Data Transformation Boosts Business Processes

Cloud Data Transformation Streamlines Order Operations

• Goals: Overcome data silos and integrate diverse customer data formats with the Warehouse Management System (WMS) to improve operational efficiency and data transparency.
• Solution: Implemented a cloud-based data integration solution using Microsoft Azure Integration Services with automated data transformation and enhanced data visibility.
• Benefits: Faster data integrations, streamlined workflows, and enhanced business processes.
• Services delivered: Microsoft Azure, DevOps on Azure, Integration as a Service

Case Study in Detail 

About the Client

Our client, a globally recognized leader in customized packaging and logistics solutions based in Sweden, operates in 35 countries with 80 sites worldwide. Committed to sustainability and customer-centricity, the company remains at the forefront of packaging technology and industry trends.

• Client: Multinational Logistics Company
• Cooperation Period: Since 2020
• Location: Sweden
• Industry: Logistics and Supply Chain
• Employees: 4,500

Business Challenge

A large logistics provider, our client operates warehouses that process a constant stream of inbound and outbound orders for numerous customers. To ensure smooth operations, the company relies on a Warehouse Management System (WMS) to manage data flows. They faced a critical challenge: their customers utilize a vast array of data formats, ranging from EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) and EDIFACT (Electronic Data Interchange for Administration, Commerce, and Transport) to proprietary formats. This diversity of data formats created data silos and resulted in a tangled web of incompatible information, which led to:

• A time-consuming and error-prone process that hampered operational efficiency.
• Slow data integration resulted in delays in processing customer orders.
• Limited visibility, as inconsistent data formats made it difficult to track inventory and identify potential issues that hinder smooth operations.

Our client initially attempted to develop integrations in-house, however, tight deadlines proved to be a major bottleneck. We entered the scene at this critical juncture, fully understanding the urgency.

Solution & Business Value

Through the utilization of Azure services and technologies, we implemented a secure, scalable, and robust data integration solution. This solution enabled the organization to surmount data silos and facilitate smooth data exchange within their warehousing operations.

Within just two weeks, we developed a tailored data transformation solution that converts XML to other formats, enabling our client to seamlessly integrate their WMS with new customer data.

Consequently, we engineered a secure and scalable integration platform powered by Microsoft Azure, which helped the company surmount its data silos and ensure a smooth data exchange within their warehousing operations. As a result, the platform yielded a harmonious data transformation for the logistics company and empowered the company with a full range of benefits:

• Reduced data integration time. Previously, integrating new customer systems could take months due to manual data mapping and transformation. The new Azure-based solution, with its automated data transformation capabilities, drastically reduced this timeframe. The faster integration process enabled our client to onboard new customers quickly, scale their operations efficiently, and capture new business opportunities without delays.
• Enhanced data transparency and visibility. The integration platform enabled a clear and centralized view of its data flow. This allowed them to easily track the movement of data between customer systems and their WMS. The increased transparency facilitated faster troubleshooting of any integration issues that might arise to ensure smooth and efficient data exchange. Additionally, improved data visibility helps to gain valuable insights into their operations, which allows them to make informed decisions for further optimization.
• Increased customer satisfaction. Faster data integration through our solution translated into faster order processing for end customers. Such an improved turnaround time for orders significantly boosted customer satisfaction. Moreover, by eliminating errors associated with manual data entry and lack of automation, the solution ensured order accuracy. This, in turn, had a positive impact on the customer experience.

Future Plans: New Scalable Architecture

Satisfied with the efficiency gains and operational improvements delivered by the data integration solution, our client continues collaborating with us to develop a future-proofed architecture of IT infrastructure. The focus on the scalability of infrastructure will help to accommodate their rapid business growth. In addition, by ensuring seamless adaptability of data management capabilities alongside expanding company operations, this collaboration lays the foundation for a long-term partnership that fuels the continued success of the logistics company.

Technical Details

In the first stage of the project, we focused on creating a rapid data transformation solution tailored to the unique needs of our client. Within two weeks, we delivered a solution leveraging XSLT (Extensible Stylesheet Language Transformations). XSLT is a powerful tool specifically designed to convert XML data from one format to another. This solution enabled our client to seamlessly integrate their WMS with new customer data formats, regardless of their complexity.

Following the initial success, we built a comprehensive and scalable data integration platform that adhered to their established business processes. Here's how the platform facilitates seamless data exchange between end customers and their warehouses:

1. Data reception: Customer data arrives from various sources and formats (EDI, EDIFACT, proprietary systems).
2. Intelligent data transformation: Developed transformation tools, potentially including XSLT for XML or custom logic for JSON (depending on the specific data format), acting as translators that convert the received data into a format compatible with existing WMS.
3. Streamlined data processing: The transformed data is processed within the WMS, ensuring accurate order fulfillment.
4. Responsive communication: The WMS response is converted back into a format the customer's system understands.
5. Data delivery: The converted response is sent back to the customer's system, completing the data exchange cycle.

All these data transformation processes and platform functionality are based on Microsoft Azure technologies, which provide the following key functionalities:

• Microsoft Azure Integration Services (AIS): AIS served as the core platform for building and deploying the data integration solution. AIS offered pre-built connectors, data transformation tools, and workflow automation capabilities to streamline the integration process.
• Azure Logic Apps: These serverless workflows orchestrated the data integration process. Logic Apps triggered data transformation scripts based on pre-defined events, which automated the data flow between customer systems and the WMS.
• Azure DevOps Build and Release Pipelines: These pipelines automated the deployment and management of the integration solution within the Azure environment. This ensured a smooth and consistent deployment process while minimizing manual intervention.

Technologies & Tools

• Microsoft Azure
• Azure DevOps
• Microsoft Azure Integration Services (AIS)
• Azure Logic Apps
• Azure Service Bus
• Azure API Management
• Azure Functions
• XSLT