We work with busy people at growing companies to engineer and build custom web + mobile software to tackle real-world problems.

What Makes Us Different

• Fast to estimate and execute

  If you have more projects than time to consider them, we're ready to assess problems and expedite solutions.

• Precision web + mobile

  We focus on tailored solutions to problems you're facing right now, not budget-busting code marathons.

• 

  One stop partner from BA to QA

  Backed by the development muscle of our sister brand, Nerdery Interactive Labs, we have everything you need in a partner to help envision, engineer, build and launch web and mobile projects to help your organization improve efficiency and mobility.

• We empower your staff

  We’ll work with in-house tech to define workable solutions your staff can maintain long-term.

• Preserve your investment

  Keep what works, but let us make it work better. We'll maximize the value of your existing systems and training.

Success Stories

• The legal argument for automated processes
• ERP integration and touch-screen document-viewing app
• Middleware connecting existing systems with whatever’s next
• Integrating e-commerce and enterprise systems
• Paperless billing and online catalog saves time and money
• Driver dispatching via real-time GPS tracking
• Engineering an application to help tool engineers

Class-Action CRM

The challenge:

Archway Marketing Services was expanding its business to a new arena and needed a technology partner to satisfy the needs of their client – a law firm that needed a better way to administer and process class action lawsuit claims. No system existed that would automate the multi-layered settlement process.

Custom solution:

We created a custom solution featuring a secure online database to organize large lists of class members. We gave them the ability to import, export and report on the data to managing attorneys and the court. They could also calculate and process payments to the entire class of plaintiffs using complicated formulas defined by the court, and actually process the disbursement checks. Formerly, processors entered claims and went through a laborious process of distributing proportionate claims. A web portal lets lawyers log onto a site that is branded in their logo and get real-time information on class action cases. They can search by name, zip, date range, and case and claimant status. Reports on records, notifications, claims processing, and claims disbursement are automatically created in excel and sent to the user’s email inbox. We kept constant contact with our client to understand their needs as the project evolved. Archway began with one law firm using our custom solution; others have followed suit.

• TECHNOLOGIES

  Customer relationship management, Fulfillment and payment processing, Automated report distribution

Engineered for engineers

The challenge:

Technicians at B&B Manufacturing needed easier access to mechanical drawings. Engineers throughout four locations of manufacturing facilities used touch-screen terminals – a resource we leveraged.

Custom solution:

We integrated a web-based, touch-screen intranet application into their ERP system. Integration of existing software, hardware and business processes paved the way for leaps in efficiency through process automation. The company’s document management system stored document information in a MSSQL database and all documents in TIFF format on a network drive. A PHP application was developed to interact with B&B’s Laserfiche database and the network file system. The app pulls large TIFF files from their document management server and converts them to jpg for in-browser viewing. We developed a rich user interface that works like Google Maps so users can grab and drag a large drawing, rotate, and zoom in and out. Among the challenges was developing a JavaScript-based keyboard for the touch screen, and then creating a CAD drawing viewport. Previously, when one needed to see a drawing they had to ask admin staff to print it. By making the drawings readily available to the engineers and technicians, B&B saved production and administrative time, and plenty of printing costs.

• TECHNOLOGIES

  Touch-screen intranet app, ERP integration, Microsoft Internet Information Server (IIS), PHP , JavaScript and custom AJAX libraries, MSSQL database server, Laserfiche document management software, ImageMagick image manipulation software, GD graphics libra

Web services incorporated

The challenge:

Tolomatic, a supplier of linear actuators, had many business reasons for integrating IBM Websphere into their Legacy system, so we created essential middleware to meet their needs.

Custom solution:

We built a front-end application using WebSphere Application Server (WAS), Java, Unidata, and PHP. With web services incorporated in the WAS environment, we utilized load-balanced, replicated servers – and we incorporated WebSphere’s Enterprise Service Bus (ESB) for added control and management. The ESB layer inspects data and can censor it from unauthorized users. Access controls can be managed without making changes to web services. Logging, debugging and performance monitoring features are built into the ESB. This app’s framework enabled Tolomatic to replace and expand many existing web and terminal-based applications. We also exposed business processes in their existing business systems through industry standard Service Orientated Architecture (SOA). Using web services, we presented resources that are cleanly partitioned and consistently represented; these web services are the foundation for new application development. As their business grows, our app can move to more advanced WebSphere application server configurations without added cost of re-architecting, re-programming, or migrating to different technologies.

• TECHNOLOGIES

  ERP integration, WebSphere, Java, SOA, XML, WSDL, UniData, pick, MultiValue, service oriented architecture, ESB, Enterprise Service Bus, WebSphere Application Server, WAS, IBM, middleware, SOAP, WS-*, C#/.NET

Custom APIs

The challenge:

A growing company needed to integrate systems to take its e-commerce, point-of-sale process, and gift card management to the next level. We set out to build a custom API layer natively in their ERP business system.

Custom solution:

We presented cleanly-partitioned and consistently-represented resources in exposing processes in Vitamin Shoppe’s existing business systems through industry standard Service Orientated Architecture (SOA). Our middleware application employs a set of web services to connect Vitamin Shoppe’s enterprise business system to their e-commerce website. A transactional queue acts as the middleware between Vitamin Shoppe’s business system and web services/APIs. Our custom solution established real-time processing for Vitamin Shoppe’s payment gateway while creating gift-card management capabilities. Vitamin Shoppe’s e-commerce transactions are processed according to business rules corresponding to the received response code. SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) responses are deconstructed to retrieve necessary information, and Vitamin Shoppe’s ERP is updated accordingly via a set of exposed APIs. Because the SOA was built as a middleware between Vitamin Shoppe’s database and the applications that require interoperability with it, this architecture is the basis for all further development external to their ERP system.

• TECHNOLOGIES

  ERP integration, custom APIs, Service Oriented Architecture (SOA), middleware, SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol), e-commerce, point-of-sale process automation, gift card management

e-commerce and automated workflow

The challenge:

IPTCI’s processed transactions increased sixfold while the number of employees remained the same. They wanted more raise administrative efficiency, reduced costs, and an online catalog.

Custom solution:

IPTCI runs on an ERP system custom-built in Pick BASIC. Using advanced XML prolog features, we modified their invoice printing procedures to include indicators of each client’s distribution preferences. IPTCI transitioned most clients to electronically-delivered invoicing, effectively eliminating fixed transaction costs. We created built-in archiving capabilities to automatically record of each invoice. IPTCI repurposed time formerly spent fulfilling invoices to staff a new procedure that paired scanned documents (including checks and picking tickets) with the correct invoice. Altogether, we dramatically reduced IPTCI’s paper, postage, storage and administrative costs. Then, we turned our attention to redeveloping their website with a searchable online version of their machine parts catalog, including 3-D representations of every product, their dimensions, descriptions, customized prices per customer, and product manuals. The site generates PDFs nightly from their business system, all in the style of their printed product catalog – which is now obsolete and no longer in production. IPTCI’s new site makes it much easier to help customers get their bearings.

• TECHNOLOGIES

  e-commerce, automated invoice distribution, electronic archiving, ERP system integration, Pick, XML

Geo-mapping car service

The challenge:

New York-based Big Apple Car had some tech hurdles affecting their driver dispatch system and service. We resolved their business needs through program modifications.

Custom solution:

Big Apple Car’s WING server would sometimes quit relaying messages to and from the WING client program. The software program lacked appropriate error-detection and link status analysis, making it difficult to see if outgoing and incoming messages were processed, and difficult to tell if outgoing messages were being relayed to cars. It was even hard to determine the point of failure in the system. We made a series of improvements to the client program to provide activity logging and identify points of failure. Performance improvements, redundancy, and automated failure recovery logic was added, making this modified client program a more reliable connection to the WING server – and far more capable of detecting and resolving problems with the network connection and in other layers of the app. We also wrote a program to log statistical information regarding messages sent and received, and we developed a web application to display these statistics via a widget on a web browser that automatically refreshes the window every few seconds to show the number of messages sent and received.

• TECHNOLOGIES

  GPS tracking, widgets, Pick, WING server, load balance

3-D tool design

The challenge:

Phillips Plastics wanted to dramatically reduce the tool design and delivery timeline for engineers. They wanted a better process than: upload CAD drawing, choose material (plastic, resin, aluminum…), get some engineer scrutiny, tweak, further scrutiny, redesign, order tool, hope it works.

Custom solution:

With the Protowire app we helped create, the aforementioned steps can be taken better and faster. Engineers using Protowire view designs in 3-D graphics, with tools taking shape in a virtual world of our making – all developed and designed with the user in mind by our UX team. We scripted software to automate part of their sales engineering process, but we also integrated our web-based workflow into the software so that their engineers could process requests from within their working environment. Throughout the course of this project, our client shared a mutual faith in working with ideas even not always fully formed; collaboratively, we’ve brought a bold idea to life through an iterative creative process. Together we’ve devised ways to present engineers with more ways to critically analyze drawings, as well as more ways to display the results. We collaboratively created features and functionality that collectively make good engineers better – and faster.

• TECHNOLOGIES

  CAD, UX/IA, 3-D

Our Process

The N Corps supports development and IT staff of large and growing companies taking on new challenges. Our clients bring us their business problems. We engineer solutions – and middleware – tailored to integrate formerly disparate business systems and automate once-laborious processes. We envision and execute ways to preserve our clients’ investments by extending functionality and vitality of their existing business systems.

• Free Consultation

  The N Corps represents the culmination of The Nerdery’s roots and rich tradition as industry-leading business analysts who specialize in learning the real-world needs of our clients so we can help them use technology to work more efficiently and effectively. We provide free consulting until we’re hired, and then our value soars exponentially further.

• Custom Proposal

  Our proposals reveal the shape of things to come and convey our mastery of “The Working Web” – technology customized to make business work smarter, move faster and go mobile. We analyze business pain points and clarify technical assumptions, implementation options and delivery requirements. Our custom proposals let us begin with a well-realized end in mind.

• Project Plan

  We plan projects by setting a series of milestones — each with an associated deadline. Numerous finish lines keep projects on pace and on budget. Milestones are tangible, testable project components – each representing part of the finished product. We assemble development teams by picking from over 100 programmers and choosing specialists best suited for each project.

• Project Completed

  We provide timely updates throughout a project’s lifecycle, and before each project is launched our quality assurance engineers run through a battery of tests established by the development team to make sure what we’ve built exceeds your expectations. We stand by our work and remain ready to engineer and execute further enhancements as needed.

Ready to get Started? Contact Us