Case Study Information
Short Description
Pell Software developed a robust, multi-tenant integration architecture connecting Foundation ERP with FieldFlō to create a seamless operational pipeline. By synchronizing core financial entities, inventory, and detailed labor estimates through a scalable, instance-based model, we provided construction firms with a high-fidelity data mirror that eliminates manual entry and ensures project costs are tracked with surgical precision.
The Challenge
For contractors relying on Foundation ERP for their “back-office” accounting and job costing, the lack of a real-time connection to field operations creates a dangerous visibility gap. Our client needed to support a growing network of partners who were struggling with the manual upkeep of two disparate systems.
The specific operational hurdles included:
- Estimate-to-Field Disconnect: Labor estimates and cost codes created in Foundation would often fail to reach the field teams in a timely manner. This led to crews tracking time against the wrong codes, making it impossible for accounting to generate accurate “estimated vs. actual” reports.
- Inventory Management Lag: Without a one-way mirror of Foundation inventory into FieldFlō, field supervisors lacked real-time visibility into available equipment and materials, leading to unnecessary procurement costs and project delays.
- The Scalability Wall: As more firms requested this specific integration, the need for a repeatable “factory” model became critical. Our client could no longer afford to build bespoke, one-off bridges for every new Foundation user.
The Solution
Pell Software implemented a high-performance integration engine built on Azure Batch, specifically designed to handle the heavy, data-dense catalogs common in Foundation ERP.
1. Detailed Entity Synchronization
We mapped the foundational building blocks of construction accounting to ensure that the field office and the back office are always in lockstep. This includes:
- Cost Code & Phase Alignment: We automated the flow of Phases and Cost Codes, ensuring that every project structure in FieldFlō is an exact replica of the Foundation master file.
- Labor Estimates: By syncing Labor Estimates, we empowered field managers to see their budgeted hours directly in FieldFlō, allowing for real-time course correction before a project goes over budget.
- One-Way Inventory & Equipment Mirror: To protect the integrity of the Foundation ledger while empowering the field, we built a high-speed, one-way sync for Inventory and Equipment. This gives field crews a “read-only” master catalog of assets available for deployment.
2. Scalable Instance Spawning
Every Foundation client is unique. To accommodate varying business rules, our architecture allows our client to spawn a dedicated, isolated instance for every partner.
- Custom Configuration: Using the Pell Sync Portal, administrators can configure specific project types and settings for each instance, ensuring the integration meets the unique workflow of that specific partner.
- Data Isolation: Every instance runs in its own compute environment via Azure Batch, guaranteeing that a massive data load for one client never impacts the performance or security of another.
3. Enterprise Power with Azure Batch
By leveraging Azure Batch, we eliminated the execution timeouts that plague standard integrations. This is essential for Foundation users, who often have thousands of historical cost codes and large equipment fleets. The system provisions resources on-demand to process these bulk updates in a consistent window.
The Outcome
The Foundation-to-FieldFlō integration has redefined how our client’s partners manage their day-to-day operations.
- 100% Structural Consistency: By automating the sync of Project Types, Phases, and Cost Codes, firms have eliminated “data drift,” ensuring that every dollar spent in the field is correctly allocated in Foundation.
- Reclaimed Administrative Hours: The accounting team no longer spends days manually entering labor estimates or updating equipment lists, saving dozens of hours per month per partner.
- Enhanced Field Intelligence: Field supervisors now work with “Live” data, allowing them to manage their crews against the actual labor estimates and equipment catalogs housed in the ERP.
- Frictionless Onboarding: Our client can now onboard an unlimited number of Foundation-based partners. The “factory” model allows for a rapid spin-up of new instances, making the integration a key driver for business growth.
Date
August, 2022 – Present
We started work on the application in August 2022. Our team has been constantly improving and maintaining it ever since including the addition of new features and adjustments of existing features.
Major Features
- Multi-Instance Deployment: The ability to spin up isolated, dedicated sync environments for every new Foundation partner.
- High-Fidelity Labor Sync: Moves labor estimates and cost codes from Foundation to FieldFlō for real-time budget tracking.
- One-Way Inventory Mirror: Secure, read-only sync of Foundation inventory and equipment into the field environment.
- Azure Batch Compute: Enterprise-grade background processing that scales automatically to handle bulk data transfers without timeouts.
- Visual Logic Portal: A centralized dashboard for managing credentials and instance-specific settings for each partner.
- Audit-Ready Logging: Detailed, real-time logging of all data handshakes for troubleshooting and reporting.
Technologies Used & Keywords
- Programming Language(s): .NET, C#, SQL
- Framework(s): ASP.NET Core, .NET MVC, Razor, Bootstrap
- Infrastructure: Microsoft Azure, Azure SQL Server, Azure App Service, Azure Batch
- Third-party Systems: QuickBooks Online, FieldFlō
Client
Client Industry
Construction Field Management
Client Description
Built by contractors, FieldFlō is a comprehensive platform helping specialty subcontractors run their business from a single interface. This offers peace of mind and the freedom to concentrate on what is most important: Your bids, customers and company success.
Client Review
“We have been working with Pell Software continuously and can credit the team over there with creating our entire sync capabilities. The team at Pell Software has been a pleasure to work with. They are incredibly professional, talented, responsive and deliver on time. Thank you!”
- Roni Szigeti, Founder and CEO
