Van Cleef & Arpels / Richemont · Multi-project case study
SAP automation and mobile inventory prototyping
I researched recurring operational problems and developed two different solutions: SAP automations for fragmented reporting tasks, and a mobile prototype for inventory counting. Their testing and adoption followed different paths.
The starting point
Repeated SAP tasks required navigating multiple screens and parameters, while physical inventory counting relied on pen-and-paper counts and spreadsheet entry. I investigated both through regional feedback and in-store work.
My responsibility
I built surveys, gathered workflow requirements, created the original SAP automations, implemented and taught them regionally, and maintained the files. Separately, I independently built the inventory app and tested it in multiple stores against the existing counting process.
Tools & methods
SAP-native automation · Regional surveys · In-store observation · Google Apps Script · Google Sheets · Gemini / Vertex AI
SAP automation: research the repeated tasks
At regional operations meetings involving the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, I gathered complaints about fragmented SAP workflows. I also built surveys to identify recurring issues. Repair and special-order checks and inventory price changes were prominent needs.
I gathered the steps and store-specific parameters behind those tasks. Staff needed repair and order statuses relevant to their store, while repricing required retrieving the correct changes and exporting a file for ticket printing.
SAP automation: build, distribute, and support the files
I built the original automations within SAP, using triggers and keywords to execute the repeated actions. Stores downloaded and saved the files to their SAP setup, then used my one-page instructions to initiate the automation.
I traveled by region to implement the work, presented it at the North America meeting, and refined the files as processes changed. After adoption and positive feedback, engineering took the workflows forward and built its own one-click dashboard functions. I did not build those dashboard buttons.
Inventory prototype: replace handwritten count entry
This was a separate build. I used Google Apps Script and Google tools to create a phone/tablet interface for entering jewelry counts by display case, floor area, and safe or vault location. The entries saved to a spreadsheet for review.
I connected the results to Gemini through Vertex AI to compare them with the prior day and produce an AI summary. The aim was to make discrepancies and the prior location of an item easier to investigate.
Inventory prototype: test in stores and expose the mapping problem
I began with sample data, then traveled to multiple locations and ran the prototype alongside the existing process. Employee feedback informed iterations on calculator-style and dial-style controls and how to correct a miscount.
Testing revealed that stores categorized stock differently, including client-owned, heritage, and archival items. I revised the category mapping, but each store still needed its own configuration. A new category arriving in a store could require reconfiguration. I presented the prototype for further development; it had not been fully adopted when I left.
Outcome
Adopted SAP workflows and a field-tested inventory prototype
The SAP automations were implemented regionally and later informed dashboard functions developed by engineering. The mobile inventory app was tested in multiple stores and presented to stakeholders, with production adoption and a category-configuration dependency still unresolved.
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What could work better?
I’m interested in AI innovation and solutions roles where research becomes useful systems.