FAQ
1- What type of data conversions have you done?
We have done data conversions for almost all types of retail data including:
- Employees
- Vendors
- Styles – items, skus, upcs, prices, packs, etc.
- Purchase Orders
- Transaction history
- Sales/Inventory history
- Stock Ledger history
- Beginning Inventory
- Customers
- Customer purchase history
- etc..
2- Which systems have you done data conversions with?
We have worked with many specific systems, and given our experience, we can work with virtually any retail system. Here is a sample of systems we have worked with:
- Epicor – Connected Retail
- Epicor – R12
- Epicor – Apropos
- KWI
- Raymark
- JDA
- Cybex Systems
3- What types of application/data integration have you done?
We have integrated many different software applications and 3rd party solutions. Here is a sample of the type of solutions/applications we have integrated:
- Human Resources
- Financials
- POS
- eCommerce
- Price Optimization
- EDI
- 3rd party Ticket Printing
- Wholesale
- CRM
- Vendor Compliance
4- I already have an IT team and the software vendor has a set of standard API. Why can’t I do this on my own?
These types of ‘one-time’ projects typically have a high learning curve. They are high risk, and we have done it before…many times. Why spend time and resources bringing your IT team up to speed on something they will only do once?
5- What size IT team do your clients normally have
Really, there is no “normal”. We have worked with a variety of sizes. Most of our clients are Tier 2 retailers and have a team of anywhere from 3 – 35 people.
6- How do you automate ongoing integration?
Our tool, Transformer 2.0, has the ability to schedule and automate any integration process. Data can be interchanged, daily, hourly or by the minute.
7- What is Transformer 2.0?
Transformer 2.0 is RIBA Retail’s very own ETL (Extract, Transform, and Load) tool that is used for ALL data conversions and integration. All data transformations including data sources, data maps, and transformation rules are stored within Transformer. Transformations can be run manually, one time, or can be scheduled to run automatically. All Transformer activity is logged, including execution times, error logs, email alerts, etc.
8- We already have a robust Purchase Order Management system, why would I need POExpress?
A package system requires a retailer to adapt to a generic solution. This could mean paging through many windows and possibly hundreds of fields in order to enter new items, packs and orders. In addition, not all of your specific business rules may be enforced. With POExpress, it is tailored to your process, incorporating your specific business rules & data validations, in real-time. This can cut down, dramatically, on the time needed to enter an order, ensuring all of your specific business rules are met.
9- What is a Custom App?
We develop custom solutions for our clients that are fully integrated with your back office system. We refer to these as Custom Apps. POExpress is an example of a Custom App, but a similar App can be designed and developed to improve on any of your internal processes.
10- Why would I need a Custom App?
Retailers may share the same back office system, but can have very different needs and business processes. A package retail system is designed to work for the mass. This can sometimes result in a cumbersome process that is difficult to use. We can simplify and improve a process with the development and integration of a Custom App.
11- What type of reporting tools do you work with?
We can work with a number of proprietary and open tools. Most commonly, we use Microsoft Reporting Services which works with any standard SQL database. Here are some of the tools we have worked with in the past:
- Microsoft’s Reporting Services
- Microsoft’s Access
- SAP’s Crystal Reports
- IBM’s Cognos
- Epicor’s Smartlook/Smartview/Showme
12- What databases have you worked with?
SQL Server, Oracle, Access, MySQL.
