SAP Mobile Integration for Retail Field Teams
Smart Data partnered with a leading building materials manufacturer to create a custom iPad app that allowed field teams to capture inventory and order data on-site, even without internet. The solution synced seamlessly with SAP, replacing manual entry and enabling faster, more accurate sales operations.
Client
Building Materials Manufacturer
Industry
Manufacturing / Retail
Timeline
2020
Project Overview
A North American building materials manufacturer needed to modernize how its field personnel collected inventory and sales data at customer retail locations. Staff would visit stores, record stock data manually, and enter it into SAP later at the office, introducing delays and the potential for errors. The company had already invested in a custom SAP solution, but needed a mobile extension to improve efficiency and accuracy. Smart Data was brought in to build a mobile application that would connect directly with SAP, work offline, and streamline the entire sales workflow.
Project Challenge
Key challenges in the field workflow included:
Delays in entering order and inventory data due to office-based input
Error-prone manual steps across multiple tools and documents
No internet access in many store locations
A failed attempt at offline SAP Fiori made the client hesitant to try again
Required integration with a custom SAP application already in use
The new solution had to be mobile, offline-ready, and fully integrated into their existing SAP architecture without disrupting daily operations.
Project Approach
Smart Data proposed an “offline-first” native mobile application built for iPads and designed to communicate with the client’s SAP environment via RESTful services. The services were hosted on SAP Gateway and integrated directly with their existing custom SAP programs. The approach ensured the new app became a natural extension of their ERP system.
The team delivered:
Native iOS app for field inventory and order entry
SAP REST service architecture supporting two-system landscape
ABAP development for SAP-side connectivity
Offline data capture with delayed sync once internet was available
iPad GPS integration to confirm store locations
Secure deployment using Apple Business Manager and enterprise MDM tools
End-to-end QA, app deployment, and post-launch support
Development included wireframing, high-fidelity design, and an Agile collaboration process with clear scope control, even as out-of-scope features were added.
Project Results
Smart Data provided full support across design, development, deployment, and post-launch phases. The mobile solution significantly improved the client’s inventory accuracy, order speed, and sales rep efficiency.
Key Technologies
Key technologies included a native iOS application, SAP Gateway REST services, ABAP programming, enterprise mobile device management, and integration with custom SAP ERP functions using a two-system landscape.
