Manufacturing Dashboard Modernization
Reduced manual reporting time by 70%
Client / Context
A regional RV manufacturer with 200+ employees operating three production facilities. The company had grown rapidly but their reporting infrastructure hadn't kept pace.
The Problem
Leadership was making decisions based on weekly Excel reports compiled manually by operations managers. By the time reports were ready, the data was often 5-7 days old. Different facilities used different metrics definitions, making comparisons unreliable. Operations managers spent 8-10 hours per week just preparing reports.
Our Approach
We started with a two-week discovery phase to understand existing data sources, reporting workflows, and the actual decisions being made. We identified that 80% of reporting needs could be served by five core dashboards focused on production throughput, quality metrics, inventory turns, labor efficiency, and on-time delivery.
The Solution
Built a Power BI semantic model connecting to their ERP (Epicor), quality management system, and time tracking software. Implemented automated data refresh every 15 minutes. Created role-based dashboards for floor managers, operations directors, and executive leadership. Added mobile-friendly views for plant floor access.
Implementation Details
The project was completed in three phases over 10 weeks:
Phase 1 (Weeks 1-2): Discovery & Data Mapping
- Interviewed stakeholders across all three facilities
- Documented existing Excel reports and their pain points
- Mapped data sources and identified data quality issues
- Defined standardized KPI calculations
Phase 2 (Weeks 3-6): Build & Iterate
- Created semantic model in Power BI
- Built core dashboards with stakeholder feedback loops
- Implemented automated refresh schedules
- Addressed data quality issues at source
Phase 3 (Weeks 7-10): Deploy & Train
- Rolled out to pilot group of managers
- Conducted training sessions at each facility
- Refined based on real-world usage
- Created documentation for ongoing maintenance
The client's IT team now maintains the solution independently, with quarterly check-ins to address new requirements.
Results
- 70% reduction in time spent preparing reports
- Real-time visibility (15-minute refresh vs. weekly reports)
- Standardized KPI definitions across all three facilities
- Identified $180K in hidden quality costs within first month
- Executive adoption rate of 95% within 60 days
Stack Used
Want Results Like These?
Let's discuss how we can help you achieve similar outcomes.