The Client
Vistry Group stands as a prominent player in the UK home construction industry, operating through esteemed brands such as Bovis Homes, Linden Homes, and Countryside Partnerships. With a commitment to delivering high-quality, sustainable, and affordable homes, Vistry Group collaborates with various stakeholders to create communities that offer lasting social value across 26 regions.
The Challenge
Following the acquisition of Countryside Partnerships in 2023, Vistry Group encountered a significant operational challenge: integrating two distinct technological ecosystems. This merger required consolidating diverse back-office systems into a unified Access COINS ERP platform while ensuring data integrity and minimizing disruption to business operations and users. Single Point Solutions (SPS) was tasked with transforming this challenge into a strategic opportunity through their range of expert COINS data services that they have been developing over the last 25 years.
The Solution
SPS delivered a comprehensive solution by developing a meticulous data consolidation and update strategy. This approach ensured accurate updating of Access COINS data to meet the operational needs of the newly merged business, whilst preserving historical information for future analytics. The project process ensured that operational continuity was maintained at all times with system and data updates being confined to out of hours and weekends. This allowed the business to operate as usual with little or no disruption to COINS system users.
Key project strategies included leveraging SPS’s specialised COINS data expertise, developing custom data re-coding and restructuring frameworks and utilities, and implementing rigorous data validation and testing protocols. A phased update approach ensured a smooth transition, with data updates and extensive User Acceptance Testing (UAT) programmed into the deliverables.
The Impact
The collaboration with Single Point Solutions enabled Vistry Group to turn a complex merger challenge into a strategic technological advancement.
The project successfully consolidated and restructured the Access COINS system, updating all relevant data without loss or integrity issues, on time, and within budget.
Project Scale – the numbers
- Number of records updated – approximately 10 million
- Number of Users affected – 500 Users
- Number of Phases undertaken – 12 Phases
- Project timescale – Started March 2023 still on-going complete Oct 2025
Project Achievements
- Successful data consolidation without loss or integrity issues
- Updating and restructuring
- COINS companies (KCo’s)
- Supplier account removal
- Contracts
- Job Costs and Subcontracts
- Subcontract retentions
- Key system coding structures including – Sectors, Cost Heads and Cost Codes
- COINS functionality enhancements including – 3-way to 2-way matching (removal of GRNs) and changes to House Sales processing
- Delivery of a unified system supporting combined business operations
- Uninterrupted business as usual operations for hundreds of COINS users
The integrated system now supports the combined operations of Vistry Homes and Countryside, fostering unified processes, better decision-making, and enhanced operational efficiency. The seamless integration has also promoted greater collaboration between Vistry and Countryside teams, leveraging the strengths and best practices of both organizations.
Vistry Group CIO, Chris Pearce, expressed his satisfaction with the project’s success:
“SPS has been instrumental in achieving our business requirements for our bringing all of our regions onto COINS. They enabled us to reimplement COINS effectively, preserving our full transaction history. The project has been executed on time and within budget;SPS have worked seamlessly with our in-house team. We now enjoy unified processes and enhanced efficiency, fostering better collaboration and decision-making across the organisation.”
