Services: Web and Mobile development/ SAP integration servicesSolutions: Sales analytics platformExpertise: RetailThe development of an extensive sales analytics platform with a variety of modules aimed at facilitating the work of distributors and maximizing their performance. ChallengeIn 2003, a company working with distributors of drinks and beverages contacted Emerline to create a platform and mobile application that would facilitate their work by allowing them to upload pictures directly into the system. This would make it easier to recognize where certain products would be displayed, and in what quantities. The development didn’t end there, because the customer wanted to extend the product’s capabilities with more possibilities for analytics, new modules, features, and UI elements. Today, the sales analytics platform still realizes constant enhancements and has already gained the status as an industry-leading application. ApproachFor 17 years of the product’s existence, the backend, frontend, and DevOps technologies used to create the application have been changing. This keeps the portal up-to-date, robust, secure, and easy-to-use. Backend developmentInitially, the portal’s backend was developed with Python 2.7, Django 1.6, and MySQL database. Later, these technologies were replaced with more modern ones: Python 3.8, Django 3.0, and the PostgreSQL database. Other backend highlights included the use of Celery for scheduled jobs and task concurrency, and Websockets for updates of the progressbar.Frontend developmentThe frontend of the application was initially based on a JavaScript library - Jquery, that was later replaced with ReactJS. Integration ServicesThe portal was integrated with multiple data providers, including SAP (HTTP API), SFTP servers, and Rest API.DevOpsIn terms of DevOps, initially used EC2 machines were replaced with the following mixture: Kubernetes cluster + Gitlab CI/CD process + Grafana monitoring visualization.Product DescriptionThe client was provided with a solution with a variety of modern features that make a sound sales analytics platform capable of reducing supplier data analysis time from several hours to just 22 seconds.Key features of the developed sales analytics platform Centralized sales data managementMobile accessibilityReal-time updates and monitoringOnline data sharingIntuitive UI and interactive dashboardsData VisualizationPipeline ManagementTracker executionHistorical execution analyticsAdvanced exporting featuresIdentification of mutually supporting brandsResultAs a result of complex development, the delivered sales analytics platform features everything needed for efficient, convenient, and well-organized performance. The platform created by the Emerline team has gained the status as an industry-leading application, allowing the client to get a sharp competitive edge and stand out from other companies working with drink and beverage distributors. Furthermore, meeting the growing needs of the industry, the platform is developed continually and enriched with new innovative features.
