Customer Success Story
The Feddersen Group’s future focus will be on modern Enterprise Content Management with Microsoft 365, SharePoint Online and Shareflex ECM Online. In this customer case study, you can find out how this strategic decision was made and what the benefits are for the company.
The Feddersen Group has been strategically using SharePoint as its central information and document management system for many years. This system, with its various specialised applications, is currently being gradually migrated to the Microsoft 365 cloud platform. One of the main objectives is to integrate the existing ERP and financial accounting systems of the various companies, while ensuring compliance with legal requirements.
The Feddersen Group benefited from the fact that it has been using the SharePoint-based ECM and document management system Shareflex ECM Online for years, so that the migration of data, documents and processes to the cloud could take place step by step. In collaboration with Portal Systems AG, a solution has been developed that enables access to business-critical information (customers, suppliers, employees, products, offers, orders) in Microsoft 365 and SharePoint Online.
With 6 divisions and more than 30 subsidiaries, the Feddersen Group is excellently positioned globally and in various industries. Approximately 1,100 employees worldwide work every day to ensure the continued success of the entire Group. Its expertise includes the distribution of polymers in Europe and Asia, foreign trade in chemicals and technical products, stainless steel trading, the development and production of polymers, the construction of extruders and compounding plants, and engineering services.
In addition, key business processes were automated using workflows. All information and documents are provided with company-specific permissions and can be found quickly and easily. As a result, Feddersen Group employees have full visibility of data, documents and processes and can rely on all information being available at all times.
“I am absolutely convinced of Microsoft 365 / Office 365 and our group of companies benefits from the powerful platform for information management. With Shareflex ECM Online, we have a flexible and efficient ECM and document management system that integrates seamlessly with Office 365. I was particularly impressed by the user-friendly interfaces (Modern UI technology) and the easy-to-configure workflows.”
K.D. Feddersen Holding GmbH is the holding company of the Feddersen Group companies. The sole shareholder of K.D. Feddersen Holding GmbH is the non-profit K.D. Feddersen Foundation. The companies in the Feddersen Group used to work with a variety of ERP and financial accounting systems. As a result, a lot of information was only recorded based on departments or companies. In addition, the availability of key information for the companies and the holding company was limited by the large number of different systems and isolated solutions.
The main objective of a standardised and company-wide information and document management system was to create maximum transparency for the companies and the holding company. Another important goal was to promote collaboration in order to avoid redundancies, exploit synergies and improve the performance of the entire group.
The Feddersen Group is now pursuing a cloud-first strategy. In addition, as part of its enterprise-wide digitisation, it has set itself the goal of archiving business-critical information in a complete, legally compliant and transparent manner. Due to the growth of the Group, special emphasis is placed on scalability and the rapid implementation of the constantly changing technical requirements.
One challenge was to develop new middleware to integrate the different ERP systems INTEGRA and Infor COM. Master and transactional data as well as outgoing ERP documents (such as order confirmations and invoices) are transferred and stored in customer, supplier, quotation and order files. At one of the companies, quotations are not created via the ERP system, but in a user-friendly way via the document management system. Here, ERP data can be accessed in real-time via the middleware, ensuring efficient data entry.
This subsidiary has also implemented a product file in which all product-related data and documents are stored. Workflows complement the file solutions. These control, for example, the release and approval of quotations, the onboarding of external users or the release of data sheets in the product file. Planned follow-up projects include the migration of the business applications for contract and quality management, which are currently still based on SharePoint 2016/2019, and the processing of incoming invoices to SharePoint Online and thus to Microsoft 365.
The Feddersen Group has a strategic focus on SharePoint Online and Microsoft 365. With the introduction of Shareflex ECM Online, the goal of providing a cloud-based ECM and document management system has been achieved.
Shareflex provides all the necessary ECM functions. These include file management, capturing, workflow management, ERP integration and services for electronic signatures or document generation. This is complemented by the seamless integration of Microsoft 365 functions, such as audit-proof archiving, document management, full-text search or collaborative working on documents.
Another goal is the efficient exchange of data and documents between customers and the Feddersen subsidiaries. A self-service customer portal will help achieve this goal. It will integrate various systems within the Feddersen Group, digitise and optimise business processes and meet all compliance requirements.
Shareflex® Documents
With Shareflex Documents you get a tailor-made solution for process and document management with SharePoint and Microsoft 365.
By introducing the Microsoft 365-based ECM and document management system Shareflex ECM Online, the Feddersen Group was able to implement a standardised, centralised and modern system. The group’s various ERP systems are integrated into the system, and data and documents are provided in files that meet all compliance and legal requirements. Key business processes are automated through workflows. Out-of-the-box business applications are also available.
“I am convinced by Microsoft 365 and our group of companies benefits from this powerful platform for information management. With Shareflex ECM Online, we have a flexible and efficient ECM and document management system that integrates seamlessly with Microsoft 365. I am impressed by the very user-friendly interfaces (Modern UI technology) and the easy-to-configure workflows,” explains Joachim Friedrich, Chief Digital Officer at K.D. Feddersen.
With all information centrally available in Microsoft 365, the Feddersen Group no longer needs to purchase a traditional ECM system. This will result in significant long-term cost savings, while providing new, modern ECM functionality.
Patrick Carl
Chief Sales Officer
Email: info[at]portalsystems.de
