Rewriting the rulebook: How Wriggle Learning modernized its ERP and E‑Commerce with Tinx’s WooCommerce connector

Wriggle Learning is an education-focused technology provider based in Ireland, delivering hardware, software, and digital learning solutions to schools and educational institutions nationwide. With over 9 years in the industry, Wriggle has positioned itself as a key player in supporting digital transformation in education, offering tailored IT services and device deployment across all levels of the sector.

Ryan Hughes, Finance Manager at Wriggle, plays a pivotal role in overseeing the company’s financial operations, from daily processes to board-level reporting. In addition to his finance responsibilities, Ryan also took on a project management role during the company’s recent ERP transition to Business Central. His involvement extended into the e-commerce space as Wriggle aimed to modernize its systems and improve the efficiency of its online store operations. For Ryan, finance and technology are closely connected: automation, data accuracy, and time efficiency are essential to ensuring the company runs smoothly while continuing to grow.

Wriggle’s mission is to empower schools through smart, scalable digital infrastructure. Their long-term vision is rooted in continuous innovation and finding new ways to support the evolving needs of students, teachers, and administrators through integrated technology.

When I spoke with Ryan Hughes, he emphasized the necessity of change, driven by the growing demands on their systems. That’s where Tinx came into the picture.
Before the leap: a solid platform stuck in the past

Wriggle had been operating on SAP for roughly 9 years, a system that had served well but lacked evolution. Despite efforts to implement new tools, the platform was frozen in time, leaving finance, logistics, warehouse, and operations teams to navigate manual, fragmented workflows. Ryan described their pain: “automation is nearly everything… there’s not much time to be spending hours on invoicing and posting journals… it was a real struggle.” Back then, everything depended on manual spreadsheets and reports created from multiple systems, delaying accurate insight and increasing potential for error.

You often hear that “once it works, no one dares touch it,” and that was the case here. Wriggle had a stable system, yet one that didn’t support scaling, agility, or real‑time decision‑making. Inefficient processes resulted in lost time, repetitive efforts, and operational drag across departments. While customers weren’t negatively impacted directly, the heavy internal burden weighed heavily on Wriggle’s broader ambitions.

The turning point: Embracing ERP change and seamless integration

A few years ago, Wriggle embarked on a strategy review. Starting with a CRM upgrade and driven by goals to streamline finance and operations, the leadership agreed the next step was a full ERP overhaul. Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central emerged as the replacement. The move was planned for January 1, 2025, followed closely by a WooCommerce – ERP connector in March.

Enter Tinx. Introduced through a trusted partner, Sysco, Wriggle met Tinx’s technical lead, Bob, along with integration experts Kasper and Marcel. With workshops the Tinx team helped Wriggle envision a robust, automated process flow, from sales order creation in WooCommerce, through shipment posting and invoicing in Business Central, all without manual intervention. Confidence grew steadily: “we set out a timeline… we were way ahead of it, which took the pressure off,” Ryan recalled.

From manual to masterful: the transformation in action

Tinx’s implementation delivered results quickly and comprehensively. The connector automated the full order lifecycle: WooCommerce orders generated in Business Central, triggering sales shipments and invoices upon shipment completion. This sequence eliminated multiple manual steps and drastically reduced error potential.

Before, shipping and invoicing required manual review and processing that sometimes took hours each week. Today, not only is invoicing fully automated, but consistency and accuracy have been improved dramatically. As Ryan put it, “we’re literally not even touching anything to do with the automation now.” The time saved freed staff from routine tasks and allowed them to focus on higher-value activities.

Perhaps even more important was the unified system approach. Business Central became the single source of truth where finance, warehouse, and e-commerce colleagues see the same data, driving operational harmony across teams.

The human factor: communication, trust, and care

Technical solutions aside, Ryan stressed the level of support and responsiveness from Tinx’s team. Kasper was always reachable, even outside of business hours, providing reassurance as they navigated tight schedules. Communication during implementation was good and frequent: “the customer care we received… was excellent.” The willingness to stay aligned, to say “absolutely,” and then adapt as needed has built strong trust in Tinx.

This is more than just technical support; it’s a mindset. Delivering under pressure requires clarity, honesty, and accessibility. Tinx cleared this critical threshold, helping Wriggle feel confident going live, and running strong since.

The new normal: measurable gains and strategic confidence

The benefits became noticeable almost immediately:

• Zero-touch invoicing: The connector eliminated manual invoice posting. What once took hours each week now happens automatically and accurately.

• Faster order processing: Orders from WooCommerce filter through Business Central in record time, improving turnaround and giving customers speedier service.

• Reduced errors: With fewer manual interventions, errors declined sharply—saving staff time and reducing stress.

• Unified insight: A single, centralized reporting platform ensures finance, logistics, and marketing teams work with the same real-time data.

Ryan explained that while customer operations weren’t hindered before, the internal efficiency gains were huge: “we rarely touch the system anymore, and nothing stops moving smoothly.”

Looking ahead: A roadmap shift fueled by success

A successful connector implementation didn’t just improve efficiency at Wriggle, it changed their perspective on what’s possible. What started as a small automation project has become a key priority for the company. With the e-commerce connector now fully in place and working well, Ryan and his team are exploring how to expand automation across other parts of the business, including accounts payable, inventory, and operations, all in preparation for next year’s e-commerce cycle.

This shift marks more than just technical progress. Wriggle is no longer just trying to automate tasks. They’re aiming to rethink how their processes work altogether, using Business Central to build smarter, make more connected systems, and backed by partners they know they can rely on.

Lessons learned and advice for others

Lessons learned:

• Build in time buffers when working with new partners and systems.

• Involve integration experts early; earlier collaboration accelerates system familiarization and readiness.

• Maintain open and honest communication among all stakeholders through project life cycles.

Advice from Ryan:

• “Plan to overestimate the time accordingly, when you’re dealing with multiple parties and strict deadlines.”

• “If I could start over, I’d have contacted Tinx a bit earlier. Even during platform testing, their Business Central expertise would’ve been invaluable.”

Final reflections: Confidence-led transformation

Looking back, the project’s success hinged not just on tech, but on trust, rapid answers, genuine partnership, and proven delivery. Wriggle’s collaboration with Tinx has been both efficient and human‑centred. The payoff is more than streamlined processes, it’s transformed belief in what the company can achieve.

Ryan’s final words encapsulate it:

“I can’t think of one bad thing to say… I could only recommend Kasper, Marcel and Bob… you guys made sure that it worked, and you worked to the deadline when you said you would.”

 

What Wriggle’s transformation means for you

Wriggle Learning’s journey illustrates a powerful pattern: even when systems are stable, they may be holding you back. By intelligently integrating e-commerce with ERP and choosing the right partner, what felt routine becomes a launchpad for growth. Tinx’s WooCommerce Connector isn’t just a connector, it’s the spark you need to reimagine what’s possible.