Datalogic

Datalogic is a global technology leader in the automatic data capture and process automation markets, specialized in the designing and production of bar code readers, mobile computers, sensors for detection, measurement and safety, vision and laser marking systems. Closeness and timely response to every customer requirement, together with continuous innovation and high-quality offering, are the distinctive elements at the base of Datalogic success for over 40 years. Its cutting-edge solutions help to increase the efficiency and quality of processes in the Retail, Manufacturing, Transportation and Logistics and Healthcare industries, along the entire value chain.

Datalogic can boast 45 years of history and has grown constantly over the years, thanks to the dedication with which customer needs have always been at the heart of the quality of its products and to the considerable investments in Research & Development, supported by a management capable of looking to the future. Today, Datalogic Group employs approximately 2,900 staff worldwide and is headquartered in Bologna, Italy.

Challenges

Datalogic implemented a CO-PA (Profitability Analysis) application in SAP so they could better analyze the profitability of segments of their markets, structured according to products, customers, orders, and organizational units such as company codes or business areas. During implementation they discovered that if they wanted customer and document reference details, they had to enter them manually at the line-item level – a prohibitive task. They were further hindered by the 1000 line-item limit in SAP. Datalogic’s IT Project Manager had two options. “We explored the idea of developing a custom program with a user interface to upload worksheets to SAP, but found out it would not be very flexible.” The other option was to purchase off-the-shelf software. That’s when they began to explore Magnitude Process Runner GLSU.

Solution

After evaluating the software, Datalogic purchased GLSU for FI postings related to cost and profitability reporting. “One of our consultants had worked with GLSU at another company,” their IT Project Manager recalls. “After he showed it to us, we felt that GLSU made more sense than creating our own program. With GLSU, we don’t have to maintain the software, and it gives us better flexibility and more options.” According to Datalogic, their FI documents were traditionally very difficult to track. “When making a journal entry or memo, you can choose not to capture the detail. So the reporting is always a ‘black box.’ No one knew before what went into an FI transaction. Now, when we want to include details for FI transactions, we can do it, because we have the right tool to do it. It’s easy to associate the FI level of detail with the sales data. With that association possible, we can know the specifics of a service contract entered in the SD module,” for example.

Results

Previously Datalogic could not enter 1000 line-items in an FI document. Now with GLSU, they have a new set of expectations and possibilities. “We’ve achieved a new level of detail in the reporting that we simply didn’t have earlier.”

Fewer Errors

“The user interface in GLSU is a big advantage. Thanks to the pre-validation within GLSU, errors and inconsistencies are easily flagged and handled before posting to SAP.”

Increased Productivity

GLSU can support a large number of line items, limited only by the version of Excel, without a corresponding increase in workload. “We can get better productivity without increasing overhead. It just makes sense to use GLSU whenever you have a large number of line items to post.”

Improved Flexibility

With GLSU, making entries is simple and fast and gives Datalogic greater flexibility.

Business Benefits