In the healthcare technology industry, precision, reliability, and real-time data flow are critical — not only for business operations but for patient safety and regulatory compliance. When we were engaged to rescue an ERP project for a healthcare tech client, the situation was far from ideal. The system had already been heavily customized by a previous partner, but with little to no traceability, governance, or alignment to best practices. Our mission was clear: rebuild trust in the technology foundation and ensure a reliable, scalable ERP solution was in place.
Where We Started
The project inherited several major technical shortcomings:
- Customizations lacked corresponding functional design documents, leaving development disconnected from business requirements.
- Azure DevOps (ADO) work items were not aligned with changesets, making traceability and progress tracking nearly impossible.
- The code quality did not meet Microsoft’s best practices, resulting in technical debt and maintainability risks.
- Integration with Salesforce was implemented using a time-based sync every 15 minutes with no proper error handling, leading to frequent data mismatches and unreliable communication between systems.
1. Strategic Rebuild: From Chaos to Structure
We took a strategic and disciplined approach to restore structure and integrity:
- Re-evaluated all customizations: Some business needs were met through standard configuration, avoiding redundant custom code.
- Rebuilt the necessary customizations from scratch, using the existing code only as a reference where applicable.
- Each new development was preceded by a written and approved Functional Design Document (FDD), ensuring clarity of purpose.
- ADO work items were tightly integrated with changesets, with progress tracked via dashboards and traceable backlog management
2. Automated, Aligned, and Agile
We implemented full Code Lifecycle Management (CLM):
- End-to-end automated ADO pipelines and release processes were introduced.
- LCS API calls and custom X++ scripts were developed to automate data refresh across environments — reducing downtime and human error.
- Even in scenarios where ISVs acted as black boxes, we managed to extend functionality through carefully selected trigger points, without compromising upgradeability.
3. Redesigning the Integration Landscape
One of the most significant challenges — and achievements — was rebuilding the Salesforce–Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations integration:
- We replaced the legacy batch sync with a near real-time, bidirectional integration.
- Built-in custom middleware logic ensured stability and robustness, even during load spikes.
- Despite the lack of non-production Salesforce environments, we devised creative workarounds to enable successful User Acceptance Testing (UAT)
Outcome: Reliable and Scalable System
The Go Live was a success — particularly impressive given the initial state of the project:
- No critical issues during the cutover, even with the integration being one of the most complex parts of the system.
- Technical infrastructure now supports future scalability, auditability, and maintainability.
- The client now operates on a clean, reliable ERP platform, aligned to healthcare-specific needs and ready to evolve with the business.
Consult with Our Technical Experts: Schedule a session with our technical experts to discuss your ERP challenges.
