Easy
integration
rejuvenates
software
business
Software
Solutions Unlimited Inc. (SSUI) is an iSeries
solution provider to the K-12 public education
industry in the US State of Georgia. Established
in 1985, SSUI’s original applications were
developed for the IBM S/34 and were then progressively
migrated to the S/36, AS/400 and today rely on
IBM’s iSeries platform.
Like many
iSeries application
solutions
the modules
have grown
in number,
functionality
and robustness
to provide
a comprehensive
solution
for small
and large
school districts
in Georgia,
USA.
Challenge
The application
consists
of 25 modules
including
integrated
Financials,
Human Resources
and Student
Information.
In addition
to installing
and customizing
the software,
SSUI also
provides
hardware
installation
and training – the
complete
solution
traditional
IBM Business
Partners
are recognized
for.
A growing
customer
perception
that the
iSeries was
"old technology"
forced founder
Robin
Wilson to
evaluate
methods of
modernizing
SSUI’s
applications
or consider
moving to
another platform.
Robin knew
his customers
needed the
reliability
and scalability
of the iSeries
servers,
but also
wanted the
easy-to-use,
flexible
graphical
interfaces
and desktop
integration
offered by
NT based
applications.
"A
rewrite wasn’t
required
and just
didn’t
make good
business
sense. Most
of the refacing
alternatives
could provide
the required
browser based
UI, but finding
easy application
integration
support was
the real
test. We
chose looksoftware's
dynamic approach
for speed
and easy
integration
support."
The first
implementation
step was
3 days of
onsite consulting
from looksoftware.
Customizing
the recognition
engine for
SSUI’s
applications
required
an appreciation
for newlook’s
global settings,
filters and
generic rules.
Integrating
student images
with the
iSeries application
required
newlook’s
VB-like macro
capability
and introduced
newlook's
object model
support.
Solution
Within one month SSUI staff had refaced, extended
and integrated around 1000 screens, including
multiple Excel integration points and importing
graphics for student and employee images.
The first
real test
came a week
into the
project when
one of SSUI’s
customers
was invited
to review
the progress
made. Robin
said, "Within
15 minutes,
we had our
first order!
Since then,
we've
rolled out
20 sites
in around
9 months."
SSUI’s
customers,
like most
iSeries shops,
also rely
on Windows
desktop and
office applications.
The common
customer
request has
been for
easy integration
of iSeries
application
data with
the Microsoft
applications.
"We have the strengths of the iSeries
back-end and the ease of use of the graphical
front-end."
Benefits
"We can
now compete
with
NT based
applications,
integrate
with desktop
applications
as well as
deploy over
the Web.
And, importantly,
for those
few users
that want
it 'the
way it always
was',
we can flick
a switch
to activate
newlook’s
integrated
emulation
support."
The impact on SSUI’s business has been
significant. Revenues have increased 35% since
starting with newlook 12 months
ago.
"newlook has added
new life to our products - we have refreshed our
solutions without the risk and expense of rewriting
or converting. We’ve recently been invited
by the State Government to demonstrate our applications
to hundreds of Georgian based school districts.
During demonstrations most folks think the applications
are running on some type of PC server platform
- the iSeries has become much more ‘modern’
in their eyes."
Robin’s
business
philosophy
is simple – "Satisfied
customers
are what
drives business
decisions – today’s
customers
demand easy-to-use,
flexible,
reliable
solutions – newlook
and the iSeries
allow us
to deliver
what our
customers
want without
the retraining
and complexities
of the other
alternatives."
An important element of SSUI’s success
has been their determination to do more than provide
a reface, enter looksoftware's
centric!
"Just making your application look better
isn't enough. Customers need to justify software
purchases and upgrades, so new functionality that
clearly improves productivity and reduces costs
is essential. centric’s
ability to directly access most databases including
DB 2, SQL Server and other data, provides multi-platform
application integration that goes way beyond refacing."
Robin was also
quick to identify the services opportunity. "Once
our customers started using the new integration
functionality, they started requesting personalized
integration which we were only too happy to provide.
We can deliver those services completely remotely
- no need for anyone to touch the desktop, so we
can personalize the application, the interface and
the integration without necessarily changing the
underlying RPG application or leaving our office."
"We would strongly urge other iSeries
ISV's to ask looksoftware to
demonstrate their tools with their applications.
Not only does it offer the potential to keep you
competitive, it can open up new avenues of opportunity
and that's something none of us can ignore."
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