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Table of Contents: What is Conga CPQ? What is Salesforce CPQ? Conga CPQ vs Salesforce CPQ Conga CPQ Objects vs Salesforce CPQ Objects Conga Integration with Salesforce Top 5 Benefits of CPQ Platforms Conga (Apttus) and Salesforce CPQ at Scalefocus Conclusion Salesforce and Conga (formerly Apttus) in 2022 What is Conga CPQ? Conga (formerly Apttus) is a software provider whose portfolio includes groundbreaking Quote-to-Cash software tools like E-commerce, Contract Management, and the Conga CPQ. Let’s focus on the latter. Quote-to-cash (QTC) software is an end-to-end solution that manages all business processes throughout the entire sales lifecycle from purchase through service delivery to billing. Conga CPQ (Configure, Price, Quote) utilizes an AI platform with smart features related to products, prices, and service offerings. It provides enterprises with reliable and precise real-time quotes and enables sales teams to cross-sell while reducing the time needed to provide pricing, and minimizing erroneous quotes. This way, Conga CPQ improves deal quality, which inevitably improves the overall customer experience and positively impacts sales. Conga (formerly Apttus) is an industry trailblazer, and its award-winning solution is easily the leading Quote-to-Cash software in business. The quality of its product offerings and the range of its CPQ functionalities are the reasons why it has put its stamp on the market. So, how does the competition fare? What is Salesforce CPQ? Salesforce CPQ is a Configure Price Quote tool by Salesforce and is also among the CRM cloud software leaders. This solution is another good example of a quote-to-cash platform and provides enterprises with agile and precise price quotes in accordance with specific product features, customizations, discounts, etc. The Salesforce CPQ applications can manage any business process as it is designed to manage business relationships with customers. The mainly cloud-based software is easy to use and accessible from anywhere, anytime. Conga CPQ vs Salesforce CPQ Scalefocus CPQ is native to the Salesforce platform and automates the quote generation, order management, and contract processes. While powered by Artificial Intelligence, Conga CPQ is also native to the Salesforce platform, which makes it similar to Salesforce CPQ in terms of product capabilities. What are the differences, then? For starters, Conga CPQ supports the Windows app platform, whereas Salesforce CPQ has additional iPhone app support. The companies Conga partners with are mainly medium and large-sized, while Salesforce also has customers of smaller caliber. Unlike Conga CPQ, Salesforce CPQ comes with a free trial period, its customer support quality is better, and it is easier to use and set up. On the other hand, Conga (formerly Apttus) has a more flexible pricing strategy, gives more discounts, and provides live customer support and online training in addition to the standard support over the phone. The Salesforce price model is based on annual subscription versus the quote-based model of Conga. Feature-wise, Salesforce CPQ boasts lead management, proposal generation, and revenue recognition. Some of the biggest pros of Conga CPQ are the cross-sell, upsell, and discount recommendations, as well as the guided quote creation. Therefore, it is ideal for configuring prices and vendor quotes, as well as tracking and improving sales metrics. Available features Both Conga and Salesforce CPQ boast a number of useful features, check the table for full details. Conga CPQ Objects vs Salesforce CPQ Objects Salesforce CPQ does not utilize custom objects. It only uses standard objects such as price books, orders, order products, and assets and maps to standard and custom fields. Copying and pasting sales deals is eliminated altogether. Unlike Salesforce CPQ, Conga CPQ does not utilize standard articles, price books, or price entries. It does, however, use custom order objects, order products, and contacts, to name a few. The Conga tool also gives more flexibility to its users as they can quickly test and deploy new pricing models. Conga Integration with Salesforce You can upgrade Salesforce with Conga Omni as the Salesforce cloud platform’s scalability and security are second to none. This way, the Conga tool can leverage the vast majority of the Salesforce features like multiple currencies and languages, mobile access, or analytics. Top 5 Benefits of CPQ Platforms CPQ tools empower sales executives to base price quotes on up-to-date pricing structures. This enables them to see the big picture, explore different aspects of a project, and increase their efficiency and flexibility, which benefits the entire company’s sales strategy. CPQ facilitates automation of the price quote process and closes CRM gaps. This minimizes delays and the number of errors during the quote creation process. An accelerated and error-proof price quote process increases win rates and minimizes the challenges to overcome while turning a potential lead into a customer. This inevitably boosts the sales team’s performance and increases the company’s revenue. Real-time updates of product-related information and pricing structures within the company optimize sales processes and visibility to grow the sales channel. It is not the data size, but the data accuracy that matters, and the CPQ software improves data quality to a great extent. Conga CPQ features facilitate upsells and cross-sells with its timely and precise recommendations. Increasing the size of the deals is among the significant factors that make the platform a wise investment. Conga and Salesforce CPQ at Scalefocus The Salesforce team at Scalefocus has vast experience in both Salesforce and Conga (formerly Apttus) implementation projects. It consists of software developers, consultants, and technical and solution architects. The Solution Architect is responsible for creating the solution design and the overall implementation. The consultants are the link between our customers and the dev team. After the SA and Consultants have handled the initial phase, it is the Technical Architect and developers’ turn to come up with a detailed solution, using configuration, process automation, Apex programming language, etc. At the moment, the team is focused on the Salesforce modules like Sales Cloud, Service Cloud, Marketing Cloud, and Community Cloud. Conclusion When it comes to CPQ platforms, Conga and Salesforce are undoubtedly the cream of the crop. Even better, Conga CPQ can be integrated with Salesforce and inherit its functionalities while upgrading it with its own unique features like upsell, cross-sell, and discount recommendations. CPQ solutions successfully automate the price quote process which increases agility, accuracy, and ultimately – revenue. Scalefocus’s expertise in both Salesforce and Conga (formerly Apttus) CPQ has made us a go-to service provider for numerous companies of all nationalities and sizes. It really comes as no surprise – enterprises need tech-savvy, problem-solving, process-minded people to tackle their Salesforce and Conga projects and take their sales processes to the next level. Do not hesitate to contact us, we can’t wait to hear from you and discuss your latest projects and how we can contribute to their solution! Krasimir Kunchev Senior Content Writer

Key Takeaways: Business intelligence software development aims to improve your business operations through actionable data and insights Benefits include operation optimization, data comparison, spotting market trends, and more Invest in a custom BI tool or go for off-the-shelf solution, based on your size and unique business needs Table of Contents: What is business intelligence software development? How does business intelligence relate to your organization? Examples of data-driven processes underlying BI software development How can your organization employ business intelligence? Benefits of BI software development Conclusion What is business intelligence (BI) software development? BI software development allows organizations to gather, structure, analyze and transform raw data into actionable business insights and enables data-driven decision making. The whole process of business intelligence can be divided into four main steps: Data gathering and accessibility Data cleansing and governance Advanced analytics Reporting dashboards Business intelligence (BI) combines different highly important business tools and insights that present a wide scope of data-driven processes. For example, business intelligence includes business analytics, data mining, data visualization and other types of data infrastructure helpful in thoroughly assessing your business operations with easy-to-understand reports. How does business intelligence relate to your organization? Тhe best way to understand how your organization performs is to convert every operation into data. You can use this data to assess key processes and metrics. Technically, every aspect of your business can be described in data. From your customer support to supply chain and time to market, if you collect comprehensive data, you would be able to drive change, eliminate inefficiencies , and quickly adapt to increasingly competitive markets. This is what business intelligence software development can do for your organization. Moreover, you can team up with an outsourced software provider for the development of a tailored BI solution. That will increase delivery time and result in higher productivity. Working with such a partner will allow you to easily define scope of work, have access to broader talent pool with expertise closely related to your industry. Examples of data-driven processes underlying BI software development The above examples cover critical data-driven processes. Their aim is to collect, store, and analyze information from your organization’s workflows and operations. In this light, data mining relies on databases and statistics in order to uncover certain trends in large-volume datasets. Reporting is essentially the process of sharing data to decision-makers or stakeholders so they could operate with actual numbers and draw conclusions on them. Further, statistical analysis is focused on exploring data using statistics such as how, when and why a trend has been formed in a given dataset. Data visualization aims to turn data analysis into a visual representation. This could be a chart, a histogram, or a graph, and it would hold key actionable data presented in an easy-to-understand way. Data preparation is the process of compiling multiple data sources and preparing them for a thorough analysis with the intention to identify dimensions and measure key trends. How can your organization employ business intelligence? The quickest and most effective way your organization could employ business intelligence is to work with a partner, adept at business intelligence (BI) software development. In other words, you could find an outsourcing software development company that will handle your business intelligence operations – from streamlining your data and various data sources, to adding advanced data analytics tools, and data-visualization platforms. Your organization is likely to have a lot of unsolved, or even undiscovered, problems. And as your company moves forward towards reaching major goals and milestones, these problems will stand in the way. Tracking performance and gathering the necessary data is crucial for the continued progress of your business. Working directly with a top-notch software developer will give you solutions and will determine what actions should be taken to reach your company goals. You will be able to determine whether you are ready to invest in a custom BI tool based on the requirements, your industry type, the size, and needs of your company. Alternatively, you can work with outsourcing provider to handle the implementation and integration of a tailored solution for you. Benefits of BI software development Business intelligence software development holds a number of attractive benefits such as operation optimization, data comparison, spotting market trends, and more. In practice, business intelligence can help your organization deal with complex challenges, offering data-driven solutions. Further, it could bolster your decision-making process by casting light on core business competencies that could be handled in a more efficient manner. Essentially, a robust and reliable business intelligence software development could enable your company to make smarter, data-driven decisions. On this note, once you take a deep dive into your company data, you will get insight into key processes and be able to: Optimize operations; Compare data with competitors; Spot market trends and take advantage of them; Find and solve issues; Track company performance; Discover ways to increase profit and optimize cost. Conclusion Working with data underlying your business activities and processes will certainly enhance organizational performance. Not only that, but it will also add key insights into how you can better serve your customers. This, and more, is what business intelligence will do for your company. Moreover, partnering with an onshore or offshore software development provider will speed up the processes inside your company, enabling faster deployment of new services. The outsourcing partner will contribute also with their domain knowledge, helping you to set up efficient data governance models and interpreting different data types. The purpose of business intelligence is to help you and your company find the right path to more growth, customer engagement, and better positioning in your industry. At Scalefocus, our team of well-prepared developers and analysts is ready to take a deep look into your business activities and provide a thorough analysis. With your business needs in mind, we will aim to achieve the best results that will help you improve, grow and be more competitive. Our experienced data engineering teams at the Scalefocus remote development centers provide end-to-end custom BI solutions development. Alternatively, we will help you integrate existing platforms, tweaked for your unique business challenges. Our consulting teams also have extensive experience with cross-industry customers that enables our partners to make sense of their data. We will be happy to chat with you about your data needs and how we can help you turn them into actionable BI for your organization. Simply reach out to us by filling the contact form and we will get in touch with you shortly. Krasimir Kunchev Senior Content Writer

Table of Contents: Software Architecture in Big Data Big Data Development Services Data Strategy Data Architecture and Design Data Modelling Migration for On Prem to Cloud Advanced Data Analytics Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence Conclusion Where Big Data and Software Development Interrelate Enterprises generate and have access to virtually unlimited data – exabytes over exabytes of information stored in various sources. However, to exploit the potential of all this content, they need to analyze it, identify patterns, and derive actionable insights. Only organized, quality data can give a competitive advantage by facilitating decision-making, improving forecasting accuracy, and accelerating all business processes. But how significant is the correlation between Big Data and Software Development, and what Big Data Software Development Services are trendy in 2022? Read on to find the answers below. Software Architecture in Big Data Software development architecture that assembles, organizes and analyzes data is paramount to leverage Big Data in agile development. To start the process, software developers create strategies with the help of Data analytics software that generates data-based reports. The typical approach when building software development architectures in Big Data is gradual. Architectural patterns are data-centric and event-driven – Big Data applications test every software component and then analyze the results. Modifications are made to address detected issues, and the procedure is repeated until all bugs are fixed, and the end product has been redesigned to perfection. Big Data Development Services IT outsourcing to the Central and Eastern European Union countries has been on the rise in the past couple of decades, and the field of Big Data Development is no exception. Countries like Bulgaria, Romania, and Poland offer access to a vast talent pool of exceptional software engineers, data analysts, project and account managers. Substantial development cost reduction, quality execution, and extended business coverage due to different time zones are other factors to look eastbound. Read on to find out the latest Big Data trends and what services are trending in 2022. Data Strategy In 2022, Statista projects that the Big Data market size will have doubled within just five years. Yet, data continues to pose numerous challenges: disorganized business processes, inability to recognize basic business needs, data quality, privacy, and integrity. Inefficient planning can have disastrous effects on a company, while a comprehensive data strategy can address all data related issues. However, managing gigantic volumes of data is an arduous task, and organizations need to cooperate with experienced and reliable service providers to handle it. Innovation and agility, improved user experience, regulatory compliance, and risk mitigation – this is what you get when you work with accomplished data engineers, analysts, and scientists. Scalefocus can help you set up a holistic strategic approach to leverage your business data potential. Infographic source: https://www.statista.com/statistics/254266/global-big-data-market-forecast/ DB Architecture and Design Enterprises need to organize and structure their databases in order to facilitate access to data, optimize resources, and improve data quality. The service provider's mission is to define the database objective and standardize data protocols. However, this would be impossible without modernizing legacy systems and tools. Therefore, updating data is crucial to take advantage of all functionalities of state-of-the-art technology. The Scalefocus data teams have experience with various databases and use-cases, and our solutions meet our partners' performance, business, and security requirements. Such expertise includes relational and non-relational on-premise databases, cloud-specific and vendor-specific cloud databases, OLTP, OLAP, custom solutions, etc. Data Modelling Data modelling incorporates business rules, regulatory compliance, and local policies on data with consistency in naming conventions, default values, semantics, and data security. Its purpose is to visualize data based on business needs, comprehend relationships within a database/warehouse, and minimize development errors. Scalefocus utilizes top of the line tools including ER/Studio, Toad Data Modeler, Navicat Data Modeler, and Db Schema to guarantee the quality of data and its visual representation. This way, we can help our partners' organizations accelerate the database design process and data mapping. Infographic source: https://www.statista.com/outlook/tmo/public-cloud/worldwide#revenue Migration from On-Prem to Cloud According to a recent Statista research, the Public Cloud market revenue will exceed USD 400 billion by the end of 2022 and reach USD 650 billion by 2025. Such whopping figures are hardly surprising, as the COVID pandemic and related remote work trends accelerated digital transformation and the rise of cloud computing. Most businesses now migrate on-prem data to the cloud to reduce costs from on-premise servers and infrastructure maintenance. Cloud technology is here to stay as it boosts flexibility, scalability, and agility. Performance quality, database choice, data regulations, data security – these are some of the challenges that arise when migrating data from on-prem to the cloud. The Scalefocus remote development centers have expertise in successfully creating and managing on-prem to cloud migration strategies in different industries and technology settings to all major cloud providers: AWS, GCP, Azure, and IBM Cloud. Advanced Data Analytics Deriving data insights from various content sources provides companies with increased business value. Predictive modelling, deep learning, artificial intelligence, and business process automation are some of the approaches utilized to extract the necessary data, detect anomalies, and predict patterns and future events. Advanced data analytics contributes deeper data insight to improve forecast precision and make decision-making and risk management more efficient. The Scalefocus offshore and nearshore software development teams use techniques like data mining, big data analytics, machine learning and boast expertise in different industries for efficient Big Data infrastructure management, predictive analytics, and forecasting. Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence IDC expects the worldwide AI market revenues to go beyond the half a trillion $ mark as early as 2024. Enterprises have quickly realized Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence increase their efficiency, boost their business results and give them a competitive advantage. Planning and decision making can be challenging when faced with colossal amounts of different types of data and various sources to derive it from. ML and AI enable companies to base decisions and forecasts on numerical evidence as they easily identify patterns and anomalies human experts struggle to detect. Infographic source: https://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS47482321 Scalefocus utilizes ML, AI, advanced analytics, and data science to transform our partners' business models by introducing processes for effective data management. Our remote software development centers' expertise and cutting edge technology have helped numerous companies extract data insights, make result-oriented decisions, and improve customer experience. Conclusion In 2022, Big Data and Agile Software Development are inseparable. That is why the software engineers, data analysts, and project managers at the Scalefocus nearshore and offshore development centers have adopted a contemporary approach to data and analytics. Feel free to contact us, we will be happy to discuss any digitalization and datafication challenge your business might be facing, and even happier to help you overcome them. Krasimir Kunchev Senior Content Writer

Key Takeaways: Custom software development might be your business’ best software decision It promises a number of benefits like better scalability and flexibility at a lower cost It is a unique way to keep up with the latest trends Table of contents Overview What is custom software development? Why should a business use custom software development? Benefits of custom software development Summary Overview Accelerating technology and ever higher customer needs are prompting businesses to seek unique ways to keep up with the trends. In this light, a certain type of software has been gaining popularity as perhaps the best approach to stay ahead of the curve. As technology and clients become more complex and demanding, more companies opt for custom software development as a solution to issues on many different fronts. For one, custom software development gives your business the flexibility and compatibility to scale up or down and tailor it specifically to your needs. The alternative, off-the-shelf software could practically be inefficient or inadequate. With this in mind, let’s dive in and find out why custom software development might be the best solution for your business. What is custom software development? Custom software development refers to the creation and maintenance of tailor-made software applications that bring unique features. These features are generally not available with ready-made software produced for wide commercial use. This said, custom software is developed for a particular organization and includes company-specific needs and requirements. This type of software is usually handled by an outsourc software company that has the expertise and resources to provide it, often times, from scratch. In that context, an in-house development team will most likely not be able to go through the entire development life cycle due to lack of competency or insufficient technological resourcefulness. So, what can you expect of it and how can you be sure that this type of software can provide you with the right solutions for your business? Let’s get a deeper look at why custom software could propel your business to higher grounds. Custom Software Development Process Why should a business use custom software development? Custom software development is suitable for your business if you need to reach out to your clients in a unique and compelling way. To this end, if your company has demanding clients or requirements unmet by traditional ready-made software products, custom software development is likely your best bet. In other words, if there is no product to meet your software needs, you will have to build one. And this is what custom software development companies do. Moreover, working with custom-built software will bring you many benefits that could stretch in the long-term and redefine success as you know it. The number of advantages your business will enjoy span from increased efficiency to around-the-clock customer support and many more. Let’s get into the details. Benefits of custom software development The benefits of custom software development include: Improved flexibility and scalability Custom software development allows your business operations to be both flexible and scalable. What this means, is that custom software development is flexible and adapts perfectly to your business needs. In detail, you can decide what features you want included and what you want to leave out. To this end, tailor-fit software is a lot more efficient that ready-made software due to its customizability. Moreover, custom applications can be scaled up or down by the software developer, resulting in increased operability and productivity. Complete personalization Custom software development gives you the ability to personalize thesoftware. In other words, you can request specific designs and features that would make your product unique in the marketplace. Additionally, tailor-made software is always easier to fit into your company’s workflow, processes and helps you meet best your business and technology needs. Seamless adoption Software developed specifically for your brand’s needs has unique solutions and characteristics that will allow for an organic and smooth adoption. Robust security Custom-made software will likely be more secure than off-the-shelf products. Many custom software development companies have extensive experience in the cybersecurity field, gained in the course of working on various projects and industry verticals. This ensures that they will be able to deliver robust security for your customized solution. More importantly, custom software development gives you control over what security technologies will be integrated in your product. That way you will be able to choose what protocols you would like to secure your applications. Reliable support and maintenance Custom software development comes alongside dedicated support teams ready to tackle any challenge that may arise. What’s more, they will provide consistent maintenance, solve technological problems, security loopholes or other software-related issues. Optimized costs Optimized costs are another major benefit with custom software, especially if the developer is based out of an offshore location. Regions like Eastern Europe, for example, have quality custom software development companies that provide high-added value custom software services and solutionsat a lower cost relative to Western Europe or the US. Summary An increased number of companies, large and small, are taking the leap from mainstream software to a fully personalized custom software development. This brings them a number of technology and business benefits and allows them to stay competitive. If you are considering custom software development or would like to learn more about its advantages, reach out to us at Scalefocus. With over 500 successfully delivered custom projects over the course of the years for more than 300 clients worldwide, we would be happy to learn about your business and have an in-depth discussion on how you can get the most of custom software development.

Предоставяне на специфични обучения за заети лица в "СКЕЙЛ ФОКУС" АД по проект „Умения на ФОКУС”, финансиран по ДБФП № BG05M9OP001-1.057-0198-C01, процедура BG05M9OP001-1.057 „Умения”, Оперативна програма „Развитие на човешките ресурси” 2014-2020 г.

Key Takeaways: Offshore development is said to come with communication difficulties, or time hindrances. Contrary to some negative connotations, software outsourcing could be a breeze if you research well When done correctly, software outsourcing is a great approach to cut overhead while keeping great quality Table of Contents: Overview 5 Common offshore development myths Myth 1: Communication difficulties Myth 2: Suitable for big businesses only Myth 3: Time difference as an obstacle Myth 4: Outsourcing brings security issues Myth 5: Outsourcing is for standalone projects Summary Overview As economies started reopening in the post-Covid world, businesses were suddenly faced with a new reality: talent was no longer bound to in-house settings. Instead, specialists were now getting used to remote working conditions. In a way, the powerful lock over talent was now loosened up and experts did their best work in the cloud. That said, companies also got used to running their operations entirely online without a single central location. In the dawn of this new normal, offshore software developers received a hefty dose of attention. Still, some sides were left misunderstood as some were still doubtful over the capabilities of these technology powerhouses. Let’s dive in and find out the five most common myths surrounding the work of offshore development centers. 5 Common offshore development myths Working with a remote offshore development company, although becoming more popular, still comes with certain negative connotations. These include several myths such as: difficulties in communication lack of level playing field time difference complexities security flaws right fit for one-off projects only We take these myths and debunk them one by one, laying out the facts and circumstances. Myth 1: Difficult communication It is thought that communicating with a remote delivery center could be challenging due to language barriers, or cultural differences. In detail, some believe that because the offshore partner is located in a faraway place, the distance could have a negative impact on communication. Fact: In today’s digitized world, enhanced technologies have made it possible to perform your work entirely in the cloud. Physical location is of less importance when you can track online everything that’s going on with your project. There’s no doubt that remote work saw a sharp rise after the global pandemic swept businesses and, as a result, companies saw they can run online just as well. Therefore, difficulties in communication with your offshore partner could drop out from the list of concerns. Myth 2: Suitable for big businesses only As the myth goes, the only entities able to experience the benefits of working with an offshore developer are big corporations with revenues in the millions of dollars. Further, their budgets are big enough to accommodate outsourcing contracts, which, presumably, are unreachable for startup companies or small and mid-size businesses. Fact: In reality, any business can take advantage of offshore software development. One of its unique characteristics, for that matter, is that it’s completely customizable, able to answer every client’s need. Regardless of the size of your business, a remote delivery center is suitable in all cases in which you need an offshoring partner to manage your entire technical domain and systems, covering the full software development life cycle. Myth 3: Time difference is an obstacle Time gaps between business partners, the myth says, hinder development and limit productivity. Depending on location, your outsourced development partner could be, for example, 10 hours ahead of you. To this end, some consider the time difference to be an obstacle that gets in the way of real-time interaction. Fact: Time zone differences that are perceived as weaknesses in the relationship with your offshore partner could actually enhance your outsourced operations. The world is swiftly moving through physical and time-related limitation by the power of technology and innovations. This being said, the notion that you need your business partners to share the same time zone with you is outdated and irrelevant in the context of today’s digital environment. Moreover, offshore development companies are not only tech-native but also comfortable with English and proficient in online communication. To that end, all online means of interaction like video calls, emails, instant messaging platforms, allow for a smooth and uninterrupted workflow. It’s also worth noting that once your regular working hours are over, the day could be starting for your business partner in an offshore region, thus extending your business hours and customer support services. Myth 4: Outsourcing brings security issues Another common bias in the offshore development realm is that outsourcing to an external provider could increase your security risks and ultimately expose your business to online threats. Some companies believe that data should ideally be stored locally, or somewhere near, in order to be secure. Fact: Contrary to this idea, outsourcing companies keep up with latest cybersecurity trends and always make sure to stay ahead of the curve. That said, data security is a top priority for most outsourcing firms as they need to protect user data and stay relevant. Myth 5: Outsourcing is for standalone projects A common belief surrounding offshore development centers is that these firms only do standalone projects and then terminate the relationship with the client. In other words, once the project is finished, it’s time to say goodbye. Fact: Software development is not a single and isolated act. Instead, offshoring is a long-term partnership. In the case of the remote development centers, they can cover the entire software development lifecycle (SDLC) – from architecture and design through software development, testing, and implementation. Software development companies are responsible for developing the product and supporting it afterward, making sure it’s always up-to-date and operating in its best form. Summary As offshore development centers are becoming popular, the misinformation about them spreads too. In this light, it’s important to always do your research before you decide to move your software development from in-house to outsourced. On our end, we believe our long-term commitment to excellence speaks for itself. We are happy to host a wide array of software development services as we always go for the one solution that would suit your business best. Simply reach out to us via the contact form on our website and we’ll get back to you with our tailor-fit vision for your technological breakthrough.

Table of contents How is Machine Learning Transforming Healthcare? Medical Diagnostics Epidemic Control Drug Discovery and Clinical Research Treatment Recommendations Chatbots Internet of Medical Things Transforming Healthcare the Scalefocus Way Conclusions How Is Machine Learning Transforming Healthcare? Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning might have been considered the future of healthcare not that long ago, but things have changed. What was once considered futuristic is the real world we inhabit now, and the rate the industry is being transformed by these powerful drivers is astonishing to witness. Let’s explore some of the areas being revolutionized before our eyes. Medical Diagnostics Mаchine Learning is very effective in diagnostics and recognizing different types of diseases that are typically very difficult to detect, especially in the initial stages, when early diagnostics could be life-saving. Such technology can be deployed in various healthcare sectors to detect different types of cancer, neurological conditions, pathogens, etc. Machine Learning models can be widely deployed and very effective. They could be based on physiological, environmental, and genetic data that helps discover risk factors and improve the diagnostic accuracy. This results in better treatment efficiency and reduction of unnecessary hospital visits whenever remote examination is possible. Epidemic Control The COVID-19 pandemic has proved that Artificial Intelligence could be key to limiting the infection spread. ML facilitates the processing of satellite information, social media trends, and news websites to make conclusions on epidemic outbreaks around the globe to gain better control of them. Unlike random testing, ML comprehensive testing strategies allow researchers to predict the possible scope of the epidemic at its very start. They can also reduce the infection spread when specific age groups or geographic areas are recognized to be potentially at risk, and necessary measures are taken as a precaution. Drug Discovery and Clinical Research Machine Learning algorithms can model drug components that treat similar diseases, using existing records of their effect on patients. This would facilitate personal medication for individuals with certain combinations of illnesses and unique requirements. Machine Learning helps researchers leverage past and present research to make the preclinical process more efficient and Deep Learning facilitates finding new patterns in relatively unexplored data sets. Clinical research and trials of new medications are an arduous and costly process. However, sometimes the time to market for a specific drug or vaccine needs to be accelerated to the maximum. You really do not need to look further than the COVID-19 vaccines and the unprecedented speed they became available. Luckily, ML algorithms reduce data-based errors by detecting the best samples and analysing the ongoing data from the trial participants. Treatment Recommendations Accurate diagnostics is critical for effective treatment. That is why treatment recommendation AI can play a significant role in improving healthcare quality. Reinforcement Learning (RL) is Machine Learning that makes decisions based on analysing experience. This means Reinforcement Learning practically emulates the decision-making process of knowledgeable physicians. While not fully deployed in replacing actual doctors, Reinforcement Learning has been used for clinical trial dosing in simulation settings and determining the medication dosage. Chatbots Robots are not here to take our jobs away. But they can replace or augment human operators and do 24/7 routine work that does not require emotional intelligence, creativity, or critical thinking. Healthcare organizations typically utilize them to free up resources, improve customer satisfaction, reduce costs and deliver better business value. Chatbots and automated surveys facilitate patients to resolve issues without the help of a physician. They collect and use patient interaction data to improve service quality and provide reminders and motivational messages. This way, the automation of repetitive tasks lets healthcare specialists concentrate on emergencies or more complicated cases. Chatbots are evolving and getting easily accessible and inexpensive, so the industry is expected to be taking even more advantage of them. The Scalefocus remote software development centers have extensive experience building chatbot solutions that are tailor-made to our partners’ business models. Internet of Medical Things Smartwatches, bio patches, smart hearing aids, smart pills – these wearables are also known as the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) and make healthcare more connected than ever. They finetune treatment programs by using precise statistics on the patients’ sleep and nutrition habits or average activity level and sending real-time information on their health state to their doctors. Patients increasingly prefer contacting physicians remotely and getting actual treatment only if necessary. That means at least two things – self-care is a trend that is here to stay, and the wearables’ role is only getting more significant. They detect tendencies or anomalies in the patients’ regime and suggest possible modifications for a healthier lifestyle and disease prevention. Scalefocus has gained solid experience working with healthcare organizations, including anindustry leader that utilizes our offshore development centers as service providers. Such expertise has allowed us to develop end-to-end platforms and wearables like the award-winning SoFit device – a scalable integrated system for patients who need remote Physical Therapy or Kinesiotherapy. It provides on-demand Telehealth services, allowing for complete rehabilitation treatment even without a physician’s presence. Read on to find out more about another one of our finest healthcare solutions. SAAM - Transforming healthcare the Scalefocus Way SAAM stands for Supporting Active Ageing Through Multimodal Coaching and is basically a virtual assistant platform. It tackles the feeling of isolation and depression among ageing people by boosting their well-being and supporting a more active and connected lifestyle. The platform uses unobtrusive personal and smart home sensors to enhance human interaction and help the elderly stay mobile and socialised. The platform utilizes Machine Learning, user profiling and interfaces, affective computing, and modal coaching. As a result, SAAM enables caregivers to: Coach the social circle of elderly people and get in touch and support them when needed; Suggest social and cultural events based on the preferences and interests of the users; Support the seniors’ group activities; Embrace a platform for telemedicine, telework, and integrated social services. What SAAM does to assist older persons in their everyday tasks and well-being at home: Collects health, emotional and cognitive data from sensors, smart meters, video, and audio receivers; Monitors vital functions and medication take-in; Detects mood and behavior changes; Provides recommendations for healthy diets and hobbies; Detects injuries and prevent risk situations (falls, burning, illness) by monitoring their domestic environment. SAAM is a Scalefocus proprietary project and its concept is derives from our vast Machine learning and healthcare experience. Through the years we have turned into an innovation partner to numerous industry disruptors and have helped them utilize the latest technologies to improve customer experience and digitalization. Conclusion Medical Diagnostics, Epidemic Control, Drug Discovery, and Clinical Research are among the areas Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence are putting their stamp on while driving modern healthcare forward. The Internet of Medical Things has made self-medication more accessible and reliable than ever, and Chatbots now provide 24/7 support while healthcare organizations free up resources. Choosing Scalefocus for a trusted technology and IT outsourcing partner has helped our partners leverage cutting-edge technology and a world-class team of software engineers, data scientists, and project managers to stay at the forefront of innovation. We are passionate about all things healthcare, so why not contact us and have a chat about your projects and how we can assist?

DMEA 2022, Europe's largest Digital Health Event, returned to Berlin after two years of virtual events due to the pandemic. It brought together the thought and industry leaders transforming healthcare through technology innovation, such as connected smart medical devices and AI-driven software platforms. During the three-day event, experts from politics, science, and the healthcare industry presented what moves health IT today and what technology promises for tomorrow. More than 500 exhibitors presented their innovations at DMEA – with topics ranging from telemedicine, AI applications, medical information systems, operating theatre technology, and digital health applications to IT infrastructure and hardware. Scalefocus had the pleasure to be one of them. At our booth, right next to our peers from Fraunhofer, we showcased our collaboration with cutting-edge providers of diagnostic solutions, healthcare management platforms, and AI-driven innovation. Team Scalefocus was delighted to meet German and European healthcare experts and exchange ideas about innovative ways to boost collaboration between business and technology and reduce time to market for critical functionalities. We also discussed new digital capabilities breaking down siloes and rigid ways of providing healthcare services.

After an amazing Go iteration, it's time for Java and Front-End! About the Java track If you already have a fundamental understanding of programming, this technical program of Scalefocus Academy is the perfect place for you to grow. In 90 days, you will polish your skills while working on real Java-based projects in a sandbox environment. Through the duration of technical program Java, you will practice PostgreSQL and Spring boot. About the Front-End track JavaScript has become the most popular programming language worldwide. If you already understand programming fundamentals, this technical program of Scalefocus Academy will help you delve deep into JavaScript. With the rise of popularity of JavaScript, libraries were created to help mainstream the development of highly scalable component-based applications. The library that this iteration of the academy will focus on is ReactJS. ReactJS is one of the most popular libraries for building highly scalable web applications with an emphasis on highly efficient DOM manipulations and easy to maintain declarative views. ReactJS offers graceful solutions to some of Front-end programming’s most persistent issues, allowing you to build dynamic and interactive web apps with ease. It’s fast, scalable, flexible, powerful, and has a robust developer community that’s rapidly growing. There’s never been a better time to learn React. In 90 intensive days, you will polish your skills while working on real JavaScript-based projects in a sandbox environment. Through the duration of Technical Program JavaScript, you will practice JavaScript/Typescript, HTML, CSS, React and Redux. About the application process It’s pretty straightforward – you can apply here until the 31st of May. Then, on the 1st of June you have to take a technical and an English exam. You will receive your results on the next day, and if you have passed you will be invited to a Q&A meeting where our team will explain in detail what to expect and you can book your interview. If all goes well, you will start your IT journey on the 20th of June! You can have a look at the full schedule here. About the tuition The whole course is entirely free and online. Lectures are held on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 18:00 to 21:00 Practice Labs are on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 18:00 to 21:00. This means that lectures will take you about 10 hours a week, while practice and time spent with your mentor is up to you. After successfully graduating from the Academy, students will have the opportunity to start their IT career immediately at Scalefocus. Have any questions? Feel free to check our FAQ page for more information. If you need additional information, feel free to drop us an e-mail at office@scalefocus.academy.

10 years of Scalefocus – 10 months of celebrations! Starting in March and ending in December – we have planned out our whole year and filled it with tons of online and offline activities for everyone at Scalefocus! What happened so far? We kicked off our 10-month birthday bash with various challenges for people working from home and people at the office. Our online challenges At Scalefocus we work from everywhere. This made it a bit tricky, but not impossible for our Anniversary Team to think of different challenges for our colleagues. Each challenge was designed to inspire, appreciate and make each other smile. We shared music, old photos, jokes and we also came up with names worthy of Queens. More specifically – our Queen Bees in our three adopted hives – each representing our primary Balkan office locations. Our colleagues suggested and voted for the following names: Bulgaria - Кирилица (Cyrillic) Macedonia – Queen Esma Turkey – Sabiha The celebrations also kicked off our monthly gaming tournaments, where our colleagues compete in the most popular video games. Of course, our top competitors are rewarded – with nifty handheld retro gaming consoles. Our offline challenges Of course we filled all of our offices with fun activities! We gathered for a quirky quiz, where we treated ourselves to pizza and answered wacky Scalefocus-related questions. We also had a legendary baking competition in each of our locations. Turns out, we have very talented bakers and very hungry colleagues. The offices were stacked with sweet and savoury delights and happy vibes. The big day On the day of our anniversary, we did a little warmup – launching a scavenger hunt for ScaleAle (our specially branded Scalefocus beer). In the afternoon we gathered for some afterwork drinks, cake and a lively chat – it had been a good while since we’d gathered together. Gotta say, talking to actual people and not floating avatars felt really nice! The night sparkled up with some heartfelt words from our CEO Ivan Ivanov and a dazzling raffle for a dozen lucky colleagues. The fun was amplified with our live video conference among our office locations – sharing the beautiful occasion together! What’s next in the calendar? Well we can’t say much.... but nobody said anything about emojis. So let’s hint with those ☀️🌙🎉🎵🍻🍹 Cheers to a year filled with joy, adventure and cold beer!

Table of Contents Outsourcing Models IT Outsourcing Benefits Service Provider Selection Software Outsourcing Services Key Takeaways IT Outsourcing of Product Development Services IT outsourcing has been the way forward for numerous businesses of all industries and sizes for decades now, and the post-pandemic trends imply its market share is only going to increase over time. So, what do we need to know about software development companies, their products and services, and how to take advantage of the apparent benefits of having an IT services partner company? Before we focus on the different models of outsourcing, let’s start with the reasons to outsource, the types of outsourcing, and the stages of outsourcing. Can Software Development Be Outsourced? Outsourced software development services have become the norm in 2022, and it is easy to see why. Businesses are looking for more flexibility, scalability, and a broader tech talent pool to tap into. And you cannot look past substantial cost reduction, which is among the top reasons for small startups and sizeable corporations alike. Experienced vendors have access to cutting-edge technology and the know-how to provide better quality on time while their partners focus on their core business. What Are the 7 Types of Outsourcing? It comes as no surprise that IT outsourcing is among the world’s top outsourced services. Other prominent categories are professional outsourcing (accounting, legal, administrative support), business process outsourcing (virtual assistants, customer service, lead generation), and manufacturer outsourcing (mass production and factories). Multisourcing, process-specific, and project outsourcing are also among the popular types of outsourcing. What Are the 7 Stages of Outsourcing? The IT outsourcing process has seven stages, starting with assessment (and development of strategy) and proposal (that includes requests for information, proposal, and quotes that are critical for the service provider selection). Then it is onto due diligence and contract procurement (including master services, service level, and non-disclosure agreements). And finally, there are the implementation, delivery, and end of contract stages. And now, onto the outsourcing models! Project-Based Model The most common IT outsourcing model offers full lifecycle software delivery. The entire process is the remote vendor’s responsibility – from tech specifications, features, and operations, through development and integration, all the way to testing and maintenance. It is their experts who analyze your business model and determine what system design is necessary to accomplish its objectives. The service provider’s software engineers and project managers are the ones in charge of delivering a viable solution as per agreed timeframes and customer expectations. After integration, QA verification, and data transfer from the old platforms to the new one(s), the system can be deployed. Finally, even after the software solution has been built and the product has gone live, it needs perpetual maintenance and updates throughout its SDLC. However, the outsourcing enterprise’s involvement is reduced to following the project progress without any active contribution. Dedicated/Managed Teams The Managed Teams model is usually long-term and more flexible as it is up to the outsourcing company to define its involvement in the project management and what set of specialists they recruit. Dedicated offshore teams are autonomous and typically hired to help your in-house software engineers overcome challenges in areas where they lack expertise. Another reason can be its reluctance to dedicate its resources to activities outside its core competencies. The Managed Teams model typically gives the outsourcing enterprise considerable control over the business processes, as their collaboration with the service provider is much closer. The dedicated team operates under the outside supervision of technical team leads and project managers and often creates and manages complete solutions from scratch. Despite the product owners’ flexibility to only recruit particular tech talent – such as QA and software engineers who are the mainstays, hiring a full-blown working unit is not uncommon if the specific project dictates so. Staff Augmentation Staff Augmentation is a short-term solution to rapidly scale up an in-house team by temporarily recruiting specialists to complete specific tasks. The Staff Augmentation model is quite flexible, and the hired engineers would join the local team full time and leave after the project completion. It is more cost-efficient and hassle-free than in-house scaling, but Dedicated Teams and Project-Based models are recommended in case of long-term cooperation. Offshore and Nearshore Delivery Center In addition to choosing the most effective outsourcing model for product development, companies should also consider where to outsource their development. Outsourced offshore and nearshore delivery centers provide the benefits of flexibility and skill access with a focus on value creation and delivery of the desired outcomes. The offshore development center is responsible for the project management, solution development, and test design and commits to scope, terms, and service delivery. The offshore development partner assumes delivery risks while providing predictable cost services tied to outcomes. IT Outsourcing Benefits Cost Reduction The COVID 19 pandemic reordered businesses’ priorities, and for the past couple of years, one of the main objectives of IT outsourcing has been to reduce costs. Remote work has accelerated digitalization in all aspects of life, and digital transformation has become paramount for all enterprises. The bottom line is remote software development centers are more than capable of providing world-class digital solutions at reasonable prices, which is critical in times of economic recession. Vast Talent Pool Access to top talent is another reason US and Western European companies are exceedingly outsourcing overseas. The level of tech education in Eastern Europe and Asia is excellent, and the sheer volume of annually graduating developers gives virtually unlimited choice to cherry-pick the very elite. Combined with access to high-end technology, this is a recipe for accelerated time to market and flawless products and services. Flexibility and Scalability An in-house team will always struggle to provide the flexibility that is a given for offshore software centers. IT outsourcing facilitates companies to easily scale up and down in accordance with their projects’ features and volumes and allows them to react adequately to any unexpected challenges posed by the economic dynamics. A flexible and reliable partner not only shares the responsibility for achieving deliverables and KPIs but also reduces operational costs for technology and infrastructure, as they should be precalculated and included in the contract agreement. Service Provider Selection Define your objectives and prerogatives, then build a comprehensive strategy and include budget, schedule, milestones, and deliverables in a detailed project specification. Research the major outsourcing regions, their time zones, rates, and product quality. Then look up your potential partners’ portfolios, ratings, and reviews. Make sure you are always in the loop and monitor the progress by leveraging project management tools such as Jira, Slack, e.g. Clarity and efficient communication will benefit all sides involved. Software Outsourcing Services Selecting the most efficient outsourcing model requires some research. You can assess what capabilities you need to outsource and what model will offer the best outcomes by considering the exact specifications of your project and then dive in the specific services you are looking for. Strategy and Advisory Cooperation with an experienced and trusted remote development center helps companies build business-relevant strategies and find the tech solutions to become industry leaders. State-of-the-art products are impossible without custom integrations, software architecture updates, and legacy systems modernization. The Scalefocus team of analysts, consultants, and project managers will guide you through each step of the project and provide expert advice on all aspects, including preliminary analysis and planning, security consulting, solution evaluation, etc. Digital Engineering Digital engineering is what transforms innovative ideas into trademark solutions. Offshore development centers offer well-oiled units of professionals that have taken years to assemble in order to develop cutting-edge technology in a timely and cost-effective manner that any in-house team would struggle to achieve. Software engineers, UI/UX designers and analysts, data specialists, mobile developers, and QA testers – you name it, they have it. Intelligent Automation Digital transformation equals survival in this day and age, and intelligent automation is instrumental for evolving businesses. Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence are already considered indispensable, rather than trailblazing for digitalization processes, and the Internet of Things is rapidly becoming ubiquitous. Scalefocus has a proven track record in helping organizations optimize and scale their business by delivering end-to-end services and providing high data accuracy, speed, and workforce agility. Infrastructure and Operations Sustainable IT infrastructure and operational excellence are two of the most significant factors for digital transformation. Cloud Computing and DevOps provide the platform for agile development and cost-efficient solutions by production upscaling and computational resources downscaling. .Last but not least, companies need to work in close collaboration with providers of security consulting services to reduce risk and vulnerabilities in operating and managing IT infrastructure network and servers. Key Takeaways Outsourcing product development services is far from complicated, and no wonder enterprises from the US and Western Europe choose to collaborate with offshore or nearshore partners. When businesses have the option to deliver outstanding solutions at reasonable costs while keeping time and resources for their core competencies, the choice is obvious. Do not hesitate to contact Scalefocus and discuss your projects with us, we will be more than happy to assist!

Key Takeaways: Open-source technology brings transparency and enhances the entire development life cycle Open-source software allows you to customize your product so it could fit your business needs With the help of a software development company, your business could experience the benefits of open source Table of contents Overview Open source and custom software development How you can use open source by a custom software developer? Why choose open-source software? What are the benefits of open-source software development? Summary Overview It's becoming a popular trend among software development companies to offer custom open-source development, user interface & experience (UI/UX) and much more. To this end, open-source development services could span across a wide array of products. These include software development, app development, integration & web portals, migrations & updates, E-commerce solutions, CMS, CRM, and ERP software solutions. In addition, open-source could play an integral role in the entire software development life cycle. For us, as a software company, we’re always mindful of the technology landscape and our clients’ tech stack so we could be in a position to respond adequately to their needs with a custom-made software solution, be it closed source or open source. Still, open-source software has been a stepping stone for an increasing number of companies to offer unique and continuously improving products. Some well-known examples are programming languages like Python, Java, HTML, and PHP, among others. So, what exactly is open source, why would you choose it, and how can your company benefit from it? Open source and custom software development In simple terminology, open source is any program that has its source code made available to the public. In more detail, open source could include frameworks, languages, databases, and standards, all visible to anyone. An important feature of the open-source licensing is the ability to use or modify the source code and everything publicly accessible. This way, open-source software is developed in a decentralized and collaborative way as the community involved relies on peer reviews and joint effort in a transparent environment. With this in mind, open-source software could be taken one step further by custom enterprise software development. Businesses that need to maintain a competitive edge must be sure to keep up with accelerating technologies and software solutions. This is where a custom software development provider comes into play. How you can use open-source to your advantage? A custom software development company will create, design, and maintain open-source software to meet your business needs. If you need to leverage open-source development tools, it is advisable you look to a custom software developer that would have all resources ready. Regardless of your business needs, an experienced open-source developer should be able to tackle any challenge you may throw and fully develop the product throughout the entire life cycle. Some of the open-source projects you may want to outsource to a third-party vendor are as follows: Open-source software development An all-encompassing service, the open-source software development covers creating and designing a reliable, robust, and scalable software. It could be anything from an end-to-end platform, to a website, to a mobile app, and much more. Open-source integration & web portals Open-source integrations could connect two different software programs, or an application with a cloud-based platform. In addition, this service could be used to build enterprise-level web portals to streamline business processes. Open-source app development Application development is a popular service among outsourced software companies. Custom web & mobile app development in an open-source environment could give your business the ability to scale with ease. Open-source migrations & upgrades Outsourced developers could provide a needed migration or an upgrade of your software products. This could include IT maintenance (debugging and automated tests), data migrations, and system upgrades to ensure all processes operate smoothly. Open-source e-commerce solutions If you’re running an e-commerce business, it is vital to be using latest software versions and to have control over your online presence. An open-source e-commerce solution could give you flexibility and scalability to provide an excellent customer experience. Open-source CMS software solutions CMS software solutions that run on an open-source software require monitoring and continuous development. An outsourced development team could make sure any open-source CMS software you use, be it WordPress or other, is fully operational and optimized. Open-source CRM software solutions Open-source customer relationship management (CRM) solutions are designed to simplify your management life cycle and accelerate collaboration and deal making. Open-source ERP software solutions Leading technology like open-source ERP software solutions makes it possible for your business to automate fundamental processes and give you insights into key data that may propel your services to a higher level. Why choose open-source software? Open-source software allows the user to evaluate how the code is performing and whether it is up to their standards or preferences. If not, they are able to change, or request a change, of any part that is not operating as they need. Furthermore, programmers publicly distribute the source code and it becomes available for open-source software upon which a business can build applications. To this end, open-source software is also considered safer than closed source software. The reason being that open-source code can be viewed by anyone and therefore if there is an error or an omission, someone will flag it and it will easily get corrected. What are the benefits of open-source software development? Seamless Compatibility Оpen-source software is designed to work seamlessly because of its compatibility across platforms and frameworks. Any issues with the underlying technology could easily be fixed which would ensure ease of integration, testing, and maintenance. Documentation Оpen-source solutions usually come with a large database and are supported by thorough documentation to aid developers working with the software. Flexibility and Agility Оpen-source technology allows for customizations and scalability. These features offer a unique touch to the needs and requirements of your business. Security A diverse set of developers looking at the code ensures potential problems are quickly identified and fixed as soon as possible. Summary Using open-source software can give you a competitive edge and leverage that will significantly improve your products. At Scalefocus, our objective is to deliver the best possible service to our clients. Our experienced software developers will carefully analyze your business needs and suggest the most appropriate software solution. To work together, simply use the contact form and submit your request, we will be happy to get in touch.