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Behind the apps: The making of AnnexaApps

Behind the apps: The making of AnnexaApps
Published on 23rd June 2020

One of the most powerful capabilities of NetSuite is the ability to customise, extend, integrate and develop solutions to enhance the platform.

At Annexa we help our customers take full advantage of this extensibility with AnnexaApps. From better supporting workflows to making use of NetSuite data and integrating other market-leading solutions, our suite of in-house built apps have become a natural extension of our customers NetSuite platform, helping them better shape the system to their needs.

We sat down with Andrew Maloney, Annexa’s Technical Manager, to hear more about our extensive NetSuite catalogue of extensions, apps and integrations.

Where did the idea of AnnexaApps originate?

NetSuite is a fantastic platform that provides advanced ERP functionality, but we have always seen the opportunity to extend it out.

The seeds for AnnexaApps were planted around four years ago. We started noticing that customers’ requests for extending NetSuite shared many common features. And as we developed these customisations we realised it would be of more benefit to our customers if we created a structured, advanced solution rather than develop a solution individually for each customer.

At that time, AnnexaApps wasn’t the goal. But it quickly became apparent that there was significant demand for the solutions we had been developing.  Customers could clearly see the value of the offering and Annexa had already developed quite an extensive catalogue of solutions. It was a no-brainer to launch AnnexaApps, an online catalogue of our house-made apps, extensions and integrations.

How do AnnexaApps support Australian NetSuite customers?

In overseas markets, the type of apps we offer have been popular. But their functionality has always been skewed to their country of origin. Apps built specifically for the Australian and New Zealand market were few and far between.  Because we have a deep understanding of the APAC market, we are much better positioned to cater our apps towards our Australian and New Zealand customers. 

How long do the apps take to develop?

The timeframe really depends on the complexity of the app and the problem it’s solving. And the more complex the apps the more involvement we require with the Annexa team. We prefer to involve many areas of the business to ensure we’re considering all angles when developing an app, from functional to development roles.

That said, no matter the complexity, the goal is that once developed, the app should require little configuration and customisation to go-live, allowing clients to be ready sooner.

What are some of the most in-demand apps?

Our apps fulfil a range of business needs for our customers, but we have found that three have been the most requested by our Australian and New Zealand customers. 

  • FileConnect for its ability to support customers to easily import, export and manage data in NetSuite.
  • Mobile Stocktake because it greatly improves the speed and accuracy of stocktakes – all from a smart phone
  • And our Australia-specific delivery integrations – Australia post integration + Star Track are frequently requested.

Next steps for AnnexaApps

We plan to continue to focus on building world-class applications that meet our customer’s needs and support them to succeed in business. We also plan to make our apps available across the NetSuite, SuiteApp domain. This means they will be available to global businesses, wherever they may be, not just our APAC customer base.

Want to know more about our integrations and apps? Explore AnnexaApps here.

Annexa is a leading NetSuite partner with extensive experience designing and implementing comprehensive and customised business systems, including payroll solutions, financial management, warehouse management and ecommerce solutions.

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