Introduction
Apollo Therapeutics is a portfolio biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Cambridge, UK, with operations also in Oxford, UK, and Boston & Chicago, in the USA. It partners with six leading universities and research institutes to transform breakthroughs in biology and medical research into innovative new medicines. The company manages a diverse pipeline of therapeutic programs at various stages of drug development.
Charlotte Wilson, has been Financial Accountant at Apollo Therapeutics for nearly four years, is responsible for the finance team’s controlling functions, including VAT returns, month-end closes, and audits across both UK and US operations. She is a primary user of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, which Apollo launched in January 2022 as their first enterprise resource planning (ERP) system.
The company utilises Business Central primarily for its financial and service-related functions. Business Central supports Apollo’s complex needs, including managing financial data across multiple programmes and partners, and providing robust reporting and project cost analysis.
The Challenge
Apollo Therapeutics had implemented Business Central with another Dynamics partner, but encountered challenges with post-implementation support. As Charlotte Wilson explained, “We were looking to switch because during and following the implementation, we weren’t really getting the desired levels of support from the support partner that did the implementation with us.”
“The implementation was successful, but definitely wasn’t easy, and with one eye on the further requirements of the business using Business Central going forward, we wanted to make sure we had the right support partner to go through that road map with us.”
The company needed a support partner who could help manage complex financial processes related to multiple drug development programs, including better reporting on costs and more streamlined month-end accruals. Operational inefficiencies, limited reporting capabilities, and a lack of responsive support were also key obstacles.
The Solution: Specialised SynergyCare Support
Synergy Technology was introduced to Apollo through word of mouth and recommendations from senior finance personnel. While Synergy did not conduct the initial implementation, they quickly became Apollo’s trusted support and development partner.
Charlotte highlights the collaborative approach brought by Business Central Consultant Adam, and the rest of the Synergy Technology team: “Adam really worked with us to identify how we were using the projects feature in Business Central and how that’s connected in the background to invoices, purchase orders etc. Then he helped us with the road map from our initial calculation of month end accruals, through to the way we’re doing it now, which involves lots of different lookups with Jet Reports. So yes, that’s been great. I think we’ve always worked well with the team.”
Key improvements implemented by Synergy Technology included enhanced use of Business Central’s project features tailored to Apollo’s portfolio management, and implementing Jet Reports to enable advanced, multi-table data interrogation.
Charlotte summarised the working relationship: “We come to the Synergy team with our problem statement and then we work through what will work, what won’t, and find a solution together. Jet Reports has meant a real change in the ability for us to interrogate Business Central and pull in data from lots of different tables which has been fantastic.” Synergy’s support was transparent, timely, and collaborative throughout, with Synergy always available for calls to understand Apollo’s needs and provide solutions.
A notable example was the VAT return process, where Apollo faced a tight deadline after delay from HMRC. Charlotte recalls: “The first time we had to do a VAT return, the HMRC didn’t give us our group VAT number for about a year, and obviously as soon as we got it, we need to do the return pretty quickly. That involved working with the Synergy team against a tight deadline from the HMRC. The Synergy team were integral in helping us get our entries from our old ERP into Business Central for VAT purposes, and then being able to submit the returns. That was definitely a collaborative effort I would say.”
The effort required bridging data from Apollo’s legacy ERP system into Business Central, a complex task fraught with typical risks such as data integrity issues. Synergy’s consultants worked closely with Apollo’s finance team to ensure that the VAT submissions were accurate and on time, avoiding any penalties or compliance issues. This collaborative experience reinforced the strength of the partnership, demonstrating Synergy’s commitment to being more than just a software support provider, effectively a trusted extension of Apollo’s financial team.
The Results: Improved Operational Efficiency
Since partnering with Synergy, Apollo has realised significant improvements in productivity and financial controls. According to Charlotte, “I think what has helped with the productivity side, is being able to work with Synergy to understand how we can use Business Central in a more streamlined way. If we’re using one report, the support team may say you can use this one instead and that actually gives you a better answer. Overall, it’s being able to get the best use out of the system and recommend those improvements.”
The support team’s accounting expertise was also a valued asset: “I’d definitely agree that it helps that the Synergy consultants have had accountancy training, because it means you can just start talking the same language straight away. I don’t have the system or IT knowledge at all, but you know, with Adam and other members of the team, it means you could come to them and say this is what I need to do from an accounting standpoint and they understand that and then can make recommendations to you which is really helpful.”
The Future
Apollo Therapeutics continues to work closely with Synergy Technology as they evaluate their finance systems landscape to support future growth. Quarterly account management calls keep Apollo up to date with licensing, Microsoft updates, and Business Central features. Charlotte highlights the ongoing relationship: “The account management has been brilliant. When we first worked with Synergy, the main contact was Michael, but later the team introduced Amanda and I have quarterly calls with her. We decided that quarterly is right for the level of need and the tickets that go in, which can vary throughout the year. The support is definitely there whenever we need it.”
Apollo Therapeutics plans to introduce future enhancements to its Business Central system, aiming to further streamline financial processes and improve operational visibility as the company grows. Apollo looks to Synergy Technology for continued expert guidance, custom development, and support, trusting Synergy to help them maximise their technology investment while confidently scaling and adapting to changing business needs.
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“I think what has helped with the productivity side, is being able to work with Synergy to understand how we can use Business Central in a more streamlined way. If we’re using one report, the support team may say you can use this one instead and that actually gives you a better answer. Overall, it’s being able to get the best use out of the system and recommend those improvements.”
“I’d definitely agree that it helps that the Synergy consultants have had accountancy training, because it means you can just start talking the same language straight away. I don’t have the system or IT knowledge at all, but you know, with Adam and other members of the team, it means you could come to them and say this is what I need to do from an accounting standpoint and they understand that and then can make recommendations to you which is really helpful.”
Financial Accountant – Apollo Therapeutics