Scalable Backoffice Platform for E-Commerce Logistics at COLL-8

Project background 

Overview

COLL-8 is a growing Irish e-commerce logistics company focused on simplifying online shopping for retailers and customers. The client needed a comprehensive backoffice web application to manage accounts, locations, contacts, and operational workflows. The platform had to support multiple customer types, ensuring a smooth user experience while handling complex business logic for data processing, authentication, and CRUD operations.

The project was developed from scratch, with our team responsible for both the technical architecture and UI/UX design. The client’s specifications evolved after the initial release, leading to further enhancements and feature additions based on business requirements.

Project Goals

• Develop an MVP for a backoffice web platform with secure account management and data processing.
• Implement a role-based access control (RBAC) system to support different customer types.
• Build a scalable RESTful API for communication between frontend and backend.

Challenges

• The scope evolved after the first release, requiring modular development for easy feature additions.
• Implementing soft deletion with an “IsDeleted” flag instead of permanent data removal.
• Using the Entity Framework Code-First approach for defining models and tables dynamically.
• The initial MVP required only Google Chrome support, pushing responsive design to a later phase.

Our approach

Solution

We designed the backend architecture using .NET Core and Entity Framework for a service-based structure where each business entity had a dedicated service (e.g., AccountService, LocationService). This followed the Dependency Injection pattern, promoting flexibility and maintainability. The RESTful API was built with clear GET, POST, PUT, DELETE endpoints so that authenticated users had seamless access to business data.

For the frontend, we developed a Single Page Application (SPA) using Angular 8, integrating the Clarity UI library for a clean and responsive design. The application structure supported both SPA navigation and traditional page redirects, ensuring an intuitive workflow for users.

Authentication was implemented using Microsoft Authentication Provider for Office 365 login, enabling secure and seamless access control. The database structure was built dynamically using the Code-First approach, ensuring scalability and easy modifications.

Team

The project was executed by a dedicated team of 10 developers, led by a project manager who ensured smooth collaboration with the client. Backend engineers focused on building a secure and scalable API, while frontend developers ensured an intuitive user experience with Angular and Clarity UI. Database engineers designed efficient table structures using Entity Framework with seamless data handling.

Results

The MVP was successfully launched on schedule, providing a fully functional backoffice platform with secure authentication, account management, and CRUD operations. The system allowed business users to manage their locations, contacts, and working hours seamlessly. The API architecture ensured that the platform was scalable, ready for future feature expansions and integrations.

After the MVP release, several additional features were identified and planned for the next development phase, including responsive design, enhanced reporting, and extended API functionalities. The structured approach to database and service architecture allowed these future enhancements to be implemented without disrupting existing workflows.