Overview - A substantial strategic development, replacing and integrating 5 existing systems. This project involves the incorporation of complex methodologies across multiple platforms delivered to challenging timescales across a worldwide business. This system incorporates pricing, costing, profitability, management and financial reporting to support key decision making in finance, commercial and sales.
Involvement - The business requirement was converted into a full technical design. Project Management of the whole development lifecycle, including analysis, database design, development, testing and deployment. There are on-going functional enhancements.
Technologies - Java, NCR Teradata Enterprise Data Warehouse (EDW), Cognos Business Intelligence software tools, PowerPlay Transformer, PowerPlay Client, Cognos ReportNet and Cognos Connection, Mainframe, DB2, COBOL, FTP & WebSphere.
Overview - A Local Order Entry (LOE) system was designed to replace a mainframe system that was too slow. The design criteria required that the entire order had to be taken on a single screen, with a turnaround time of better than 20 seconds.
Involvement - Picked up the business requirement and converted it into a full technical design. Then managed the full development lifecycle and deployment to the business units. On-going functional enhancements and 24x7 third line support.
Technologies - HP/Unix. Written in a mixture of Micro Focus COBOL and PROIV using both C-ISAM and RDBMS filing systems.
Overview - A Collection Planning and Delivery Planning system (CPL/DPL) forms the heart of most express parcels operations software. Orders are electronically transmitted to the local depot. The ‘orders’ can be for either a ‘pickup’ (Collection) or a ‘drop’ (Delivery). CPL and DPL operations are organised into geographically defined ‘rounds’ to which one or more vehicles may be assigned. Where Incab communications have been implemented the allocation information is made available to the vehicles on the round.
Involvement - This was an existing suite of programs. We have worked on a number of enhancements both major and minor. The work has been based on using supplied specifications or the definition of the business requirement, through to completion of the full development lifecycle to deployment for business acceptance.
Technologies - HP/Unix, Written in a mixture of COBOL and PROIV using both C-ISAM and RDBMS filing systems.
Overview - An Incab module is an extension of the Collection and Delivery Planning functionality. It provides a means of delivering pickup information to a vehicle on the road and receiving consignment status data back from the driver in a timely manner. An order taken in the order entry system can be routed to the relevant Collection Planning depot, allocated to a ‘round’ and the details notified to the vehicle ‘on the road’ with no operator intervention. This removes the need for protracted telephone/radio traffic with attendant cost benefits. Vehicles are fitted with cradle mounted portable handheld computers that feature on-board bar code readers. The system was designed to be ‘network independent’ by the use of flexible Middleware; this allows the Radio medium to be Datatac, Mobitex, or GSM etc. without any change to the base business application.
Involvement - Picked up the business requirement and converted it into a full technical design. Then managed through full development lifecycle to pilot deployment for a business unit.
Technologies - HP/Unix. Written in a mixture of PROIV, ‘C’ and MicroFocus COBOL using both C-ISAM and RDBMS filing systems. Also work on the Radio Network Middleware Gateway housed on NT.
Overview - An International Mail system (IMC) was written to track the costs of the Trans-global re-mail/bulk mail service provided by the operation. Worldwide operators enter details of individual re-mail/ bulk mail movements and the data is collated centrally to provide analysis and summary for customer invoicing, cross-depot recharging and traffic service planning.
Involvement - Analysed the business requirement and converted into a full technical design. Then managed through full development lifecycle to deployment worldwide. Several subsequent functional enhancements and 24x7 support.
Technologies - IBM Mainframe. Written in a mixture of COBOL and PROIV using both DL1 and DB2 filing systems.
Overview - EBIT (Earnings Before Interest & Tax) Management System and Modelling Tool
The system was required by commercial users to enable them to monitor, manage and improve EBIT for business measured by customer, geography and product types.
Data is extracted on a monthly basis including revenue, weight and number of consignments for all traffic flows, in addition to a detailed breakdown of costs for each core traffic flow.
Once all the data has been successfully extracted, the data warehouse serves as a source for the building of a number of COGNOS PowerPlay multi-dimensional cubes on an NT server. These cubes can then provide the commercial user with comprehensive data interrogation facilities. Users can drill down on different dimensions such as customer types, different origin and destination countries and depots, weight bands, products etc… and view costs, revenues and therefore EBIT for every aspect and combination of the traffic flow.
An Internet based product from COGNOS, Upfront, allows easy access to the PowerPlay cubes, reports and Impromptu via either the WAN or Intranet. The worldwide users can access the PowerPlay cubes and reports. However, security measures are in place to ensure that only authorised personnel are permitted to view each cube and report.
The modelling tool allows commercial users to easily and quickly price a quotation for new work. It contains all the latest costs for each product and elements of a potential job. This ensures that prices are quoted from a position of knowledge rather than a guess estimate.
Involvement - Analysed the business requirement and converted into a full technical design. Then managed through full development lifecycle to deployment worldwide. On-going functional enhancements and 24x7 support.
Technologies - HP/Unix and NT. Written in a mixture of COGNOS, COBOL and Delphi using DB2 and Informix RDBMS filing systems.
Overview - An Online system is used by Investigators worldwide to enter and track details of Incidents and Claims. Data from this system is loaded to a datamart for reporting and analysis on RMS and operational data using Business Intelligence tools. Reports from it are used by the Security and Insurance departments worldwide.
Involvement - Taking the business requirements and building the Output and Reporting Systems (Catalog, Cubes, Standard Reports), training the end users, supporting the system once built and providing numerous enhancements.
Technologies - The RMS Datamart resides on an NCR Teradata Enterprise Data Warehouse (EDW) to satisfy all reporting and data analysis requirements. The system was developed using Cognos Business Intelligence software tools, PowerPlay Transformer, Client & Web, Impromptu & Impromptu Web via an Upfront web portal.
Overview - A reporting solution based upon an operational system provided to the Netherlands & UK Sameday courier business.
Involvement - Reporting development took place in parallel with the operational system. The business requirement was converted into a full technical design. The full development lifecycle and deployment to the business units were project managed. There are ongoing functional enhancements and third line support.
Technologies - The Sameday Datamart resides on an NCR Teradata Enterprise Data Warehouse (EDW) to satisfy all reporting and data analysis requirements. The datamart is loaded from the mainframe using NCR’s FastLoad utility. The system was developed using Cognos Business Intelligence software tools, PowerPlay Transformer, PowerPlay Client and Impromptu (on-line transactional processing tool).
Overview - A Reporting System to provide a divisional overview of invoice performance via a single point of access. A number of existing reports are automated, replacing manual effort.
Involvement - The business requirement was converted into a full technical design. Project Management of the whole development lifecycle, including development and deployment to the business units. Third line support and on-going functional enhancements.
Technologies - The APR Datamart resides on an NCR Teradata Enterprise Data Warehouse (EDW) to satisfy all reporting and data analysis requirements. The system was developed using Cognos Business Intelligence software tools, PowerPlay Transformer, PowerPlay Client, Cognos ReportNet and Cognos Connection, as well as Mainframe loads and programs, Linux Scripts, SAP, DB2 and WebSphere.
Overview - This is a Strategic Tool combining external and internal data on the global marketplace.
Involvement - The business requirement was converted into a full technical design. Project Management of the whole development lifecycle, including development and deployment to the business units. There are on-going functional enhancements and third line support.
Technologies - The system was developed using the Cognos Business Intelligence software tools, Cognos ReportNet and Cognos Connection as well as mainframe jobs, DB2, WebSphere and NCR Teradata Enterprise Data Warehouse (EDW).
Overview - A Customer Relationship Management system, maintaining prospect data with interactive alerting and customer information, interfacing with other reporting systems.
Involvement - Took business requirements and managed the project. Developed the eCRM user interface and backend.
Technologies - Java, Oracle database, Enterprise application.
Overview - A system to produce consignment labels and exchange EDI information on shipments from each Client’s Customers to their Head Office.
Involvement - Took business requirements and managed the project development. There are on-going functional enhancements and third line support.
Technologies - Java using Oracle libraries, Firebird database, and Citizen CLP 1001 printers.
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