Solution Overview
Efficient configuration and quotation capabilities:
Accurate configuration models for sales, products, pricing, and services, including hundreds of variables and business rules, allow users to quickly produce error-free quotes for even the most complex configurations.
Intuitive work environment:
e-Con offers a rich, yet intuitive interface that delivers the flexibility users need to build dynamic or static configuration questions; required field settings; grouping by tab pages or on tab pages; HELP text; and colors by field, function buttons, and 2D and 3D visual tools, including Photo Realistic Imaging. e-Con also offers integrations with CAD and PDM solutions. CAD drawings can be populated based on configuration parameters.
Easy set-up and maintainance:
With e-Con Studio, users have the flexibility to construct, simulate, and maintain models and business rules within a single environment. Each model is stored as an XML file that includes both data and business rules. Models can be constructed with reusable sub-models that simplify maintenance. The e-Con Studio also offers a library that enables easy access to external data sources.
Rules-based accuracy:
The heart of e-Con is a declarative business-rules engine that automatically checks related business rules once a parameter or configuration question has been altered. Users are not bound to a single, directional, sequential flow of questions; instead, they can start at any point in the process, with full confidence that results will be accurate. The rules engine supports both configuration and reconfiguration processes, including checks on new model versions.
Flexible document generation:
e-Con makes it easy to create and print documents such as quotes, order confirmation, and technical specifications in Microsoft Office Word, HTML and PDF formats.
Integration and deployment:
Users can tap collectively into existing data sources or any database of choice to find and use the configuration information they need for product configuration. Deployment capabilities include standard integration to Microsoft Dynamics AX, as well as online, offline, and web-based deployment. The e-Con smart client (e-ConSC) delivers a dedicated client application that supports offline uses of e-Con. This smart client includes click-once installation, user and role management, quote management, and a replication with Dynamics AX.
Database independence:
To ensure maximum flexibility and lower the cost of data synchronization, e-Con does not have its own proprietary database. Instead, e-Con works as an intelligent layer on top of virtually any data source, from a simple Microsoft Office Excel spreadsheet to a comprehensive Microsoft SQL Server database. You can construct configuration models based on ERP systems and still have the flexibility to add price and product information from one-time suppliers. To simplify integration, e-Con includes functionality for delivering metadata to Microsoft Dynamics AX and SQL Server.
