Opportunity

Cablesys hired PLAVEB to reengineer their website with advanced shopping and inventory capabilities. Custom order using multiple parameters, automated inventory/order synchronization and intuitive search with multiple criteria were key challenges for the system development.

With wide range of cable manufacturing capabilities, Cablesys had unique requirements for the website and web based system. Cablesys was looking for a partner who can accommodate their unique business needs and transform their vision into a usable, scalable and customizable web based inventory management system. Online system must accommodate their manual functional requirements and must follow current order processing system. Vast range of product combination should allow end-user to search and filter the products intuitively. All these functionalities should be managed by an intuitive content management system.

Challenges

»Create an intuitive product management system that is easy to use and understand by Administrator.
»Ability to add multiple attributes and values to those attributes for a particular product.
»Create a custom “build-to-order product management section” that allows endless permutations for a product and price.
»Automated web inventory and web order import/export and synchronization with native software.
»Dynamic, rule based SKU management and synchronization
»Inventory synchronization scheduling.

Execution

PLAVEB created a custom, state of the art web based system that allows Cablesys to manage their online inventory in consensus with local inventory and the orders other means than website. The web-based system is backed up with very robust product, inventory, and order and content management system. Administrator can easily maintain the online inventory along with order processing. Automated inventory synchronization allows Cablesys to synchronize the product quantity and orders. Order processing department automatically gets order alerts and payment is captured automatically on a designated time. PLAVEB provided a completely customizable product management system that allows system administrator to add new attributes and their values along with price escalation based on selected combinations of the attributes and values. Dynamic SKU generator creates product SKU based on selected attributes and their values.

Automated synchronization has some challenges considering security aspects and hosting server limitations. PLAVEB has supported complete setup and hosting bumps during the deployment process.

Results

With quick turnaround, exceptional custom shopping cart knowledge and structured execution, PLAVEB was able to complete the project on time without compromising any of the technical aspects of the system. The outcome was intuitive, scalable and robust shopping cart with product, inventory and content management system that surpassed the expectations of Cablesys and it’s customers.

The whole process makes it very efficient for Cablesys team to process orders and update the inventory without compromising their traditional manual system. Customers of Cablesys are finding the system intuitive and easy to use. With complete control of the inventory, products and copy of the site, Cablesys makes it easier for their client to interact with the company.

Addition to the system is still going on. Due to unique nature of the business and specific requirements, Cablesys keeps adding new functions to the system. PLAVEB accommodates all their needs with complete client satisfaction.

Technical Details

PLAVEB used Microsoft technologies to create this custom web based system. The application is coded in ASP.net and runs on a Microsoft SQL Server 2005 database and hosted on Windows Server 2003 with IIS 6. PLAVEB has implemented built-in Error Notification System that sends the error messages to the developer without having end-user to know about it. Automated synchronization using native windows services was challenging in some aspects but it executed well.