With the Magic xpi integration platform and its modern low-code approach, New Flag is accelerating Digital Transformation across the enterprise, laying the foundation for rapid process automation and application integration. The new digital business model increases overall efficiency and strengthens IT resilience for continued success.
Intro:
Founded in 2010, the German distributor and brand incubator sells its beauty and hair products in 80 countries. New Flag provides its B2B and B2C customers with carefully selected beauty products from world-famous brands as well as various private labels. The team currently consists of over 300 employees at eight locations in Europe and the USA.
To ensure the success of its increasing international presence, and the expansion of both its product range and sales channels, New Flag is in the process of setting up a digital business model. At the core of its IT strategy is a central company-wide platform for process integration that enables the integration of future technologies.
Initial Situation:
Global market changes demand strong IT systems and digital processes. Over the last few years, New Flag had to adapt to a fast-paced tech environment with numerous new applications and technologies. This resulted in separate solutions, data isolation, and disrupted data flows. Maintenance costs and manual intervention rose quickly, prompting the company to act. They embarked on a consolidation phase to create a modern, flexible, and secure IT setup that functions seamlessly. New Flag made strategic choices by leveraging Microsoft and Magic Software solutions to pave the way for future digital business models that offer flexibility and adaptability.
Solution:
System integration ERP with B2B commerce platform
New Flag relies on Microsoft Dynamics 365 for its ERP system and Spryker for its B2B commerce platform, overseeing approximately 4,000 items. These systems smoothly share data, ensuring that customer, order, inventory, and pricing information align seamlessly. This was done by using the Magic xpi low-code platform to connect to the B2B store. The implementation was done in conjunction with the Magic service team which New Flag says was of high quality and followed a well-defined plan with rigorous testing.
Seamless merging with modern low-code platform
An important aspect was to set up all processes to the ERP system Microsoft Dynamics 365 cleanly and efficiently, which was challenging in view of the different web services and complex structures. The Magic xpi code-free integration platform successfully brought both systems together. The integration was quick and straightforward thanks to its graphical user interface, drag-and-drop wizard, and a preconfigured Microsoft connector. Going forward, it is possible to connect additional Microsoft systems with an endless combination of endpoints as well as new applications in the cloud, on-premise or hybrid.
Supply chain management demand planning
One component of New Flag‘s Supply Chain Management is the cloud-based demand planning platform Anaplan, which provides forecasts of future sales to ensure maximum product availability and correctly balance between sufficient availability and inventory costs. Reliable forecasts depend on the seamless connection of Anaplan to the ERP and other core systems and coordinated digital processes. With the help of the Magic xpi low-code platform, the IT team was able to successfully implement all necessary integrations.
Cloud-based document management
The Shareflex Online product suite extends Microsoft 365 and SharePoint into a platform for modern Document Management (DMS). With Magic xpi‘s seamless integration of enterprise systems, New Flag now benefits from a modern company-wide cloud-based document management (DMS). This provides them with digital invoice processing (including the capture and release of incoming invoices), secure long-term document archiving, and efficient management of all contracts.
Results:
Since September 2021, Magic xpi has been serving as a central data hub, enabling New Flag to successfully implement multiple digitization projects. In the past, open integration projects often caused delays and acted as bottlenecks for urgently required connections. However, with Magic xpi, the New Flag team has managed to significantly boost their implementation efficiency.
- With the benefit of flexible low-code technology and quicker development, the in-house IT team can now efficiently and independently customize, initiate new integration projects, and handle complete business processes. They achieve this with minimal manual programming, even with limited resources.
- The integration of the B2B store with the business software results in high business value. Orders arrive reliably and customer data is fully recorded and updated in the systems. Business-damaging data losses have been eliminated.
- With the Magic EDI Service, New Flag achieves electronic data exchange and better compatibility with third-party modules and interfaces, such as suppliers, retailers, and online marketplaces.
- IT management benefits from greater connectivity and transparency. With fewer resources, they are able to monitor processes and systems efficiently. Automated evaluations reduce manual errors, provide reliable reports, and enable data-based decisions. Manual processing is no longer necessary.
Looking ahead:
With its integrative approach, New Flag is planning further digitization projects with Magic xpi. The current one-dimensional Business Intelligence (BI structure) will be expanded using Magic xpi for central data management of a common BI platform, communication, and data analysis. Later, data analytics will allow KPIs such as warehouse efficiency and inventory turnover. The development of the customer base is to be analyzed and planned in a solid manner using a reliable database.
Quote: Christian Engl, Associate Director IT Product & Operations
“The Magic xpi integration platform was a strategic decision for us. With its code-free approach and multiple extension options, it is the heart of our IT. As an agile company, it enables us to successfully implement our new digital business model and it strengthens our resilience.”
Name: New Flag GmbH, www.new-flag.com
Industry: Beauty Industry
Magic Solution: Magic xpi Integration Platform, Magic EDI Service Platform
Connected Applications:
- ERP Software Microsoft Dynamics 365
- Cloud-based Demand Planning Platform Anaplan
- B2B Commerce Platform Spryker
- Cloud-based ShareFlex Tool
Objectives in brief:
- Increase the level of digitization throughout the company
- Establish a core central integration platform
- Digital process automation and application integration
- Reduce costs and increase overall efficiency
Results in brief:
- Established a central data hub
- Cost savings through a modern low-code approach
- Implemented seamless business processes
- Increased data security
- Integrated core applications (ERP, commerce platform, demand planning, DMS)
- Created a basis for data analytics
- Reduced manual workload
- Significantly reduced error rate
