Keyhole Software partnered with a national manufacturing organization to modernize and automate core production and order-management workflows.
What began as a targeted automation initiative has, due to measurable results and delivery quality, been extended multiple times over 2.5 years and is still ongoing.
The effort replaces manual, spreadsheet-driven processes with modern applications that improve efficiency, reduce errors, and provide near real-time visibility into shop-floor operations.
Team & Engagement Model
A cross-functional Keyhole team of 4 consultants, including 1 technical lead, collaborated with client stakeholders to plan, build, and iterate.
We delivered value incrementally while introducing modern engineering practices and pragmatic automation aligned to operational needs.
Prior to Keyhole’s engagement, the client’s order processing and production planning relied on manual spreadsheets that demanded nearly 60 hours of weekly staff effort and were susceptible to sequencing errors. Keyhole’s team developed automated systems that cut that workload to less than two hours per week and brought near-perfect accuracy to order execution.
Our Approach
Keyhole engineers designed and delivered complementary tools across the production line and back-office systems.
We emphasized maintainable architectures, lightweight deployment, and tight feedback loops (iterative demos, Slack collaboration, and quarterly planning) to keep technology aligned to business outcomes.
Key Highlights
- Production Line Modernization (Electron): Built a lightweight Electron desktop application (HTML/CSS/JavaScript) for environments with inconsistent network connectivity. The app reads JSON generated from Excel and presents a clear, minimal UI for line supervisors and staff with limited computer experience.
- Automation & Data Flow: Digitized and automated run creation, master run-sheet population, and planning workflows. New spreadsheet automations cut previously multi-hour tasks down to minutes or a single click, improving throughput and accuracy.
- Order & Inventory Enhancements: Extended an online ordering platform with Spring Boot, React/Next.js, and SQL, integrating across multiple data sources via REST APIs and Microsoft COM (JInterop) to synchronize product and order data.
- Testing & Quality: Implemented automated tests using Jest/Cucumber and integration tests within CI to safeguard critical flows and enable confident, incremental releases.
- DevOps & Delivery: Standardized builds and deployments with GitLab CI, Docker, and infrastructure automation via Terraform, improving reliability and shortening release windows.
- UI/UX Consistency: Established reusable UI patterns and components to make the experience intuitive for production users and maintainable for engineering teams.
Business Impact
- Time Savings: Manual, error-prone workflows reduced from hours to minutes; supervisors spend less time on data wrangling and more on production oversight.
- Error Reduction: Automated data flows and validations significantly decrease sequencing and transcription errors.
- Operational Transparency: Centralized, digital visibility into runs, orders, and materials improves planning and communication.
- Sustained Value: The engagement has continued for 2.5 years with multiple extensions, reflecting consistent outcomes and stakeholder confidence.
Technologies Used
Electron, HTML/CSS, JavaScript, JSON, GitLab (CI/CD), Docker, Terraform, Spring Boot, Java, JPA, Cucumber, REST APIs, JInterop (COM), SQL, React, Next.js, Redux
“What began as a small automation initiative grew into a long-term partnership—extended multiple times over 2.5 years—driven by measurable results, delivery quality, and a shared commitment to modernization.”
