JAB ANSTOETZ: Leader in Premium Fabrics and Carpets

JAB ANSTOETZ KG

JAB JOSEF ANSTOETZ KG was founded in 1946 by Josef Anstoetz in Bielefeld and today employs around 1,600 people worldwide. It is the international market leader in premium fabrics and carpets. Twice a year, the company’s headquarters in Bielefeld presents new trend collections of “fabrics for dream interiors.” The product range includes 3,000 items in nearly 20,000 colours. The JAB Group encompasses not only the fabric brands JAB, Chivasso, Gardisette, and Soleil Bleu, but also JAB Anstoetz Flooring (flooring specialist), Carpet Concept (contract sector expert), Bielefelder Werkstätten (furniture manufacturer), and retailers such as Golf House and Sarah & Sue, along with various other companies in the fields of retail, real estate, and hospitality.

Project Goals

A few years ago, a complete overhaul of hardware and software—including the transition to a server-based environment and the implementation of SAP R/3—prompted JAB ANSTOETZ KG to consider migrating from its previous archive system to a modern document management system (DMS). Until then, the company had used a pure output management system for archiving outgoing invoices. The goal was to also archive incoming invoices and to integrate forms into the DMS for outgoing invoices. Invoices were to be available not only as lists but also in their original format, easily searchable, and printable when needed.

Contractbeheer

Product

1.600

Werknemers

Consumptiegoederen

Industrie

User Experience Was the Decisive Factor

After evaluating several systems, the decision in favour of d.velop documents was primarily based on its ease of use. “The user interface simply appealed to us the most – both from an administrator’s and, more importantly, from a user’s perspective,” says Patrick Kosche, CIO at JAB ANSTOETZ. In terms of value for money, d.velop’s document management system also outperformed all other evaluated solutions.

Efficiency Gains

Since implementing the d.velop file and archive solution, employees at JAB ANSTOETZ have been working faster and more efficiently. To find a specific incoming invoice, users now only need to enter the supplier number – and the document appears instantly on-screen. Another major benefit: space savings. Previously, 15 large filing cabinets filled an entire room in the sales department. What was once stored in countless folders in the basement are now transparent and highly available on the server: 13 million documents were archived in the first three months alone – and the number continues to grow. Document archiving is increasing by 16% per year. For management, the benefits are clear: data is instantly accessible, enabling faster decision-making. The company has also gained better control over its corporate design. All document templates are stored in the DMS and integrated with Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Word, allowing for a consistent and professional appearance in all outgoing correspondence – a key factor in the company’s external image.

Feiten en cijfers

Integration of the d.velop solution for automated invoice processing with SAP, including archiving of incoming invoices, print lists, and outbound sales documents
Implementation of a digital file for production orders in d.velop documents, containing all relevant manufacturing documents
Connection of international sales and branch offices
Establishment of the DMS in six languages: German, English, Italian, French, Spanish, and Dutch
Additional DMS requirements are implemented independently by JAB employees, without the need for support from d.velop

The overall package of functionality, user experience, and development potential convinced us. We are confident that we will be able to meet future requirements using the integrated product portfolio of d.velop AG.
Patrick Kosche
CIO
Jab Anstoetz

Migration of Legacy Data into the Digital Production File

The old archive, previously stored on tape drives, was replaced by the installation of d.velop documents servers. In the first phase of the project, legacy data from the former mainframe system was transferred: two million documents, primarily outgoing invoices and other documentation. Initially, the legacy data existed only as text files in the old archive. These were then imported into the d.velop documents archive with the correct background forms. Initial performance issues during the legacy data migration were resolved by d.velop specialists using parallel conversion processes across multiple machines. To archive order confirmations, delivery notes, invoices, and other outbound documents from the sales department, d.velop documents was integrated into the new SAP system. Print lists and incoming invoices are also archived using d.velop documents.

The joint project team, consisting of d.velop and JAB ANSTOETZ employees, also developed a digital production order file based on d.velop documents. This file contains all documents relevant to production, which are automatically assigned to the correct file after scanning.

Learning-by-doing: Independent Expansion of Structures

d.velop was barely involved in the subsequent system expansions. “This is where the system’s ease of use proved to be an unbeatable advantage,” says Patrick Kosche, CIO. “With the later-added modules d.link for Microsoft Office and d.link for Microsoft Outlook, we were able to create and customise our own macros entirely independently.” Using a learning-by-doing approach, the team expanded the existing structures on their own. For example, when specific fields are opened from d.velop documents, the MS Office document automatically adopts the corresponding values – such as user master data – and is then archived in d.3ecm.

This functionality was implemented entirely by the JAB ANSTOETZ IT team. Emails in Microsoft Outlook are archived client-side, meaning at each individual workstation and under the responsibility of each employee. Thanks to the d.velop integration in Outlook, this is done easily via drag and drop into the relevant file. The IT team also independently designed the delayed archiving of incoming invoices without any external support. Today, invoices are posted, a barcode is applied by the responsible employee, and the document is then scanned and archived at a central scanning station.

Complete Contract Transparency Thanks to Digital Contract Management

To maintain a clear overview of its current contractual relationships and partners at all times, JAB Anstoetz has digitalised its previously analogue contract management process with the help of d.velop. Built directly on the existing d.velop documents system, the contract management solution eliminates the need for time-consuming searches through physical folders. By providing a uniform, complete, and fully transparent representation of all documents – including deadlines and contract durations – the system also simplifies controlling and compliance for JAB Anstoetz.

d.velop documents in International Use at JAB

JAB ANSTOETZ operates a global network of branches and subsidiaries. In Europe, the integration with d.3ecm is already well advanced, with around 110 employees using the system daily. For some time now, colleagues at subsidiaries in Italy, the UK, and the Netherlands have been storing their documents on the archive servers in Bielefeld and conducting document searches remotely. In France and Spain, d.velop documents is used to its full extent, and the subsidiaries in the USA access the system directly via Terminal Services.

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