Optimizing Data Automation: From Excel to PowerBI Dashboards
To make sense of large amounts of data, spreadsheets have long played a central role. However, as organizations seek to become even more data driven, the shortcomings of Excel as a business intelligence (BI) tool for analyzing, reporting, and visualizing data become more apparent.
What can be gained by moving beyond spreadsheets? Take a look at this Prime 8 success story in which our consultants helped an organization move into the era of data-driven business intelligence with Microsoft PowerBI.
THE CHALLENGE: OVERWHELMED BY DATA, UNDERWHELMED BY TOOLS
A senior manager at a leading technology company came to Prime 8 with a familiar challenge. Her team was swamped with data from multiple sources that they knew contained valuable insights, but they struggled to make sense of it all.
The crux of the issue? An over-reliance on Excel. While Excel shines in simpler tasks, its limitations become glaring with large-scale data analysis. The team was having scalability issues, and trying to combine different types of data into Excel was difficult and often led to errors. Even when working as designed, Excel was ill-suited for the complex analysis they needed to do.
Their objective was clear: to distill a vast amount of data — from five different data sources — into reports that were not only true to the original information but also provided clear, quick, and actionable insights. The aim was to streamline their decision-making process, align it with the client’s business objectives, and ultimately save time.
THE SOLUTION: CRAFTING A CUSTOM DASHBOARD
Prime 8 consultants quickly assessed that the project was not just about creating a BI dashboard; it was about overcoming the organizational silos that were impeding information sharing and collaboration — barriers that were actually being reinforced by the over-reliance on Excel spreadsheets.
A key area of focus was aligning the five datasets into what would become a total addressable market (TAM) report. The different feeds simply did not work together.
Each pivot had to be filtered to the correct setting, the different tables had to be joined to work together, and the data had to be normalized across countries and regions. Our consultants also had to incorporate row-level security so that users only saw data they had permission to see.
When creating the ROI report, our consultants discovered a critical issue that had stumped the organization: They had one set of data detailed down to individual products (SKU level) and another set that was more general (program level). The team needed a broader view, focusing on the program level, but the mismatch in data detail levels made this impossible.
To fix this, our consultants had to overhaul the way data was recorded in the marketing department's system. It took considerable effort and collaboration, but they were able to restructure the data to meet the team's needs.
Our work with the tech firm's team led to a clear set of deliverables: a bespoke management dashboard powered by PowerBI. We designed the dashboard to be the cornerstone of their data analysis, featuring:
A comprehensive total addressable market (TAM) report, synthesizing five distinct data sources
An in-depth ROI analysis that offered granular insights into costs and revenue at the program level
User-friendly PowerApps forms that simplified the process of target restatements
An ad hoc report for compensable metrics to aid in data cleanup
A modern content page solution to replace an outdated SharePoint site
This dashboard wasn't just a display of numbers; it was a tool for unifying global reporting and security, offering tailored reports that respected the unique needs and permissions of users across different regions and business units. Our consultants also designed it to be dynamic, updating in tandem with shifting market targets.
THE IMPACT: TIME SAVED, INSIGHTS GAINED
The results were transformative in efficiency and time savings.
Previously, team members spent hours creating PowerPoint presentations — filtering multiple tables and copying/pasting data to make it presentable and actionable. Now, a preformatted report can be generated with a simple click, saving each regional lead two hours per presentation.
But the impact went beyond time savings. Prime 8’s work was recognized by the company's leadership, and the client’s team leader received a prestigious award for the project's success.
CAN GOING BEYOND EXCEL TO OPTIMIZE DATA AUTOMATION WORK FOR YOU?
At Prime 8, we are firm believers that investing in your data is investing in your future.
Our expertise in business operations, program management, and data analysis was pivotal in transforming how this company was gathering, analyzing and acting on data.
Are you facing similar challenges in navigating the complex landscape of business data? Prime 8’s expertise in business intelligence can help you transform how you gather, analyze and act on data.
Let us tailor a solution to meet your specific needs. Reach out and start a conversation.
