Ostendo Integration Case Studies
The WebCo’s client, a major supplier of traffic signs and safety equipment to the New Zealand Roading Industry approached The WebCo to partner with them to provide support for their online platform, built on Magento 2 and integrated with Ostendo.
Challenges
Magento’s automated import process included special characters such as arrow symbols (< and >), vital for conveying product information and options. However, Ostendo’s system couldn’t interpret these characters correctly. Instead, it truncated text after encountering such symbols, causing significant issues for Traffic Signs. This affected product descriptions, and ultimately, customer experience.
Approach
The development team recognised the need for an innovative approach to address this issue. Rather than modifying Ostendo’s core functionality, they devised a workaround solution. They encoded special characters into a format understandable by Ostendo. For instance, the left arrow symbol (<) was encoded as [LEFT], and the right arrow symbol (>) as [RIGHT]. This encoding ensured Ostendo recognised and displayed these symbols correctly, preserving the integrity of product listings.
Outcome
Implementing the character encoding solution resolved the issue seamlessly. Traffic Signs could continue using Magento’s automated import process without worrying about data loss or misinterpretation in Ostendo. Product listings are displayed accurately, with special characters conveyed as intended. This improvement significantly enhanced the overall customer experience, ensuring clear and informative product presentations.
Further Contributions
Data Integration
Beyond addressing the special character issue, the development team provided additional support and enhancements to Traffic Signs’ integration with Ostendo:
- Magento Module Development: Developed modules to synchronise products between Magento and Ostendo, ensuring seamless data exchange.
- Background Jobs for Job Orders: Implemented background jobs in Magento to detect and synchronise new job orders with Ostendo immediately, improving operational efficiency.
- Real-time Pricing Integration: Enabled real-time product price retrieval from Ostendo to Magento, ensuring accurate pricing information for customers.
- Problem Resolution with Missing Data: Identified and resolved issues with missing job order information by implementing a workaround solution. This involved updating job orders post-creation in Ostendo to include essential details not transferred initially.
- Client Communication Enhancement: Implemented email notifications to inform Traffic Signs of new job orders, improving communication and operational awareness
Conclusion
By addressing integration challenges and providing tailored solutions, the development team successfully optimised Traffic Signs’ use of Ostendo with Magento. Through innovative problem-solving and continuous support, they ensured:
- Seamless data exchange.
- Accurate product listings.
- Enhanced operational efficiency for the company.
This case highlights the importance of adaptability and creativity in overcoming ERP integration hurdles, ultimately contributing to improved business outcomes.