Oracle Netsuite for digital startups

Does an innovative and skilled digital company really need Oracle NetSuite to improve its management control?

We asked Cosimo Brogi, Financial Controller at WeSchool, who–spoiler alert–chose a new ERP to improve the structure of the company’s internal processes. In this interview, you’ll read about the opportunities Oracle NetSuite also offers cutting-edge tech companies and Green Tree’s different approach to its customer coaching and consulting journey.

OUR CUSTOMER: WESCHOOL

WeSchool is Italy’s leading EdTech company: providing a platform for training, learning and skills development, promoting and supporting lifelong learning.

Their training projects have reached over 200 thousand training experts and more than 2 million users.

In 2020, WeSchool successfully completed an investment round to improve management control, a critical point for the company.

WeSchool is a digital startup with a lean structure and highly advanced technical skills. It operates in a hybrid mode, with part of its staff in smart working and part onsite in Milan.

WESCHOOL: PRIORITIES AND GOALS

WeSchool’s need was mainly to make internal processes more robust. Specifically:

  • to be able to make use of accurate accounting and management data in an aggregated and rapid manner,
  • to improve management control and accounting structuring.

For WeSchool, a system that would allow them to analyze and monitor the accounting of the various projects being developed was useful, so as to have a greater awareness of the costs to be incurred and, consequently, to establish appropriate cost of sales.

“Oracle NetSuite was chosen to analyze and monitor the profitability of the educational projects we offer. We needed to base our decisions on accurate and organized data, not on spannometric figures reported in Excel files.
We structured a management control that allows us to have all the data available to make the assessments we need, to define both the cost of production and sales.”

ORACLE NETSUITE BECAUSE

NetSuite was chosen for its ability to organize accounting in a way that monitors the entire development cycle of each WeSchool project, from the initial phase to the final sale, so as to ensure the most correct allocation of dedicated resources.

The educational projects offered to the client are developed in-house by teams of experts. WeSchool needed detailed and accurate data and reports to assign the right number of employees to each project. Using Oracle NetSuite, it was possible to implement a management control system that provides a complete view of costs by project, cost center and class.

“We have been very happy with Oracle Netsuite because it meets all our needs.
We have been able to improve our ability to monitor and evaluate the progress of our projects. This has enabled us to make more informed decisions and better adapt to our clients’ needs.
Through this ability to provide accurate and timely data, we have been able to ensure high quality service and maintain high standards of professionalism.”

LIKE THE THREE MUSKETEERS: NETSUITE, GREEN TREE AND WESCHOOL

WeSchool self-managed almost the entire Oracle NetSuite implementation, studying the product thoroughly and gradually advancing the process. Green Tree supported the client in some technical difficulties, especially in the implementation of the NExIL application.

Our support to WeSchool was light and unobtrusive, precisely because of the client’s high skills and expertise and the great resourcefulness he showed us-a challenge not for everyone! This combo of approaches allowed WeSchool to go from the previous system to the new one in just two months!

The company began implementation in late January 2022 and managed to complete the process in mid-March, becoming fully operational.

“It was very intense-we needed Green Tree’s support for the more technical steps. Our challenge has been to study the product, go in depth and do testing. Our merit, perhaps, in not being brought down by the frustration of not being able to achieve a result.”

ORACLE NETSUITE FOR A DIGITAL REALITY: THE DECISIVE GOAL

Although WeSchool is a digital startup, different in conformation and needs from manufacturing or commercial companies, Oracle NetSuite proved to be a suitable and flexible ERP, capable of providing effective management control and equally responding to the structuring that was needed.

WeSchool also integrated NExIL, the Italian accounting and taxation application.

The versatile nature of Oracle NetSuite and the focused support of Green Tree, facilitated WeSchool in implementing this specific app, in a short time and tailored to the company’s specific need.

WESCHOOL RECOMMENDS

WeSchool suggests studying the product in depth during implementation, consulting available guides and experimenting in practice to gain a comprehensive understanding of Oracle NetSuite functionality.

Carefully planning the implementation is critical, as, of equal value is not being discouraged by challenges: by arming yourself with patience and determination, you can achieve any goal.

WE CAN CONCLUDE THAT

Green Tree adapts willingly and with the greatest openness to the client’s requests: we also provide personalized support in the presence and manner of the intervention.

With WeSchool, we did not impose our product know-how, but rather we shared it, leaving them the freedom to experiment that they needed: we responded promptly and concretely to each of their requests for help.

This approach allowed us to facilitate the success of the project and enabled the WeSchool team to gain a deep understanding of the software, maximize the use of NetSuite within the company, and thus achieve their goals.