ERP & supply chain software
Custom
workbooks.
Built automatically.
Bluestream connected QAD’s project selections to reusable DITA content, making each workbook fit its customer.
XDocs DITA CCMS + RESTful APIs
QAD on the partnership
Bluestream helped us fully evaluate and understand our needs, and the move to DITA enabled us to improve our documentation quality. At the same time we reduced lead time, and created the capacity to work on multiple projects in parallel. The decision to select XDocs DITA CCMS has certainly been validated, and we look forward to continuing to work with the Bluestream Team.
Dr. Thomas Blumer,
Director of Knowledge Management,
QAD Inc
The customer story
Automating the creation of complex customized documents with the XDocs DITA CCMS
About QAD
ERP & supply chain
Cloud solutions for manufacturers
QAD Inc. delivers next-generation ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) and supply chain solutions in the cloud. Founded in 1979 and headquartered in Santa Barbara, California, QAD has 30 offices globally and serves customers in 100 countries. QAD works across six main verticals: Automotive, Consumer Products, Food and Beverage, High Tech, Industrial, and Life Sciences (Medical Devices and Pharmaceuticals).
Over 2,000 manufacturing companies have deployed QAD solutions including enterprise resource planning (ERP), digital supply chain planning (DSCP), global trade and transportation execution (GTTE) and enterprise quality management system (EQMS) to become an Adaptive Manufacturing Enterprise.
01 / Document complexity
The Challenge
Before customer-specific variations
QAD user documentation originally consisted of a 300-page Business Process Workbook (MS Word file). This book detailed each business process with a functional description, process screenshot, associated KPIs, etc. Not all associated fields, such as KPIs, applied to every vertical industry. As a result, there were soon seven different books, leading to difficulties when processes were updated.
The situation was further complicated as customers began to request customized solutions without some KPIs, requiring custom Business Process Workbooks. The variation and customization quickly led to a very complex and hard-to-manage system with multiple document versions.
02 / Content automation
The Solution
Reusable content
With all the reuse requirements, the DITA XML standard became an obvious platform for a solution – especially since some of the books have now grown to over 700 pages. Because of the complexity of the Business Process Workbooks, QAD recognized that a CCMS would be required to manage the DITA content and relationships.
The platform
After analysis of the CCMS market, and based on both system flexibility and value, QAD selected Bluestream’s XDocs DITA CCMS for the storage and management of their DITA content.
Customer project selections
QAD had already developed a Project Scoping Calculator application, which allowed Project Managers to define the scope of their customer projects. A web front-end makes it easy for Project Managers to select or deselect various product modules/processes as required. Once the selections have been made, a cost estimate and a project timeline are automatically generated.
How the workbook is built
- 01
Project Scoping
CalculatorSelect product modules and processes
- 02
RESTful
APIsConnect project scope to source content
- 03
XDocs DITA
CCMSManage reusable content and relationships
- 04
Custom Business
Process WorkbookCreate a book for each unique configuration
Connecting scope to content
It was decided to extend the functionality of the Project Scoping Calculator into the project documentation. Bluestream had previous experience with CPQ (Configure, Price, and Quote) systems. Using the XDocs DITA CCMS’s comprehensive RESTful APIs, Bluestream was able to help QAD link their Project Scoping Tool to the Business Process Workbook source DITA content.
Industry-specific front pages
Bluestream also developed the DITA transformations to create custom front pages for each book based on the customer’s vertical industry.
03 / The impact
The Results
QAD’s estimated reduction
in custom workbook
creation time
The final result is the automatic creation of a custom Business Process Workbook for each unique configuration. The entire content is single-sourced, so one change can now be applied to all the necessary verticals.
Built-in compliance
In addition to the obvious time and cost savings, the solution improved compliance. Some processes depend on others that must be included, and the Project Manager might not be aware of these. Now the relationships/business rules are hard coded within the system – so, for example, if process 22 always needs process 12, this relationship is never omitted from the final documentation.
With the XDocs DITA CCMS, QAD estimates that the new system has resulted in an 80% reduction in the time taken to create custom Business Process Workbooks. Additional benefits include:
- 01
The elimination of duplications.
- 02
Product dependencies hard-coded into the process.
- 03
Branch/merge content for release management.
This project has delivered huge benefits to QAD, the Bluestream team were fantastic to work with and supported us every step of the way.
Dr. Thomas Blumer,
Director of Knowledge Management,
QAD Inc.
In Brief
Challenge
QAD’s original 300-page Business Process Workbook had evolved into seven different books for various verticals, making updates difficult when processes changed.
Customers were requesting customized solutions without certain KPIs, leading to a complex and hard-to-manage system with multiple document versions.
Results
The XDocs DITA CCMS, and its robust RESTful APIs, resulted in a solution for QAD that achieved:
An 80% reduction in the time taken to create custom Business Process Workbooks
Improved compliance by hard-coding relationships and business rules, ensuring that dependent processes are always included in the final documentation.
The elimination of duplications and ensuring content is always up-to-date.
The ability to work on multiple projects in parallel while reducing lead time.
Realize the potential of your content
The XDocs DITA CCMS, the XDelivery Documentation Portal, and the Manufacturing Suite add value by streamlining documentation processes, creating efficiencies, improving content quality, and enhancing customer experience.
Questions about QAD’s workbook automation
Answers based on the QAD case study above.
What documentation challenge did QAD need to solve?
QAD’s original 300-page Microsoft Word Business Process Workbook grew into seven industry-specific books. Customer-specific variations, including different KPI requirements, created multiple versions that were difficult to update and manage.
Why did QAD choose DITA and XDocs DITA CCMS?
DITA XML supported QAD’s content reuse requirements. With some workbooks growing beyond 700 pages, QAD needed a CCMS to manage the DITA content and its relationships. QAD selected XDocs DITA CCMS for its flexibility and value.
How are QAD’s custom workbooks created automatically?
Bluestream used XDocs DITA CCMS’s RESTful APIs to connect QAD’s Project Scoping Calculator to the source DITA content. Each unique project configuration produces a custom Business Process Workbook. Bluestream also developed DITA transformations for industry-specific front pages.
How does the solution include dependent processes?
Process relationships and business rules are hard-coded into the system. If one process requires another, both are included in the final documentation. The case study gives the example of process 22 always requiring process 12.
What results did QAD report?
QAD estimates an 80% reduction in the time needed to create custom Business Process Workbooks. Single-sourced content allows one change to be applied across the necessary industry versions. Other reported benefits include eliminating duplications and branch/merge support for release management.
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