Data-sharing integration – also for third parties

ABOUT KOPA: One of the oldest Slovenian IT companies

Kopa is one of the oldest information technology companies in Slovenia. Founded in 1978, it celebrated its 45th anniversary in 2023. In addition to developing its own graphics and video terminals, Kopa also introduced Oracle technology to the former Yugoslavia in 1987. 

In the field of maintenance, the Maximo software was recognized by the company in 1997, i.e. before the solution gained traction globally and was integrated by IBM as part of its group.

Kopa provides software solutions, and its clients are mainly manufacturing companies, but some of them also work in other industries. Most of Kopa’s clients are Slovenian. 

The company was always one step ahead and recognized the increasing trend of digitalization in manufacturing early on. In 2001, when the use of online tools was just starting off in Slovenia, Kopa introduced the Kopa ERP web app, setting a milestone in the field of graphical user interfaces and user experience.  

"By implementing the SPICA All Hours solution and integrating it with our Kopa ERP system, we have taken a step towards the optimization of our business processes. This has improved internal efficiency and enabled us to offer these advanced solutions to our clients as well," states Dušan Rus.

Since 2017, the company has been owned by Metrel from Horjul.

In recent years, Kopa has been awarded numerous prizes for innovation by the Carinthian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. In 2023, it also received the Best Data Centre Project award. 

The company upgraded the client's data center, both in terms of network and server infrastructure. Kopa is also a proud recipient of the Sustainability Outstanding Partner Award for Central and Eastern Europe Territories for IBM Maximo and IBM Control desk. 

Challenges: Linking data to payroll is key

"For employees, the user experience truly is better," says Vika Krajnc.

Although Kopa is an IT company and allows telecommuting, all employees mostly work from the company's headquarters in Slovenj Gradec.

The company implemented Spica's All Hours solution last October. 

"Until the new legislation on recording working time entered into force, we had a system that recorded passing through the door of the building. At the time, this was enough to ensure compliance with the legislation, but it meant that we had to manually enter and correct data on employees' arrivals and departures for payroll purposes," says Marko Popič, the implementer of the app at Kopa.

"The implementation of All Hours has changed the way our company records time and attendance and processes payroll. This technology has allowed us to significantly reduce manual data entry, saving our employees valuable time. Now they can easily manage their working hours online or via a mobile app, which makes communication between employees and their managers much easier. This step was key in our commitment to continuously improve our work processes and promote digital transformation within the company," explains Brigita Smolar, Head of HR.

The main purpose of implementing Spica's All Hours solution was to automate the recording of employees’ arrivals and departures, and to automatically link this data to the payroll software. The company contemplated two options: 

"First we only implemented registration via mobile phone, but later, we also added a traditional badge registration system that both records as well as allows entry through the door, which eliminated the double work," Marko Popič explains.

Solution: The many uses of All Hours

"Kopa started to offer Spica's All Hours in conjunction with the Kopa ERP system to its clients as well, and this joint solution was bought, for instance, by the company Monter from Dravograd," says Marko Popič.

The new time and attendance solution, which is fully compliant with the new legislation, records all arrivals and departures of employees: to and from work, lunch break, field work and other paid exits.

"The new solution has given employees a better overview of their data, presence, absence, arrivals, departures, etc. It truly provides a better user experience," says Vika Krajnc, Head of Marketing at Kopa.

Employees can view their data on the mobile app or online, and managers can track the arrivals and departures of employees that work in their departments. Employees can use the app to notify their managers of sick leave or to request telecommuting, for instance, which the managers can approve via the same app. All employees can view the data.

"For most employees, the system has not brought major changes. The changes are much more significant for further data processors and users. At the end of each month, they used to spend hours on end entering payroll data. Now, it only takes them a few clicks," says Marko Popič.

The system also allows for planning, which is not yet used at Kopa, as well as an upgrade to mobile phone clocking via NFC. Moreover, the company wishes to link travel orders to Spica’s solution.

"At Kopa, we are constantly striving for innovations and solutions that meet our current business needs while setting new standards in the industry. By implementing the SPICA All Hours solution and integrating it with our Kopa ERP system, we have taken a step towards the optimization of our business processes. This has improved internal efficiency and enabled us to offer these advanced solutions to our clients as well. Technology can undoubtedly transform an entire organization in a positive way. This success is a testament to our vision and the innovative spirit that has guided Kopa over the decades," says Dušan Rus, Managing Director of Kopa, d.d. 

Spica's solution also offers an opportunity for additional business cooperation. Kopa has started to offer the solution in conjunction with the Kopa ERP system to its clients as well, and one of the first companies to buy it was Monter from Dravograd. 

For new clients, moreover, Kopa is able to integrate data from the client’s existing Spica solution with Kopa ERP, which is generally a stand-alone solution. This way, Kopa’s clients are offered automated "data-sharing twins" that allow them to link working time records with payroll.

Key advantages

• Clocking in and out from any location via mobile phone
• Better overview of data for employees
• Integration of SPICA All Hours with other products, in this case Kopa ERP