Client Background
Ukrainian representative of Gorenje d.d., one of the largest enterprises in Slovenia that is ranked among the leading European manufacturers of home appliances. Two thirds of Gorenje d.d. products are exported to the European markets.
Business Challenge
Necessity to store and rapidly analyze information about partner companies’ activities called forth a need to create a tool allowing mobile workers to collect primary information and accumulate it into a unified storage.
Such a solution would make it possible to analyze market information in central office, and maintain centralized products and partner networks catalogues.
A system should have a convenient user’s interface allowing proper work with either stationary computer or laptop.
Solution
After analysis of customer’s requirements, Infopulse offered a solution that consists of three components:
1. Data collection and primary analysis subsystem
Data collection and primary analysis subsystem allows mobile workers, using tablet laptops, to collect information about partner networks activities and conduct primary analysis of this information immediately in partner companies offices. Then, such information can be sent to the central office.
During this session of synchronization, updated partner networks and assortment of catalogues are delivered from the central office.
2. Centralized catalogue maintenance subsystem
Centralized catalogue maintenance subsystem allows organizing unified storage of directories and controlling mobile workers access to any given data.
This subsystem ensures the integrity of supplemental information at the regional representation level and releases mobile workers from necessity to keep own directories on their computers
3. Complex data analysis subsystem
Complex data analysis subsystem is built on the basis of Microsoft SQL Server 2005: Analysis Services and contains market environment dynamics analysis, related to: product lines and time, in partner networks section, presented in a table and graphical view.
Microsoft Office Excel 2007®, as a client-end portion of solution, gives a possibility to manipulate data by filtering and grouping them in the required context.
Results
The implemented system became a useful tool for regional representatives, as well as managers carrying out complex analysis and making decisions on the ground of received information.
Substantial improvements recorded in the following directions:
• Information accessibility and data storage safety. Mobile workers can send data directly to the central storage; at the same time, data integrity is guaranteed and the problem of inconsistence of collected information is eliminated. Furthermore, there is no need for the central office workers to process and consolidate received data manually. Security management in the central storage is provided by Microsoft Active Directory®, which gives compartment users’ access to the information on the different levels.
• Centralized catalogue maintenance helps to save mobile workers’ time; catalogues update is now available via internet from any location.
• Work simplicity and substantial timesaving. The usage of Microsoft Office Access 2007 tools allowed designing client application with easy information insertion. Input forms are intended for work with laptops, which means that users can effectively work with either keyboard and mouse or stylus. As a result total time of information collection, compilation, analysis, and delivery to the central office remarkably decreased.
• Integration and implementation simplicity. Possibility to use customary applications Microsoft Office Excel 2007 and Microsoft Office Access 2007 noticeably simplified users’ comprehension of a new system and accelerated its implementation. Moreover, both applications can be easily integrated with Microsoft SQL Server 2005, which considerably lowered system development costs.
Customer’s feedback
Customer’s reference is provided upon the specific request.
Project Facts
Technologies:
- MS SQL Integration Services
- MS SQL Reporting Services
- Excel Services
