How AmNor completely changed its accounting system in 90 days

AmNor Industries is a company like no other. Founded in Rouyn-Noranda and firmly rooted in the Abitibi-Témiscamingue region, this family-run business specializing in industrial cleaning and hazardous materials recovery has experienced dazzling growth in recent years. With close to 150 employees and operations in every corner of Quebec, AmNor shines not only in the field, but also in its determination to do things right, in a structured way.

And it's precisely this clear vision of a company that doesn't just want to grow, but to evolve intelligently, that has led the team towards a major digital transformation.

When operations are moving at full speed, it's essential that administration keeps pace. And at AmNor, this realization has been transformed into a strategic project: to modernize their accounting core, solidify their structure and build the foundations for their future.

Solid growth, but fragile administrative foundations

While field teams were delivering quality services across Quebec, AmNor's administrative team was juggling a daily headache: fragmented processes, outdated tools, and hard-to-access information. Their accounting system no longer met their needs.

The symptoms were piling up:

• Financial statements published late every month
• No rapid data search capability
• Inefficient and time-consuming approval processes
• Fixed assets managed in parallel Excel files
• A rigid system that prevented even a customer search if the first letter was not correct

“To do a search, you had to pull up an Excel list, work next to it, guess the customer's name... It was far from being efficient.”

And beyond the tools, there was an urgent need to rethink processes: integrate information, centralize data, empower users. In short, to get away from daily improvisation and get back into a healthy management rhythm.

AmNor knew it had to turn the page. But how do you do that when growth doesn't wait, and the fiscal year ends in three months?

Implementation & first successes: a daring sprint to change everything

Faced with the urgency of the situation, AmNor didn't procrastinate: they chose to transform their accounting system in just three months. A real sprint, because waiting another year was no longer an option.

With Gestisoft, they opted for a standard implementation approach, focusing on the essentials: customer invoicing, suppliers, general accounting and document management. The idea was to implement the “core” first, then gradually graft on the complementary modules.

"We fixed the core, which already solved 80% of our problems. Then we grafted around it."

Despite the short time available, the go-live was held on September 1st, right at the start of their new fiscal year. This feat was made possible by a mobilized and highly committed in-house team, ready to roll up their sleeves and rethink the way they do things.

The team also undertook a complete overhaul of its data: retrieving the legal names of all customers, restructuring suppliers, reviewing the nomenclature of items. Everything was reviewed and organized. For its part, the Gestisoft team invested itself with attentiveness, availability and transparency, forming a close and human partnership. Above all, one key idea guided the project: don't aim for perfection right away, aim for impact.

Within the first few weeks, the results were obvious. Searches in the system are now just a few letters away. Attachments are accessible without having to dive into filing cabinets or network files. Information is centralized, lively and fluid. And above all, the system is intuitive enough to give power back to users.

Long-term impact: efficiency, clarity, control

With Business Central in place, AmNor has not only transformed its accounting processes, but also its relationship with information. Previously, the team was unable to meet the deadlines for financial statements.

Data was coming out too late to have a timely impact.

Today, their statements are on time every month, and the team has access to results in real time at the end of the month, even without having completed the official closing.

It's not just a question of speed, but also of rigor. The team has been able to introduce new control mechanisms, impose mandatory fields for data entry, and centralize documentation, which not only facilitates day-to-day management, but also external audits.

In addition to efficiency gains, another fundamental change has taken place: collaboration.

Before, tasks were performed in silos, and tools limited teamwork. Today, with a team of 20 people working in Business Central, several can work in the same environment, without interfering with each other.

Finally, this digital shift enabled AmNor to regain control of their system. Far from being dependent on the Gestisoft team, they have learned to modify, optimize and evolve their environment themselves. This valuable autonomy enables them to move forward at their own pace, without compromise.

Future projects: consolidate, optimize and dream bigger

AmNor's transformation is far from complete. Having solidified the accounting core, the team is now methodically pursuing its digital evolution. Several related companies have yet to be integrated into the system. The inter-company (interco) module is currently being deployed, as is the implementation of the purchase order (PO) process.

These elements will further unify operations, while maintaining a high level of control.

In the longer term, the team wants to explore advanced functionalities such as budget management, cash management, and above all, take full advantage of Power BI to make data talk and support strategic decisions.

“Now that we have good data, we need to get them talking.”

Each optimization is seen as another step towards a more agile, more integrated, more proactive organization. And now that AmNor has a better grasp of its system, they can move forward with confidence.

Because sometimes, what we thought was complex becomes simple. And what used to take hours can be solved in a few clicks. So yes, when you ask them how things are going today, the word “magic” comes up spontaneously.