Microsoft Dynamics® Food Supply Chain ERP SolutionsSO

LUTI

ON

S

In the highly demanding and competitive food supply chain industry, pressures on suppliers have never been greater. The need to deliver high quality produce; on time against increasingly tight-ening deadlines and at reduced prices, is taxing the ingenuity of even the most efficient suppliers.

The ability to access and share real time information as an aid to efficiency is essential. In such an environment, the role that can be played by Information Technology can mean the difference between success and failure. Our specialists have used their experience and extensive knowl-edge of the food industry to create LINKFRESHTM; a complete Business Management solution for the food supply chain industry.

LINKFRESH is a powerful Food Supply Chain Business Management Solution, enabling companies in the Fresh Produce, Protein, Egg and Food Processing supply chain to move, track and trace products to market with speed, efficiency, transparency and profitability – in real time.

As a Certified for Microsoft Dynamics® ERP solution, LINKFRESH was designed specifically by food industry specialists and developed to seamlessly integrate with Microsoft Dynamics through easy to use, add-on modules and applications. The result is a flexible solution with a complete understanding of the challenges and needs faced by food supply chain business management – a solution that provides peace of mind, safety, compliance, traceability and the ability to not only drive growth, but improve the bottom-line.

Why LINKFRESH?

Since inception, LINKFRESH has been a Certified for Microsoft Dynamics packaged solution designed and developed by food industry specialists to seamlessly integrate with Microsoft Dynamics. In less than a decade, LINKFRESH has gained a majority market share providing ERP solutions to the food sector in the United Kingdom - because our fully featured business manage-ment suite is straightforward to implement, easy to configure and simple to use. As a reliable and proven ERP solution, LINKFRESH is the ideal, real time technology platform to address the rapidly changing requirements of the US food supply chain sector.

Reported customer benefits include:

Driving growth throughERP

GR

OW

TH

We strive to apply our expertise in Information Technology and the Fresh Food industry to meet the global demand for fresh, affordable and safe food in the most cost-effective way, enabling the food supply chain to grow and prosper in the most responsible manner possible. We show dedication, enthusiasm and pride in everything that we do, constantly innovating in the development and delivery of all our products and services to exceed customer needs and expectations.

• Improved efficiencies through reductions in data duplication• Reduced administration costs• Reduction in paper based processes• Full visibility and traceability of stock movements• Transparency of operations• Improved customer service• Improved operational practices• Rapid access to key performance indicators• Increased profitability

Produce-specific inventory control and traceability solutions across the whole food supply chain

LINKFRESHTM is a powerful supply chain solution for fresh produce growers, packers, shippers, importers, exporters and food service firms to manage production, distribution and marketing through to the point of sale. Our suite of easy to use, add-on modules and applications seamlessly integrate with Microsoft Dynamics® to allow you to gather data and see robust transaction details where they happen – all in real time.

Providing an accessible, single point of reference for your operations, our solutions meet Produce Traceability Initiative (PTI) requirements. These solutions provide clarity from field harvest through shipment to customer with efficiency and productivity – minimizing spoilage and increasing speed to market. LINKFRESH is about efficiency, compliance and improving the bottom-line.

Whatever your need, we provide a complete solution for your operations, including:

• Total Traceability• Barcodes, GTIN/PTI• Automatic and Promo Pricing• Case, Lot, Pallet Tracking• EDI• Inventory Control• Innovative Mobility Technologies

Move, track and traceproduce in real time

FRES

H

Manage variability, inventory and market demand to improve profitability

LINKFRESHTM is a flexible ERP application designed to support the multiple and unique assembly, recipe and packaging requirements of Beef, Poultry, Pork, Lamb and Fish processing enterprises. Now protein processors have a single, integrated system for managing all aspects of their business.

Imagine being able to easily manage variable lot consistency and quality of raw and finished prod-ucts with pre-defined industry-standard characteristics as well as user-defined characteristics – all while optimizing inventory, co-products, by-products and responding to market demands.

LINKFRESH has specific solutions for the unique requirements of protein processing operations, including:

• Track and trace protein and ingredients in support of USDA, GFSI and customer compliance• Measure yields, scale production, and product cost accounting• Capture and manage standard weights, shelf life, expiration dates, variable lot characteristics• Manage multiple product output• Producing as much high-margin fresh product as possible• Preventing missed or short orders• Better accountability, predictability, and scalability

Efficient proteinprocessing and production solutions

PR

OTEIN

Feed and flock management transparency and traceability

Egg processors benefit from a high level ERP supply chain solution like LINKFRESHTM because of increased transparency of operations and integration of internal or external feed mills and management of grow and lay flocks. Instead of maintaining standalone or different systems in each department of an egg business, LINKFRESH ERP provides a suite of easy to use, add-on modules and applications that seamlessly integrate with Microsoft Dynamics® across the entire enterprise. Worldwide, millions of users use Microsoft Dynamics to gather data and see robust transaction details where they happen – all in real time.

The egg business requires the ability to see inventory which may be situated across many companies and locations – packing centers, processing and boiling facilities, printing operations, etc. – and the ability to customize flock standards to their own unique parameters. LINKFRESH provides solutions in a single, robust system that also efficiently handles complex operations like:

Flexible solution forEgg operations

EG

G

• Tracking, tracing, grading• Forecasting of feed operations• Compliance with multiple legislative jurisdictions and requirements• Multiple responsibility centers• Multiple units of measure – weights, counts or cases• Depreciation as well as grow and molt costs• Egg, box and label printing

Technology alone is not the solution to every business problem

This is where the food industry experience and Information Technology expertise of the LINKFRESHTM management, developers and customer care specialists makes a difference. As companies become more reliant on technology for their business’ best practices, we work to create the optimum ERP solution through consultation, assessment and implementation. To achieve this we provide:

From Implementation and Software Development, to Support, Customer Care and Cloud Services, there is a LINKFRESH service solution designed to maximize the power of your ERP investment to not only drive growth, but improve the bottom-line.

• Consultation services to define your business drivers and engineer a solution• World-class technologies from a leading supplier• Deployment and development expertise using highly skilled, business oriented consultants• Global support services designed to keep your systems operational

Expert support byfood industry specialists

SER

VIC

ES

Balancing supply and demand for the food supply chain – in real time

LINKFRESHTM technology is modular in design meaning that you only need to purchase the functionality required for your business; however your solution can grow as your business demands.The impressive range of supply chain functionality and flexibility in LINKFRESH allows a solution to be configured to suit your specific requirements and business processes.

Since inception, LINKFRESH has been a Certified for Dynamics packaged solution designed and developed by food industry specialists to seamlessly integrate with Microsoft Dynamics® - employed by millions of users worldwide and supported by an impressive Microsoft Certified Partner ecosystem. This fully featured business management suite is fast to implement, easy to configure and simple to use. Microsoft Dynamics® flagship ERP products – NAV and AX - enable companies in the food industry to accelerate the velocity of their supply chains. They are the ideal, real time technology base we use to address the rapidly changing requirements of the food supply chain sector.

LINKFRESH in action

LINKFRESH’s team of industry specialists have in-depth knowledge of the business processes and procedures required to enable a supply chain organization to reach its full potential.

Harnessing the power of Microsoft’s world class Dynamics solution; the totally integrated LINKFRESH suite adds a broad choice of modules and applications for companies that operate in the food industry.

Certified for MicrosoftDynamics® ERP solutions

TEC

HN

OLO

GY

Forecast to Plan

Planning for materials, labor and capacity is fundamental to the success of every business, and the starting point is forecast demand. The “Forecast to Plan” process in LINKFRESHTM includes business disciplines such as sales forecasting, supply chain planning and category management. Customer service is also included, so feedback can be taken account of in your planning process for new business. The scenarios below suggest some key role-based challenges in these areas and highlight the relevant LINKFRESH modules and their advantages.

Order to Cash

The “Order to Cash” process covers business disciplines such as sales orders, production, dispatch and invoicing. The scenarios below suggest some key role-based challenges in these areas and highlight the relevant LINKFRESH modules and their advantages.

JOB ROLE: Account Manager BUSINESS AREA: Forecast Demand

CHALLENGES• Inaccurate forecasts• Struggling to meet margin targets• Continued innovation• Managing promotions effectively• Making best use of historical data• Sharing information

LINKFRESH FEATURES• LINKFRESH Forecasting/Planning/Budgeting

ADVANTAGES• One place to maintain demand forecasts• Forecast volume and price, then calculate cost of sale/margin with one click• Build this year’s forecast from last year’s actuals

JOB ROLE: Sales Order Admin BUSINESS AREA: Order Processing

CHALLENGES• Accurate entry of orders• Management of pricing and promotional information• Updating of daily plans• Real time stock availability

LINKFRESH FEATURES• LINKFRESH Advanced Pricing• LINKFRESH EDI• LINKFRESH Trading Board• LINKFRESH Supply Specifications

ADVANTAGES• Import, validate and process EDI sales orders automatically• Price new orders based on shipment or delivery day• Customer linked pricing/discounts• System suggests changes to production/ dispatch plans from confirmed order quantities• Rapid stock sales

JOB ROLE: Procurement Manager BUSINESS AREA: Supply Planning

CHALLENGES• Matching supply to demand• Maintaining a supply program• Communicating with suppliers, growers and importers• Predicting yields

LINKFRESH FEATURES• LINKFRESH Planning Board• LINKFRESH Forecasting and Planning

ADVANTAGES• Forecasts enable predicted yields to be modeled seasonally• View forecast rolling stock position• Improve purchasing – transact less business at spot rates

JOB ROLE: Operations Manager or QC Manager BUSINESS AREA: Production

CHALLENGES• Rapid response to changes• Meet dispatch deadlines• Complex customer requirements• Realizing customer quality demands• Labeling the product correctly

LINKFRESH FEATURES• LINKFRESH Operations• LINKFRESH Quality Control• LINKFRESH Live Factory Performance• LINKFRESH Label Room

ADVANTAGES• Schedule activity in the label room• Live stock information on raw materials and finished goods• Live recording of shopfloor activity• Record actual yields to analyze supplier and crop performance• Maximize packout percentage• Live factory and individual line performance data

JOB ROLE: Category Manager BUSINESS AREA: Supply and Demand

CHALLENGES• Maintaining a supply program• EDI order handling• Ensuring suppliers meet all relevant specs and standards• Proof of delivery and invoicing shipments• Communicating changes

LINKFRESH FEATURES• LINKFRESH Category Management• LINKFRESH EDI• LINKFRESH Proof of Delivery• LINKFRESH Alerts Manager• LINKFRESH Grower Accreditations• LINKFRESH Supply Specifications

ADVANTAGES• Create forecasts for suppliers from a single demand forecast• Fulfillment rules to specify who provides which product• Create back-to-back purchase transactions from EDI orders• Ability to forecast customer margin• Trigger SMS/e-mail on EDI receipt

JOB ROLE: Logistics Manager BUSINESS AREA: Dispatch

CHALLENGES• Managing a dynamic schedule with frequent changes• Correct labeling to customer requirements• Track and label trays and pallets• Pick and ship accuracy

LINKFRESH FEATURES• LINKFRESH Pallet Tracking• LINKFRESH Distribution Packaging• LINKFRESH Mobility Manager• LINKFRESH Alerts Manager

ADVANTAGES• Calculate transport requirements from forecasted or actual orders• Manage multiple transport providers• Track pallets and trays, hire and return charges• Build pallets, scan to order, scan to truck – reduce pick/ship errors, and customer fines• Reduce errors and customer fines• Handle changes to haulage bookings

JOB ROLE: Account Manager BUSINESS AREA: Customer Service

CHALLENGES• Providing information to customers• Managing complaints and claims• Feedback to suppliers and growers

LINKFRESH FEATURES• LINKFRESH Customer Service

ADVANTAGES• Analyze supplier and grower performance from sales and packout yields achieved• React more quickly to complaints and track claims

JOB ROLE: Accounts Clerk BUSINESS AREA: Invoicing and Cash Management

CHALLENGES• Handling proof of delivery• Differing invoicing requirements per customer• Managing cash flow

LINKFRESH FEATURES• LINKFRESH Foundation• LINKFRESH EDI• LINKFRESH Proof of Delivery

ADVANTAGES• Flexible proof of delivery processing which can be configured by customer• Receive and process proof of delivery information via EDI• Invoice accepted quantities• Issue invoices electronically via EDI

Note: LINKFRESH features vary depending on Microsoft Dynamics base platform

Ledger to Accounts

The “Ledger to Accounts” process in LINKFRESHTM provides all the financial information needed to describe your trading position in detail. It covers business disciplines such as budgeting and gross margin reporting. The scenarios below suggest some key role-based challenges in these areas and highlight the relevant LINKFRESH modules and their advantages.

Purchase to Pay

The “Purchase to Pay” process in LINKFRESH starts with a decision to make a purchase and covers business disciplines such as contracts and orders, goods receiving, consignment costing, grower returns and self-bill invoicing. The scenarios below suggest some key role-based challenges in these areas and highlight the relevant LINKFRESH modules and their advantages.

JOB ROLE: Finance Manager BUSINESS AREA: Budgeting

CHALLENGES• Ease of sharing information• Model standard costs for budgeting which can be seasonal• Administration workload• Link forecasting to budget cycle• Comparing projected to actual budget• Margin contribution by customer, product group and SKU• Pinpoint variances and take quick corrective action

LINKFRESH MODULES• LINKFRESH Forecasting/Planning/Budgeting• LINKFRESH Product Costing• LINKFRESH Analysis and Reporting

ADVANTAGES• Maintain different cost of sale elements for budgeting purposes• Calculate cost of sale elements and revenue for a forecast volume• Create budget from forecast to gross margin level• All financial reporting from one system• Financial information is easier to access and analyze• Report gross margin contribution for each product in any period• Summarize product lines into groups• Analyze variances by individual cost element (labor, etc.)• Readily available financial data for informed management decisions

JOB ROLE: Procurement Manager or Buyer BUSINESS AREA: Procurement and Trading

CHALLENGES• Managing contracts• Track product specs and supplier accreditations• Respond to changes quickly• Raising required paperwork• Control product packaging inventory• Real time stock overview

LINKFRESH MODULES• LINKFRESH Supply Chain• LINKFRESH Trading Board• LINKFRESH Consignments• LINKFRESH Grower Accreditations• LINKFRESH Supply Specifications

ADVANTAGES• Record the agreed trading terms with each consignment• Automatically check that purchases comply with supply specs for intended customer• Issue purchase orders electronically, saving admin time• Landed cost management

JOB ROLE: Inventory Controller BUSINESS AREA: Receipt of Goods

CHALLENGES• Planning arrivals, labor and capacity• Managing raw material stocks• Quality Control• Efficient put away procedure• Track Third party inventory

LINKFRESH MODULES• LINKFRESH Logistics• LINKFRESH third party inventory• LINKFRESH Quality Control• LINKFRESH Manifest Processing

ADVANTAGES• View booked arrivals in real time• Real-time view of stock holding• Rapid printing of pallet labels• Record QA inspection criteria• Scan to location put-away, with temperature check• Electronic manifest file handling

JOB ROLE: Account Manager BUSINESS AREA: Consignment Trading

CHALLENGES• Accurate forecasting of costs• Tracking actual costs and profit• Allocating income back to consignments• Maintain full product traceability

LINKFRESH MODULES• LINKFRESH Consignment Trading

ADVANTAGES• Central register of consignments• View of forecast vs. actual costs and income for consignments• View stock transactions against consignment record• Automatic allocation of sales income to consignments• Enhanced profitability reporting• Accurate landed cost management• Activity triggered costing• True consignment profitability, regardless of mixing in production

JOB ROLE: Accounts Payable BUSINESS AREA: Growers Return and Self-billing

CHALLENGES• Labor intensive to prepare accurate calculation of return amount• Improving service to growers• Fairness and transparency

LINKFRESH MODULES• LINKFRESH Grower Returns and Self Billing• LINKFRESH Consignments

ADVANTAGES• Automatically prepare returns• Support payments based on sales, receipts, grade out, and pack out• Accurately record actual costs vs consignment• Flexible grower return template

JOB ROLE: Accounts Payable Supervisor BUSINESS AREA: Self Billing and Supplier Payments

CHALLENGES• Ability to self bill growers• Reduce time to prepare and process payments

LINKFRESH MODULES• LINKFRESH Grower Returns and Self Billing

ADVANTAGES• Automate grower return preparation• Prepare suggested payments list by due date• Prepare approved payments• Formal approval process/workflow

Mobility

The need is to empower a hard pressed mobile workforce with accurate and timely information to enable them to work smarter

Behind the growing demand for integrated mobility applications is the need to speed up business whilst reducing errors. The pressure to do more with less is relentless while still meeting demanding customer expectations. The food sector faces specific challenges due to the velocity of low cost products through the supply chain.

The LINKFRESHTM mobility application suite is designed to help by exchanging vital business information to and from people at the sharp end where it is most needed. Using LINKFRESH’s unique Microsoft .NET based development aids, the company has created an integrated suite of powerful easy to use mobile applications. Capable of operating anywhere, these offer real time access to LINKFRESH data through extensive use of Web Services. As a result of dynamic systems operating together, management are provided with full visibility of product throughout the supply process.

The LINKFRESH Microsoft .NET framework based mobility systems tackle a wide variety of tasks. These powerful user friendly programs help to manage product, packaging, plant and labour elements in real time as they move through the supply chain. They include applications covering the following business processes:

• Secure Log On• Mobile Product Intake• Mobile Quality Control• Mobile Quality Inspection• Mobile Pallet Management• Mobile Inventory Management• Mobile Dispatch• Mobile Transport Management• Mobile Device Management• Mobile Business Intelligence

Customer Care Program

Our partnership with you continues after the successful implementation of your LINKFRESHTM solution through our customer care program. This program includes the following initiatives and benefits:

The Platinum Club

The Platinum Club is LINKFRESH’s Microsoft Dynamics® Customer User Group. Two Platinum Club meetings are held annually. The objective of the Platinum Club is to provide a forum for feedback and knowledge transfer where customers and users can benefit by sharing experiences and leverage greater value from their Microsoft Dynamics investment.

The goals of the Platinum Club are as follows:

• To allow clients to gain an insight into current and planned future Microsoft Dynamics developments.• To define additional areas of functionality in the system that would assist in maximizing utilization.• To highlight any concerns on current service levels provided by LINKFRESH and to suggest future refinements that could lead to improved service offerings.• To gain an insight into how other clients gain maximum business benefit from their Microsoft Dynamics solution.• To gain awareness of other technology developments or changes that may impact positively on your overall system.

Free Customer Workshops

In addition to The Platinum Club, we offer four free of charge customer workshops throughout the year. These are “show and tell” sessions led by experienced Microsoft Dynamics consultants and each workshop covers a specific area of the Microsoft Dynamics suite. Recent workshop topics have included: Reporting Tools, Warehouse Management, Basic and Advanced Finan-cials and Inventory Costing.

Skilled Support Desk

Once your Microsoft Dynamics® solution is live, our skilled support service provides telephone, remote and on-site assistance when needed.

Joint Award Entries

LINKFRESH has won many International awards for it’s customer solutions; Microsoft Dynamics NAV Partner of the Year, Microsoft Dynamics ISV of the Year, UK Comms National Awards, European IT Excellence Awards. These awards provide a unique opportunity to share our successes within our industry and also to highlight the achievements of key personnel within our customer base.

Implementation Approach

The LINKFRESH approach to implementations is based on the Microsoft Sure Step methodology which has been developed specifically for Microsoft Dynamics® implementations. This, combined with best practices for project control, change management and the experience of 15 years of successful Dynamics implementations, provides a tried and trusted path from initial proposal through to live operation and support.

“Now that we are working with the LINKFRESHTM system, we are already experiencing the benefits of having a fully integrated modern business management solution built for our industry. We have access to real time information at the touch of a button. This allows us to operate more efficiently while providing full traceability of product throughout our supply chain. The new dynamic information platform enables us to improve customer service while competing more effectively using accurate and timely management information as a business aid.”

Tim Riley, PresidentGiumarra

“Discovering the LINKFRESH suite which was designed for the fresh produce industry was a real breakthrough. The impressive fresh produce functionality packaged within the application made the decision to switch an easy choice.”

Trent Gorse, Chief Financial OfficerGourmet Trading

“We carried out a detailed search for a suitable system for our egg grading and packaging operations from leading global software suppliers. On finding the Microsoft Dynamics® based LINKFRESH ERP suite, we were pleased to discover that the package had already been successfully deployed in a business similar to ours. It was also clear from our research that LINKFRESH fully understood the challenges of the shell egg supply chain industry”.

John Leitch, Chief Financial OfficerL. H. Gray & Son Limited

For detail, demonstration or discussion Visit www.linkfresh.com or email info@linkfresh.com

LINKFRESH Inc., 100 E. Shell Road, Ventura, CA 93001 USA +1 805.804.5060 • www.linkfresh.com • info@linkfresh.com

LINKFRESH and logo is a trademark of LINKFRESH Inc.

TM