foremen Reporting — Foremen now work without unnecessary paperwork. Through the mobile app, they can:
- Instantly receive shift assignments,
- Monitor and see up-to-date material balances on the site,
- Confirm receipt of inventory and order new materials directly from the site,
- Submit reports on completed work directly in the app, with data automatically transferred to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central.
This has reduced reporting preparation time and eliminated the need to duplicate information from paper documents into the ERP system.
- Transport Module for Driver App — Drivers no longer need to fill in odometer readings or routes on paper logs. All data is entered into the app, and the system:
- Automatically generates and links travel and route sheets,
- Integrates information from weighing complexes,
- Ensures full transparency of transportation and fuel usage.
- Service Module for Mechanic App — Company mechanics now have a tool for promptly entering information about the condition of equipment, completed repairs or service tasks, and planned maintenance. All data is automatically synchronized with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, reducing interdepartmental communication time and helping equipment return to operation faster after servicing.
The ERP system has unified all company departments into a single digital environment. Mobile apps for foremen, drivers, and mechanics now continuously exchange data with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. Some reports are approved through the ERP via email, while data from weighing complexes is automatically uploaded into the system, which is configured specifically for road construction operations.
As a result, everyone — from the foreman on site to the finance department — has access to a single source of up-to-date data, making business processes efficient and transparent.
Additional ERP Functionality Highlighted by the Client
One of the most significant advantages of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central for Automagistral-Pivden is the ability to automatically reconcile cost accounting. This process allows the system to adjust cost figures automatically when documents are entered out of chronological order. In practice, this means that if a transaction affecting the cost of goods or materials is entered later than others, the system automatically recalculates values for each item and across the chain of related documents where costs were incorrect. This differs from the previous system, which required re-posting all documents for a similar correction, consuming significant time and resources.
Another important feature is the separation of quantity and value accounting. In Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, these two components are recorded independently: first, the system registers the fact of receipt or shipment in quantitative terms (e.g., 10 units of a product), and then records the value data, which may be updated later when financial information becomes available.
Once the quantity data for a document is confirmed, it cannot be changed — even retroactively. In the previous system, quantities could be modified or deleted from documents without trace. The new ERP ensures that inventory levels in the system always match the actual stock in the warehouse, eliminates the possibility of hidden manipulations, and reduces the risk of losses due to incorrect accounting.
The flexibility of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central allowed us to configure accounting in the system according to our company’s internal policies. Now we are confident that the data our departments work with is always accurate, up-to-date, and reflects the real situation. The system enhances control and enables faster managerial decision-making.
Plans for Automagistral-Pivden’s IT Ecosystem
The Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central implementation project is already in its final stages. While it is still too early to draw complete conclusions, the company notes that initial results have met expectations, and the foundation laid opens up broad prospects for further development.
Automagistral-Pivden is determined to continue business process automation on a larger scale. The implementation of Autodesk Construction Cloud has already begun — a cloud platform for managing construction projects that unifies all stages of work, participants, and data in a single digital environment. Its integration with Business Central will enable synchronization of financial and operational accounting with the actual progress of projects.
At the same time, the company monitors Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central’s roadmap to take advantage of new features and technologies in a timely manner.
In addition, the company is exploring further solutions from SMART business. Specifically, the team is evaluating SMART Cash Flow for more accurate cash flow forecasting and the SMART HCM & LMS platform for comprehensive personnel management and learning processes.
To select the most optimal solutions for the business, the company regularly participates in industry webinars and conducts internal audits of business needs, analyzing which tools will bring the greatest value and strengthen competitive advantages.
We are proud to be a technological partner in this transformation. For us, it is extremely valuable to work with companies that, even amid a full-scale war, continue to develop infrastructure, strengthen the country’s transport capacity, and make a significant contribution to its recovery. Automagistral-Pivden demonstrates that a systematic approach and innovative technologies can significantly improve efficiency, optimize processes, and help achieve ambitious goals.
