Dynamics 365
Power Platform
Dynamics
Cloud & ProductivityHow Subs for Pools scaled 185% without increasing overhead using Business Central
Subs for Pools is a rapidly growing pool construction subcontractor that performs all trades in-house from excavation through plaster. As the business scaled and combined multiple operations, QuickBooks and manual processes could no longer support the required complexity, reporting, or transaction volume. To support growth without increasing overhead, Subs for Pools implemented Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, creating a scalable, controlled, and data-driven foundation. With support from Rand Group, the company refined processes and gained deeper operational visibility.
Client: Subs for Pools
The Goal
Replace QuickBooks with a scalable ERP system capable of supporting rapid growth, high-volume operations, granular job-level visibility, and more controlled, efficient accounting processes.
The Outcome
With Dynamics 365 Business Central, Subs for Pools scaled operations, improved reporting accuracy, and increased efficiency, gaining real-time job-level visibility, faster purchasing, and stronger process control.
Rand Group has been top-notch—professional, responsive, and very proactive. You can tell their internal processes are really sound, especially in how they manage and follow up on support requests. We come up with ideas, and they help us figure out what will actually work in the system, whether it’s configuration, reporting, or technical support.
The problem
Before implementing Dynamics 365 Business Central, Subs for Pools relied on QuickBooks and manual processes to manage a complex, high-volume construction business. As the company grew and combined multiple trades into one operation, the limitations of QuickBooks became increasingly clear. The business required highly granular tracking of labor, materials, and revenue—often down to piece counts, linear footage, and job phases—but lacked the reporting capability and control to support it. At the same time, a lean office team was managing a high volume of transactions, making scalability a major concern. Without a more robust system, continued growth would require significantly more administrative overhead and reduce operational efficiency.
Primary challenges included:
- Limited job-level and phase-level margin reporting
- Lack of system control and accounting auditability
- Heavy reliance on manual, Excel-based processes
- Difficulty scaling operations with a lean office team
- High transaction volume with complex pricing structures
- Limited real-time visibility into costs and profitability
QuickBooks limitations restricted scalable operations
The solution
Subs for Pools transitioned from QuickBooks to Dynamics 365 Business Central to create a more scalable and controlled operational foundation. The system was implemented in a phased, iterative approach—first stabilizing invoicing and collections to handle increased transaction volume, then expanding into reporting, purchasing, and business intelligence. A key part of the solution was leveraging Business Central’s integration with Excel, Power BI, and Power Query, allowing the team to maintain flexible workflows while introducing stronger system control and structure. This approach enabled Subs for Pools to design processes tailored to their business while supporting scalable growth. Rand Group provided ongoing guidance and support across system configuration, reporting, integrations, and technical needs, helping ensure solutions were both effective and sustainable.
- Transition from QuickBooks to Dynamics 365 Business Central
- Phased implementation prioritizing invoicing, reporting, and operational scalability
- Job-based accounting with phase-level visibility into costs and margins
- Integration with Excel, Power BI, and Power Query for flexible, scalable workflows
- Streamlined purchasing through Excel-driven imports and supplier optimization
- Improved system controls, permissions, and accounting structure
- Ongoing support from Rand Group for configuration, reporting, and optimization
The result
With Dynamics 365 Business Central, Subs for Pools transformed its ability to scale while maintaining operational control and efficiency. The business can now handle significantly higher transaction volume and complexity with a lean office team, avoiding the need to significantly increase administrative overhead. Real-time, job-level reporting has improved visibility into costs and margins, enabling faster identification of issues and quicker recovery of revenue. Purchasing has become more efficient and strategic, allowing the team to evaluate supplier pricing and act quickly. At the same time, enhanced system control and traceability have strengthened accounting accuracy and confidence in financial data. Improved visibility into material costs has also enabled more informed pricing decisions and faster responses to market changes. With a scalable foundation in place, Subs for Pools is well positioned to continue growing in the coming year without sacrificing efficiency or visibility.
Results achieved:
- Supported 185% growth in pool construction projects without increasing office headcount
- Positioned to achieve ~75%+ additional growth in the next year
- Avoided 2x–3x increase in administrative salary costs while scaling operations
- Reduced purchase order creation time by 93% (from a full day to ~30 minutes), generating 20–25 POs in that time
- Real-time job and phase-level margin visibility with minimal reporting latency
- Faster identification and recovery of margin leakage and missed revenue
- Improved pricing decisions based on material cost visibility and market changes
- Full traceability across transactions, improving accounting control and auditability
- Scalable purchasing process with automated supplier price comparison
- Increased efficiency through Excel and Power BI integration with Business Central
“Business Central gives us a system that can grow with us, while still being flexible enough for the way we use Excel, Power BI, and agile office processes.” – Derek Atwood
%
increase in construction projects
%
reduction in PO creation time
growth in operations without proportional staff increases
Take the next step with Rand Group
Outgrowing QuickBooks? Discover how Dynamics 365 Business Central can help you streamline operations, improve reporting, and support scalable growth—with guidance from Rand Group every step of the way.