When your job is to keep the power on for nearly 50,000 homes, farms, and businesses, stability and readiness aren’t just nice to have, they’re essential. That’s the reality for Counties Energy, a 100% New Zealand-owned electricity distribution business servicing the region from southern Auckland to northern Waikato.
When bad weather strikes, getting the right equipment to the right place, quickly, is critical to restoring service. And the systems behind the scenes need to work just as hard as the teams on the ground.
One critical and widely used platform is their ERP system. It connects activity, inventory, and teams across a wide range of essential operational and business tasks.
The existing platform, Microsoft Dynamics NAV, had been customised heavily over the years and had become core to how the business ran. To future proof this key platform, an upgrade was implemented.
A strategic step forward
While Counties Energy was operating well with Microsoft Dynamic NAV, a fully supported version with all custom code in extensions was necessary. The upgrade project was an essential step towards being cloud ready.
The project was led by two leaders who stayed closely involved from diligence through to delivery: a Data Platform Manager/Project Manager for this upgrade, together with the Chief Financial Officer, Lorne Peters. Counties Energy’s Digital Operations team were an essential resource working in the background with Fusion 5’s technical staff.
The first step was to engage Fusion5 to conduct a full audit of the environment. That audit confirmed what the team had anticipated: a direct move to the cloud wasn’t feasible immediately. Custom code needed to be cleaned up, the database reduced in size, and internal processes streamlined to set the business up for a smoother transition in the future.
With that clarity, the decision was made to upgrade to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central -On-Premise.
This system touches everything and is used by almost every member of the team. It’s a core and critical system to run our business.”
Lorne Peters, Chief Financial Officer
The work behind the upgrade
The project involved detailed planning, extensive remediation, and disciplined execution across multiple workstreams:
- Audit and Code Review
A comprehensive review of the existing NAV environment was undertaken, covering custom code and integration points to assess upgrade feasibility and risks. This surfaced several legacy customisations that would have blocked a direct cloud migration and helped shape the recommended upgrade path.
- Migration Planning and Execution
The team carefully planned the upgrade of the 1TB NAV database to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, mapping out risk areas and technical constraints. Custom code was reviewed and either retired or rebuilt as extensions to align with Microsoft’s upgrade path and ensure future flexibility.
- Database and Storage Optimisation
Multiple sources of obsolete or duplicated data and code were removed, including a cleanup of Change Log settings and legacy log data. These optimisation activities helped reduce overall database size and improve system performance, a necessary step before any future move to the cloud.
- Document Capture and Template Standardisation
The transition to Continia Document Capture included the removal of custom code. This eliminated technical debt and brought the document management process back into alignment with supported best practices.
- Process and Policy Updates
The project surfaced broader improvement opportunities across system governance.
- Testing, Training, and Transition Support
The programme included multiple rounds of testing (SME, UAT), targeted user training, and structured go-live support. Counties Energy had onsite support throughout the transition, with Fusion5 experts helping resolve early issues and build user confidence.
Approach and outcomes
This project didn’t shy away from complexity. Previous customisation had resulted in embedded code and functionality which had to be reviewed before moving forward with the upgrade.
Beyond the technical, there were human factors too. Key staff were juggling day jobs while playing critical roles in the project. Adapting to a new interface and new ways of working took time, support, and patience.
Success came from the combination of collaboration, strong processes, and shared ownership. Fusion5 and Counties Energy worked as one team, combining technical depth with disciplined project management and a collaborative, accountable delivery culture.
User training was another major focus. Counties Energy’s Project Manager led much of this internally, supported by a Fusion5 system expert onsite during the transition. That hands-on presence in the early days helped fast-track confidence and smooth the adoption curve.
Having local, consistent project resources also meant issues were resolved quickly and nothing was lost in translation.
A foundation for the future
This was a high-profile and important change that provided confidence in operational efficiency. Counties Energy now has a stable, streamlined platform that integrates well, supports core operations, and is ready for what’s coming next.
Thinking about your own ERP upgrade?
If you’re running Microsoft Dynamics NAV or another legacy ERP, upgrading to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central can streamline operations, reduce technical debt, and prepare your business for the cloud. The right upgrade approach can improve performance, strengthen governance, and align processes with best practice.
From database optimisation and code remediation to Continia Document Capture and template standardisation, ERP upgrades offer a chance to modernise and scale. At Fusion5, we help utilities, energy providers, and essential service businesses move to modern, secure, and scalable ERP platforms.
