New B2B online shop with Dynamics 365 Business Central integration for ORTHEG

Comprehensive relaunch and integration project

The purchasing cooperative ORTHEG is updating its ERP system to the latest version Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. In the course of the transition, ORTHEG's B2B online shop and website were also to be migrated to a new solution. silver.solutions uses Ibexa DXP and integrated not only the ERP into the online platform for ORTHEG, but also a Document Management System (DMS). The project also included many customisations and comfort features especially tailored to ORTHEG.

Modern solutions for B2B online shop and ERP integration

ORTHEG has been successfully operating a Multishop platform based on silver.solutions' e-commerce solutions for a number of years, enabling the members of the purchasing cooperative to run their own online shops without any effort. Now, together with the ERP system Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, the B2B shop where ORTHEG's members do their purchasing was also to be repositioned and integrated with the new ERP.

ORTHEG is using the latest solutions from Ibexa and silver.solutions for this. Ibexa Commerce is the e-commerce solution from the Ibexa DXP family, which already offers a comprehensive feature set for B2B e-commerce. ORTHEG also uses Ibexa Content to manage its website. Both solutions work extremely well together, enabling cross-searching for content and products and seamlessly linking content and products in the shop and on any page.

For the integration of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central with the online platform, the B2B-Connector from silver.solutions is used, which provides the data and processes from the ERP and DMS in real time in the B2B online shop.

Special features of the B2B shop of the ORTHEG purchasing cooperative

One of the advantages for ORTHEG members are the prices negotiated especially for the purchasing cooperative with a large number of well-known suppliers. These suppliers are listed in an overview on the website. Only those who are logged in as members can call up all the details here, such as ranges offered or special member price lists and delivery costs as a PDF for each supplier.

Certain drop-ship items are offered by ORTHEG via its e-commerce platform and shipped directly from the supplier to the B2B customer.

Convenience features of Ibexa Commerce: product variants, instant orders and fast entry

For a fast and efficient shopping experience in the B2B online shop based on Ibexa Commerce, the display of product variants was optimised for ORTHEG. Already in the product overview, the customer can open the variants of each article and put the desired product in the right colour, specification and quantity in the shopping cart or on the watch list. Since ORTHEG's B2B shop always displays the actual stock levels of all products, the buyer can see immediately whether the item is in stock in sufficient quantities.

If a B2B customer wants to easily reorder some items, he can use the fast entry function. Here he enters either an item number or a product name and places the product in the correct variant in the shopping basket. Alternatively, the customer uploads a CSV list with several items.

With the instant order, the customer shortens the checkout process and sends his order with one click. Of course, the customer can also be guided step by step through the checkout, select and adjust their data and then submit the order as usual.

ORTHEG regularly runs sales and promotions with some suppliers. These promotional items are stored in the Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central campaign module and are automatically displayed in a promotional area in the B2B shop. The promotional items are always highlighted in the shop, as are new items, for example.

Extension: Customer portal with self-service functions

For ORTHEG, the customer portal, an add-on module from silver.solutions, has been integrated into Ibexa Commerce. This provides B2B customers with comprehensive self-administration tools. silver.solutions also connected the ELO DMS to the online platform for ORTHEG. In the DMS, for example, images, logos and documents are managed and made available in the shop. In ELO, for example, orders, delivery notes and invoices are available to the customer as PDFs, which can be accessed at any time via the order overview in the customer portal.

A special feature is the presentation of the orders placed, which is displayed for ORTHEG on an article basis. The product overview is sortable and can be narrowed down and searched using filters. This makes it easier for the customer to reorder certain products as well as to return individual items.

The convenient returns process from the shop is also integrated with Business Central.

New services and downloads for members

A new download area offers members access to numerous documents, ranging from the General Terms and Conditions to sample membership templates and price lists. Some of the materials, which come from the ELO DMS, are only displayed to customers when they log in.

There is also the option to browse and book seminars and training courses from external providers on all aspects of medical technology and orthopaedic topics via the ORTHEG website.

If there are any questions, customers do not necessarily have to ask for advice via the contact function. Thanks to the chat function, they can contact the sales department immediately and directly on the website.

In a member search, the dealers of the ORTHEG purchasing cooperative are presented in an easy-to-find manner.

For the contract management of its members, ORTHEG has joined forces with EGROH. In a joint partner portal called ORTHEGROH, both associations offer services and assistance such as checklists, instructions and templates for the members of the purchasing cooperative.

More flexibility with landing page tools from Ibexa Content

In the course of the B2B shop relaunch, a new website was also realised using Ibexa Content. An important requirement for ORTHEG was that the website should be easy to maintain, offer flexible elements and building blocks, and be able to be filled and updated with content at any time.

With the Pagebuilder integrated in Ibexa DXP, ORTHEG can maintain its websites particularly easily and place new elements using the drag-and-drop building block principle. In this way, for example, a new team overview with contact persons, quote boxes and an assortment overview with clearly arranged tiles were implemented.

Thanks to the integrated Ibexa tools, ORTHEG can now treat each page as a landing page and fill it with any content and products. The switch between shop and website is always seamless for the customer, as both areas are managed via one platform and one backend.

Conclusion

With the e-commerce and content tools of Ibexa DXP, ORTHEG is well equipped for the future. The integration of the ERP system Dynamics 365 Business Central and the DMS ELO automates processes and maps all processes related to purchasing and membership for the customer online. With its modern interface and well thought-out B2B functions, ORTHEG improves the shopping experience in the B2B online shop for its members.