Case Studies
Number 1: Signmasters, Inc. Inventory System
Signmasters, Inc. is a Large Format Print Provider that produces signage for many fashion retailers, including: Van Heusen, Ralph Lauren, Southpole, and Delia's. Their management team was approached by one of its client who wanted a web-based program to ease the processes of ordering, shipping and tracking of its signage inventory to their large number of retail outlets throughout the United States.

Challenges
Client requested a GUI that replicated a FileMaker Pro technology currently in use.

The timeframe was extremely critical—1 month before the launch of their new signage line.
    Program requirements:
  • upload of distribution lists
  • email notification of inventory levels
  • shipping notification
  • inventory control
  • Graphic User Interface (GUI) creation for non-technical user to upload images and inventory quantities to online program.

Solutions
WebSite Beacon created the site to replicate the filemaker GUI by integrating HTML and PHP technology for functionality of the program requirements. We then built upon that software the ability to view and print reports of orders and inventory levels. This was all completed within the Client's timeframe.

Additionally, we recommended to Signmasters that this system could be a blueprint for building similar systems for other clients, as an added selling point to their services.

Summary
This inventory control system was created for the client and is currently in use. Signmasters has indicated that they are extremely interested in employing this same technology in the tracking of their other clients.


Number 2: Celgene Pharmaceuticals, Inc.—CelgeneOne Education Portal

Before the inception of WebSite Beacon, one of its partners developed an Education Portal for Celgene Pharmaceuticals, Inc. This Portal continues to run Celgene's International Intranet and requires frequent updating. Two years after the Portal's launch, WebSite Beacon was approached to update the technology and develop a Graphic User Interface (GUI) that would allow a non-technical user to update classes, times, and locations while keeping the original design.

Challenges
The site was originally coded in HTML and Javascript at the client's request for ease of low-tech savvy administrator changes. This limited the site's dynamic functionality.
  • Changes were made by non-technical personnel, resulting in unwanted ragging of text and limiting the adherence to styles within the course catalog.
  • All changes were being made on a local workstation, creating the need for the entire site to be re-approved and re-uploaded every time by the IT department to a separate server. This was a lengthy process taking up to a week for each update.
  • Correction of issues arising with the site after "going live" were required to go through this lengthy approval cycle again.
  • The Education Portal was not connected to the Human Resources Department's database; yet, it is a vital component of that department.
  • The site contained several languages, one of which included an Asian character alphabet. Others included different language-specific character encoding.
  • Each class in the site was categorized by management classifications. Several of these fell into multiple categories and limited the use of a flat file to upload the content.

Solutions
We created several PHP modules that were inserted into the current HTML site. This kept the original site design, but added functionality for non-technical personnel.

During a discussion on future applications of this Portal at our first meeting with Celgene Pharmaceuticals, it became apparent that their eventual goal was to integrate this Portal with their Human Resources' database that was running PeopleSoft technology.

We developed PHP modules that include the functionality to export from the current course database an Excel file. Additionally, we moved the Portal to the server that housed Human Resources' technology; therefor, bypassing the time lag inherent in the previous update process. The greatest capability of this restructuring is that it shortened the timeline for the Portal's integration with Human Resources' PeopleSoft database from the Client's projected 5 years timeframe to WebSite Beacon's 1 year timeframe.

Summary
WebSite Beacon created a GUI using php modules, enabling a non-technical user to upload changes to the Education Portal from an excel spreadsheet that could interface with PeopleSoft. This gives Human Resources the ability to track courses offered and employee progress through these courses. Several languages were added and the management levels were updated. Working with IT and HR we created a template for the spreadsheet that incorporated all the classes and categorized them by management level and management competency. This was accomplished within 8 months.


Number 3: Ipsen Pharmaceticals—Smooth Transition of Brand between Servers and Elimination of Impending 
Significant Downtime
Apokyn is a brand that was developed by Vernalis Pharmaceuticals, and later sold to Ipsen Pharmaceuticals. The Apokyn WebSite was designed and produced for Vernalis by one of WebSite Beacon's founders (through another agency) before the inception of WSB. As producer of this site, WSB has always continued to track the performance and maintenance of the site. When it came to the attention of the WebSite Beacon partners that the contracting agency [who also hosted this site] had closed it doors, it began to pay attention to the maintenance of the Apokyn WebSite. When it became apparent that the hosting, no-longer-existent agency was about to lose its hosting capabilities, it was time to contact the client.

Challenges
  • To assure the continuance of the Apokyn WebSite
  • To make aware to the client (that was unaware that their hosting company was defunct) that their site was about to go down.
  • Aid in the transferal of all WebSite elements and technology to the Client's server.

Solutions
Being the original developer, the partner had all the necessary web files for the Apokyn WebSIte. We installed the files to our server and tested them fully. We then contacted the brand managers at Ipsen Pharmaceuticals [with whom we had a previous relationship] to make them aware of the impending downtime their brand's site was destined to experience in the upcoming days.

Upon Ipsen's approval, we moved the DNS pointers to WebSite Beacon's server. As Ipsen has its own web server, its acquisition plans included the migration of all their newly acquired brands to their internal web server. After several months of hosting, we worked with Ipsen's IT Team to migrate the website—inclusive of all files, technology and databases—to Ipsen's web server. This happened seamlessly and without the occurrence of any downtime.

Summary
Ipsen was extremely grateful to WebSite Beacon for preserving their sites existing and integrity and for the seamless migration to their server. They remain a good friend to WSB.