SIM Trans is a UAE-based translation and language services company with multiple teams involved in sales, project management, operations, vendors, delivery, and finance. Before the project, much of its day-to-day operation depended on Excel-based workflows. The goal was not simply to introduce an ERP — it was to build a system that reflected how SIM Trans actually operates. Merdigit implemented it on Odoo Community with custom applications, so the implemented solution required no recurring Odoo Enterprise subscription.
As the business grew, managing operations through spreadsheets created several challenges:
SIM Trans needed a system that could bring these processes together without forcing the business to abandon the workflows that already made sense for its operation.
The implementation started with business discovery rather than development.
Merdigit began with meetings with the SIM Trans team to understand how the business actually operated.
The process was iterative:
We analyzed the existing workflows, documented the requirements, reviewed them with the client, incorporated feedback, and refined the requirements before implementation.
The project was then divided into implementation phases. Each phase followed the same cycle:
This allowed the system to evolve around the real business process instead of forcing the business into a predefined ERP workflow.
The resulting system connected the operational lifecycle from the initial customer relationship through commercial activity, execution, delivery, and financial reporting.
The system connects commercial activity with execution. A quotation can lead into the corresponding project and operational tasks, while the responsible Project Manager is connected to the workflow through the implemented assignment logic. The objective was to eliminate unnecessary manual coordination between Sales and Project Management.
SIM Trans required a consistent way to identify and trace work across the business. Merdigit implemented a custom Job Code system connecting the relevant commercial and operational records, so work can be traced from Quotation → Project → Task → Purchase Order → Invoice. The Job Code follows a defined business rule based on the responsible salesperson and task sequence/date. Example format: MA1-19926 — where the code uses the defined salesperson initials and task/date sequence according to the implemented business rule.
Understand the business, teams and current Excel-based workflows.
Document the current process and identify business requirements.
Review the requirements with SIM Trans and refine them based on feedback.
Implement the agreed functionality phase by phase.
Review each completed phase with the client, collect feedback and adjust the workflow.
Work directly with the teams and walk through their real workflows.
Users begin working on the system, provide feedback, and workflows are refined until the system becomes part of the team's regular operation.
A major part of the solution was the ERP licensing approach.
With a large number of employees, using Odoo Enterprise subscriptions for the required users could create a significant recurring annual licensing cost.
Instead, Merdigit implemented the solution on Odoo Community Edition and developed the business functionality required by SIM Trans through custom applications and custom development.
This allowed SIM Trans to operate the implemented business workflows without requiring recurring Odoo Enterprise subscriptions.
The result was a customized ERP environment built around the company's actual processes while avoiding the recurring Enterprise subscription model for the implemented solution.
SIM Trans moved from a heavily Excel-driven operating model toward a centralized business system connecting its major operational workflows.
The implemented solution provides:
Most importantly, the system was built around the actual way SIM Trans operates.
The objective was not simply to deliver an Odoo installation. It was to build a business system that the teams could use as part of their daily operation.
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