Nazareth Care- Success Story
Nazareth Care Transforms Finance Operations
with Dynamics 365 Business Central
From Legacy Systems to Strategic Decision Making
When Nazareth Care began evaluating its finance systems, the question wasn’t whether their existing solution still worked. It was whether it could continue supporting a growing, highly regulated aged care organisation operating across Australia and New Zealand.
By partnering with Evolution Business Systems (EBS) to implement Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, Nazareth Care modernised its finance platform, streamlined operations, integrated core business systems and empowered its finance team to become strategic business partners.
The Challenge
Nazareth Care had been running Microsoft Dynamics AX for more than 20 years. While the system was still functioning, it had become increasingly difficult to maintain.
Over time, numerous workarounds and manual processes had been introduced, creating a complex environment that relied heavily on individual knowledge and manual intervention.
Key challenges included:
- An ageing ERP platform that had reached end-of-life support
- Increasing costs and limited availability of specialist resources
- Manual reconciliations and Excel-based processes
- Delays in reporting across geographically dispersed sites
- Heavy reliance on key individuals to manage critical workflows
- Limited capacity for strategic analysis and forecasting.
As CFO Steven Taylor explains, “The finance team were trying to hold together a system that was slowly falling to pieces and wasn’t able to keep up with the functionality we required.”
Why Business Central?
Having already standardised on Microsoft technologies such as Excel, Teams and Microsoft 365, Business Central was a natural fit.
The cloud-based solution offered:
- A familiar Microsoft user experience
- Real-time access to data across all locations
- Improved scalability and security
- Modern financial management capabilities
- Strong integration options with other business-critical systems
Most importantly, Nazareth Care wanted a solution that would support the organisation’s long-term growth while reducing complexity.
Choosing the Right Partner
Selecting the right implementation partner was equally important.
Nazareth Care needed more than technical expertise. They needed a partner who understood the realities of operating in a not-for-profit aged care environment with limited internal IT resources and complex compliance requirements.
Working collaboratively, EBS helped Nazareth Care design and configure Business Central to align with aged care-specific operational and financial requirements.
Steven Taylor
Chief Financial Officer
Nazareth Care
“EBS was able to bring that knowledge and share their best practices and experiences from years of working in this environment, which was key for us and our own team.”
A Nationwide Go-Live
On 1 April 2025, Nazareth Care took an ambitious approach to deployment.
Rather than implementing site by site, the organisation went live across all six locations in Australia and New Zealand simultaneously.
To minimise risk, extensive effort was invested in:
- Detailed solution design and scoping
- Data cleansing and migration
- User testing and validation
- Change management and training
The result was a successful transition that allowed the organisation to move seamlessly from one reporting period to the next.
Integrating Business Central and vCare
Following the successful ERP implementation, Nazareth Care embarked on another major transformation initiative by implementing vCare, its resident management system.
Working alongside Nazareth Care and the vCare team, EBS delivered an integrated environment where:
- Business Central manages financial operations and general ledger activities
- vCare manages resident information and care-related processes
- Information flows automatically between systems
- Care-level changes are reflected in financial data in real time
This eliminated the need for manual intervention while improving accuracy and visibility across the organisation. In addition, Nazareth Care implemented Continia to digitise accounts payable processes, further reducing manual administration and improving efficiency.
Financial Management for NFPs
On demand Recording
Hear from Nazareth Care in this recorded session where Steven Taylor, CFO discussion how they are using Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central to support better visibility, consistency, and decision‑making across their organisation.
The Results
Five Days Saved Every Month
By eliminating manual reconciliations and streamlining finance processes, Nazareth Care reduced month-end reporting time by five days every month.
Over a year, this equates to approximately two months of additional capacity that can be redirected into strategic analysis, forecasting and business support.
One Source of Truth
A cloud-first platform has provided:
- Real-time access to data across Australia and New Zealand
- Consistent reporting
- Greater transparency
- Improved confidence in organisational decision-making
Reduced Costs
Nazareth Care estimates annual savings of approximately $50,000 per year through reduced consulting costs, lower overtime requirements and fewer correction-related activities.
Improved Audit Outcomes
The organisation completed its annual audit with zero adverse findings providing additional confidence to both leadership and the Board.
Strategic Finance Team
Perhaps the most significant outcome has been the evolution of the finance function itself.
Rather than spending time processing transactions and correcting data issues, the team now focuses on:
- Forecasting
- Scenario planning
- Capital investment analysis
- Supporting operational leaders
- Delivering strategic business insights
“That shift from transactional processing to true strategic support has transformed how the finance team is viewed internally and externally.”
Looking Forward
Today, Nazareth Care has a stable, integrated platform that provides trusted data, streamlined reporting and greater organisational agility.
With confidence in its financial information and systems, leadership can make informed decisions that support residents, staff and long-term organisational growth.
“The question is not whether you can afford to invest in a new system. The real question is whether you can continue to operate with systems that don’t let your organisation win.”
Client Profile:
Nazareth Care is a Catholic not-for-profit aged care provider operating five sites across Australia and one in New Zealand. With a focus on delivering quality care to residents, the organisation operates in a highly regulated environment that demands timely reporting, financial transparency, and strong governance.
