Affordable Housing Partners Leverages Dynamics GP to Power Digital Transformation

Customer
Affordable Housing Partners, Inc.

Industry
Low Income Housing

Country
United States

March, 2021

Faced with the impact of the Covid 19 Pandemic and the demands of fully engaging their workforce remotely, Affordable Housing Partners turned to digital transformation. With the help of Technology Management Concepts (TMC), Affordable Housing Partners leveraged their existing Dynamics GP implementation to develop an enhanced integrated electronic Accounts Payable solution that ensures business continuity, while delivering meaningful efficiencies.

“[We] have been talking about doing it for quite some time, and it was on our radar but Covid definitely accelerated our timeline.”

– Michael Dowd, Controller at Affordable Housing.

Affordable Housing Partners leveraged Dynamics GP to jump-start their digital transformation and empower their remote workforce.

For the past 10 years, Southern California-based Affordable Housing Partners have employed their expansive network of capital solutions to help meet the complex housing needs of communities across the country.  In addition to their attention to preserving and enhancing existing affordable housing apartment complexes, Affordable Housing Partners also delivers responsible solutions focused on creating new affordable properties as well as specialty Senior Housing including assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing.

Faced with the impact of the Covid 19 Pandemic and the demands of fully engaging their workforce remotely, Affordable Housing turned to digital transformation. With the help of Microsoft Gold Partner, Technology Management Concepts (TMC,) Affordable Housing Partners leveraged their existing Dynamics GP implementation to develop an enhanced integrated electronic Accounts Payable solution that ensures business continuity, while delivering meaningful efficiencies.

Transitioning to a fully remote work environment.

In March 2020, Affordable Housing chose to close their office and send their workforce home in response to the Covid 19 Pandemic.  Initially intended to be a temporary measure, Affordable Housing continued utilizing their existing Accounts Payable process flow and technology which required that checks be manually printed, approved, and signed in-house.

Tackling the demands of maintaining business continuity in the face of this new landscape proved highly inefficient and Affordable Housing made the decision to jump-start their digital transformation and make their transition to a fully remote workforce permanent.

Digital Transformation to ensure business continuity 

Affordable Housing Partner needed a solution that would maintain audit compliance while allowing users to remotely enter, process, and approve Vendor Invoices and Payments including EFT and Checks in a timely manner.

Microsoft Gold Partner, Technology Management Concepts (TMC), outlined an enterprise-level solution that would drive a digital transformation focused on streamlining the Accounts Payable process while maintaining overall business continuity.

Drawing on the robust integration capabilities and extensive Accounts Payable functions of Dynamics GP, including EFT for Payables, Document Attachment, and Workflow Approvals. TMC recommended the development of seamless integration with Wells Fargo Bank’s best-of-breed Payment Manager service. Using the TMC designed solution Affordable Housing Partners is able to generate and securely transmit approved payment requests to Wells Fargo.

Based on the preferred payment method defined for the Vendor, Wells Fargo will issue electronic payments via EFT or print and mail a security check. Affordable Housing Partners were able to maintain the continuity of their established Accounts Payable process to enhance user adoption while at the same time realizing the benefits of digital transformation.

Increasing security while creating efficiencies

The ability to easily review Invoices and securely approve Payments online expanded the reach of approvers reducing each payment process cycle from three days to just one giving Affordable Housing Partners back four days a month. By combining proven business process flows with digital transformation Affordable Housing Partners were able to empower their remote workforce and recognize meaningful efficiencies.

“When it came to outlining the technology side of it, TMC really stepped in to ensure they understood our process flow and that we had everything we needed to make the transition successful.” – Michael Dowd, Controller at Affordable Housing.

“Now at anytime, anywhere, we can pay our vendors, so it definitely streamlined the process…” – Michael Dowd, Controller at Affordable Housing.