It's a common and well known story for every software creator. A while ago, during a project, a customer was in need of specific functionality, which needed to be added on to his software solution. A customization was realized, resulting in a happy customer. Then another customer showed up with almost the same requirements, with some more additions though, which were added as well. Repeat those steps a couple of times and you have a standard solution for a specific vertical. A solution that exists of project based enriched functionality. It works great, is full of functionality, but unfortunately less sustainable, hard to adapt and pretty region specific, based on the geographical location of those customers. We have walked that path as well and it brought us SI Foodware, a very rich product, full of functionality specifically for the food industry. And although it has proven itself worldwide and it is adaptable by partners, we like to learn and do things better. And now we have the chance to do so.
Written by Benny Dor, Program Manager at Schouw Informatisering
With Foodware 365 for Dynamics 365 Business Central, we have started from scratch. Relying on years of experience in the food industry, we are rethinking and redesigning our food solution. It is fully extension based, which means all modules are additions to Business Central, built on top of the Microsoft products. We are trying to focus on a worldwide solution, while keeping in mind that our extensions should be extendable by our resellers as well. Because we can be building a worldwide solution, we also know that every country has it owns special processes that needs to be supported. By making it extendable for our resellers, we are enabling that opportunity for them and the end users.
To achieve that goal of an extendable and adaptable worldwide solution, we have created a reference group. That reference group exists out of three valued resellers (Softronic, Isatech and Theta) and a Dutch customer who is not in need for customization. Add the Dutch VAR (Schouw Informatisering) as well and we have a varied group of professionals with whom we have a call on a weekly basis. During that call we discuss the required functionality and proposed solution. Just to make sure that we create a worldwide Foodware 365 solution. And besides, we are already discussing with our resellers what we need to do to enable them to create their own on-top market extensions.
In my opinion, this is the correct way forward to create a rich and beautiful solution, making the most out of the possibilities within Dynamics 365 Business Central and the whole Microsoft 365 platform and its ecosystem. We as creators of a set of solutions, together with our partners who can create market specific extensions to support their local customers, will serve all the food customers worldwide with a wide collection of apps supporting processes and challenges in their local food industry. For all applies: Foodware 365, forward in food!