J Parker’s transforms end to end operations with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
Highlights:
Successful implementation of end-to-end Microsoft Business Central ERP solution streamlines operations
Bespoke solutions are designed to align with J Parker’s unique business needs, enhancing operational efficiency and scalability as the business grows
Xpedition’s expert team, with an in-depth understanding of J Parker’s unique business processes, provides highly responsive and customised support
About the organisation
Founded in 1933 as a mail-order bulb supplier, J Parker’s has grown into one of the UK’s leading suppliers of plants, seeds, trees, and produce for both professional and amateur gardeners. Headquartered in Manchester, it operates warehouses in Manchester and Anwick, Lincolnshire, and in August 2024 expanded into Ireland with a new website and production facility in County Louth. Still family-run, J Parker’s achieved its 5-year growth target in just 12 months in 2021 and continues to grow organically.
The challenge
As J Parker’s continued to grow, it became clear that a comprehensive ERP solution was needed to support every aspect of the business. Having previously operated on Microsoft Navision, the company made the logical decision to upgrade to Microsoft Business Central. J Parker’s chose to partner with Xpedition for the implementation, opting to work with a trusted team of professionals who had previously supported them.
Ray Baxter, Head of IT and Strategy at J Parker’s says, “We had confidence in the individuals involved, as they had a good understanding of our business processes. They were well placed to guide us through the implementation, manage the complex data migration, and develop the bespoke functionality required to successfully transition from Navision.”
Solution
The implementation of Microsoft Business Central was a complex project due to the significant level of customisation required and the intricacies of data migration, which were expected challenges. Xpedition supported the design, development, and rollout of the new solution, which successfully went live in December 2021.
“Xpedition’s deep understanding of our business, along with their experience in similar implementations, proved invaluable. They helped us achieve a successful cutover to a large and wide-ranging solution that is now central to all our processes at J Parker’s,” says Ray.
Microsoft Business Central now manages the majority of the core of J Parker’s end to end business processes, from initial customer contact and order capture, through warehouse logistics and carrier integration for despatch, to invoicing, purchasing, and financial management, including operational reporting and management accounting.
“Business Central underpins everything we do at J Parker’s,” explains Ray. “It gives us visibility across the entire operation and provides real time processing of order throughout their journey to our customers.”
The solution is tailored to support the unique aspects of J Parker’s operations, including the creation of collection and mixed orders that combine multiple plant types within a single purchase. It also supports part deliveries, which are often influenced by seasonality and stock availability.
J Parker’s retail, wholesale and Irish websites are fully integrated with Business Central, accounting for the majority of incoming orders. Traditional paper-based and phone orders are still accommodated, ensuring accessibility for all customer types. The system currently supports around 500,000 orders annually.
Business Central’s finance modules consolidate the accounts for both the UK and Ireland businesses, providing a unified and comprehensive view of business performance across both regions.
Xpedition continues to support the solution, providing everything from issue resolution to the development of new bespoke features and the implementation of existing functionality within Business Central. The support arrangement is evolving from a fixed number of days each month to a more flexible managed service focused on specific deliverables, supported by a broader team of Xpedition experts.
“We plan to move from our on-premise solution to the cloud version of the product,” says Ray, “This will allow us to benefit from new Business Central features as Microsoft enhances the platform. To do this effectively, we need to establish a rigorous testing process for each scheduled release.”
As J Parker’s adopts more Business Central functionality, there will be further opportunities to streamline operations through greater automation.
Working with Xpedition
“We have built a strong partnership with Xpedition over many years, and are confident they will continue to go above and beyond to support us on our journey. They have always been there when we needed them, and their deep understanding of our business is truly invaluable.”
Ray Baxter, Head of IT and Strategy at J Parker’s
Benefits
- Complete business visibility
A single enterprise-wide solution supports all of J Parker’s end to end business processes, delivering complete visibility across operations and enabling better control and decision making.
- Tailored support for unique processes
Bespoke developments by Xpedition have enabled J Parker’s to continue offering specialised services such as collections, mixed orders, and part deliveries that are essential to its customer promise.
- Consolidated financial reporting
Business Central brings together financial data from both the UK and Ireland, providing a comprehensive view of performance, supporting critical strategic decisions.
- Streamlined order processing
Integrated web ordering and carrier systems ensure smooth data flow from order capture through to despatch, helping deliver a seamless and efficient customer experience.
- Responsive and expert support
Xpedition’s deep understanding of J Parker’s ensures an informed, proactive support that enhances efficiency and minimises downtime, backed by a flexible managed service model.
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