ERP Legacy Modernization from Scratch

The new platform in desktop and tablet versions was built from the ground up over a period of 3.5 years. It brought many separate tools into one system that worked together smoothly. The main features included:

• Workflows for managing contracts and signing them electronically,
• Planning the project and managing the construction site,
• Time sheets for employees, payroll and bookkeeping all in one place, including planning vacations with automatic reminders,
• Managing the warehouse and stock of tools and materials
• Managing costs and reservations.

This was the first step in a three-tier modernization plan, encompassing:

• workflows and documents digitalization,
• automation and reporting,
• AI-powered predictive analytics features.

This was an initial change, and, still, it enabled the client to move away from operations that required a lot of manual work. Moreover, it made way for automation and, in the future, AI-driven optimization.

A well-known US construction company that has been in business for more than 20 years and works with big clients like Disney Studios in Los Angeles chose Devox Software to build a comprehensive Enterprise Resource Planning system. The previous version was deeply outdated, stemming its design back to 1998, when the CTO built a proprietary system. Over time, it has become old, impossible to keep up with, and unable to integrate with new technologies or automate tasks.

Moreover, the client used a combination of a corporate website, Windows desktop software, and a web portal; that’s why it was crucial for further business advancements to completely rebuild the way the company operated.

The full team included 2 back-end developers, 1 front-end developer, 1 QA engineer, a part-time project manager, and a part-time business analyst.

Throughout the project, the team has faced several distinct difficulties, including:

• The project was massive to cope with; that’s why we’ve broken it down into three stages, starting with an MVP.
• The codebase was old and had no explicit documentation. For this reason, we had to meticulously analyze the dependencies before any advancements.
• There weren’t any business requirements or standards from the client.
• Before rebuilding, we needed to reverse-engineer the workflows that were already there to get excellent results. This way, the client needed extra help from a business analyst.
• Additionally, the system required backend and API-level testing in addition to frontend testing.

Java Spring Boot, React

Our team looked at the old coding, wrote down the workflows, and then rebuilt the system as a modern web app.

Important steps included:

1. Making MVP 1.0 with the most important project management and contract workflows,
2. Making APIs and backend services that can grow with the business,
3. Allowing access from several platforms, such as tablets for managers on site,
4. Using workflow automation to cut down on manual tasks.

Furthermore, the functionality included the following modules:

• Vendor Contracting Module: Through access to this module, a user could create a contract, sign it with an electronic signature, and create a project on its basis. An OCR feature simplified its support and financial settlements.
• Project Development Module: It enabled the development and visualization of the project in terms of time, workforce, materials, and tools, allowing real-time and accurate information.
• Accounting Module: The accountants could create and control timesheets to count payrolls, vacations, etc.
• Construction Module: This module displayed all the information about the project, such as layout, location, architecture, and so on. It was closely connected with the project development module to monitor the construction processes.
• Warehouse Module: It enabled accurate stock inventory and materials supply, its planning, ordering, and management.

As a result of Phase One of the project, the client has received a fully developed MVP 1.0, deployed in production. More than 200 users have given positive feedback, pointing out the advantages of a new platform.

Among other results, they highlighted the significant reduction of manual work, making planning, payroll, payments, and supplies management more efficient. Eventually, this MVP has set up a base that may grow to support future use of automation and AI.