When Stevenson Group purchased a new Concrete Ordering System and needed to integrate it with their existing ERP system they asked Theta to help them select an appropriate tool and build the necessary interfaces. The Pentaho Open Source Business Intelligence Suite was selected for its sophisticated data integration capabilities, as well as a host of reporting and analysis features.
Typically, integrating a new system with an existing one is expensive and time-consuming; something that can be overcome by using an open source solution like Pentaho. Theta used the Pentaho Data Integration (PDI) component to quickly and cost-effectively develop the five interfaces between the two systems. PDI provided a productive graphical environment to develop all the required data extracts and transformations. The Pentaho Business Intelligence Server then handled job execution and scheduling.
Mark Clayton, Business Information Manager for Stevenson Group, comments –
“We’re extremely happy with how the project has gone. Theta quickly developed the required interfaces with the Pentaho tools. The beauty of PDI is the ability to simply manage complex data manipulations. This capability avoided the need to tinker with or change the transactional systems.
Using the Pentaho Data Integration tool saved us both time and money. While we made numerous changes to the interfaces during the project, by using Pentaho, Theta was able to quickly adapt the interfaces to the changing demands, and still come in on time and under budget.”
Andrew Taylor, who heads up the Theta Software Development and Integration practice, is impressed with the productivity achieved by using Pentaho. Although it’s new to the practice, Pentaho Data Integration has already earned a place alongside the other open source tools Theta uses to provide economical and effective solutions for its customers.
Pentaho Data Integration now forms the basis of the new Stevenson Data Integration Server that will be used for future data integration interfaces.
About Stevenson Group
For nearly 100 years, Stevenson has played a major role in developing New Zealand’s roading and infrastructure. Stevenson is a major player in the country’s construction industry, supplying aggregates and a wide range of concrete-based building products. They have strong roots in land-based businesses including mining and quarry management, agriculture and property. They are also a trusted provider of engineering and related services in these industries.
