Case-study: Fleet Complete — enabling mobile workforce
Fleet Complete is on a mission to bring transformative solutions to any fleet-owning business by providing them with a wide range of services for effective and efficient fleet management. Fleet Complete utilizes PDF Generator API in their Field Service Management solution. Enabling mobile workforce
Fleet Complete uses PDF Generator API mainly to support the Field Workers´ task management functionality in their software. The solution comprises a mobile app and a browser-based web interface meant to support the logistical features in their software. Task management enables field workers, let’s say plumbers or delivery drivers delivering goods etc., to receive tasks assigned to them via our mobile app.
Collecting the proof of a task being done
However, while completing a task, additional information is usually collected from the client — in a straightforward case, their name and signature, for example. In more complex cases, such as a courier service, additional information might need to be gathered — a timestamp to indicate the exact time of delivery, the number of individual packages or even a photo to prove goods delivered. In most cases, clients also require some sort of document as a form of acceptance of the transaction or service rendered.
As a customer-facing company you have to customize
At first, this used to be a simple, static, generic printout for Fleet Complete in either a PDF or other format. But many clients turned to them with a request to modify these generic printouts to reflect their branding or specific business processes — which data to show, how to position it on the document, etc. They didn’t have a workable solution for this. So they turned to PDF Generator API.
As far as requirements go, the solution had to incorporate a proper WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) template editor, the possibility to integrate photos and other elements such as signatures to produce the final polished document. Those were the main items on Fleet Completes’ wishlist. PDF Generator API was able to check all those marks.
Fleet Complete is scaling up, with PDF Generator API
Fleet Complete currently uses the solution to serve thousands of clients, and the product offering is centred around GPS tracking of assets. However, the number of clients using the specific task-related and document generation functionality is a little difficult to estimate.
We have used PDF Generator API for a couple of years now and I don’t think we have had a single problem with it so far. It works as intended. Considering that our clients expect the documents to roll out as soon as they finish their job, this is a major achievement.
Kristjan Annus — Technical Manager
Whitelabel solution — putting Fleet Complete's brand first, always
Fleet Complete utilized the seamlessly embedded PDF Generator API into their software, so there is no visible sign of it being a separate service. The client is, therefore, able to, for example, make changes to their templates without leaving their environment.
Obviously, one of the expectations was for it to provide enough flexibility to allow for the creation of very different document templates. Secondly, the speed of document generation was critical. And it all had to operate without involving its development resources. Furthermore, the solution had to be integrated into their systems so that the integration remained hidden from the end-user — making it as easy as possible for them to use. Essentially, Fleet Complete was looking for seamless, white-label integration.
In terms of internal resources, mainly Product and Development Managers were involved in running the project. As the need for such functionality was widely known in the organization, the pitch to relevant stakeholders went smoothly. This was accompanied by the realization that developing such functionality in-house would not make sense if a white-label product could be procured from the market.
Spend a few days implementing instead of a few months developing
The integration process was fast — from beginning to end in only a few days. This usually depends on how deeply the solution is embedded, but in Fleet Completes case — no more than a few days. The integration process for PDF Generator API is relatively simple and straightforward.
By now, Fleet Complete has used PDF Generator API for a couple of years now without a single problem with it so far. It works as intended. Considering that their clients expect the documents to roll out as soon as they finish their job, this is a significant achievement.
As added benefits, Fleet Complete highlights the possibility to modify already existing templates — for example, add additional data sources to the data model and add or remove elements. Further updates to the data models during the initial integration were straightforward to implement — this doesn’t take more than half an hour.
