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Case Studies
Asset Management Tracking System Helps Drive Down Costs
Project at a Glance |
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RDA created a Windows SharePoint Services solution bringing together disparate data systems and information logs that has built-in flexibility and security for our client, creating a cost-efficient way to streamline the tracking of equipment assets worldwide. |
About Our Client
RDA's client is a global manufacturer and marketer of quality power tools and accessories, hardware and home improvement products, and technology-based fastening systems. Their products and services are marketed in over 100 countries, and they have manufacturing operations in 11 locations around the world..
Background
Our client's Global Services Network group was planning to replace a 5-year old system that helped them monitor their equipment assets worldwide. They needed a low cost, easily maintainable system to track computers, routers, hubs, etc. Previously, employees kept the information in spreadsheets and in various other places. The goal of this effort was to create a single, central repository accessible to everyone who needed the information.
Solution Detail
RDA recommended and implemented a Windows SharePoint Services-based solution that functions as a network management portal for their team. The solution also incorporates the WorkPlace Suite from CorasWorks.
The new system includes the following:- Worldwide Site Contact Directory (including user-ID secured information for certain information)
- Equipment Asset Management
- Document Repository with built-in version control and check-in/check-out capabilities for both documents and network drawings
RDA provided analysis and design, including document site layouts, designing a data/document migration strategy, designing automated site creation, and defining security mechanisms and procedures. Next, our team set up and configured SharePoint, installed third party tools and Web parts, and configured the disaster recovery elements. Top level site creation involved laying out the site pages, placing and configuring Web parts on site pages, and creating top level security settings. Our team focused next on business unit/site template creation, finally concluding with data/document migration.
Benefits
RDA's solution includes the following benefits:- Flexibility. The solution allows users to browse/search by any of the above criteria. For instance, users may want to browse to a particular site, and see the contact information with the associated asset inventory. Users are also able to browse to a particular type of equipment, and see a list of the sites where it is installed.
- Built-in security features that allow different types of users access to only the data that they have rights to view.
- Cost efficient
- Simple to maintain and update
Technically Speaking
RDA's approach uses the CorasWorks suite of products to provide site navigation, advanced views of data from several sources (roll-ups), multi-site searching, and list synchronization (data publisher). These are all key features that allow for rapid deployment of an Asset Management solution. The CorasWorks' Asset Management template allows for flexible viewing of data as well as the ability to use SharePoint's built-in capabilities for managing, editing, and viewing data in document libraries and lists.
Through the use of the CorasWorks products, RDA was able to use the data storage and editing capabilities built into SharePoint and still display the different views of data required for this solution without writing a lot of custom code. CorasWorks products do not require advanced technical skills and they offer several training options for fully leveraging their products.
Follow-On Work
After the initial effort, our client asked RDA to customize the solution to allow new assets and leases to be automatically associated with orders. Our team built a custom Web part that meets the following needs:- Allows orders, leases, and assets to be tied together easily without requiring duplicate data entry.
- When creating a new lease, automatically populates the lease information with the appropriate related order information.
- When creating new assets, automatically populates the asset information with the appropriate related order and item information.
