"We have used a variety of outsourced partners, and Softjourn has consistently performed the best. They are detail-oriented, excellent communicators, and above all, they offer top-notch software development processes and high-quality code."
TicketPrinting.com: Using One Codebase for Many Countries
ABOUT THE CLIENT:
The Challenge
Our client came to us with a problem with three codebases that were inconvenient and hard to maintain. They wanted to use one codebase for their key markets UK, USA and Australia so they could have a unified system with higher efficiency. Also, they wanted to update their graphic editor from Flash to a more modern platform.
The Solution
A team of experts from Softjourn analyzed our client's code and decided that the US codebase is the most advanced of all three. That's why it was modified to support additional internationalization. Also, a complete rewrite of the client's graphic editor from flash to HTML5 was undergone to ensure it works across different devices and platforms.
The Result
The befits our client could experience are:
- faster and easier codebase maintenance
- easier updating process
- improved system configuration
- better looking design in a ticket graphics editor
The Challenge
After Softjourn’s team helped Ticket River, an Elk River business unit, improve its sales rates, we received a new request to develop software for one of their other business units, TicketPrinting.com.
We gathered a team to help TicketPrinting.com analyze their current platform and see how we can expand its services.
They wanted to add another service to their suite that would allow companies to sell customized tickets directly from their website. Ticketprinting.com's target audience covered three different countries the UK, the US, and Australia, but all countries were running on different codebases, so maintaining them was time-consuming and inconvenient.
After a detailed code audit of our client's current system, our experts suggested that the best way to move forward was to internationalize the US codebase to other countries, so it would adapt to local distinctions and convert all necessary data automatically.
Another separate project that soon emerged was to rewrite their graphics editor from Flash to HTML5 so that the platform would work seamlessly across multiple mobile platforms and devices.
The Solution
Project I: US codebase internationalization
It was decided to take the US code, which was much more advanced in architecture and features and modify it to support additional internationalization. Moving the other countries onto this unified codebase made future maintenance and feature changes much easier.
Geographical distinctions such as currency, measurements, and some other system configuration features would now convert automatically based on the location so that customers wouldn’t need to convert these data themselves.
Project II: Rewriting the ticket graphics editor from Flash to HTML5
Initially, the graphics editor for designing ticket stock was written on Flash, but this technology is becoming less popular and content written on Flash is not supported by Apple devices anymore. Since every business is going mobile now and the percentage of customers coming via mobile is growing, TicketPrinting.com decided to rewrite the editor to HTML5 Canvas with Softjourn’s assistance.
In order to support differences between different locations on static pages, it was also decided to create a small CMS to hold different static pages for different counties.
The Benefits
Project I:
- Faster and easier codebase maintenance
- Changes and updates will take less time
- System configuration adjusts to geographical distinctions automatically (currency, measurements, etc.)
Project II
- Graphics editor rewrite from Flash to HTML5
- Editor adapted to all mobile devices and screen sizes
- Slicker design in the ticket graphics editor
The Result
Softjourn started working with our first ticketing client back in 2005, developing and maintaining their box office software. Until today, we have helped out clients with:
- venue mapping (defining a venue, with different possible configurations for seat selection)
- ticket packages (i.e. season tickets, events with pre/post gatherings, theatrical series, musical series, and so on.)
- event promotion tools
- patron CRM functionality
- box office sales; website sales
- seamless website customization
- advanced and custom reporting tools
- advanced features for seat selection and ticket purchase (at the box office, online)
- advanced service for ticket delivery, printing, and scanning (standard printed tickets, self-print tickets, e-tickets);
- fundraising and donation management
- refunds and exchange functionality
- ticket scanning with Linea Pro and iPod Touch or iPhone.
As we understand ticketing, we have enjoyed working with TicketPrinting.com as were able to develop solutions that will influence their business and ensure the high-quality of their designs for a number of different clients around UK, USA and Australia.