“SharePoint is an integral part of our internal communications and our business operations.”

Stan Payson, SVP, Information Technology and Facilities, Nutrisystem Inc.

Nutrisystem, a leader in the weight loss industry was limited to traditional communication methods and manual data entry in multi-departmental efforts. Database Solutions implemented SharePoint allowing Nutrisystem to connect their MAS ERP and ATG eCommerce applications to develop a Business-Critical SharePoint solution, which improves and automates critical business processes, including approval or BOM creation.

Business NeedsNutrisystem recently introduced the Nutrisystem® My Way® program, which factors in an individual’s metabolic needs, along with the Fast 5™ kit for accelerated initial weight loss. Nutrisystem® plans are personalized to meet individual health goals and are consistent with national guidelines for dietary intake meeting targets for fat, sodium, sugar, cholesterol and fiber as well as national guidelines for physical activity. Additionally, plans can be customized to specific dietary needs and preferences including the Nutrisystem® D® program for people with diabetes or those at risk for type 2 diabetes. Cross-Team Communication SiloesNutrisystem needed to create a ‘favorites’ kit of food products which required the collaboration of several departments to define a Bill of Materials (BOM), including Finance, Nutrition, Supply Chain, and Marketing. BOMs were defined through numerous back and forth emails between members of these departments. Due to the lack of a change control process, much time was wasted. Once a BOM was defined or updated, it was manually entered into Nutrisystem’s MAS Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and ATG eCommerce applications. The process was very manual, time consuming, and error prone.

Solution

Database Solutions, a Microsoft partner assisted Nutrisystem in developing a Business-Critical SharePoint solution which connected its line-of-business (LOB) systems with SharePoint. The implementation included the creation of a central portal for internal communications, internal document sharing and report viewing of ERP Reports in SharePoint 2010. The BOM creation process in Sharepoint now integrates the company’s MAS ERP system and the ATG eCommerce package to automatically upload new and changed BOMs upon approval.

Benefits

The Business-Critical SharePoint solution surfaces MAS data in SharePoint, provides access to more employees, improves cross-departmental collaboration, and helps bring teams together.

Accelerating Business ProcessesThe solution reduces the time for BOM definition and modification via a collaboration solution across four different departments. The new process eliminates manual data entry time and error correction time in eCommerce systems. It also streamlines the creation and maintenance of BOM information in Nutrisystem’s ERP system. Marketing or Finance department employees who previously had to wait for the MAS experts to print reports in the past, can now access ERP data themselves.

Company: Nutrisystem Inc.Website: http://www.nutrisystem.comCountry or Region: United StatesSize: 420 employeesIndustry: Consumer Packaged Goods, ManufacturingPartner: Database SolutionsPartner Websites: http://www.waveseeker.com

Company ProfileNutrisystem, Inc. (NASDAQ: NTRI) is a leading provider of structured home-delivered weight loss meal plans, and has helped consumers lose weight for more than 40 years by providing quality foods and a nutritionally balanced meal program.

Software and ServicesMicrosoft® SharePoint® 2010

For more information about other Microsoft customer successes, please visit:www.microsoft.com/casestudies

Solution Case Study

Weight Loss Industry Leader Bridges the Gap and Improves Productivity across Teams

SharePoint CustomerSolution Case Study

Surfacing Previously Hidden DataAnother benefit of the LOB system connection has been the discovery of detailed product nutritional information not tracked previously in the ERP Product Master.

Automated Approval ProcessWorkflows were created to manage the BOM creation and update the process through its various stakeholders. Instead of gathering approvals manually via emails, phone calls, or in person, approvals are now collected via an automated process. Automated uploads of approved BOMs and BOM changes were created for the company’s ERP and ATG eCommerce systems.

Future SharePoint LOB Integration Plans

Nutrisystem’s SharePoint integration with LOB applications has been so successful, their near term plans included SharePoint integration with SAP ERP to support Retail and eCommerce Business.

Business-Critical SharePoint (BCSP) is a Microsoft partner program that includes top solution and service providers who focus on advanced SharePoint scenarios, including LOB connectivity.

© 2013 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. This case study is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS SUMMARY. Microsoft and Microsoft SharePoint are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

Document published 12/18/2013