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"The automation of these processes has freed up two full-time employees who can now focus on more
customer-centric activities such as promotions and pricing"
Saji Oomen, Group IT Manager, Al Batha
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Al Batha chose Microsoft BizTalk™ Server 2002 as the integration solution. Having evaluated the various options available,
Al Batha was confident that BizTalk Server was best equipped to reduce the complexity, risk, and deployment effort involved
in integrating its enterprise applications with its mobile solution.
Of particular interest to Al Batha was the Microsoft BizTalk Adapter for SAP. This comprehensive messaging solution for SAP
deployments allows customers to XML-enable existing SAP investments. This has been fully certified by SAP and makes it a lot
easier for customers using 3rd-party mobility solutions to integrate them with SAP. It is no longer necessary to custom-develop
and maintain interfaces.
The BizTalk Adapter for SAP significantly reduced implementation time thanks to its ability to generate XML documents from the
SAP Business Object Repository (BOR). When mobile agents dock their handhelds, the data is transmitted via the Group's
application server to BizTalk Server in XML format. It is then forwarded to the BizTalk Adapter for SAP, where it is converted
to IDoc format and submitted to SAP R/3, thus providing a standard connectivity solution.
"By leveraging the power and functionality of the BizTalk Adapter for SAP, we can guarantee data integrity as information flows
between our external sales force and our internal business processes on SAP R/3," adds Saji Oommen. "This level of integration
has helped us achieve significant benefits across all areas of our business."
Al Batha asked Vxceed Technologies to map some SAP R/3 business rules to RouteTrac to minimise the risk of data passed through
the handhelds being rejected by the SAP system. For instance, a credit sales transaction that has been processed by a handheld
might be rejected by SAP if it exceeds the credit limit or violates the credit terms as defined in SAP. This would result in a
discrepancy between the data in SAP and the handheld. To avoid this and similar problems, Al Batha also automated the alert
process. Any synchronisation discrepancies are recognised immediately and sent out as alerts to the relevant agent.
The project was one of the first implementations of a mobile solution on the .NET Framework in the Middle East. "We received
excellent support from the local Microsoft office," continues Saji Oommen. "Particularly in the absence of similar projects
locally, this helped us steer the project towards success."
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