Digitalization at full speed—update one step at a time

Optimal ERP connection as the basis

It is thanks to the IT and software professionals at MAIT that RIEGLER's complex system has been running especially smoothly since 2015. It was then that RIEGLER commissioned MAIT to put its enterprise resource planning on a new footing. With demands on the entire order processing system increasing, the company urgently needed a fast and reliable ERP solution based on the latest technologies. MAIT was quickly able to convince the compressed air specialists of the merits of Comarch ERP Enterprise. Since then, the flexible and modular ERP system has ensured an optimal connection between the online store and warehouse logistics and order processing. In addition, MAIT integrated the existing warehouse management system into the new ERP software landscape and established a cutting-edge document management system at RIEGLER. 

Careful planning of the update

At some point, updating Comarch ERP from the previous version 5.4 to version 6.1 became unavoidable. "Support for the old Comarch software version would have been discontinued. And online retail is becoming increasingly important for us. The old version had begun to reach its limits in terms of the required automation processes," says Giuseppe Curcuruto, Head of IT at RIEGLER, explaining the decision to update. 

Giuseppe Curcuruto was intent on preparing and performing the update with the utmost care. Why this level of care was necessary quickly becomes clear when you look at the key data for the project: The update involved around 100 development jobs for MAIT, all of which had to be extensively tested before the relaunch. To avoid any hiccups on changeover day, Curcuruto wanted to ensure at all costs that the structure and processes under the new version were adapted to the numerous existing solutions. In particular, the warehouse management system and Comarch had to be able to continue to "talk" to each other in the future. Otherwise, the IT manager feared, not only would there have been problems with the restart, but also with every subsequent software update. "For us, Comarch is a strong and robust interface solution that has always enabled us to maintain our delivery capability. We wanted to continue this unblemished track record with the new version," says Curcuruto. 

Tested at length before flipping the switch

Once MAIT had set up the test environment and installed the new Comarch ERP version, it was the turn of RIEGLER's 16 key users. Twice a week over the course of several months, they tested all the interfaces and features according to a predefined plan. Their experience enabled the MAIT team to continuously improve and refine the integration of the new software into the system during this time. Until finally, three weeks before going live, the load test took place—the dress rehearsal for the big day, so to speak. This involved connecting the test system to the real-world warehouse management system. For the first time, the new Comarch version now physically moved goods whose path had previously only been simulated. "This posed significant challenges," recalls Thomas Schaich, who is responsible for the entire ERP environment at RIEGLER. "But with a concerted effort and additional input from MAIT, everything worked out perfectly in the end," Schaich adds. Sighs of relief all round? Not just yet. After all, the goods that had been moved on a trial basis naturally had to be returned to their original bin locations. 

But at last the big day arrived: During the changeover from the test environment to the new production environment, the RIEGLER system went offline as scheduled from Friday to Sunday. But thanks to the conscientious preparation and thorough test phase, orders were already being processed again on the Monday and the first goods were dispatched on the Tuesday morning. Dieter Stierle, Senior Technical Developer Business Unit Comarch at MAIT, was live in action in Bad Urach over that weekend: "It's very important to be on site on the day of the changeover. That way, we can be sure of being able to intervene directly if the worst comes to the worst," says Stierle. He and his deputy—Manfred Gruber, Head of Software Development Business Unit Comarch— were at RIEGLER’s side throughout the update process. 

Interim goal accomplished, digitalization ongoing

The new Comarch version gives the users access to an array of new features. For example, the system can automatically confirm the discharging of individual items, orders can be paused at the click of a mouse or only partially executed if required, and the inventory of individual items can at last be checked quickly and easily. These features increase the speed at which an order is processed compared to the previous version and simply make the system more stable. In addition, thanks to electronic archiving, document management requires even less paper than before. This was something RIEGLER had hoped for, particularly in light of their sustainability strategy. 

Under the ongoing support contract, the MAIT team continues to provide administrative assistance to Giuseppe Curcuruto's IT department. Development requests and questions are also welcome. "For critical requests, our aim is to be available and provide effective help within ten minutes. This reliability is part of our DNA and is extremely important for a solid supplier-customer relationship," says Andris Kleins, Senior Consultant DMS at MAIT. He and his colleagues also regularly visit RIEGLER on site. That strengthens the relationship with the customer all the more and helps in understanding their specific situation. 

RIEGLER’s digitalization will continue in leaps and bounds. Many more projects are sure to follow. And why wouldn’t they? With MAIT, companies like RIEGLER can count on reliable, highly flexible, and future-proof software solutions. And, very much in line with RIEGLER's philosophy: on a true partner.