North Pole Operations has a holly jolly ERP migration

The Challenge 

In an operation as complex as NPO’s, Elf Resource Planning (ERP) systems are essential for making sure production is on schedule for the big night. But in order to keep up with the times, NPO decided that it needed to migrate its on-premise ERP, System for Niceness and Optimization of Work, or SNOW. 

“We love SNOW around here,” says Elle-Lilly Frost, Chief Elf Officer at NPO. “It’s safe to say that without SNOW the sleigh wouldn’t get very far! But our on-premise SNOW was starting to hold us back. We wanted to migrate to SNOWCloud to get more flexibility and functionality from our ERP.” 

Specialist firm Bauble Consulting Group had been commissioned to manage the migration itself, but NPO knew it needed help to manage the transition – especially with testing the software to make sure everything worked. 

“Our SNOW is fairly special compared to other implementations around the world,” comments Edward Light-Feet, senior IT manager at NPO, “and we knew we’d need to conduct extensive testing to make sure SNOWCloud didn’t bury us in extra work and issues, or affect our production timelines.” 

Here comes Original Software 

It’s beginning to look a lot like Original Software 

Luckily for NPO, Father Christmas discovered Original Software when Marketing Manager Alex Knight wrote to the North Pole asking for a new case study for Christmas. 

“We checked them out online, and it was plain that they knew their stuff,” says Edward. “Their platform approach to testing was more full of solutions than a nice kids’ stocking is full of presents!” 

After meeting with Original Software, NPO commissioned a Proof of Christmasiness (POC) in their jigsaw puzzle-making department, to trial how the full migration would work. “Nobody wants jigsaw puzzles anymore, so if it all went wrong nobody would really notice,” explains Elle. 

The Original Software platform enabled the elves to adopt the following process: 

1. Record all existing business processes automatically, using the platform. 
2. After migration, create regression packs to automate regression testing. 
3. Create test cases for any processes that required manual testing after migration.
4. Convert successful test results into user manuals to train users on the new software. 

To the elves’ delight, the POC went incredibly smoothly. Using the Original Software platform, Edward was able to capture every process in the team just by recording what the users did during their day. That information was then rapidly turned into automated test scripts and manual test cases. “That was one of the biggest time savings,” Edward observes, “and I can see how going forward it’s going to be incredibly easy to adapt test cases or add new ones as needed. 

One place to capture, manage, and automate testing 

With every test created, once BCG had migrated the team to SNOWCloud, the regression packs highlighted a number of issues that required attention. Thanks to Original Software’s unique approach to test automation, the regression tests didn’t look for specific changes in the software – they highlighted every change, from links, to buttons, to text and images. “There were issues with how we pulled data through from the Nice List to create a new order for a puzzle, and I know that we would never have been found if we were building test scripts in the traditional way,” Edward comments, “so the value of the platform really shone through.” 

Manual tests were also conducted smoothly and easily, with users able to leave feedback that was consistent and easy for developelves to fix. And then, with just a few button presses, successful test results were turned into user manuals. 

“That last bit has been very useful,” Elle comments. “During the process we actually discovered that a lot of our elves had no idea how to properly run the puzzle completeness check, meaning we’d been sending out puzzles with a piece missing. Now, we’ve been able to quickly and easily fill that gap.” 

Best of all, Edward was able to manage all testing from the platform. He could see at a glance which tests were behind schedule, which ones had failed, and drill down to see individual test results in just a few clicks. 

Let it SNOW! 

With the POC complete, Original Software scaled up the approach across the entire NPO operation. Now, the entire toymaking operation at the North Pole is managed by SNOWCloud, and the elves are enjoying all the additional functionality of the new system. 

“The video games team, for instance, now has an automatic code compiling tool that wasn’t available in our on-premise SNOW,” Elle says, “so we’re seeing the quality of our products go up as well as our efficiency.” 

The elves have even been able to manage the increased update frequency of SNOWCloud. Since testing is now more efficient, monthly regression packs enable Edward’s team of IT elves to test new updates in a matter of hours, keeping the business using the best technology without bogging the IT team down. 

Father Christmas, Head Of Holiday Operations, has the final word: 

“I’m so glad that Alex wrote to me – and I hope he likes his case study. I know that everyone at NPO is very pleased with the Original Software platform, and that it’s going to be a vital part of NPO continuing to deliver wonderful toys to all the nice children in the world.” 

If you’ve like to discuss a proof of Christmasiness concept, you can always talk to us by clicking here. Otherwise, from everyone at Original Software, have a restful Christmas break and a happy New Year.