Global technology giant Dimension Data has increased its project delivery capability with a bespoke asset tracking solution produced by Oakwell Solutions, a Microsoft enterprise application development specialist.
Dubbed TransIT, the Web-based solution traces the procurement and delivery cycle of technology products from the Dimension Data Commerce Centre`s suppliers, right through to delivery to its customers` sites.
It provides greater visibility into a complex supply chain both for Dimension Data staff, as well as the organisation`s clients. The solution has been rolled out globally to Dimension Data`s offices in SA, Europe, Australia and the US.
According to Roy Hobson, managing director of Oakwell Solutions, Dimension Data was faced with the challenge of tracing a deal from the sales cycle through to delivery of the components that make up the solution for its clients.
"The contracts in which Dimension Data is involved require sourcing of components from organisations that may be located virtually anywhere in the world. Because project deadlines depend on the availability and timely delivery of these component parts, the company sought a solution that would give it complete and detailed visibility and tracking of the supply chain, thereby enabling it to better plan and manage solution delivery," explains Hobson.
Danie Zeelie, who is systems and data manager for Dimension Data Commerce Centre (DDCC), explains that the division is responsible for procurement and logistics for the company on a global basis.
"As a technology services and solutions provider to global companies, we work from a central procurement centre but have to move products to appropriate destinations around the world. To do this more effectively, we needed a tracking system to let us know the status of goods anywhere in the supply chain, including status from the manufacturer, at customs clearing and at the client site," he explains.
Prior to the implementation of TransIT, the organisation was using a manual system to track back orders and assets. This meant that only one person could modify any of the data at any point in time, and users had to manually edit the data when a client requested a status report - a clumsy and time-consuming exercise. Zeelie therefore notes that a design specification for the solution was to automate as many of the data capture steps in the supply chain as possible to reduce recapture, optimise human productivity and reduce the time taken to gather necessary information.
He explains that the `traditional` information that is important in terms of goods in a supply chain falls into three categories - back office information such as order details and delivery address; information from a manufacturing point of view such as production schedules and configuration details; and finally logistical information such as freight forwarding details and waybill numbers.
"Typically, all this information is available through three or more different Web sites from the various participants in the supply chain. We identified an opportunity to consolidate this data into a centrally accessible Web site, giving the relevant parties single-point access to a rich set of information to keep them informed on the progress of a deal in terms of delivery of component parts.
Interestingly, Zeelie says both internal DDCC employees as well as its clients have access to the same information set - obviously with appropriate security precautions in place. "Using the TransIT system introduces a great deal of transparency to a complex supply chain. We opted to allow clients to see the same information as we do, as they can, at a glance, recognise where their goods are, and if there is a hold-up, they can see for themselves what the issue may be - if stock is unavailable, if delivery has been delayed, or if the parts are stuck in customs, for example," he explains.
Producing the solution required considerable collaboration with the various links in the supply chain, including logistics providers and equipment suppliers - and even end-customers, as goods are in some cases tracked right to their final destination.
"TransIT is essentially a Web-enabled order and logistics management system that interfaces with the various parties along DDCC`s supply chain through a messaging infrastructure for data feeds," says Hobson.
He explains that relevant information is collected from across the supply chain and transferred to a `staging` area, where it is loaded into TransIT, using either electronic data interchange (EDI), File Transfer Protocol (FTP) or XML.
Hobson adds that TransIT has been designed to integrate with the SAP enterprise resource solution - used by Dimension Data for its order entry and processing - to reduce data capture by users.
Microsoft technologies that Oakwell leveraged to produce TransIT include ASP, COM+, Integrated Information Server 5, Microsoft Excel, the SQL Server 2000 database and Visual Basic 6.
"We also built the solution using IntraCS Intranet technology, upon which Dimension Data has standardised internally. This gave TransIT an additional benefit - it is presented to users via a familiar interface, reducing the need for user training," Hobson says.
In fact, notes Zeelie, very little training is required - the solution is provided with a `help library` as well as a Word document for self-help. "Over 600 individuals are successfully using TransIT at our offices, the offices of our suppliers and clients around the world. It`s proven to be a very simple solution to use - yet delivers significant benefits to the efficacy of the supply chain," he says.
The results of implementing the system across its operations have been significant, says Zeelie. "Multiple DDCC employees can update multiple orders at any point in time. We are also able to quickly and easily give clients access to the system, thus allowing them to check the status of their orders - and receive accurate and unbiased information - without having to manually request them," he says.
Furthermore, DDCC and its Logistics partner UTI received the prestigious Logistics Achiever`s Award (Platinum) for the effective implementation of IT systems in the global supply chain environment during 2004 - and Zeelie says the successful development and roll-out of TransIT was instrumental in achieving this accolade.
Additional benefits offered by TransIT include the capability of automatically notifying users when an order has been delivered, while an Excel reporting tool generates real-time reports outlining the status of orders. The system stores all sales price, and cost of sales price values for all items, relating them to a specific financial period, which enables the system to automatically generate specific profit distribution reports, thereby saving the users the time of collating the data manually.
"Oakwell`s professional and pragmatic approach to the development and support of systems is what makes TransIT so effective in the ever-changing logistics environment. The Oakwell team has given DDCC the freedom to focus on our core competency of supply chain management," adds Zeelie.
He believes the system has been directly responsible for an increase in productivity and transparency, resulting in improved client confidence. "Internally, staff members are able to achieve more in less time owing to the level of automation introduced by TransIT. But the response from clients is even more encouraging - in fact, it has been excellent. The system has truly allowed us to improve our delivery capability by providing insight into the supply chain and the ability to leverage that insight for better management."
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