Smartwings References – ERP tailored to aviation

Greater transparency and regulatory certainty in distribution management for S&D Pharma SK

S&D Pharma SK approached the Essence team with the goal of modernizing its ERP system while maintaining a solution compliant with pharmaceutical legislation and group requirements.

The key goals and needs of the project included:

Upgrade from NAV 2018 to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
A key migration from an on-premise solution (operated as an Azure service) directly to the cloud (SaaS version)
Replacement of a system with ending support and limited technical capabilities
Preserving documentation and reporting tools for mandatory submissions to State Institute for Drug Control
Fulfilling the regulatory requirement to track batches and provide complete history for at least 5 years (including accounting records, and purchase and sales history of individual batches)
A foundation for a unified international ERP platform within the group and future Power BI reporting

A solution tailored for the pharmaceutical business

Key challenges and requirements of S&D Pharma SK

The company distributes pharmaceuticals and medical devices under the supervision of SIDC. The older NAV 2018 system running in Azure was no longer sufficient—facing limitations in performance, compliance, and administration.

Complex connection to remote servers of the parent company in the United Kingdom
Low system performance
Unstable access to the ERP system without connectivity outages
Missing Slovak language layer
Dependence on IT support for accessing the ERP system from the parent company

What did we focus on?

The project involved a transition to the cloud-based Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central solution, with the goal of creating a modern ERP platform suitable for multiple entities.

The priority was the migration of data from NAV 2018, including all historical documents
We designed the solution architecture so that the same foundation could be used in the Czech branch of the group as well.
The project team adhered to the schedule and ensured a smooth transition aligned with the implementation at the sister company.

Upgrade instead of a new implementation

Instead of building the system from scratch, we chose an upgrade strategy. This allowed S&D Pharma SK to retain its complete data history and batch tracking while also meeting strict legislative requirements.

Ultra-fast connectivity

Fast and easy access to the ERP system via a standard web browser eliminated previous issues with connecting to the parent company's servers in the United Kingdom.

Continuous innovation

The move to the cloud brought a solution with regular updates and instant access to the latest Business Central features.

Secured legislation for the SK market

The specifics of Slovak legislation and the Slovak language layer were ensured using a proven third-party extension.

Successful implementation within 4 months

The project was implemented over a period of four months. Although there was a loss of connection to the original NAV system during the migration, thanks to a backup scenario, the entire transition took place with only a few hours of delay – and by Monday morning the company was already operating in the cloud.

The successful upgrade of the Slovak branch is just the beginning. This implementation is smoothly followed by another strategic step: the upgrade of the Czech sister company, S&D Pharma CZ, with a planned launch as early as October 2025.

Do you have similar requirements as S&D? Contact us and we will go through the options with you.

And how does our client see it?

"I highly value our cooperation in the implementation of Business Central. The whole project ran smoothly and efficiently, which I attribute above all to your professionalism and open communication. Cooperation with you was pleasant and productive, and your active involvement and quick reactions significantly contributed to a successful result. Our partnership brought me not only the successful implementation of a key system, but also valuable experience and strengthening of trust in mutual cooperation."

– Mgr. Peter Kall, S&D Pharma SK