Arvato Systems wins SAP Mobile Hackathon for Apple iOS

• With a native field service app, Arvato Systems took first place at this year's SAP Mobile Hackathon in Berlin.
• Comprehensive know-how in the fields of SAP and app development make Arvato Systems experts in everything involving native iOS apps.

Arvato Systems won first place at the SAP Mobile Hackathon 2017. During this year's event in the SAP Data Space in Berlin, the participants faced a particular challenge: Based on their own business idea, they had to develop an innovative app for the field service sector. The hackathon event was part of the roadshow for the new SAP Cloud Platform SDK for iOS – the result of a strategic partnership and collaboration between SAP and Apple. The new software development kit enables optimal access to SAP systems by using native iOS apps. The experts at Arvato Systems have comprehensive knowledge in both areas - SAP as well as app development - and the jury was duly impressed.

Field Service app for more efficiency and time-savings
The Field Service app from Arvato Systems simplifies the entire order process for service technicians - from appointment set-up to invoicing. For example, a customer can enter his/her car defect or required part directly into the app. The service technician sees this information in the app, receives corresponding suggestions for the required material, and can bring it along right away to the next appointment. In the end the service technician avoids duplicate work - and saves the customer's time.

Let the app take you from the paper age to the digital age
The app makes all order-related documents available. "This not only means that the service technician is completely switching from paper-based work to digital, it also means increased efficiency," says Stefan Marfilius, Manager of Mobile Development at Arvato Systems. In addition, the app documents all services performed as part of an order. A further advantage: The app uses the SAP cloud platform as a back-end or gateway to existing SAP systems. Via an interface to the ERP system, the data required for invoicing (for example) is automatically and directly transferred, once again saving the service technician time.

SAP and app development: Bundled know-how at Arvato Systems
The strategic collaboration between SAP and Apple ensured a technological change at SAP: Until now, the software manufacturer used hybrid apps based on HTML5. Thanks to the Apple partnership, SAP can now implement "real" iOS apps as well. These native apps can be tailored to special user groups, thereby optimally supporting their processes. Arvato Systems is one of the few companies with comprehensive knowledge in both areas - in SAP as well as in the development of native apps - and thus brings them together under one roof.