4PS, the developer of 4PS Construct, an ERP solution for the construction industry built on Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, is both a user and a reseller of Exsion 365. The partnership gives 4PS customers real-time reporting and analytics on their project data in Excel, made the move of customer reports from on-premises to the Business Central cloud quick and smooth, and supports both companies' ambition to grow internationally. Arnold van der Werf, Controller at 4PS, and Thomas Werkhoven, Director of Exsion 365, explain how the collaboration works and what it has delivered.
What makes the position of 4PS unique?
What sets 4PS apart is its dual role as both a user and a reseller of Exsion 365, a powerful add-on for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central that offers real-time reporting and analytics. This partnership has served as a catalyst for growth and innovation at both companies. Arnold van der Werf, Controller at 4PS and Thomas Werkhoven, Director of Exsion 365, share how their collaboration not only improved efficiency for their clients but also fueled their shared ambition for global expansion.
Because 4PS uses Exsion internally as well as selling it, its own controllers know the product from the finance side. That matters when a construction customer asks how to combine Job Ledger Entry (table 169) with G/L Entry (table 17) in one cost-to-complete sheet: the answer comes from a colleague who has done it, not from a brochure.
Results at a glance
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Area | Before | After
Access to financial project data | Reports requested through complicated processes | Real-time insight, data from multiple tables straight into Excel
Customer reports during the on-premises to cloud move | Rebuilt or reconnected per customer | Migrated quickly and smoothly to the Business Central cloud environment
Reporting support at 4PS customers | Consultants build and adjust reports | Users work in the familiar Excel-like environment and adjust reports themselves
Geographic reach of the reporting offering | Local | The same reporting delivered worldwide, regardless of customer location
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Why are efficiency and insight essential in construction?
The construction industry faces unique challenges: fragmented data, complex projects, and the need for accurate reporting. Arnold explains: "In construction, direct access to financial project data is crucial. Without real-time insights, companies risk costly mistakes." Thomas adds: "In times of rapid market change, such as the turbulent period between February and May 2022, construction companies need reliable reports and fast analyses to make decisions. The integration of Exsion 365 with Business Central helps companies gain quick insight into their financial risks and performance."
The standard alternative is the export route Microsoft describes in its guide to exporting Business Central data to Excel. For a project controller with 40 live projects that is a snapshot per project, redone every time a cost line is posted. With a live connection, the same workbook refreshes in one click; 700,000 G/L Entry rows come back in under five seconds and Excel stays responsive while it runs.
What is the added value of Exsion365 for 4PS and its customers?
4PS has developed 4PS Construct, an ERP solution based on Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, which forms the backbone of its offering for the construction industry. However, they recognized the need to improve their reporting capabilities, which led to their partnership with Exsion365. Arnold says: "Exsion365 has become an essential tool for quickly extracting and analyzing data without complicated processes. Users can even continue working in the familiar Excel-like environment. It allows us to easily make data from multiple tables available in Excel, supporting flexible reporting on an international scale."
"Multiple tables" is the practical part. In Exsion Reporting a controller adds a second table in the query grid, Exsion proposes the join key, and the choice of inner, outer, inner top 1 or not exists join is a dropdown rather than a query. The query definition is written into the workbook as a readable grid, so a 4PS consultant and a customer controller can read the same definition and agree on what a report does. Permissions are inherited from Business Central, so there is no separate security model to set up per customer.
How did the move from on-premises to the cloud go?
One of the greatest advantages of Exsion365 is the seamless transition from on-premises to the cloud for 4PS customers. Arnold explains: "With Exsion365, we were able to quickly and smoothly migrate our customers' reports to the Business Central cloud environment. This transition increased efficiency and enabled customers to quickly adapt to changing market conditions."
The reason the migration is smooth is that an Exsion workbook connects through the Business Central API and works across environments. The report definition does not change when the database moves; the connection is repointed and the report refreshes against the cloud company. In the cloud the add-in installs from AppSource through Extension Management in about five minutes, so a migrated customer is reporting again the same day.
How does the collaboration support global growth and innovation?
The strength of the partnership between Exsion365 and 4PS lies not only in the technical advantages but also in their shared ambition for growth. With advanced reporting capabilities and a robust ERP solution, both companies are well-positioned for international expansion. Arnold emphasizes: "We can deliver the same high-quality reporting worldwide, regardless of our customers' locations. This opens doors to new markets and further strengthens our position." Thomas shares this view: "The number of international companies that approach us without being fully familiar with our joint solution is impressive. Reporting and data management challenges are universal, which offers us significant growth opportunities in the global market."
For 4PS as a reseller the commercial model is simple: partners earn a 25% recurring margin on Exsion licences, technical support is handled by Exsion, and pricing is public with a 30-day trial, so a 4PS account manager can include it in a customer conversation without a separate quote round. Details of the programme are on the partner page.
What does the future hold: innovation and adaptability?
Looking ahead, 4PS and Exsion 365 are focused on continuous innovation. Arnold explains: "The construction industry is evolving rapidly, and the demand for efficient, flexible solutions continues to grow. Through our partnership with Exsion365, we remain at the forefront of offering solutions that meet the ever-changing needs of our customers. There is great confidence in our partnership and products, and together we are investing in further product development to support our customers worldwide."
If you run a construction company on 4PS Construct or on standard Business Central and want to see what project reporting in Excel looks like in practice, our guide to building Excel-native reports for Business Central is a good starting point.
Frequently asked questions
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What is the relationship between 4PS and Exsion 365? | 4PS is both a user and a reseller of Exsion 365. It uses the add-on for its own reporting and offers it to customers of 4PS Construct, its Business Central based ERP for the construction industry.
Why does 4PS offer Exsion alongside 4PS Construct? | 4PS recognized the need to improve reporting capabilities. Exsion lets users extract and analyze data from multiple Business Central tables in a familiar Excel-like environment without complicated processes.
How did Exsion help 4PS customers move from on-premises to the cloud? | Customer reports were migrated quickly and smoothly to the Business Central cloud environment, because an Exsion workbook connects through the API and its report definition does not change when the database moves.
Can 4PS deliver the same reporting to international customers? | Yes. According to Arnold van der Werf, 4PS can deliver the same high-quality reporting worldwide regardless of customer location, which opens new markets for both companies.
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