(view the screen cast above in full screen mode to see more detail)

This enhancement was based on a customer request and allows stock or inventory to be loaded onto a vehicle and then scanned off (delivered) at different locations. This wouldn’t be that different from a traditional delivery workflow except for the fact that Local Stock Mode allows the creation of ad hoc sales and automatically creates and emails out the delivery note.

The video grab above shows the following:-

• A field sales person loads stock onto a van; barcode scanning the items as they load them. (In this demo the client calls the inventory in the van “Boot Stock”)
• The salesperson then proceeds to a client and completes a mobile sales order against the stock in the van.
• The salesperson scans the barcode of an item that needs to be replenished and the device shows the “van” stock available.
• Once the order is complete the sales person does a “Pick” barcode scan of the items in the van and returns with these to the client.
• The client signs off on the goods received and a delivery note is automatically generated as a PDF and emailed to the client and other stake holders.

Every item of data captured by the device is time-stamped and geo-stamped so you know exactly when and where the activity occurred. Since we know what was loaded onto the vehicle it’s easy to reconcile this against the customer approved deliveries.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me at derek@fieldmetrix.com if you would like further information.

Background

As cliche as it may sound FieldMetrix Logistics is the embodiment of all my Windows Mobile and .NET development expertise.

In 2001 I started one of the first Pocket PC development focused web communities called DEVBUZZ.COM. Over the years that followed, what started off as a hobby became a full time job. DEBUZZ.COM transformed into a boutique consulting shop and for seven years we concentrated solely on Pocket PC / Windows Mobile development.

The majority of our consulting engagements revolved around field based data capture using Windows Mobile devices. Data is entered on the handheld device and then sychronized to a back end database (normally SQL Server). Most of our clients are based in the US or UK with access to the latest 3G cellular networks. One would assume that snchronizing data from devices to servers using first world cellular netowrks would be fairly straight forward; however as we learned over the years this is not the case. Irrespective of how advanced the cellular infrastructure is you are still dealing with limited bandwidth and intermittent internet communications. In some respects, as cellular data plans have become more ubiqutious, available bandwidth has actually decreased. Many cellular providers no longer provide unlimited mobile internet access and metered data plans impacts the bottom line of any business relying on mobile data exchange. FieldMetrix ovecomes many of the problems associated with deliverying real time data from Windows Mobile devices to centralised back end environments.

What is FieldMetrix Logistics?

FieldMetrix consists of three componenets: FieldMetrix Mobile, the Windows Mobile tool used to capture information in the field; FieldMetrix Desktop, the central management and despatch tool and FieldMetrix Platform, the background technology which handles the device to server communications. FieldMetrix Platform is based on our DBT technology which was completed and deployed for several pharmaceutical clients in 2008.