Ryman is in the process of implementing a single integrated head office system that will cover its financial, inventory management and distribution processes.

Provided by K3, the Microsoft Dynamics-based system should be live by the end of this month and will replace a number of legacy systems. It will be used by between 80 and 100 head office staff to manage 250 stores.

Ryman chairman Theo Paphitis chose the system after a visit to this year’s Retail Solutions exhibition. He opted for the K3 system because it also provided integrated inventory management and supply chain functionality for a similar price to other finance packages.

K3 sales director Paul Makin explained that the system’s biggest benefit would be improved data accuracy. “Ryman will have a fully integrated modern application it can extend the scope of when it wants. It will provide a single version of the truth,” he said.

The system touches many roles within the retailer’s head office, so K3 has been working closely with a Ryman team to ensure users are supportive of the implementation. “It’s not like an EPoS system where you just turn it on. We need buy-in from finance, supply chain and merchandising teams,” Makin said.

He added that the cost of running Ryman’s head office software should fall once the new system is live. “Clearly, the running costs are one element of the decision to change. Old legacy systems are usually expensive to run,” he said.

The retailer’s inventory and merchandising system is thought to be at least 10 years old and since taking on the source code, it has been left to develop the system itself.

Ryman will run the system in-house. Initially it will link to its Retail-J EPoS system, but, in the longer term, it could also be hooked up to its web site system.