Context and Challenge
HFN, a leading furniture and home goods retailer, processes thousands of purchase orders, transfer orders, and sales orders daily. Before the project, order data was stored and managed in Microsoft Dynamics NAV, a legacy ERP system. However, the system had limitations:
- Manual data entry led to errors and inefficiencies.
- Limited integration with external vendor systems slowed down order processing.
- Warehouse transfers took longer due to a lack of automation.
- Lack of flexibility prevented HFN from customizing order flows to match business needs.
To solve these challenges, HFN required a custom EDI module that could enhance stock management, securely exchange data with vendors and warehouses, and provide full control over data synchronization.
Client’s Objectives
After analyzing client needs and challenges, we set the following objectives for the project:
- Unify order processing across vendors, warehouses, and internal teams in the EDI module.
- Automate data exchange to reduce manual effort and errors.
- Ensure secure and real-time synchronization with WMS and Microsoft Dynamics NAV.
- Improve flexibility, allowing managers to modify, import, and track orders efficiently.
How We Approached the Project
We started with an in-depth discovery phase, analyzing HFN’s order processing workflows, integration needs, and security requirements. Our System Architects worked closely with HFN to design a solution that integrated with Microsoft Dynamics NAV and WMS while providing full automation of order data and stock data exchange.
Next, during the planning phase, we outlined key features of the module, including purchase order data exchange, transfer order data exchange, and manual data import. Also, we efficiently planned the project scope to ensure the solution was scalable and adaptable.
At the development phase, we automated the processing of transfer order data, ensuring that data on the warehouse relocations was displayed instantly within the system. We also implemented a custom UI update, giving managers better visibility over order data and allowing seamless data exchange.
Finally, our team performed extensive testing and security validation, ensuring that data transfers were fast, error-free, and fully compliant with HFN’s operational policies.
Through this structured and collaborative approach, we delivered a robust EDI solution tailored to HFN’s operations.
Solution Overview
The EDI module brought the following benefits:
- Data exchange within internal systems: Eliminated manual order data entry by automating the exchange of transfer orders, purchase orders, and sales order data.
- Data exchange with external systems: Enabled direct data exchange between HFN and vendors for faster order approvals and processing.
- Warehouse transfer optimization: Automated data exchange on transfer orders between HFN warehouses, reducing delivery times and stock imbalances.
- Custom UI enhancements: Provided real-time order tracking, detailed order views, and manual data import for improved management.
- Secure data synchronization: Ensured 100% safe data exchange with WMS, Microsoft Dynamics NAV, and third-party systems without external dependencies.
- Insightful analytics & reporting: Allowed HFN to track order trends, errors, and warehouse movements, improving overall efficiency.
- Flexible order management: Enabled managers to modify, import, and monitor orders as needed.
By implementing these features, we improved order data processing speed, reduced errors, and achieved complete control over data exchange.
Detailed Execution Timeline
The entire project was estimated at 240 hours, structured into key development phases:
- Discovery & requirements gathering
- Architecture design & system planning
- Development of automated order processing
- UI updates & manual data import feature
- Security validation & testing
- Deployment & support
Results and Impact
Qualitative results:
- Optimization of stock management effort: Automation of data exchange and manual processes helped managers focus on value-added tasks rather than routine data entry.
- Faster product delivery and improved customer satisfaction: Automated warehouse transfers reduced delays between warehouses, speeding up overall product delivery and improving service quality for end customers.
- Access to real-time order data: Managers could instantly view and act on synchronized order, stock, and transfer data, leading to quicker decision-making and fewer bottlenecks.
- Secure data synchronization: Custom-built synchronization with WMS and vendor systems eliminated the need for third-party software, reducing risks and giving HFN full control over data handling.
- Reduced errors Automation eliminated error-prone manual entry, ensuring accurate, reliable, and consistent order and transfer processing.
- Enhanced flexibility and control: Managers can import, modify, and track orders efficiently via a tailored UI and workflow engine.
Key Takeaways and Lessons Learned
Success factors:
- Strong collaboration: Close coordination between Forbytes, HFN, and third-party vendors ensured seamless integration with both internal and external systems.
- Custom automation strategy: The solution was designed specifically for HFN’s needs, allowing full automation of order data flows and warehouse transfer operations.
- Built-in flexibility: Unlike out-of-the-box tools, the custom EDI system gave HFN granular control over workflows, helping them adapt processes as their business evolved.
- Security-first approach: By building the solution in-house rather than relying on external vendors, we ensured full data security and compliance across all integrated systems.
Challenges overcome:
- Warehouse transfer delays: Manual data entry previously slowed down inter-warehouse operations. The EDI module automated this, improving internal logistics and reducing delivery time.
- Risk of inaccuracies: Automating order and transfer data eliminated inaccuracies that previously resulted from manual entry, boosting reliability across processes.
- External software security risks: Using third-party systems for data exchange could have introduced vulnerabilities. Our secure, custom-built solution kept data protected and internal.
- Lack of workflow control: Legacy systems didn’t allow for easy adjustments. The new EDI module gave HFN the flexibility to modify, monitor, and manage processes in real time.
By focusing on collaboration, automation, and security, we delivered a solution that not only solved HFN’s immediate challenges but also laid the groundwork for long-term operational efficiency.
