Case study EDA Industries: From R&D to ERP integration

EDA Electronics, a client of our partner Profforma, faced challenges managing its R&D processes. During the preparation stage, a demo was created for 15 users in the R&D department, followed by several brief meetings to support the setup and configuration of users, roles, and permissions. Different integration scenarios were explored, including the implementation of R&D project workflows with custom templates, a demo with personalized configurations for Helpdesk users, and the initial SAP integration to sync project IDs and R&D project outcomes back to SAP.

Why Easy Redmine: EDA Industries chose Easy Redmine for its best-in-class interface and flexibility in structuring R&D involvement in the overall production process.

Feature highlights: Core planning, test cases, and worktime reports allowed for streamlined project management and efficient resource allocation.

Integrations: The solution also integrated seamlessly with internal Helpdesk systems and synced with portions of SAP data, ensuring a unified workflow across departments.

Before switching to Easy Redmine

Previously, the R&D used a combination of different tools: MS Project, customized Excel tables, and legacy solutions developed internally. There was a strong need for uniformity, structuring a common flow with the final goal of integrating the R&D process with the overall Production Process.

Our assignment and challenges

Expectations to meet:

• Manage R&D complete workflow and activities
• Improve R&D team collaboration and efficiency
• Optimize cost monitoring
• Receive and provide crucial data to the Product Development process
• Evaluate use in other areas: Internal Helpdesk, HR management

Requirements:

• Harmonize and control R&D workflows
• Easy time and resource spending reporting
• Explore implementing Helpdesk as subprojects
• Integrate R&D in general SAP driven Production process

Time to implement

1. Preparation

During the preparation stage, a demo was created for 15 users in the R&D department, followed by several brief meetings to support the setup and configuration of users, roles, and permissions. Different integration scenarios were explored, including the implementation of R&D project workflows with custom templates, a demo with personalized configurations for Helpdesk users, and the initial SAP integration to sync project IDs and R&D project outcomes back to SAP.

2. Settings

General settings have been completed with System Admin (timezones, calendars, languages, etc). The Org chart of the R&D has been reflected in the R&D team’s roles and permissions. Alert and notification preferences have been set. Two/three different project workflows have been identified, main steps of the activity for one of these flows have been sketched to generate a first draft project template.

4. Cloud solution

With the aim of getting maximum flexibility and allowing for a gradual introduction of ERM, EDA chose the Cloud approach, with aligning license expirations and some technical and consulting support in Italian by the partner Profforma.

5. Training

Several training sessions have been held for the Administrator, R&D team, Helpdesk, and HR Managers. Additional consultancy days and four half-day training sessions are scheduled to facilitate onboarding and align the R&D and Helpdesk teams.

6. Testing

General settings have been tested and monitored, together with some initial process templates. Further work is in progress to validate R&D project models and test the initial import from SAP (project IDs, user teams etc).

Objective and benefits

The implementation of Easy Redmine brought:

• R&D project management implementation
• Service Dept ticket management (6 months)
• Electronics Development and Production Planning (within 1 year)
• Allow R&D project planning to sync with core-driven ERP Production (mid-term)   

The most used features:

• WBS and GANTT for R&D planning purposes
• Time Reports and Resource module to give back cost inputs
• Helpdesk (currently in progress) to manage internal and external service ticketing in an integrated way.