SAS delivers new e-commerce solution for Alexandra using web services and RPG
Melbourne, Australia – October 31, 2007 - looksoftware’s UK partner Software Applications & Solutions Ltd (SAS), working with its customer Alexandra plc, has delivered a new web-based procurement system driven in real-time by its RPG based System i back-end.
Alexandra, a major provider of workwear clothing with a Royal Warrant of Appointment to Her Majesty the Queen, have always been very satisified with its custom back-end RPG applications. However, they needed to deliver a new web-based application and had to do it quickly. Working with SAS (www.sas-it.eu) Alexandra were able to rapidly complete the application by using looksoftware’s soarchitect to provide web services access to their existing RPG code.
"Using looksoftware’s products, we’ve been able to reuse our existing System i applications to drive the new front-end web application and integrate with our back-end RPG code in real-time”, said Ken Turner, Systems Manager at Alexandra.
As a looksoftware solution provider, SAS has also now developed an application for export documentation using looksoftware’s dynamic development suite. ‘Exdocs’ delivers efficiency, cost-savings, customer service and regulatory compliance benefits to exporters.
Marcus Dee of looksoftware said, “SAS’s success with Alexandra is a great example of how a web services approach can deliver rapid results and high reuse of existing RPG code. By service-enabling back-end applications, new solutions can be delivered quickly and relatively easily.
Another customer is starting their 4th project aimed at delivering new functionality by reusing unchanged RPG applications. They’ve improved call centre productivity by 40%, and have since implemented Interactive Voice Recognition (IVR) to provide 24x7 customer service. Now, with the success of their other projects so evident, the next one will integrate their back-end application with a partner’s SAP ERP system - all done with a services oriented approach, and more importantly, without changing a single line of RPG code!”
Ian Harris, SAS’s founder and Managing Director, has shaped his career around the mainframe and System i evolutions of midrange hardware and has seen many changes, mostly for the better. Ian, passionate about IBM’s midrange market said, “looksoftware is making such a big difference because its web-enabling and application integration strengths are so instantly evident. Combined with our ‘Punchout’ and ‘EXdocs’ customer application focus, I just know we can deliver exceptionally robust and high value solutions to our customers, and we can do it very quickly!”
Read more about Alexandra's experience with back-end modernization.