Innovative Retail POS and Interface Solution
It was pleasing for us to create a custom integration solution so quickly, especially considering the lack of information available regarding the two tools we were working with. Especially pleasing is that our solution has continued to work effectively, even after ongoing updates to both of the source programs.
Case Study
We were approached by Matrix Constructions, a building company who specialised in Defence force housing. Every property built required thousands of purchase orders, which were managed in a software program called Databuild.
While this tool was great for purchase order, it wasn’t great for construction accounting. For this, they used a tool called Viewpoint Construction Software. Viewpoint was great at accounting, but not for their purchase orders. The challenge was to find a way to integrate the systems and find efficiency without tedious manual effort.
Process
The project was carried out over five-stages:
- Investigate which processes were currently being handled by each tool – Databuild and Viewpoint.
- Devise a solution allowing the client to use Databuild for purchase orders, and have the information easily transferred to Viewpoint for accounting.
- Analyse and learn how the back end of how each tool works.
- Create a custom integration solution allowing purchase order data to be moved automatically from Databuild to Viewpoint every hour.
- Ensure reporting was available to compare the information from both systems. This allowed any errors or discrepancies to be located easily.
Addressing Challenges
The major challenges were the fact that we were not familiar with either the Databuild or Viewpoint Construction software tools. Neither featured any integration processes, meaning we had to develop this from scratch. Neither tool came with any instructions, and the developers didn’t provide any assistance to us. Fortunately, by analysing the back end of each system, we were able to overcome these challenges quickly.
Outcomes
Our custom integration solution allowed for our client to continue using their preferred tool for purchase orders, making their daily operations more efficient. Information was transferred to the accounting software tool automatically, meaning no manual intervention was required. This meant company staff could focus on what they do best, rather than dealing with tedious and unnecessary duplication of admin work. The project was completed quickly too – ahead of time, and within budget. The client was extremely happy with the solution and the way the project moved so quickly.