02
Sat, Nov
2 New Articles

Case Study: BCD's WebSmart

Case Studies
Typography
  • Smaller Small Medium Big Bigger
  • Default Helvetica Segoe Georgia Times

At Kwik Trip, Inc., an IBM iSeries Model 810 with a browser-based intranet is used to make sure that loyal customers can count on bakery-fresh bread, ample quantities of several grades of gasoline, and a well-trained associate to graciously accept their Kwik Card.

Kwik Trip operates a chain of 360 convenience and tobacco stores in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa and has garnered lots of recognition in its industry for brand building. To ensure that each store can satisfy customer demand and that management gets the data it needs to keep these modern, clean, and well-lit facilities running, Kwik Trip relies on a Web-based extranet built by its own RPG developers with WebSmart, a leading Web application development tool from Business Computer Design (BCD).

Founded in 1965, Kwik Trip bases its success on vertical integration of supply chain functions and advanced technology. Fresher merchandise, better inventory control, and proprietary credit cards that offer repeat users a discount on gas all make Kwik Trip a pervasive competitive force. All of the company's core application software systems that support these business objectives, including billing, inventory, and order tracking, have been developed in-house by a team of nine programmers and analysts.

For five years, Kwik Trip used a Lotus Notes/Domino-based front-end and a frame relay-based network to bridge the stores with the La Crosse, Wisconsin, support center that houses activities such as accounting, credit, purchasing, commercial accounts, Information Technology, retail operations, store engineering, and human resources. But then, explains Kerri Bednarchuk, senior programmer analyst, a project came along involving a new Web-based application that needed to access DB2/400 database files in real-time. Kwik Trip wanted a way to make current fuel load information available to stores and replace an informal email procedure that was making its users weary. "Since Domino is not a relational database, I found it difficult to retrieve information from database files on the iSeries."
Kwik Trip's search for a new Web-based application development platform was short. According to Ed Strahs, director of Information Technology, "It really came down to a choice between WebSphere and WebSmart. Figuring out what parts of WebSphere that we needed was complicated. With so many components and the potential for additional hardware and training, you can really drive the price up. WebSmart complete was around $16,000. WebSphere could have run upwards of $100,000. With WebSmart, everything we needed was all there."

Bednarchuk spent two days tinkering with WebSmart to see how it worked, and in the process she developed three applications. "It was easy for me to get it up and running, and deliver a few initial programs without knowing anything about writing Web applications," she says. "I went to their Web site and found example code they included with the tool. It's great; I can browse their examples and cut and paste code I want." At the time, she had been brushing up on JavaScript, but since she saw lots of WebSmart development on the horizon, she spent a week in training with BCD's development partner ExcelSystems in Victoria, British Columbia. "The training was excellent. I learned HTML and PML through BCD training, and that really led into our expanded use of the product."

Since then, Kwik Trip has logged "lots of miles" with BCD's Web development vehicle. Says Bednarchuk, "We are touching every system with WebSmart, but primarily the billing and warehouse ordering systems. We created Kwik Net, a site that lets employees access information pertinent to their store and their district." Kwik Net's order entry functionality is the most heavily used application. ILE modules called by the WebSmart-based application handle the majority of the processing. These modules allow green-screen apps and Web apps to share the same business logic.

http://www.mcpressonline.com/articles/images/2002/BCDCaseStudyKwikTripFINALV4--05230500.png

Figure 1: Here's an example of Kwik Net's warehouse ordering application. (Click images to enlarge.)

Kwik Net also allows store leaders to access employment information, register subordinates for training classes, and then perform assessments after training has been completed. To support Kwik Trip's recent forays into the food service business, Bednarchuk has also added functionality that lets customers with a user ID and password track orders over the Web.

Besides improving order entry, human resources, and customer order tracking, big strides have been made in the area of report distribution. The time needed to put together period-ending statements has dramatically decreased. Previously, operators had to print reports and mail them, which took lots of time, paper, and postage. By distributing reports over the Internet, supervisors and management receive them five days sooner.

http://www.mcpressonline.com/articles/images/2002/BCDCaseStudyKwikTripFINALV4--05230501.png

Figure 2: Here's a sample page from the Forms and Policies library.

Automated report distribution has saved time in other ways. District leaders once copied information from reports and keyed it into Excel spreadsheets for their supervisors. Now they enter information pertinent to their account into a Web page, and the report is automatically generated for that district leader. "This means they only have to key the information in once. All this information is then available on the Web. That streamlines this process and standardizes the report," says Bednarchuk. A WebSmart-based maintenance application has also been created that makes it easy for intranet content managers to keep the portal fresh.

When the first Web-based program, an employment assessment system, rolled out of the shop, IT managers weren't sure how the employees would accept it. Says Bednarchuk, "Once it went live, people realized how the Internet could be used to make things easier, and they started coming to us with ideas. Now, when I sit it in meetings, the people who were previously skeptical about the Internet are the ones who are asking why more applications aren't available on the Web."

http://www.mcpressonline.com/articles/images/2002/BCDCaseStudyKwikTripFINALV4--05230502.png

Figure 3: Human resources uses Kwik Net, too.

As Kwik Trip places an increasing number of applications on the Web, uptime is becoming more important. Some of Kwik Trip's stores operate around the clock, and managers of these facilities need to be able to access the system at all times. According to Bednarchuk, the applications built with WebSmart have been very reliable. "We haven't experienced any unplanned downtime for over four years with WebSmart. Nothing has failed."

One expects to hit a few bumps on the road using new technology. Initially, when WebSmart's search index option was used for the ordering application, it got the attention of developers because it needed to be rebuilt every night. While the index was rebuilding, store managers couldn't use it. "Since then, BCD's support people showed us how to incorporate SQL into our searches, and the problem has been resolved. Overall, the level of support we received from BCD was above that of any other vendor that we've used," says Bednarchuk.

Recently, the WebSmart-built intranet went live company-wide. Software maintenance has been terminated on several Domino clients. "We still have a couple of Domino-based applications left; however, I would like to convert those as well. WebSmart was definitely a good choice," says Strahs. "It cuts down on our development time and lets us get new applications rolled out more quickly. It's good to see the technology we chose has made such a positive impact.''

Robert Gast has had an extensive number of articles published on technology and business management-related issues. He is the managing partner of Chicago area-based Evant Group and can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..



http://www.mcpressonline.com/articles/images/2002/BCDStorySnapshots%232forMCPressV4--11-15-0400.png

Business Computer Design, Int'l, Inc. (BCD)
Contact: Eric Figura, Director, Sales and Marketing
950 N. York Rd.
Hinsdale, IL 60521-2950
Tel: 630.986.0800
Fax: 630.986.0926
Web: www.bcdsoftware.com
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

BLOG COMMENTS POWERED BY DISQUS

LATEST COMMENTS

Support MC Press Online

$

Book Reviews

Resource Center

  • SB Profound WC 5536 Have you been wondering about Node.js? Our free Node.js Webinar Series takes you from total beginner to creating a fully-functional IBM i Node.js business application. You can find Part 1 here. In Part 2 of our free Node.js Webinar Series, Brian May teaches you the different tooling options available for writing code, debugging, and using Git for version control. Brian will briefly discuss the different tools available, and demonstrate his preferred setup for Node development on IBM i or any platform. Attend this webinar to learn:

  • SB Profound WP 5539More than ever, there is a demand for IT to deliver innovation. Your IBM i has been an essential part of your business operations for years. However, your organization may struggle to maintain the current system and implement new projects. The thousands of customers we've worked with and surveyed state that expectations regarding the digital footprint and vision of the company are not aligned with the current IT environment.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT Generic IBM announced the E1080 servers using the latest Power10 processor in September 2021. The most powerful processor from IBM to date, Power10 is designed to handle the demands of doing business in today’s high-tech atmosphere, including running cloud applications, supporting big data, and managing AI workloads. But what does Power10 mean for your data center? In this recorded webinar, IBMers Dan Sundt and Dylan Boday join IBM Power Champion Tom Huntington for a discussion on why Power10 technology is the right strategic investment if you run IBM i, AIX, or Linux. In this action-packed hour, Tom will share trends from the IBM i and AIX user communities while Dan and Dylan dive into the tech specs for key hardware, including:

  • Magic MarkTRY the one package that solves all your document design and printing challenges on all your platforms. Produce bar code labels, electronic forms, ad hoc reports, and RFID tags – without programming! MarkMagic is the only document design and print solution that combines report writing, WYSIWYG label and forms design, and conditional printing in one integrated product. Make sure your data survives when catastrophe hits. Request your trial now!  Request Now.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericForms of ransomware has been around for over 30 years, and with more and more organizations suffering attacks each year, it continues to endure. What has made ransomware such a durable threat and what is the best way to combat it? In order to prevent ransomware, organizations must first understand how it works.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericIT security is a top priority for businesses around the world, but most IBM i pros don’t know where to begin—and most cybersecurity experts don’t know IBM i. In this session, Robin Tatam explores the business impact of lax IBM i security, the top vulnerabilities putting IBM i at risk, and the steps you can take to protect your organization. If you’re looking to avoid unexpected downtime or corrupted data, you don’t want to miss this session.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericCan you trust all of your users all of the time? A typical end user receives 16 malicious emails each month, but only 17 percent of these phishing campaigns are reported to IT. Once an attack is underway, most organizations won’t discover the breach until six months later. A staggering amount of damage can occur in that time. Despite these risks, 93 percent of organizations are leaving their IBM i systems vulnerable to cybercrime. In this on-demand webinar, IBM i security experts Robin Tatam and Sandi Moore will reveal:

  • FORTRA Disaster protection is vital to every business. Yet, it often consists of patched together procedures that are prone to error. From automatic backups to data encryption to media management, Robot automates the routine (yet often complex) tasks of iSeries backup and recovery, saving you time and money and making the process safer and more reliable. Automate your backups with the Robot Backup and Recovery Solution. Key features include:

  • FORTRAManaging messages on your IBM i can be more than a full-time job if you have to do it manually. Messages need a response and resources must be monitored—often over multiple systems and across platforms. How can you be sure you won’t miss important system events? Automate your message center with the Robot Message Management Solution. Key features include:

  • FORTRAThe thought of printing, distributing, and storing iSeries reports manually may reduce you to tears. Paper and labor costs associated with report generation can spiral out of control. Mountains of paper threaten to swamp your files. Robot automates report bursting, distribution, bundling, and archiving, and offers secure, selective online report viewing. Manage your reports with the Robot Report Management Solution. Key features include:

  • FORTRAFor over 30 years, Robot has been a leader in systems management for IBM i. With batch job creation and scheduling at its core, the Robot Job Scheduling Solution reduces the opportunity for human error and helps you maintain service levels, automating even the biggest, most complex runbooks. Manage your job schedule with the Robot Job Scheduling Solution. Key features include:

  • LANSA Business users want new applications now. Market and regulatory pressures require faster application updates and delivery into production. Your IBM i developers may be approaching retirement, and you see no sure way to fill their positions with experienced developers. In addition, you may be caught between maintaining your existing applications and the uncertainty of moving to something new.

  • LANSAWhen it comes to creating your business applications, there are hundreds of coding platforms and programming languages to choose from. These options range from very complex traditional programming languages to Low-Code platforms where sometimes no traditional coding experience is needed. Download our whitepaper, The Power of Writing Code in a Low-Code Solution, and:

  • LANSASupply Chain is becoming increasingly complex and unpredictable. From raw materials for manufacturing to food supply chains, the journey from source to production to delivery to consumers is marred with inefficiencies, manual processes, shortages, recalls, counterfeits, and scandals. In this webinar, we discuss how:

  • The MC Resource Centers bring you the widest selection of white papers, trial software, and on-demand webcasts for you to choose from. >> Review the list of White Papers, Trial Software or On-Demand Webcast at the MC Press Resource Center. >> Add the items to yru Cart and complet he checkout process and submit

  • Profound Logic Have you been wondering about Node.js? Our free Node.js Webinar Series takes you from total beginner to creating a fully-functional IBM i Node.js business application.

  • SB Profound WC 5536Join us for this hour-long webcast that will explore:

  • Fortra IT managers hoping to find new IBM i talent are discovering that the pool of experienced RPG programmers and operators or administrators with intimate knowledge of the operating system and the applications that run on it is small. This begs the question: How will you manage the platform that supports such a big part of your business? This guide offers strategies and software suggestions to help you plan IT staffing and resources and smooth the transition after your AS/400 talent retires. Read on to learn: