A rapidly expanding national IT-managed service and cyber security provider sought to strengthen its enterprise reporting capabilities to support its strategic growth initiatives. Candela Data was engaged to address the challenges it faced to consolidate disparate reporting processes and improve data accuracy and reliability across multiple business units.
Like many growing organisations at the beginning of their data journey, the client had matured from reporting purely in Excel to using Business Intelligence tools connected directly to source systems such as CRM, Finance, ERP, etc. This had worked for a while, however as additional reports were developed by various people the calculations and metrics differed across dashboards, look and feel was inconsistent, and business users did not know which numbers to trust!
Aligning Growth Strategy with Reporting Excellence
Candela approached the project by conducting a thorough analysis of our client’s existing reporting environment, identifying key pain points, and assessing the feasibility of various solutions. From a strategic standpoint, the challenge was viewed through the lens of four principles:
- Data Accessibility
- Accuracy
- Timeliness
- Scalability
The opportunity to enhance reporting capabilities presented significant potential for improving operational efficiency, facilitating data-driven decision-making, and driving business growth.
The solution involved the development of a new integrated data platform leveraging Azure Data Factory for data acquisition, T-SQL for transformations within a SQL Server database, and Power BI for the reporting layer. By utilising our Rapid Data Integration tools, within 2 weeks Candela deployed SQL code running natively on Microsoft SQL Server to implement a 4-stage ETL pipeline (Raw, Landing, Staging, Operational Data Store (ODS)) as a foundation for their reporting development.
Additionally, Power BI templates were customised to streamline report creation and enhance consistency, enabling our client to generate actionable insights efficiently whilst visibly seeing which reports were ‘production’ and which reports were built to answer tactical questions. High-priority reports were developed to address specific business requirements, further empowering the client to leverage data effectively and confidently for strategic decision-making.
Realising strategic advantages through enhanced reporting capabilities
The implementation of the new reporting platform successfully yielded tangible benefits for our client, providing a flexible foundation to support the growth of its consolidated business and provides the first step on their journey to becoming a data-enabled business.
The centralised data repository provided comprehensive insights across business segments, enabling more informed decision-making and proactive performance management. With improved visibility into sales trends, product performance, and forecasted investment capital, our client gained the agility to respond swiftly to market dynamics and capitalise on growth opportunities.
Moreover, the project laid the foundation for ongoing digital transformation initiatives, positioning it for future scalability and adaptability. The architectural blueprint established by Candela facilitated the integration of new data sources, ensuring the sustainability and relevance of the reporting platform in a dynamic business landscape.
Candela’s collaboration with this client highlights the power of our ability to unlock the transformative power of data-driven insights for business success with speed. By addressing the challenges associated with disparate reporting processes and implementing a robust, scalable solution, we empowered the client to unlock the full potential of its data assets and chart a path towards sustained growth and innovation in the rapidly evolving IT services and cyber security sector.