Case Study - Batch item logging

ASKO is a leading European manufacturer of high-quality, energy-efficient home appliances, renowned for their innovative and stylish designs.

Client
ASKO Appliance
Year
Service
App development

Background

ASKO, a leading European home appliance brand and manufacturer, has been using SAP as their main Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. Despite its robust capabilities, the version of SAP they employed featured an interface that was notably user-unfriendly, making it difficult for untrained staff to operate effectively. This issue was particularly pronounced in their Australian operations, where technicians needed to perform frequent stocktakes of spare parts—a process made cumbersome due to the inefficient interface and server latency issues, as their servers were located in Europe.

Challenge

ASKO Australia faced several critical challenges with their existing SAP system setup:

Complex and unfriendly user interface:
The SAP version used by ASKO had a complex user interface that was not intuitive, especially for untrained staff, leading to increased training costs and reduced productivity.
Inefficient inventory management:
Technicians had to manually write down each part number and enter it into the system, a process further complicated by slow response times due to the server’s location in Europe.
Productivity delays:
Each entry took several seconds to process, significantly slowing down the stocktaking process and affecting overall operational efficiency.

Solution

To address these issues, our software development team designed a tailored application that streamlined the inventory management process:

Windows desktop application:
We developed a Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) application, specifically designed for ease of use and efficiency.
Integration with handheld barcode scanners:
The application connects directly to handheld barcode scanners, allowing ASKO's technicians to quickly scan and log parts without manually entering data.
Seamless SAP integration:
After logging into their SAP accounts via the application, technicians could bypass the complex SAP UI for stocktaking actions. The application adds scanned items to a queue for SAP processing in the background, enabling asynchronous operations.
Asynchronous processing:
This feature ensures that staffs do not have to wait for one process to finish before continuing with their work, significantly speeding up the workflow and reducing downtime.

Results

The deployment of the new WPF application transformed ASKO’s inventory management processes:

Increased efficiency:
Technicians experienced a substantial reduction in the time required for stocktakes, as they could now quickly scan parts and automatically log them without delays.
Reduced training requirements:
The application's intuitive design drastically decreased the learning curve for new technicians, making it much easier for them to become proficient in its use.
Enhanced productivity:
With the asynchronous processing feature, technicians noted a noticeable improvement in their productivity during inventory tasks, as they no longer had to wait for each entry to process before continuing.
Staff satisfaction:
Feedback from ASKO's staff highlighted significant improvements in working satisfaction and ease of use compared to the old SAP UI.

Faster stocktake
50%
Click download and install
1
Workload reduced
70%
Hour training
1

Technical Infrastructure

  • Windows Desktop
  • WPF
  • Hardware Integration
  • Microsoft Store

WPF application:
We chose Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) for the desktop application to ensure compatibility with ASKO’s existing Windows laptops, which are used on a private network. This approach was necessary to maintain high levels of security, as the application operates within a closed environment without connections to public networks, enhancing overall safety.
Microsoft Store deployment: Publishing the application on the Windows Microsoft Store allowed for globally easy installation, updates, and maintenance.

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