Manual File Reading at Scale
Supplier files were read by hand, absorbing about 800 man-days a year within an operations process staffed by 12.5 FTEs.
Inenco Automates Energy Supplier Data
Processing with SnapLogic and Frees 8.5 FTEs
About Our Client
Inenco is a UK energy and utilities consultancy that helps businesses buy, manage, and reduce their energy. Its bureau, compliance, and optimization services depend on processing high volumes of data received from energy suppliers.
Because client reporting and procurement decisions rely on that supplier data, the speed and accuracy of processing it directly affect the service Inenco delivers.
Business Objective
Inenco wanted to stop reading supplier data files by hand and move to automated ingestion that could handle every supplier’s format. Each file needed to be validated on arrival, converted from its supplier-specific layout into one common data format, and loaded straight into Inenco’s Phoenix and ICMAS systems.
Alongside this, Inenco aimed to reduce its dependence on the legacy ICMAS codebase, give the operations team clear visibility of file processing, and expose core services through APIs for its website and mobile apps.
Key Integration Tasks
- Build SnapLogic pipelines that validate syntax and columns on every incoming supplier file.
- Map each supplier-specific layout to a common data format (CDF).
- Load data to staging, Phoenix, and ICMAS in a single pipeline, replacing the two-stage ETL.
- Extend ingestion to scanned invoices using ABBYY OCR.
- Deliver an operations dashboard with per-stage monitoring.
- Expose core services through WSO2 API Manager for the Inenco Direct website and mobile apps.
Industry
Energy and Utilities
Platform
SnapLogic
Service
SnapLogic Integration, Data Automation
Nick Owen
CTO
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Explore More Challenges
Supplier-Specific Formats
Each energy supplier sent data in its own layout, so there was no single, consistent way to process incoming files.
Delays Caused by Staff Absence
Because processing depended on people, any absence in the team slowed procurement and reporting for Inenco's clients.
Two-Stage ETL into ICMAS
Data reached the legacy ICMAS system through a two-stage ETL process that added rework and extra handling.
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Automated Validation on Every File
SnapLogic pipelines check the syntax and columns of each supplier file as it arrives, catching problems before the data reaches downstream systems.
One Common Data Format
Our developers mapped every supplier's layout to a common data format (CDF), giving Inenco one consistent structure regardless of where the data comes from.
Direct Loading to Phoenix and ICMAS
Validated data is staged and loaded directly into Phoenix and ICMAS through a single pipeline, replacing the earlier two-stage ETL.
OCR-Led Invoice Processing
Scanned invoices pass through ABBYY OCR and then enter the same validation and mapping flow as electronic supplier files.
Operations Dashboard and Stage Monitoring
A dashboard shows files received, validation errors, staged and processed, with a per-stage monitor covering the READ, CON, IMP and EDI stages.
API Enablement with WSO2 API Manager
A WSO2 API gateway fronts the Progress database, warehouse and TradePoint services, adding security, cataloging, auditing, caching and mediation for RESTful services. The Inenco Direct website uses these APIs for comparison quoting, and mobile apps reuse the same services.
Phased Delivery
We delivered the program in three phases: supplier EDI automation first, then expanded supplier coverage, then OCR-led processing of manual invoices.
Results
800 Man-Days Removed Each Year
Automated ingestion removed about 800 man-days of manual file reading from the operations workload every year.
8.5 FTEs Freed for Higher-Value Work
Across the three phases, about 8.5 of the 12.5 FTEs in the process were freed to focus on client-facing and analytical work.
About 10% of the Legacy ICMAS Codebase Retired
Moving processing into SnapLogic allowed Inenco to retire roughly a tenth of its legacy ICMAS code.
One Pipeline Replaces a Two-Stage ETL
Data now flows from supplier file to Phoenix and ICMAS in a single pipeline, eliminating rework from the old process.
Clear Operational Visibility
The operations team can see file volumes, errors, and progress at every stage in one dashboard.
Reusable APIs for Digital Channels
Core services are available through managed APIs, supporting comparison quoting on Inenco Direct and reuse by mobile apps.
Technology Stack
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