To remain competitive and facilitate future growth, Generis needed to launch a low-cost software-as-a-service (SaaS) delivery model that was suitable for the changing needs of the market. The chosen technology needed to be flexible and utilise modern development standards for longevity and robustness. Along with the new delivery model, the look and feel of the application needed to be refreshed to improve the overall user experience and match the exacting standards now expected by the Facebook generation.

Generis considered many development frameworks to refresh B-Smart. Oracle’s Application Express (APEX) had a significant advantage; in addition to allowing B-Smart to run securely from a Cloud-based Database as a Service, which perfectly satisfied the need for the delivery of the SaaS model, APEX also enabled a significant amount of the Oracle Forms codebase to be repurposed without starting from scratch. DSP provided a proof of concept for an initial APEX conversion and, once tested, the technology decision was a simple one.

DSP, as an Oracle development specialist, had a team of dedicated APEX developers and consultants who assisted Generis in the conversion of existing Oracle Forms into their APEX screens equivalents. DSP brought their extensive knowledge of APEX and, through weekly meetings and aligning to Generis’ ways of working, acquired a greater understanding of the B-Smart application.

The application was assessed module-by-module to see what could be easily replicated in APEX and what could be enhanced using the new technology to ensure Generis maintained its position as the market leader for energy software.