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DESKTOP TO CLOUD DIGITAL TRANSFORMATIONS

IVE’s new ERP efficiently manage inventory and integrations with powerful APIs

Before the digital transformation project

  • IVE – formerly known as AFI Branding – has a custom production system, Console. It’s brilliant at managing a lot of their needs, but it didn’t work well with inventory management and costings
  • The business was stuck using a mixture of outdated MYOB Accounting systems and Excel spreadsheets, leading to unreliable inventory management and and friction across the entire production process
  • Raw materials and finished products were impossible to track accurately, requiring jumping across multiple spreadsheets
  • Operational data was updated infrequently and leadership had to wait for the close of a quarter or even a year to get accurate cash flow and stock levels, meaning it was often too late to make corrective decisions

IVE's top priorities for the transformation

  • Waypoint were tasked with retaining the existing custom-developed Console system while replacing MYOB Accounting and multiple spreadsheets
  • Cin7 Core inventory management needed to work seamlessly with Console and the rest of IVE’s software stack, requiring custom API development
  • Working closely with the IVE team to learn existing business processes and integrate new ones before go-live
IVE

The people who made this
 implementation so successful

Dan Fairbairn
Dan Fairbairn Managing Director, Waypoint

Managing Director, Waypoint Dan Fairbairn

  • Worked end-to-end with IVE, from initial scope to implementation and onboarding.
     

Areas of contribution

  • Worked end-to-end with IVE, from initial scope to implementation and onboarding.
Brendon Rowse
Brendon Rowse Managing Director, IVE

Managing Director, IVE Brendon Rowse

  • Developed the technical requirements of the project collaboratively with Waypoint.
  • Managed key internal staff, bringing their voices to the project as stakeholders

Areas of contribution

  • Internal oversight of the implementation project.
  • Worked with Waypoint to refine their implementation scope.

Their new integrated
 end-to-end, modern system

custom production

Production mgmt system

Cin7 Core tile

ERP, order and inventory mgmt

logo5

Accounting, tax and compliance

Cin7 Core API integrations tile

Modern,
bi-directional integrations

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System advantages

  • One well integrated system where everything and every order efficiently flows through the system
    Waypoint used Cin7 Core's power APIs to integrate IVE”s custom-built production system. This approach made the release of the new modern system much easier because IVE's production team didn't have to give up their favorite, deeply integrained software.
  • Cin7 Core ERP system brings all the applications together into one accurate, end-to-end system
    Raw materials, finished products, warehouse and shipping costs are all neatly organized and maintained by Cin7 Core. The back office team enjoys knowing that just the right information on the right frequency flows into their Xero accounting. Waypoint's attention to the Cin7 Core ↔ Xero integration made all the difference in making all users confident in the system.
  • Cin7 Core's comprehensive reporting and management automation module delivers the information leadership and managers want without having to request for reports and wait endless for it
    Waypoint's design and implementation of Cin7 Core as IVE's centralize system of record makes it easy to provide the business all the information they need to monitor the business and make decisions with accurate, trustworthy information.
  • Seamlessly integrated, accurate, and real-time
    As an integrated system, orders and inventory flow instantly and accurately from the instant sales are made through to production and on to the warehouse for fulfillment.

What was achieved – the results

Hundreds of manual entries and mistakes
are avoided every month

  • Cin7 Core is now integrated seamlessly with Console and the rest of IVE’s software stack, and time has been won back to grow their business
  • Near real-time inventory visibility capabilities, tied directly to Console, means IVE can now track every raw material and finished product with ease
  • Inaccurate data, manual errors, needless task duplication and lost time from deprecated systems and multiple spreadsheets have been eliminated
  • Trustworthy data and accurate reporting mean management can make decisions in real-time rather than waiting for the end of a given period

Waypoint leave their mark on IVE

IVE specialize in creating spectacular fabric based signage for events and exhibitions that are impossible to ignore. Based in Melbourne, the work produced by IVE is big, bold and beautiful. They’re genuine leaders in their field and have worked with international brands such as Bose, as well as many Australian household names such as JB Hi-Fi.

Managing the production of such a complex and customisable product can be a real challenge – so much so, that IVE created their own custom production system called Console. This system is at the heart of their business. Unfortunately Console didn’t handle the inventory management and costing side of the production process. That gap had initially been plugged with a combination of MYOB Accounting and good old-fashioned Excel spreadsheets.
 
Although this worked, it was far from reliable, and created friction in the entire production process. Brendon Rowse, IVE Managing Director, knew there had to be a smarter way of handling their inventory.

The problem

A key requirement for the project was to retain Console as their existing production system and enhance it by adding inventory management capabilities. When dealing with a system Waypoint  knows and understands that has clear documentation, then this is relatively straightforward. But, if it’s a custom piece of software that needs connecting, it can be a lot more challenging.

The solution

When custom API integration is required, Cin7 Core is the system Waypoint recommends.  Working closely with Meagan from the IVE team, we were able to create a new process that seamlessly worked across the existing production platform and used Cin7 Core as their new inventory system.

The result

Adding real-time inventory capabilities to their Console system means they can now track every raw material and finished product with ease. No more jumping between different spreadsheets to try to get a handle on stock levels. And, the real-time element is huge for them. In the past, they had to wait until the ‘end of the period’ to get accurate reporting which of course, in many cases was too late to make any corrective decisions.

IVE still got to work with the familiar interface of their Console system. Now though, it’s enhanced with the Cin7 Core platform which underpins every aspect of their inventory management and reporting. For Brendon and the team, that means winning back more time to grow the business. As a result, they can continue their proud tradition of innovation and flying the flag for their entire industry.\

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