All you need to know about ERP & Mobile

Transcription

1 White Paper All you need to know about ERP & Mobile From Accenture and Microsoft

2 Content white paper Introduction ERP and mobility 03 Simple appliances and apps.. 04 Cross device, cross platform.. 04 The complex mobile world of field service, both online and offline.. 05 Standard apps for mobile ERP or custom apps? User Experience.. 06 CASE: Delta Airlines 07 CASE: Savelys. 08 2

3 Introduction ERP & Mobility Now that mobile technology, which at present is driven mainly by the consumer market, has finally evolved far enough and is affordable, this trend is also percolating through to the world of business. Customers and employees are demanding that applications be made available on a mobile basis, on their own mobile devices (tablet, smartphone, etc.) and on different platforms (Windows8, ios, Android, etc.). IDC, for instance, is talking of a mega trend, and it is expected that there will be 1.3 billion mobile workers by 2015, and that 67% of users will use social media (e.g. Skype, Lync, etc.) in a work environment. Almost all employees who perform functions outside the office would be able to do their job much more easily if they had access to the functionality of the ERP package in their workplace. For some business processes, this possibility would also increase speed and reduce errors in the back office. In short, everyone would benefit. It is, therefore, no surprise that people have been looking for workable, affordable solutions for some time already. And yet only now are we seeing the major breakthrough. In the wake of the developments for smartphones and tablets, we are now seeing the emergence of more and more ERP-related apps. We leave it to an open question whether this will bring about a new revolution or signifies a logical step in the further development of ICT. Extended ERP, mobile ERP, ERP apps, whatever the name or definition, it is certain that more and more applications will emerge, and that they will quickly become established. In this White Paper, we discuss several key aspects and applications of mobile ERP, paying particular attention to the overall picture. 3

4 Simple appliances and apps If we want to examine whether mobile ERP can also offer opportunities for our company, we have to start by asking which ERP users need mobile applications. This will mainly involve people who do not work in the office, such as sales or field service staff. A second question concerns what we want to offer on a mobile basis. And here we find a whole host of appliances, ranging from the extremely simple to the highly complex. Simple apps may not be able to do much themselves, but sometimes they offer high added-value. When developing mobile apps, we must focus on light. After all, our mobile devices have a limited memory and computing power compared with the ERP applications we are used to in the office. The main difference from our familiar ERP solution is without doubt screen size. If we folded the ERP screens into the small screens of our mobile devices, they would become illegible and simply unworkable. All screens will, therefore, have to be completely redeveloped for mobile use. We also need to reassess the use of a keyboard for entering data. Mobile devices do not have such a handy way of entering data, so the number of fields to be entered has to be kept to a minimum. We are, therefore, seeing that developers are tending to rely on dropdown menus and radio buttons. One example of a simple mobile app with high added value is MyApprovals, a system that works on Windows, Android and ios platforms. Microsoft developed this mobile app for Microsoft AX ERP users. MyApprovals covers all workflow-enabled processes, such as issuing invoices, purchase proposals, timetables, expenses statements, etc. Thanks to the app, every mobile employee can access, complete and return his or her documents as soon as he or she is online. At this stage, anyone who is already familiar with this application may well point out that this is nothing new. After all, you already work in this way. You can also carry out these transactions if you start up the AX Internet client. However, the difference with the app is that we no longer make a link via the Internet and work directly in the application, but that the functionality is embedded within the app, as it were. A 5 kb app does not do much by itself, but is able to make the right connection with AX. So the concept is completely different from that of the Internet client. In those circumstances, it is remarkable that Microsoft began screening the mobile market back in Although it believed in it, the quest for a solution was suspended again one year later. A number of Microsoft partners then introduced mobile solutions onto the market and, finally, at the end of 2013, Microsoft came back with its own mobile apps. The apps are cross-device and cross-platform. Cross device cross platform Years ago, a software vendor, such as Microsoft, was perhaps still able to make demands regarding operating systems in order to be able to make a connection. Today, that is no longer the case. A company no longer even determines what devices and software its employees will use, hence the Bring Your Own Device principle. Irrespective of a company s policy, the apps must be able to function on the different operating systems of the different possible mobile devices. And, since there is no universal language that can do this html 5 is heading in the right direction but is not there yet developers have to write the software several times. Some companies do opt for particular types of smartphones or tablets, preferably with large screens, for which they develop specific solutions. This strategy is not without its risks, as the mobile devices market is currently booming. New devices and possibilities are being introduced every day. This will, therefore, mean that software will very quickly have to be rewritten as soon as the hardware changes. Technically speaking, developers are thus facing multiple challenges at the front end. But how are things at the back end? How do we integrate with our ERP solution? If we look at Microsoft, we see that the company developed its own mobile framework, namely the Windows Azure Platform. Microsoft makes this available to all customers and integrators, which should simplify the connection with Dynamics AX. 4

5 Nevertheless, we should also mention here that upgrading the ERP package can have an impact on existing mobile apps. Therefore, the aim must be to avoid this impact as much as possible or limit it through generic integration. The complex mobile world of field service, both online and offline Besides the simpler applications, such as the mobile approval of expenses or invoices, there are much more complex environments where mobility can offer considerable added-value, subject to a well-thought-out technical and organisational approach. One example is field service. Field engineers need to be able to do much more with their device and, therefore, need more functionality. They must be able to view the planning, their GPS must lead them to the customer, they like to be able to read the customer profile and find out all about the customer s past and, for some, it is useful to be able to access manuals during repair work. They also want to be able to update their stocks if they have used replacement parts, they must be able to print off their expenditure and working hours and have the customer sign them. In short, their needs are highly complex. These can be satisfied using mobile apps. Things are more complex technically, but it works. There are 3rd party solutions partners operating in this app market. Which partner is best suited tends to depend on the intended architecture. But things can get a whole lot more complex than that. For instance, there are field engineers who are not always online, while the applications assume that this is always the case. And that is where the extra difficulty begins that can cost a great deal of money. So the first rule is to avoid this problem by ensuring that employees are always online when retrieving or uploading. But companies with employees who work in, say, hospitals, where they are not allowed to be online, or in lift shafts or in areas (abroad) where there is no reception or where communication costs too much, need a specific partner which is technicallyqualified to develop a mobile solution for them. What makes the combination with offline or not connected so difficult? There are two aspects: firstly, the multipleuser aspect and, secondly, the asynchronous applications aspect. Let us start with multiple users. It is perfectly possible for an assignment to be sent to two service engineers simultaneously. In the morning they go online for a while to synchronise, and then the connection stops. The ERP system is notified of this. During the day, the users go online from time to time and resynchronise with the ERP system. But the question is what information takes priority over other information. There is no standard synchronisation system that is generic enough for every back-office system, although some Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) are trying to create one. Secondly, if we are offline, we have two separate asynchronous applications that can also change something in the back office of the ERP system. We, therefore, need a type of intermediate database where these applications can house their data and then we also need a logic that can say what has priority, when we have to send an error message and who will rectify any errors. It goes without saying that this becomes considerably more complex and expensive in terms of architecture and cost. A synchronisation framework pushes up costs by a factor of 2 to 3. We asked ourselves whether it is possible to build a sort of generic framework for synchronisation in order to keep prices down. In that case, can we assume that it is simply a question of one or two rules? At Avanade, a software vendor with experience of the online/offline story see the Delta Airlines case below this is believed to be impossible. How we arrange such a thing depends on the back office. If we are working with SAP, for instance, the programming will have to be different from when we are working with AX or Oracle, etc. On top of this, each case is different. What functionality do we want? Finally, the mobile user expects more and more user-friendliness. In the sense that he/she does not need to know whether or not there is a connection and whether he/she has to initiate something manually for synchronisation. The application must be intelligent enough to determine when to work online or offline and when to synchronise. 5

6 Standard apps for mobile ERP or custom apps? Anyone who dreams of standard apps being the solution for mobile ERP is likely to be disappointed. According to some people, the only advantage of standard apps is that they can inspire us to work differently, better and more efficiently. They also show us what is technically possible, but that is saying a lot. Our ERP system is under continuous development and has to support our rapidly changing business. How do standard apps fit into this? Furthermore, the key business processes are not standard and it will be in precisely these processes that mobile apps can play a role. Since mobile ERP is fairly new and the standard apps were written recently, the company will probably need to work with the latest version of the ERP package, which is not the case with many companies. Have apps developed or even develop them yourself is the message. But before we invest, we will first have to answer a number of questions: Which business processes are relevant when it comes to switching wholly or partially to a mobile platform? Which actions within these processes must be accessible on a mobile basis? Which datasets must be available to perform these actions? Which system has these datasets and manages them? Which security systems will protect everything? Always connected or also offline requirements? Which devices/platforms? Besides structured info, is nonstructured info also needed, such as documents, photos, notes, etc.? Number of mobile users? Importance of speed of synchronisation ( maximum allowed delay? ) Need for error messages and monitoring? Other infrastructural requirements? User Experience There are various areas where mobile ERP will quickly make inroads, but much will depend on the so-called user experience. If this is good, then things will proceed quickly. One simple application, which also happens to be in vogue at the moment, is Business Intelligence and Big Data on mobile devices. Suitable for managers and the C-level, who can consult a number of KPIs via their smartphones. It actually amounts to reporting, which is not such a major challenge in itself. The data and graphics are pushed to the mobile device and shown there. It is not possible to make queries, the reports we request are invariably predefined. The big advantage is that we always have our mobile devices on us (smartphone) and are online. It is less easy to consult the same data on a laptop. We first have to start the laptop, open the VPN, log onto the system, etc. On a smartphone, the data are presented in a more graphic, simpler fashion. The fact that we have a small touchscreen means we have to develop a completely different GUI. In terms of technology and user experience, this is completely different from the solution of many ERP suppliers, who emulate the application, which is not user-friendly. It is also an absolute trend, even in business applications, for more and more consideration to be given to user experience when developing a new GUI. The example of timesheets and expenses statements has already been mentioned. For the latter, the combination of the statement with the photos of the expenses documents, taken with the smartphone, is a simple but effective solution. Statement and photos are sent and both end up in the ERP system. For timesheets, there is, for example, a more intuitive input by calendar/day/time instead of a list of timesheet lines. The approver (project manager) also has the option of seeing the impact on the project result immediately and can (re)act immediately via or instant messenger (MS Lync) in the event of questions or problems. These applications are fairly simple and easy to integrate with the back end. The technical challenges lie in the combination of online and offline, the cross-platform and the cross-device issue. Important here is user experience, which is in fact a discipline in itself. 6

7 CASE: Delta Airlines In this case, we look at a technically complex application of mobile ERP, to show that there are no longer any boundaries when mobility becomes part of the corporate strategy. In August 2013, Delta Air Lines, based in Atlanta, USA, equipped around 19,000 stewards and stewardesses with the latest Windows Phone 8 handheld devices. The airline wanted to optimise the purchase process on board aircraft, as part of its investment in technological innovation, by introducing the devices. With the new Windows Phone 8 device, a Nokia Lumia 820, the Delta cabin crew can improve the efficiency of the service to the customer considerably. The following benefits were intended:. The use by customers of credit cards for on-board purchases, such as food and drink or tax-free items; As good as real-time processing of credit cards for purchases made on board, including upgrades to the popular Economy Comfort seats. Such upgrades on board will initially be possible on transcontinental and international flights, and will then be offered on Delta s other flights; Handy e-receipts that can be mailed to the customer; The reading of discount vouchers that are on a customer s mobile device via the camera on the cabin crew s device; Quicker transaction processing times; Online and offline use, whereby the crew do not need to know whether or not a connection has been made with the network; and Cross-platform solution that can also be used by personal devices (phone, tablet, etc.). Delta is also planning in the future to provide cabin crew with certain customerspecific information so they would be able to offer the customer an even more personal service. Examples include seat maps that identify every passenger, including high-value passengers, access to their route information (e.g. to estimate the impact of gate changes or delays), access to purchase history, etc. The solution was developed jointly by Avanade, AT&T and Microsoft in consultation with the cabin crew. The Windows Phone 8 devices contain a Deltaspecific user experience developed by Avanade on the Microsoft Dynamics for Retail mobile point-of-sale platform and works via Wi-Fi and the 4G LTE network of AT&T. As part of the agreement, the solution will be extended further to the most recent Nokia devices over the next three years. The new handheld device is Delta s most recent investment in technology for customers and employees. Over the past year, the airline has already invested in the Fly Delta app for ipad, the launch of the new Delta.com in December 2012 and the selfservice check-in machines were given a new lease of life in September Delta also offers the Fly Delta app for iphone, Windows Phone, Android and Blackberry smartphones and currently offers Wi-Fi on board more than 800 aircraft. 7

8 CASE: Savelys A top goal for every service provider is increasing the quality and speed of its customer service. In this case study we highlight how Savelys transformed their previous paper-bound culture and moved towards an all-mobile information system. Savelys is the French leader in heating systems installation, servicing all types of boilers including heat pumps and airconditioning systems. In 2010, the company realized that its paper-bound culture was inhibiting continued improvements. The previous system of paper job-sheets to organize technician s daily rounds had reached its limits. The process slowed down the field technicians, consumed most of the time of office staff and was prone to error. The company needed a drastic change in these work processes and decided to introduce an all-mobile information system with the aim of improving accuracy, efficiency, traceability and service quality. The joint team from Avanade, Accenture and Microsoft helped replace the existing paper processes. Each technician now uses a custom service app on Windows Mobile software, running on a Motorola handheld device. The devices connect wirelessly to a backend Microsoft SQL Server database, which connects to the existing ERP system. The solution delivers job information to technicians automatically, captures data in the field as work is completed, and sends it directly to the backend systems. As a result, the company: boosts productivity by 15-20% as technicians make one or two additional service calls daily; reduced office visits made by technicians from 2 per day to 1 every 2 days; reduces time on routine tasks by 75%, so office staff can focus on customer needs; improves customer service with realtime rerouting of technicians; and improves data accuracy with 100% data automation. Now, each morning and when needed during the day technicians receive updates to their schedules on their handheld devices, complete with customer addresses and records. A GPS app integrated into the custom app makes it easier for technicians to arrive on time for each job. Technicians restock the parts they carry in their vans faster and more accurately, by using the app and a barcode reader integrated into the device. The solution tracks parts use and provides a list of possible replacements. Technicians also use the app and a combustion analyser connected to the device to provide more precise and reliable heating system maintenance. 8

9 Conclusion Mobile and social media trends, pressure from customers and their own employees, and possible savings are prompting companies to adopt these trends within the business world and, therefore, within their business applications too, of which the ERP system often forms the backbone for the company. However, the development, implementation and maintenance of mobile apps within the business world and, more specifically, integration with an ERP system require a more well-thought-out and multidisciplinary approach that takes account of several dimensions, such as user interface, security, offline working, etc. The necessary integration and synchronisation between the ERP system and the mobile apps will, therefore, take up a large part of the budget and risk. About Avanade Avanade provides business technology solutions and managed services that connect insight, innovation and expertise in Microsoft technologies to help customers realize results. Our people have helped thousands of organizations in all industries improve business agility, employee productivity and customer loyalty. Additional information can be found at Avanade Inc. All rights reserved. The Avanade name and logo are registered trademarks in the US and other countries. North America Seattle Phone [email protected] South America Sao Paulo Phone +55 (11) [email protected] Africa Pretoria Phone [email protected] Asia- Pacific Singapore Phone [email protected] Europe London Phone [email protected]