Client story New Data Warehouse Environment Boosts Agility for Engineering Solutions Provider

A global engineering solutions provider working on a vast range of complex building projects needed to consolidate business data from disparate sources into a single, reliable picture.

Insight proposed several data warehouse options to provide a central repository for the data. It then built the data warehouse environment and hosted it on the Azure cloud platform.

Insight also provided training to ensure the client received full value from its investment.

The Challenge

The business collects and analyses data from various sources, including its customer relationship management (CRM) systems, and its HR and Finance departments.

However, the integrity and quality of this data was at risk as it was stored and managed in various locations around the globe.

As different departments including finance, procurement and operations, were each producing their own sets of figures, the business needed to create one source of reliable data insights that all parties could agree upon. The data needed to be cleaned up and consolidated into one integrated view so it could be used for accurate reporting and analysis.

The company wanted to make this consolidated data available to its own end users and to enable its own customers to self-serve and create reports that everybody could trust. It also needed a solution that would be able to integrate with and analyse future sources of data.

There was a strict time frame as the business wanted the solution in place before the end of the financial year. It was also essential for the platform to be accessible to users worldwide.

“Thanks to Insight, our clients are now able to self-generate reports from a single, reliable source of data. We are wasting less time consolidating data and can now make business decisions more quickly and with greater confidence.”

IT Director

The Solution

After analysing the client’s environment and its data sources, Insight proposed a number of data warehouse options.

Insight then built the selected data warehouse environment and hosted it in the client’s Azure cloud environment, which Insight is familiar with as it had built it previously.

Once the data warehouse was built, Insight provided the client with guidance on how to facilitate the data ingress to its new solution. Insight also delivered training to the client’s staff, enabling both end users and clients to generate accurate and easily accessible reports from a single source of reliable data.

Part of the requirement was to enable the client to integrate with and analyse new sources of data as it progressed with its plan for digital transformation. Insight supported this requirement with a proposed roadmap for future deployment.

As one component was being tested and approved, Insight’s developers started working on the next, ensuring the solution was both adapted to the client’s needs and delivered as quickly as possible. The project was carried out to a strict timescale and delivered and approved within one month of the start date.

Key Benefits

• One set of integrated data providing a reliable, single source of information.
• Employees from finance, procurement and other departments can create their own reports.
• A better, more efficient user experience for staff.
• Firms and contractors working with the client can use the solution, helping them work together as one integrated business.
• Faster and better decision making and improved resource planning.
• Time saved on collating data from disparate sources and debating conflicting versions of the facts.
• Cost savings, faster lead times and a more accurate prediction of project timelines.
• Another step towards future goals including the adoption of digital solutions such as predictive analytics and the Internet of Things (IoT).

The Results Highlights