The challenges of SaaS localization are perhaps nowhere more pronounced than in the context of Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE). Reporting and compliance for B-BBEE falls just outside the scope of Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance, forcing businesses to rely on time-consuming, error-prone manual processes.
Existing software solutions tend to narrowly target certain aspects of the B-BBEE scorecard, without addressing the others. After all, some elements bear more points than others, so on the surface, it makes sense to prioritize some over others. But this leaves businesses only a few steps ahead of where they started, and obliges them to hold onto outdated, inefficient processes they should be moving beyond.
In this article, we’ll be describing our very own comprehensive B-BBEE Scorecard power app: the first of its kind, and a proudly homegrown solution that gets Microsoft Dynamics to speak the language of B-BBEE.
B-BBEE Compliance: The Challenge for Businesses
B-BBEE legislation exists to advance transformation and enable previously disadvantaged groups in South Africa to participate in the economy. The policy framework is governed by the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Act 53 of 2003, supplemented by Codes of Good Practice. To determine whether a company is compliant, its performance is measured against the 5 elements that comprise the B-BBEE scorecard:
- Enterprise Development, Supplier Development & Preferential Procurement
- Ownership
- Skills Development
- Management Control & Employment Equity
- Socio-economic Development
Because these elements fall outside the scope of Microsoft Dynamics, companies typically resort to manual data capture and reporting to demonstrate compliance. The alternative is to outsource these responsibilities to consultants who perform the same manual procedure on their behalf. And while software solutions have been developed to address these challenges, most of them prioritize Preferential Procurement. For example, some include features that integrate suppliers’ B-BBEE certifications, which makes it possible to track preferential procurement spend. That’s only one part of the picture, albeit a vital one.
Bridging the gap: South African solutions to South African challenges
We realized that what companies needed was a Microsoft Power App that could enhance Dynamics 365’s capabilities and allow transformation officers and HR teams to tick their respective boxes quickly and compliantly.
We couldn’t find one, so we built it: B-BBEE (Comprehensive) Scorecard.
It’s a mouthful, but it gets the job done. Our app makes it easy to round up all of the relevant scorecard data, without interfering with the relationships you manage within Finance day to day. Best of all, it delivers a complete, overall B-BBEE score that’s verified annually to ensure that you’re always on top of your obligations: the first app of its kind to do so.
Fusion the Apps People is a premier Independent Software Vendor (ISV) and is a brand of SIS Global. With decades of experience working with Microsoft, we have developed industry-specific applications designed to extend Microsoft business applications.
How B-BBEE Scorecard App works
Your journey to seamless digital transformation begins with a single data migration. Once your company data is housed within the app, the process runs automatically, with minimal need for user input or guidance. This initial data migration includes:
- HR Demographics across the entire organization
- Procurement spend, donations and contributions
- Training, internship and bursary initiatives
From there, the software runs in the background, processing the data and making all the necessary calculations against statutory obligations. You receive your overall score, which you can verify on an annual basis. Transform B-BBEE verification from an administrative ordeal into a streamlined, integrated workflow that keeps your business accountable and transparent, year on year.
Why Go it Alone?
B-BBEE compliance is administratively intense and requires a wide range of expertise to get right. Using our B-BBEE Scorecard simplifies and streamlines the entire process, freeing companies to reallocate time and resources elsewhere. Here are some of the powerful features that make light work of compliance:
Automated Spend Analytics: All of your reports get updated in real-time, without manual input. Data remains available after an invoice, payment or employment is captured.
Minimal Input: As transactions occur within the system, reports update automatically to reflect these changes. You can access the reports and analytics you need on a monthly basis.
Optimization of Internal Resources: Leave the bad old days of populating spreadsheets ahead of the annual audit: all scorecards can be readily accessed, viewed and printed for hassle-free submission when the time comes.
It’s time to shift gears with a proudly South African B-BBEE scorecard solution backed by SIS Global, an accredited Microsoft Gold Partner. To learn more about how to integrate next-generation compliance capabilities within Microsoft Dynamics Finance, get in touch. Our team is on hand to help you make the right decision for your business.
