Asset Tracking Gets Simpler with Innovative Custom Oracle ADF Application

The client — a major US Telecom player — provides an array of services in the fixed-line and wireless segments, including advanced mobile services, next-generation TV, high-speed Internet services, and smart solutions for businesses. The Company sought to replace a third-party asset tracking system with a bespoke in-house application. The objective was to save on the licensing fees and customization costs. The Company wanted to build a robust and innovative asset tracking system to support a large customer base in the fixed-line and wireless segments with near real-time tracking. The foremost challenge was to provide a solution that could run seamlessly through multiple devices — handheld tablets and desktop PCs.

The Solution

With its long-standing relationship with the client, in-depth understanding of the current systems, and its Oracle experience, Capgemini was selected as the partner of choice. The key differentiator in the choice of Capgemini was our in-depth knowledge of custom web application development framework using Oracle ADF. A good understanding of the client’s supply chain network was an added advantage. Capgemini performed a Proof-of-Concept (POC) for the proposed solution, demonstrating our rapid development capability and the flexibility available to the client by using Oracle ADF.

Capgemini’s responsibilities included the entire software development lifecycle for the new in-house application. The process began with business analysts from Capgemini creating the UI designs and business process flow. Thereafter, the Capgemini Architecture team collaborated with the client’s Architecture Review Board to define the technical architecture of the application. Based on the inputs from both teams, the Capgemini Development team created the technical specification, coding standards, and the code itself. During the development process, the Capgemini team was constantly involved in validating application and delivery quality and testing the application from both a functional and system integration perspective. This was especially important to ensure that the application’s functionality was aligned to client specifications.

The Result

The solution provided operational cost savings for the client as the existing processes around the fixed line and wireless business groups were consolidated under one umbrella. The web-based application, developed on the Oracle ADF framework, provided a platform for the client’s fixed line and wireless business to track the network assets throughout its life cycle. It also made it easier to deploy and manage the application across various in-house and field-based devices. The application’s salient features include:

• Over 100 business functions that encompass asset transactions, audit processes, and reporting
• Flexible business functions to configure asset tracking during different processes of the supply chain flow such as Receipts, Inventory Transfer, Return to DC, Return to Vendor, Install, and Spare
• Bulk transaction and record processing in real-time or batch mode
• Single screen to support multiple asset transaction types
• Scalable architecture to support a sizeable user base
• Role-Based application level privileges
• User authentication using single sign on (SSO) and authorization using Oracle R12
• Ability to customize field names in operation forms; ability to adjust columns in transaction forms
• Real-Time status updates on assets with SOA-based integration with ERP, WMS, and 3PL applications
• Integrated with BI Publisher for scheduling and retrieving reports

The success of the application rested on migrating the asset-tracking operations from third-party to in-house software, providing savings across licensing, support, and hardware. The client was also able to retire the existing application in record time, moving a base of over 40,000 active users across more than 40 roles to the new application, which is now tracking over 160 million serialized and non-serialized assets.

How the US Telecom Player and Capgemini Worked Together

Capgemini’s resources played an integral part in the core design and development of the application. Leveraging Capgemini’s rich experience and thought leadership in user interface, solution design, technical architecture, supply chain, and development standards, our sector business unit, Supply Chain team, and Oracle Services team collaborated to build a robust and innovative application.

The User Interfaces were developed using the wire-framing concept, and several iterations were done with the client’s business and IT sponsors to define a common platform. Capgemini’s Oracle ADF technical team worked closely with the client’s Architecture Review Board to define the salient features of the platform that included functionality, scalability, and performance.