Wagenborg Nedlift was in need of two separate developments. At first, they wanted to digitalize and automate order tickets. Order tickets are made to keep track of the (planned and unplanned) heavy machinery, personnel and additional resources needed to complete the works, including their respective time of use. After order tickets are approved by the customer on-site, they must automatically be communicated to the office. Second, Wagenborg wanted to provide crane operators with the ability to register their working hours in real time easily by using a tablet and automatically filled in lines according to previously planned order tickets.
Business Need: Wagenborg Nedlift was in need of two separate developments. At first, they wanted to digitalize and automate order tickets. Order tickets are made to keep track of the (planned and unplanned) heavy machinery, personnel and additional resources needed to complete the works, including their respective time of use. After order tickets are approved by the customer on-site, they must automatically be communicated to the office. Second, Wagenborg wanted to provide crane operators with the ability to register their working hours in real time easily by using a tablet and automatically filled in lines according to previously planned order tickets.
Solution: The provided solution is called ‘WRS’ (Wagenborg Registration System), in which registrations of crane operators are arranged. The system consists of a Mendix application for registrars and a tablet application for crane operators. Broadly speaking, the solution consists of two different modules. One of these is the digital order ticket. The order ticket is pre-filled based on the customer order information in the ERP system Metacom, and subsequently sent to the WRS where it is appointed to the relevant operator(s) automatically. After operators log in, they are able to view and edit the order tickets relevant to their works. The application enables them to adjust the resources used and add additional resources through the tablet device. After completion of the works, a digital signature will be requested from the client automatically. This can be done both online and offline, allowing Wagenborg to work paperless at every job, no matter how remote the job takes place. All collected information will be synchronized with the WRS at the moment the tablet reconnects with the internet and sent to Metacom where order lines for invoicing are created automatically. Finally, copies of the signed order tickets are e-mailed to the client and archived in Wagenborg’s Document Management System. The second module is the digital timesheet. Likewise to the order tickets, expected working hours are filled in based on data available in Metacom – which includes preregistered holidays, illness or leave days. The tablet application enables operators to remotely check and update their hours in detail, while also providing an overview of past timesheets and the ability to mark their hours ‘completed’ at the end of the week. For this module, order tickets are communicated from Metacom to WRS as well, as soon as there is a connection with the internet. Administrative employees can check and approve the timesheets. Weekly, a PDF file of their approved timesheet is e-mailed to all operators.
Results: The solution makes sure that the order ticket processes are automated, and therefore reduces the costs and duration of the processes concerned. The time needed to track working hours has decreased because the registration takes place digitally and hours are filled in advance. The offline function of the application safes time and paperwork, as well as the need for physical back-up of order tickets in case of network errors. Digital signing of order tickets secures that order tickets cannot get lost, reducing the probability of disputes about invoiced costs. Lastly, besides the increased efficiency and transparency, the solution reduces the risk of human error because it is easy to use and fully automated.