02 Nov
Many companies seek to become “data-driven” enterprises. Business intelligence solutions can be an integral part of a data-driven culture. Their user-friendliness ensures that even the “non techie” people in your organization can learn how to use them for maximum benefit.
Creating a Data-Driven Culture
Many companies in the manufacturing area are transforming how they make decisions. Changing towards a data-driven culture may not be easy, but business intelligence solutions can make it easier.
The right business intelligence solutions combine accurate data, real-time updates, and simple dashboards that make logical sense for even novices to navigate. Such dashboards enable everyone—at all levels of the organization—to find, use, and understand the data inputted into the system.
To create a data-driven culture, data must not only be freely available to all, but it must be easy to use. Without ease of use, data remains untapped. Priority must be given to installing systems that work well for the majority of users.
Weaning Users Away from Spreadsheets
Many businesses have used spreadsheets to capture, analyze, and manipulate data. Spreadsheets are readily available, easy to use, and inexpensive. However, they lack the power that business intelligence solutions provide, and are open to mistakes.
Most spreadsheets require manual input of data. Manual stock-taking during warehouse inventory, for example, must be keyed into spreadsheets. If the typist makes one error, the error can multiply throughout the spreadsheets. It can then render business data inaccurate and throw off conclusions drawn from the data.
Spreadsheets can also be cumbersome when multiple data streams must be combined to form new conclusions. It can be difficult to get spreadsheets to communicate and share data accurately across worksheets; impossible across files. Time-consuming data manipulation compounds the frustration and renders real-time data impossible.
Business intelligence solutions tackle these tasks for you. Automated warehouses and inventory systems using barcodes can scan and input data quickly and accurately without the typical keying mistakes frequently seen in manual operations. Multiple data streams can be brought together and transformed into actionable insights through business intelligence solutions.
If you are struggling to convince your team that business intelligence solutions are better than spreadsheets, point out to them the amount of time (and frustration) they experience every time they are tasked with data manipulation. A simple demonstration of the power of business intelligence solutions may point out the flaws inherent in spreadsheets and convince even the skeptical that a data-driven culture, supported by a robust BI system, provides better support for decision-making at every level of the organization.
Sage Enterprise Intelligence
Sage Enterprise Intelligence provides powerful insight into your existing data. It merges multiple data sources including Sage 300cloud (formerly known as Sage 300), Sage EM (formerly known as Sage X3) and other CRM, accounting, finance, and operations data to provide big-picture and drill-down insights. Improved accuracy, access, and timeliness of data enhances your ability to make decisions. Data visualizations also add powerful information to the data so that anyone in the organization can access and use it effectively.
Learn More about Business Intelligence Systems
IWI Consulting offers a free white paper on the many benefits of business systems. The paper, entitled, “Great Visibility and Better Business Decisions,” is available from our website at no cost.
About IWI Consulting
IWI Consulting offers numerous Sage products to enhance your organization’s data-driven culture. Sage EM (formerly known as Sage X3), Sage 300cloud (formerly known as Sage 300), Sage Enterprise Intelligence, and many other systems can transform how you use data in your organization. Manufacturers will find their productivity increases as data becomes more available throughout their organizations. For more information, call IWI Consulting at 1-866-916-3851.